I Joined The 21st Century Yesterday

I joined the 21st Century yesterday. I got my very own real computer. For the past four years I have gained access to the Internet via the computer at the public library, which required driving fifteen miles. Two years ago, I started this blog. To blog without a computer takes some creativity to say the least. I have a library card in three states, which enabled me to be able to blog while traveling.

I was one of "those people" which wanted absolutely nothing to do with this modern technology. I was one of "those people" that hoped that this "computer-thing" would be nothing more than a passing fad, which would fall to the wayside with the passage of time.

When I was setting up a home office for the roofing company that I was working for in 1995, I got a computer, the Windows 95 version. It was the top of the at the time. After a friend helped me set it up. I began to explore this extremely unknown high tech apparatus and it did not take long to become frustrated. At the time I said " I know why they call it Windows 95 - cuz it was so frustrating that I wanted to go to the 95th floor of some building and throw it out the window". I'd never really felt lost, in my life, other than scuba diving in water so murky that you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face and couldn't tell the difference from up and down. Wading around in the depths of my first computer experience, I felt lost, as if I'd been beamed up by aliens and taken to some far away planet in some distant galaxy. I learned to be "computerrrrrized" on my own, through trial and error... mostly error. But over time, I proceeded to "take care of business" with software for accounting, office documents and payroll but was not connected to the Internet. I added some educational programs for my little nieces and nephews to play with when they visited. Later I added some programs for genealogy, recipes and maps but still never went online.

Four years ago when my stepdaughter, D. got her very own real email address, I told her I would find a way to answer her emails. I went to the library and asked the librarian to help me obtain an email address and teach me how to use it. Four years later I now have three email addresses, two Facebook accounts, two MySpace accounts, two blogs and a Twitter account. All these "extra" accounts are my secret anonymous alter-ego which were created to further a mission I am on related to my stepdaughter D., which I won't go into here. Now, imagine me trying to keep up with all this without a computer. Although I have access to the Internet at the library, the situation is far less than ideal, especially with a one hour time limit at the library.

Now, with my new, top of the line laptop with wireless Internet service I'm literally sitting on the top of a mountain, on the porch of a remote cabin blogging away to my heart's content. When I head back to the ranch, in a few days, I'll be "chomping at the bit" to go home to "play with my new toys". My Dad took me on an unexpected "shopping spree" and bought me some accessories, which I wanted but expected to buy little by little. My sweet papa got me a printer, an external CD drive, wireless mouse and HDMI cable so I can connect to our TV. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I walked out of the store anxious to try out all this technology that I was so against in past years. Now as soon as I figure out how, I'm going to add a photo to this blog post. So you should expect my blog to be updated on a more consistent basis now that I've FINALLY joined the 21st Century. Blog on......

I Bake.....

I bake a lot of bread in the winter time. I used to stick to plain ole bread but in recent years I've branched out. I attempted the traditional sourdough bread years ago and through several attempts, I finally got the hang of it. My current sourdough starter is almost six years old, this holds a record for my being able to keep a starter alive long term. I want to build a brick wood fired stove in our back yard someday. When I do, I'll be able to bake bread all year long, since I refrain from excessive baking in the summer time because how much it heats up the house.

Lately, I've been experimenting with artisan breads of all types. I really do enjoy a bread that uses an Italian "biga starter", which I've perfected by combining the "biga starter" and my own sourdough starter. I've experimented with a variety of types of bread shapes. One of our favorites is the "classic bagguette", which has a crispy crust and is chewy in the middle. Yummy !!!!

Take A Ride

My Honey and I took a Valentine's Day ride on the 4-wheeler around the ranch to see the snow.... It was fun !!!!! Click on the arrow button to view the video

Living In A Winter Wonderland...

We are living in a winter wonderland. How beautiful everything looks with a fresh coating of fluffy white snow. This red bird was hanging out behind the chicken pen as the birds do every winter. The chickens probably don't mind sharing their food with the birds, but our goose used to chase the wild birds out.

This is Josie....the baby of our llama family....she will turn 3 years old on February 7, 2010 and her big sister Kate will turn 4 years old on February 9, 2010.

This is Baby Zora...she will turn five years old on May 19,2010, so I guess we should stop calling her Baby Zora and change it to just plain Zora. She is the youngest of our goats and the last one to have to be raised on a bottle. Click on this link to a past blog post that has Zora's newborn photo, which was taken just minutes after she was born. Gypsyheart Lady: Zaiah Zora's story is included in the following blog post, just click on this link Gypsyheart Lady: Bye Bye Billy


This photo is out our back door, looking out to the area we call the Blind Horse Habitat, which is where our two blind horses live.Click on these links to past blog post regarding our blind horses Lakota and Grace
Gypsyheart Lady: Lakota: A Blind Wild Mustang
Gypsyheart Lady: Amazing Grace