Adventures with the Meyers Family Part 1

Cutting Wood

Cutting firewood is always a major chore for Rob and I. Since we had 3 grandchildren over 10 yrs old visiting from PA, we thought it would be a perfect outing for the kids and would give them something new to do.

We would leave the house sometime around 6:30am, drive up the mountain 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It took longer to locate the tree than it took to get there. The children would fall back to sleep in the back seat.

 

Rob would locate a tree then proceed to cut it down. I was always ready to move the truck just in case his tree was taller than he thought or if it fell a different direction than he planned!

 

 

He wasn't supposed to drop them across the road but that was usually how they fell.
We always had to hurry and clean up the mess before any vehicles came through. We were usually high enough we didn't see a lot of other people.

 

The fun part began when he started cutting off the sections and rolled them down to the road. One tree the children had to roll them about 100 ft before they could get to a place they would roll.

 

 

While Jaci was rolling them down the hill,

 

 

Carter and Karen were setting up a barrier so the sections wouldn't continue across the road and on down the mountain.

 

 

At one place we lost three sections down the mountainside so Rob cut off a big log and rolled it down hoping it would stop at the road but it continued rolling across and down the other side. Some of them you can hear rolling for a long time, others get caught partway and if we have a chain along Rob can pull them back up with the truck.

 

 

After he pulled the log onto the road.  Carter and Jaci held the tape measure so he could cut the sections small enough they will fit in our stove.

 

While Grandpa cut down the tree the three cousins would go off exploring.

 

 

 

Carter took this picture of the butterfly on the wildflowers.

 

  
                                              Relaxing till it was time to roll the wood.

 

It took two people to roll these logs onto the trailer. The trailer was loaded before the tree was completely cut up.

 

Carter relaxing after rolling the logs onto the trailer

 

 

                                                    It's been a rough morning.

 

Karen posing on the stump till Grandpa needs his tape measure.

 

This tree was a lot taller and bigger around then he thought!!

 

After we got the trailer, our three helpers rode home on the wood. It took about two hours to get a load home. The children looked like little tar babies till we reached home. We had dirt road all the way.

 

The fun part, splitting the wood!! The little boys were so disappointed they couldn't go along to the mountain so they were really eager to help split the wood. It wasn't long till they

                                    found out it was a lot harder than they thought.

 

The finished product. I am dreaming of warm cozy winter days!! 

 

We are very thankful we got our wood early. Our mountain is on fire now.

Its hard to believe the view in these pictures will be forever changed.

 

 

The Mesa Fire

 Council and Indian Valley ID

 

 

 

This is the view from our deck.

 

 

A helicopter getting water from a local pond.

 

 

Heading back to the fire.

 

Jude's Tall Tales

Jude is a six year old with a big imagination and a love for all things wild. We have big jackrabbits that come into the yard. They allow you to get pretty close before they hop several feet away and wait till you get too close again.

 

We found an old lasso that has seen its better days,  so one day when Jude was too rambunctious in the house, I got the lasso and told him to go catch a rabbit! Seeing Jude carrying a lasso trying to sneak up on a jackrabbit is about as cute as the story he told me later.
                                                       

  He had a little hoppy toad in his hands and wanted to keep it in the house for a pet.  "No you can't take it in the house, Did you lasso the rabbit?" "No he said, "but I did put this little toad on his back." I said, "You did" "Yeah," he said, "then I pulled some grass and the rabbit ate it out of my hand...but I didn't want to tell you cause I was afraid you would freak out." "Jude, is that the truth?" "Nooo," but I did catch a toad"

Sometime later I was grilling burgers and I heard him coming. It was quite a while till he walked up on the deck out of breath. " Grandma I heard a rattlesnake, I know it was a rattlesnake. I looked for it and found it. Then I petted it, then I grabbed hold of the rattles and they came off in my hand, then I fainted!!" I am looking at him with skepticism. He said "Whaaat?" "Ok," I said, "where are the rattles?" "Oh I frowed them in the bushes cause I was afraid you would faint too." ...Smart boy!!

Sometime later I overheard a conversation that he had with his grandpa.
Somebody had locked the keys in Debbie's van while it was in our driveway. We had to call AAA, after several phone calls, and reminding them that they were out here before, they showed up. Debbie had taken all the children swimming so Jude missed the whole process. When he returned his first question was, "How did they get the keys out." Rob said, "Oh they broke the window, and then reached in and got the keys!" With eyes as big as saucers Jude headed for the door. Rob saw where he was headed and said, "Oh, they put in a new window!!" Jude turned around and looked at me, "Grandma, is he telling the true fing??"

Now I know they are two of a kind!!

The Ten Commandments for Ranch Wives

1. Always take food and water every time you leave the house, whether you are "just going" to the landfill or out on the range to check cattle, take it!!. refer to commandment #2.

2. Never believe the phrase, "We'll be right back!" A good ranch husband doesn't lie, but those 4 words, "this won't take long" have been known to strike fear into the hearts of generations of ranch wives. You will need that food and water!!!

3. Always put your head on swivel mode when the rancher is riding on any implement you are pulling. The excuse of looking back at him, when you run over the square bale does not hold any more water than watching the calves so you don't run over them and miss that he fell off the wagon and is running to catch up!

4. Always carry baler twine with you. It should be part of every ranch wife's survival kit. You never know when you will run the 4 wheeler out of gas and he will need to tow you home with his.

5. When going to town for groceries. If your travels takes you close to the farm supply store make sure he is aware of that. There is always something he needs that he doesn't want to make the hour long trip for.

6. Keep miracle whip and ketchup in the front of the refrigerator. He can find a newborn calf in a 60 acre field full of sagebrush but most condiments are invisible in the refrigerator.

7. A trip up the mountain might sound like a date, but you are still expected to search your side of the mountain for any signs of elk and/or dead trees for next winters wood supply, AND remember where you saw them AND how many!!

8. Beware when he says, "Lets go out and get that cow in the chute, all you have to do is put the pipes in behind her so she doesn't back over me" On second thought, make that chiropractor appointment for yourself before you even go out, you are definitely going to need it!!

9. Always get clear directions on where he is going and which gate he is bringing strays back through. That way when he takes off like the wind on a nasty day, and your 4 wheeler just can't keep up, you can wait at the gate instead of searching for him and the strays. If per chance he changes direction and brings them in through a different gate...you are suppose to know that and be there waiting!

10. Above all have fun and enjoy life. When the waterholes dry up and there is no place to take 80 animals, you are out riding the range and find dead calves, the yearly rainfall was less than expected and the hay crop won't carry you through the winter, these types of setbacks can rob you of your joy pretty fast. "God hath not promised skies always blue...sun without rain, joy without sorrow, peace without pain, but we are promised strength for the day, rest for the labor, light for the way." So have fun together wherever life takes you.