Always looking for a view!

So, every since I was little I have always liked being in high up places! I loved to climb trees and then I got into rock climbing and if I'm just hiking, the hike is made great if it finished with a spectacular view. Well, since I have been here in Tucson, I haven't had a chance to get a view of the valley until today! I started on my drive up to Mt. Lemmon and got stopped by my car overheating. But not before I got a view! So it wasn't the top of Mt. Lemmon, but the Tucson valley still looked beautiful! I'll have to figure out the car thing tomorrow! :)

Oh, when I got home I noticed this. We have a baby cactus growing in our gutter! How fun is that!

I'm going to learn so much!

The last two days have been really interesting here at the ranch. Being a woman in authority I trigger for a lot of the boys the unhealthy or stressed relationship they have with their mother. Unfortunately, that means that sometimes they flare up and are frustrated with me just because they struggle with that other relationship. I've had this happen a few times already and I am learning so much... I'll have to post more on this topic this weekend when I have a chance.

Memoirs from the Ranch-Episode 4

At the end of the day Wednesday right at dusk I walked out of the bunk and went to call family and friends to catch up from the holiday. I walked over to a nearby fence and spotted what looked like a stump and a great place to sit while talking on the phone. I'm glad I looked as I got closer because what I thought was a stump was actually a knee-high cactus! I wonder when I'll get used to living in the desert!

Independence Day 2012!

Started Independence Day early to get my horse saddled before we met for a cannon blast at 6am. That was followed by a flag ceremony to start the day. For all of the Point Leader level and above we caught up horses and painted them for the Arivaca 4th of July Day parade. B and I carried the American and Arivaca Boys Ranch flags and we loaded up the horses and then waited. It was a fun parade about 6 blocks long which is also the length of downtown Arivaca. But the feeling of the community was really cool. These town members really support the ranch and want to see these boys succeed.

 After we got back I worked with one really determined boy and his horse. Even with the holiday he really wanted to accomplish some goals with his horse so I was down in the roping arena with him working on riding. I caught up Rusty, the palamino you see above and worked with him which was really fun. We got hit with a few rounds of hard rain but sometimes it is even more fun working through the rain. I was just headed back to the bunk to clean up when we started a game of mud softball! That was epic! Four inches of rain, mud, and horse crap and then add a softball, baseball bat and a bunch of crazy boys. We got hit with more rain during the game and couldn't hardly see the bases in the end. It was a great game though!

 That evening we had a BBQ with quite a few family members there as well as graduated boys and community members. It was great. I had a chance to visit with some staff members and get to know them better and that was good for me too. I work with some pretty amazing people. I sang the National Anthem before dinner and the day finished with a great fireworks show. A year ago I was in WA DC and who'd a thought I'd have moved to AZ a year later!? But God is in the details of my life and I'm enjoying what I'm learning each day on this journey!

Memoirs from the Ranch-Episode 3 Critters

Arizona has a whole new group of critters to learn and respect down here. First of course there is the rattlesnake. The other day one of the boys killed one in the tack room and a couple of weeks ago one of the boys got bit! And we have the lizards that scurry all over the buildings and come in all different colors. Then there are the wonderful crickets who keep me up at night with their singing. And I had the biggest hornet outside my bunk door building a nest that I had to knock down before it got too big. You're already heard about the fire ants (See episode 2). And we have some sparrows who also have a nest just outside me door. But I don't mind them. I have seen a coyote on my drive into work in the morning. And one of the boys caught up a little jack rabbit today one of the ranch dogs and scarred into some piping. 

Then with the monsoon season and the rains, a whole new set of wildlife begins to show their faces. We have frogs of every size hoping around after every rain. Tonight I saw a toad that was bigger than my fist! And today I met my first tarantula! He also had decided to hold up just outside my door on my window seal. Unlike some of the boys here, I can't say I have ever had a great desire to befriend the furry spiders, but with the boys coaxing, I held one in my hand today for just a few seconds. I can't say that I really loved it but now I can say that I have done it! It was about the size of the palm of my hand so the biggest spider I have ever held. Actually, the only spider I have ever held! With spiders, my first instinct is usually to find a shoe to kill it with! And I hear there are scorpions out here too. In fact, one of the boys got stung by one last week but I have yet to see one in person. So I'm getting to know all kinds of critters. I still love the horses best. I spent a good part of the day doctoring a horse that got caught up in a fence and cut himself pretty bad all over his body and legs. I feel his pain and want to do all I can to help him feel good again. I'm learning to be more sensitive to the boys like that too. When they lash out or act out, it is just because they are in pain, or I am triggering some pain for them. I hope I can get better at helping them heal just like I know I can with a horse.