This past weekend was spent at a family reunion.

My heritage is Basque.

Spanish Basque.

When we went to the Basque festival last summer, I got goose bumps

listening to the Basque men talking. It reminded me of my childhood.

My dad raised sheep just like his father before him.

Growing up, I spent just about every weekend with my dad

 (until I was 14 and then I discovered boys, more specifically, I discovered my husband and well, the rest is history)

 I could not wait till the weekend.

 I loved riding around with my Dad in his pickup truck.

 Stopping by the sheep camp, where all the men were gathered,

 waiting for the orders of the day from my Dad,

 checking the sheep, hauling water,

 and my favorite thing to do,

 moving the sheep down the road to another alfalfa field.

 I can still here the bells of the leader sheep and the smell of the wool.

That is an aroma that you don't forget.

Occasionally, pulling out a rifle to shoot a coyote

 that had found his way into the field for dinner.

Making our way back to the sheep camp for lunch,

which always included lamb

and the best part,

 rice con leche

 with cinnamon or dried apples that had been soaked.

My mouth is watering just typing that last sentence.

I miss those weekends.

Petie

  

Hank playing with my mom's kittens

busy, busy, busy

getting ready to do our annual San Diego beach trip

stopped drinking starbuck's lattes

ughhh....

I miss them

switched to diet coke for a couple of weeks for the caffeine

I hate diet coke

but I need the caffeine

playing poker with my mom and sibling's

so much fun

I love playing cards

I miss playing with my Aunt

she was so good at poker

no matter what, she always had a hand

I was amazed by her card playing skills

we recently made a trip to Tennessee to pick up two bird dogs for my husband

shoot me now...

I can't believe we are doing this again

I was so ready to be done with taking care of animals and children

doing the Junk in the Trunk in San Diego in July

lots of picking and painting going on

I literally have no more space to put anything

I need a shop

Petie

Up to my Eyeballs in Tomatoes

I think my husband's tomatoes have done quite well this year.

I posted this pic to my instagram account and he said last night,

"that's a really nice pic of the tomatoes you posted, but you should have turned a few of those tomatoes around to hide the bad spots".

WTFreak?

I'm sure the people that follow me on instagram, looked at the pic and thought ewww, look at those tomatoes with the big cracks in them.

No

they were looking at the abundance of tomatoes and thinking, look at all that work that Petie has to do...cutting, cooking, canning...

What is wrong with that man?

Petie

My Mom is 84 going on 85, 

smoked everyday of her life since she was 14 (disgusting, I know)

 has never lifted one weight or done any exercising what so ever, but she did raise 5 kids, 15 grandkids and 14 great grandchildren (and one on the way) and I call that being a superwoman.

Who needs to exercise with all that.

Her list of accomplishments are to numerous to list, but you get the point.

 Has never drank a smoothie,

eaten margarine and butter and probably everything else

 that we have been told that is bad for us

 and will shorten our lives and she is still going strong.

 I don't know another person as strong as her.

The reason for writing this post,

 is because of this  article,

Think raw veggies are best? Think again...

 I saw the link on the blog, Tales of me and husband

 I think all this new age eating is killing us and that is my humble opinion.

 Bon Appetite...

Petie

The aftermath.

Every year, I downsize my Christmas stuff. 

But this year, I'm loving just about everything that I have for Christmas decorating.

 So I think, I will keep everything.

 It's mostly baubles, plastic trees, plastic garland and a few knick knacks.

 I started buying fresh garlands, wreaths, trees, tree cuttings and other Christmas clippings, and after the new year, it all gets thrown away.

 No more storing a bunch of stuff.

 It's bitter sweet taking it all down.

 My january is already looking busy, so I am glad to get it done.

 Next up, my office.

 I have procrastinated to long in that room.

 But of course, that is when I do my best work.

 It will definitely be a load off my shoulders,

 once I get organized and up to date with my hubbies quickbooks for the year. 

The whole year.

 That is what I have to enter.

  See you in February (wink wink...)

Petie