Moonlight Hike in Palo Duro Canyon

I met Stephen and Justi at the office in Ingram this morning at 8:00 and we began our trip to the Texas Panhandle. We drove to Lubbock and dropped of Justi at Texas Tech. Then Stephen and I drove further North to the Palo Duro Canyon. After driving for 7 hours we arrived around 4:30 and checked in at the entrance to the state park. The Ranger said it was a 6 mile hike to the "lighthouse" and he didn't think we would have time to do it before dark. Stephen and I took that as a challenge and we did it. It was a good hike with the last part having a pretty steep climb but it was worth it. On the way back we saw the full moon coming up in the pink sky. It was the best time of the day to be hiking. The temperature was in the low 50's and the light on the rock formations was breathtaking. I am now back at my comfortable hotel room. I've had a hot bath and I think I will sleep well. Tomorrow we go to West Texas A&M to recruit for camp. I'm looking forward to talking with these college kids. God has blessed us with beauty all around. Have you seen the moon tonight? Here in Canyon, Texas it has a rainbow of colors around it. I guess you call that a moonbow.

What a great weekend!

It is Sunday afternoon and all is quiet at camp. It rained a little while around lunch and now it is beautiful with the sun is out. I love peaceful Sunday afternoons. It has been a fun and busy weekend. It all began Friday afternoon. I picked up Liz Nance at the San Antonio airport. She is from Fort Worth and her son attends camp here. She is a new friend that I have really enjoyed spending time with. We had a wonderful dinner and made beaded bracelets Friday night. I didn't have my iphone with me so I didn't get any pictures. There were 9 women that came to camp for the retreat. It was the perfect size. Saturday was filled with massages, manicures, pedicures, horseback rides, crafts of all kinds, good wine, conversation, mountain biking, hiking, more good food. I was in charge of the crafts and I think they were a hit. We had to literally pull some of the women away to do other activities. You know how it is when you get into the creative flow and don't want to stop. They were enthusiastic and happy to participate which made it easy. We are going to hang the birdhouses and feeders up around the camp so their children will be able to see them this summer.

Stephen played his guitar and sang for us after dinner. We were up til after midnight. Everyone was gone by 9:30 this morning and now it is quiet here. I am going to rest up and pack this afternoon. I leave bright and early for Amarillo and Lubbock. I have to say I am loving my life right now, the balance of beauty, quiet and solitude and then entertaining and meeting new people, recruiting and hiring Wranglers, it is just a happy place to be. Someone asked this weekend what would you change if you had six months to live and I have to say I don't feel a need to change a thing. I think I am right where God wants me to be at this point in my life. There is a peace and contentment in knowing that. I think I have some maturing to do so that I can always have that peace no matter what the circumstances but I am also going to be appreciative for the wonderful circumstances I have around me. Attitude really is the key!

A Creative Day at Camp

Here are a couple of the craft projects that I will be doing for the women's retreat this weekend. The birdfeeder has stones that are similar to the buildings at Lonehollow. I have a couple of other projects we will be doing and I'll post those in a day or two.

Today I helped Lori decorate the health lodge. It looks warm and inviting for the women. They will arrive around 5 tomorrow. I think it is going to be a great weekend. I am exhausted so I am off to get some rest before the fun begins.

A day at camp

Well I am officially living at the camp now. I got everything moved (thank you Mom for your help) and my apartment over the barn is very comfortable and nice. I don't know if everyone would love to live over a horse barn but God has certainly given me my heart's desire. This isn't your ordinary horse barn either.

It is February 1st and it is hard to believe the wonderful weather we have had. Almost 80 today. I am enjoying my outside chores-no more sitting behind a desk crunching numbers. Today I woke up to feed all the animals. I have a menagerie to care for and they all know my car now. First it is the hungry horses, then the lambs, pigs and goats. Then I go to the lake and feed to ducks, then down to the Sabinal River to feed more ducks and geese. Then back home to feed the rabbits. Of course, Calvin and Lily get fed too. I gave a horse a bath, cleaned 10 stalls, hauled hay and feed 100 pounds of feed.

I spent part of today getting ready for the women's retreat that is happening this weekend. I will be taking some of them horseback riding and doing craft projects. They will also be getting massages, manicures and pedicures. These are women that Meg has hand picked to be representatives for the camp in the cities they live in. They will be promoting Lonehollow and recruiting new campers for us. She wants this to be a relaxing and inspiring weekend for them. I have been decorating the health lodge where they will be staying. I'll post some pictures tomorrow. I bought great smelling candles and framed some of the fused glass projects that the campers have created. I'll be working with Meg's decorator tomorrow to put some more finishing touches on everything. I can't believe this is what I get paid to do.

The days are flying by and I have to say I am tired at the end of the day. I am glad I have a few months to build up my stamina before the 10 wranglers arrive. I leave Monday and will be gone all week to recruit at colleges in North Texas. I am looking forward to getting to know the girls that will be living across the hall from me from May to August. It will be a new experience for me after spending most of my life raising 4 boys. There will certainly be more talking. For now it is peaceful and quiet and I remind myself that I need to enjoy it. I couldn't be in a more peaceful and beautiful place. I am doing what I love. I would have never imagined this would be my life.

Yes friends, this is the view from my front porch at the horse barn. I took some time to do my Bible Study Fellowship lesson today and I just had to take a picture to share with you. Although pictures don't do it justice. The camp sits in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. It really is HEAVENLY. There is a peace and quiet that fills your soul. I will be moving out here in February so I can start riding the horses daily. Wow, what a job and what a place to live. I am so blessed to love what I do and do what I love. My dogs are going to love it too!!!

The Holidays

New Years Day - Venison, elk, and beef chili lunch at the Scudders house in Fredericksburg
New Year's Eve - Watching fireworks in San Marcos with the Akers.
Karlie and Lily Lu taking a train ride at the Akers' property in Wimberly.
Bebo came for Christmas, he loves Calvin and Lily Lu.
The pictures above are a collection of good times spent with friends and family during Christmas and New Years.

Somethings I am grateful for over the holidays:

- To work with positive-energetic-caring-creative people at Lonehollow. Meg surprised us all with a trip to Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock. We had a fun Christmas party. I had two weeks off of work-that hasn't happened for many, many years.

- It was great to be in Texas this year to celebrate in warmer weather. Not only Texas but the beautiful hill country. Not only the hill country but to have access to 3000 acres anytime. It just keeps getting better as I will be waking up everyday with the beautiful hills and the horses outside my door as I call camp "home".

- I am grateful for the time with family and friends. The gifts are wonderful but we remember the TIME spent with others. Bebo flew down from Kentucky and was here for 10 days. It was great to tour the Alamo, Buckhorn Hall of Horns, eat great Mexican food, ride the river barge on the Riverwalk, shopping in Fredericksburg, seeing a show at the Rockbox, etc. Mom and I spent Christmas day at camp (she enjoyed picking a few veggies from the garden). I took my cousin Sherry's family horseback riding-it was her boys' first time to ride. I spent New Year's Eve with my dear friends, the Akers & their granddaughter Karlie, watching the fireworks in San Marcos. Considering I had no definite plans for the holidays they filled up perfectly.

I think that is the way life is...we plan and prepare the best we can with the knowledge we have but ultimately things change and we have to adapt. This was my first Christmas being divorced and I had some concern over how the holidays would play out. Honestly, it was bumpy, but I kept looking up and looking ahead. There was encouragement, laughter, beautiful warm days and love and I soaked it in.

I made some stained glass etchings over the holidays and the one I like the best says...

It is our attitude and faith, not our circumstances, that determine our destiny - by April Baxter.

My word for 2012 is STRONGER. I am ready to push on toward a new year, new beginnings, new life.

Coincidence is God remaining Anonymous

I had a "God thing" happen yesterday and I just love it when I am able to see it happen. I will be taking the horseback riding director position at Camp Lonehollow. Anyone that knows me, knows that is a blessing and dream job for me. I can't wait to work with the kids and the horses. Taking this position means that I will be moving out to live at the camp soon. I'll be riding and caring for the horses everyday. I wanted to get a feel for the community so I visited Living Waters church in Utopia to meet some of the people and see what the services were like. I loved it. The worship and the message were spirit filled and powerful. I sat by a wonderful lady that was so warm and friendly and gave me a sweet hug when I left. Her name was Helen Hutto. On my way home to Hunt I had a blow out on my right front tire. I was so thankful that it happened when I was just turning onto Hwy. 39 and was only going about 40 mph. I pulled off the road and started changing the tire but I couldn't loosen the lug nuts. There I was with no cell service and it was cold and windy outside. I had not passed a single car on this desolate road. Within a minute a car pulls over to help me and out comes three teenagers. They are able to change the tire for me and we start talking. They are from Fredericksburg and Harper. They ask what I am doing out there and I tell them about attending Living Waters Church in Utopia. They say they have all attended church there too. Since they don't live close by I ask why and one of them tells me his grandparents attend there. When I ask the name guess who it is...Helen Hutto! I am amazed! God just connects all the dots and sometimes we are blessed to see it. He knows every moment of our life and when I am reminded of that it increases my faith and my gratitude that He loves me so much. He is going before us and He has a plan on earth and a reason for each of us. I can't wait to see what it is. There are no coincidences in my opinion. Thank you God for all the details you take care of and thank you Caleb Hutto for being the good Samaritan!!!