The Smiths: Back At The Ranch

Oh it's always so good to be back at the Ranch. Back where life just seems to breathe easier. Back home. These pictures pretty much speak for themselves. They capture summer at the ranch perfectly. I love them all.

My parents have been gone on missions off and on for so many years that it was nice to see them home this summer. In their element. My dad was out building a new log fence at sunrise every morning.

I love these shots of him working.

And seeing him on his backhoe always brings a smile to my heart.

Here's the beginning of the fence. Now time for adjustments and finishing touches. It looks so good.

There's plenty of work to be done at the ranch. My mom was also up every morning at sunrise taking care of the horses and cleaning out the corral.

She tried to get my boys to help clear the moss out of the pond. (a chore that always turned into moss fights when we were kids). My city-slicker kids were pretty counter-productive though - I think they dumped more moss in the pond than they pulled out. Eventually they gave up and took the rafts up to the ditch where the water is much cleaner.

Love this picture of Isaac in the sprinkler.

The sandbox is a favorite pastime. These kids spent hours from morning until evening digging tunnels, bridges, and making rivers. They could have lived out there.

I love this shot of my kids playing in the sand and my mom in the background on the tractor.

Here they are collecting water from the little spring.

The kids loved taking evening walks with grandpa and grandma.

Sometimes the horse even came along.

Eliza was my dad's little shadow. She still talks and talks about him. Today in the car she said, "Do you remember when I loved my Grandpa so much? Now I just love him from far away."

There are also lots of creatures to find and catch. My mom found this salamander trapped in our stairwell. We nursed it back to health and it became Brigham's best friend.

He also caught a few snakes which he let go before I could take a picture.

Feeding and petting the horses was another favorite pastime.

Frankie is the newest horse at the ranch. He has two blue eyes which is very rare.

It also makes him look a little spooky though, but in a beautiful way.

It's funny how these horses can be in a field full of grass where they can get mouth-fulls and they'll still lean way over the fence to eat one wisp of grass from the kids hands. It's great entertainment.

Poor Frankie cut his leg on the 4th of July really really bad. He had to be taken to Salt Lake City that day for surgery. He is still recovering (a month later). I'm glad I got these shots of him with the kids before his injury. Poor guy.

This is Sultan. The kids call him Blacky. Sultan is beautiful from every angle. Still a little fiesty though - I'd be nervous to let any of the kids ride him.

Here is cute Lydia enjoying the shade on the porch. It's the best place to watch all the happenings at the ranch - best view of grandpa working. Best view of thunderstorms and sunsets. It's too bad not many houses are build with front porches anymore.

Here are the boys under the porch in their secret fort. They keep their collection of bones and deer antlers under there. I don't think I'll ever go visit. Sorry.

More porch pictures. . .

Chalk drawing.

Eliza even decorated her cheek. Isn't she beautiful?

Here's the trampoline under the trees and over a ditch. C'mon, where else do you put a trampoline?

This is also where Clayton put his two front teeth right through his knee. He's a die hard "Crack the Egg" player.

Also under the trees is a new play set - well new to the ranch anyway. It used to be Mel and Ruben's. The kids had so much fun.

There is lots of old ranch equipment just begging to played on and tinkered with. Luckily none of it works anymore so I don't have to worry about one of the kids driving the tractor through the front door or anything.