The Hoover Dam

9 Jan posted by

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I know it took me forever to get these up, and for that I apologize.

The Hoover Dam is considered one of the Engineering Marvels of the Modern World, and rightly so. Weighing in at 6.6 million tons, she is 726.4 ft tall, 1244 ft. long and 660ft wide at the base; it is definitely a site to behold. We didn’t take the tour of the power plant, we just toured the visitor center; that was cool enough on its own. With mock up generators, and illustrations on how they built it, along with interactive programs to see how they determine how much electricity to output, I felt like I was on a school field trip again!

I think the pictures will speak for themselves. We managed to take one on the lines for Nevada and Arizona. Some of the pictures were taken on our trip there, and some as we left. Hoover Dam is like its own city- they have their own police force and of course, generate their own power! They have started construction on a bridge that will take you over the Colorado River, instead of having to actually go over the Dam. Apparently traffic on the Dam can back up for hours due to all the tourists. Kelsey took most of the photos at the Dam- she captured some where you can see people at the bottom. That gives a pretty good indication of how massive this structure really is.

Enjoy!

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Vegas: The View From the Flamingo

16 Dec posted by

We got into Vegas at about 11am, grabbed a quick bite, and headed over to the Las Vegas Convention Center to shop the first of three Cowboy Christmases. We managed to make it through the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Sands Convention Center, on Sunday Afternoon. Kelsey was just amazed with all the wonderful goodies: cowboy hats, halters, handmade saddles, bridles, bits, clothing, clothing, clothing and more clothing; jewelry, jewelry, jewelry and more jewelry; homegoods, tables, cowhide rugs, and everything else you could ever think of needing for a western ranch house. Oh, and let’s don’t forget the horse trailers. Loads of beautiful aluminum horse trailers with living quarters, complete with copper sinks, leather walls, leather couches, hardwood floors, granite countertops, flat-screen tvs and fireplaces. Some of those trailers cost more than our house- and would have to be pulled with a hot-shot truck that also cost more than our house. Fun to look at. Not so practical unless you’re rich, have a rich uncle, or Bloomer Trailer Company just wants to bestow their goodness upon you.

The View

The View

We were able to get to our room and get checked in at around 6:30. Going with the IAC conference is always fun because you get to use VIP check-in. Instead of waiting in line behind 30 people, you wait in line behind 2. Much better. They gave us a king suite with a view of the strip. And not just of the strip, but of the Bellagio Fountains. Our room was retro cool and included marble desk countertops, curtains that ran on a button, a brown velvet couch with pink velvet pillows, retro striped wall-paper, frosted glass walls in the bathroom, complete with a back-light that was…wait for it…pink.  I mean we are at the Flamingo vegas right? We had three flat screen TVs, including one that was built into the mirror in the bathroom. Yes, you heard that right. Built into the mirror. How cool is that?

Here’s the pictures of our room and of the view. Enjoy!


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Road Trip: Part Two

14 Dec posted by

Now that we’ve rested up for the night (and to be honest, I can’t remember at what motel chain we stayed but I can tell you the view in the morning was just awesome) we’re refreshed to head southwest toward Sin City!  But first the view from outside our room in Beaver, Utah:

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The remaining pictures were taken as we traveled out of Utah, through Arizona and into Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Joshua Trees

I absolutely love the desert. Love it, love it, love it, love it, love it! I realize it isn’t good for much, but cactus and yucca and Joshua trees were aplenty. I’ve always had a love affair with those aforementioned plants. I just can’t get enough of them. If I had my way I’d have a rock yard with cactus, and yucca and Joshua trees galore. there were fields of Joshua Trees. Miles of them. Miles I tell you! Miles! Again the photos were taken from the comfort of the car, while we oohed, and ah-ed over the gorgeous scenery that God has given us.

Enjoy the ride!

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Filed Under: travel, winter weather

Road Trip: Part One

14 Dec posted by
It's a cold, blustery day in Wyoming...

It's a cold, blustery day in Wyoming...

I figured the easiest way to share with everyone the adventure of the past week was to break it down into sections. We did a lot; saw a lot; took over 1000 photos. On top of that I came back from Vegas with a cold, yesterday it snowed all day and dumped at least 4 inches on top of the 2 we already had; it’s barely above zero today and I just got more pictures from our Thanksgiving excursion to Texas, compliments of SIL, Amy. I don’t even know where to start with blogging all of this!  I’ll be uploading all of the pictures that were taken by myself and Kelsey, to an online album, but y’all will all have to wait to see those until I’m through pointing out the highlights of the trip.

I’m trying something new with these blogs- using a flickr plug-in to post all the photos at once- if you click on the first photo in the group, it will open in a bigger window that overlays the blog post, and you’ll have the opportunity to click through all the pictures that way.

When we left on Saturday December 5, it was 9 degrees outside. That was pretty much the warmest is was all day. It snowed on us through most of Wyoming. There was snow on the ground until we got to Southern Utah.

The photos below were all taken in Wyoming on the first leg of our trip. We drove until about 1am, when we landed in Beaver, Utah: those photos will be in the next post.

To say that we saw a lot of Wyoming Snow Fence, is an understatement. There is miles and miles and miles of snow fence. The job of that fence, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, is to keep snow from blowing and drifting across the highway. You can see in a couple of the pictures below, the snow blowing across the road. It was about 5 degrees outside with the wind out of the north at 30-40mph. Thus the wind chills were well below zero. All the pictures taken, except those of the big reservoir and the yucca plants were taken from the warm car. I can’t believe I even got out of the car to take those of the reservoir, and yucca plants because it was cold, but hey, what can I say, I’m getting used to the cold and I love this camera.  Something else to notice from the pictures, is that in this part of the country we make big round bales of hay to feed our horses; in Wyoming, at least, they make big square bales- picture something that is about 4 ft tall, by 4 ft wide by 8 ft long, and that’s what you’re seeing in the photos below.

Enjoy leg one of the journey.

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And in case you didn’t notice, I’m fascinated by snow fence.

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Filed Under: travel, winter weather

Home, Sweet Home

13 Dec posted by

I’d love to write a small novel today, but I think I will spend it, instead, cleaning up this freezing house, unpacking, starting some laundry and otherwise getting back into the groove. We got back to the house at 3am and as I sit here now, it’s a negative 3 degrees outside with snow everywhere. I am covered in fleece from head to toe, but frankly, I’m not remotely comfortable. I think a hot shower and some alcohol might be just what the doctor orders. Oh that and bundling up to go see my chickens.

I have so much to tell about Vegas it’s not really even funny, and so I hope to be able to start those updates tomorrow or later today. If you have time, you should read through my Twitterings from the week. Funny stuff in there; you’ll probably see where I was, and what I was doing, and keep up with the goings on from my life for the past week. Or at the very least you’ll get cross-eyed from reading everything I did.

I’m planning a series of posts about our trip, broken down into smaller sections so as not to bore anyone.

Now if you’ll all excuse me, I have to get these bags unpacked. I PROMISE I’ll have some updates and photos for you soon.

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Filed Under: travel

Live From Las Vegas

7 Dec posted by

LasVegasSign-1I am here, in Sin City! I think I will probably take this week off from blogging since, well, I’m in Sin City. Surely there’s got to be some sinning to do, right? There’s been plenty that’s blog worthy so far- our trip through Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona to the pretty state of Nevada, has plenty to be shared about (complete with photos); and of course the view from our suite on the 22nd floor of the Flamingo. We’re overlooking Ballys, Paris Paris, and I can see the Bellagio and her pretty fountains that show off every so often. So, since the lights of Vegas, and Cowboy Christmas (we visited two of them already yesterday) are calling to me- as is my stomach telling me it’s time for breakfast- I’ll bid you all adieu for the week.  And don’t anybody do anything I wouldn’t do while I am gone. Oh and you folks in the north- don’t freeze. It’s only supposed to be 3 degrees for the high at home tomorrow.

Love- your SD Cowgirl

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Filed Under: travel

Random Thought Thursday

15 Oct posted by

I don’t really know what else to call this blog this morning. I should be working on my weekly Spin Cycle, but I have other things to do this morning, like try to figure out where I am going to have this barrel race that is supposed to be Sunday. And now I’ve been asked to have two more NBHAs. So we’ll see how that goes.

There is still no sun. The sky is only sort of blue, but mostly it’s gray. I think we won’t be gathering or shipping cattle today or tomorrow, for Zach’s cousin Sharon. She’s the one that has the massive pasture that we rode a couple weeks ago.


It is suppose to be warmer today, so I will probably go to the barn and visit Bam Bam and see if his mama’s stifle (a joint in her leg) is any better. I don’t know if I mentioned it or not, but since about the last two months of her pregnancy, she has been on and off tender on that leg again, which scares me (if you’ll click the hyperlink you’ll know why). In the last two weeks it became inflamed on the inside of the joint, almost as if she had been kicked and has a massive hematoma there. She has been tender on it some days and some days she trots around like a sound horse. So who know? Only time will tell, and mother nature will do what it will do. After all the money I spent on her last year, I cannot afford to have another surgery or any more vet bills. I guess I will be reduced to leaving her in the broodmare band if nothing else. Which makes me really sad but I am not going to think about that right now.

Zach says I’m looking at the whole trip to Texas thing wrong. That I should be looking for reasons to go, instead of looking for reasons NOT to go. Jim had some good advice for me. But the bottom line is- it’s only fall. And in the last 4 days I’ve been out of the house approximately 15 minutes total- and that was to 1. go to a v-ball game for Kelsey (which they won btw), and 2. to take care of my chickens. If there is going to be an entire 6 months of this weather, I’ll go bananas. Plus, there are barrel races and more barrel races to go to, and I have old clients that are already wanting to send me horses to ride, some of which also want lessons. So I’m going to go. And I will have fun. I still haven’t asked mom if I can crash her house for 3 or 4 months. I can always come visit when I get homesick, or miss Zach so much I can’t stand it.

On a completely unrelated, yet sort of related note, I mentioned having baby fever to Zach again last night. He is of course fine with having more kids, as he loves kids, he says I’m the one that wavers. He’s right. He says:(paraphrased- sort of) if you have kids, the world will no longer revolve around you as it does now. It’ll be all topsy-turvy and will revolve around the little one. There won’t be any packing up and going to Texas because you can’t ride all winter here in South Dakota. Which then makes me think that maybe I should wait longer because I still have things I want to accomplish, and when I have a child, the chances of me reaching my goals are probably slim to none at best. Men totally don’t have this problem and it’s not fair!


I took photos of my new chairs yesterday. I still dig them. Do I dig them as much I’d dig some covered in a pretty brindle cowhide? No, but I’m not spending $2000/chair either. So the zebra print will have to do. When I pull them off the camera, I’ll share, I promise.

Why do home builders put heater vents right under windows? It’s a terribly bad place to put them, especially if you have drapes, which I’ve also added to the room and you’ll see in the photos. When I share. If you close the drapes, which I’m inclined to do when it’s extra cold or extra hot, the heat from the vent just goes right up the drapes, and into the window. Do I want to heat the window? No. I want to heat the room. Can someone please explain this to me?

I’m wondering, if I take that pretty stud horse, Nuke with me to TX where I’m going to put the bloody bastard. I’ll need to put him somewhere that he can’t beat the other horses up, and that will mean that my old horse, who is already in TX, will have to be separated from him, since he thoroughly believes, despite the fact that he’s lived about 25 years of his life with no testicles, that he too, is a wild stallion.

I just read this morning that the National Council of American Indians is lobbying Congress (where common sense is checked at the door) to let them open slaughter plants. Apparently in the northwest, the grazing lands are completely decimated due to feral horses- some of which have just simply been released because the slaughter facilities are shut down, and people can’t afford to euthanize them. This is very good news on the industry front, as the kill buyers set the floor on the market.


If you ask me all these anti slaughter people, for the most part, don’t really have any idea about agriculture, first off, and secondly, do they think a captive bolt to the head, is really more inhumane than shipping the horses to Mexico where they certainly don’t have the same standards we do? Or is letting the horse loose on national lands or in someone else’s pasture humane? Really don’t get me started. I’m going to get off my soapbox now before I get really pissed off.

Last night was fun- Zach’s cousin, Danial came up and we played guitars while he picked on his banjo. And then we had a fabulous supper- braised eye of round steak in a red-wine sauce with yummy roasted potatoes! I love to cook. Have I mentioned that?

I should really stop rambling and go enjoy this Thursday. I guess at some point I’ll have to get my photos together for tomorrow’s spin, so be looking for those!

Here’s hoping everyone has a great Thursday! I plan to!
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Filed Under: family, horse slaughter, horses, life, travel

To Be or Not to Be?

14 Oct posted by

As I sit here in my cozy living room, I can see frozen precipitation hitting the windows; I can hear the wind howling outside. With this recent onset of bad weather, I’ve been cooped up inside and frankly, it’s forcing me to re-evaluate how I intend to spend the next few months. I realize, that there’s a very good chance we’ll get an Indian Summer- but all this snow and rain, and frozen precipitation has me feeling blue. I suppose that to some degree I’m staying inside of my own accord, but honestly who wants to be outside when it’s 32 degrees (feels like 22) with wind out of the SE at 30mph?

In the cold months of winter I hoped to:

re-finish the old door for our headboard;
put in a storage/entertainment/desk/fireplace unit in our living room;
help zach build the barstools he started;
help him with the tables he’s going to build (he bought me the most beautiful walnut wood for my birthday!)
and ride, of course.

I was hoping to get Dolce started under saddle, and put more rides on Dino too.

And now the weather.
Honestly, I’m craving going south. Not because I want to be away from this place I’ve grown to love; and not because I want to be away from Zach, because I totally want to be with him all the time! But because I know that I will get more done from a riding/training perspective if I’m in a warmer, less freezing environment. My timing with my horses will get better if I can make runs all winter. If I go to Texas I will be able to take Dino, Gump, Jack, Camo and Nora too, and hopefully Nuke.
I was thinking about going for all of January and February and March, and maybe part of April. But if I do that, how much will I miss up here?
Zach,
the kids,
the weekend jam sessions,
Zach,
the kids,
the snow,
and catching up on projects around the house.
My house.
Oh, I love my house. It’s not designer perfect but there’s so much love here!
Zach,
the kids,
the snow? Because I do like snow.
The pretty winter days- which do exist, I promise!
My own kitchen to cook in and do as I please. I can even leave a mess and not have anyone grouch at me for it!
My fat chickens.
My own delightfully fluffy bed. Complete with down surrounding me. Every. Night.
Zach.
What I will not miss is the cold that most often accompanies the snow.
The cold.
Did I mention the cold?
Oh, and the wind.
And the frozen ground.
And the lack of barrel races.
What I will get to do in Texas:
Ride everyday.
Go to barrel races- everyday if I want to!
Tan,
run outside,
see my friends,
and ride everyday! I’ve mentioned the riding, right?
I’ll be where someone actually knows how to tint brows and lashes- superficial I am aware, but I’m blonde, people!
I’ll get to see my parents and my sister; and maybe even my kid brother (whose name is also Zach).
Sushi! Ah. Yes. Sushi!
Oh and my little one-eyed monster will be clean! Yippee!
What I won’t get to do is:
Hug or kiss Zach everyday.
Drink the wonderful coffee makes me every morning.
Have that coffee with him!
Hug or kiss Zach.
See my chickens.
See Baby Bam Bam or his mama.
Play with all the weanlings!
Cuddle on the couch with him.
I know I’m not going to be gone forever, but…I guess to some degree I always get this way. I don’t like the drive down, and I don’t like being away from home. Somewhere in all of the above is a good compromise, I just can’t see it right now. I should be all gung how about going to a warmer climate to train for the winter. I know this is the best thing, I just can’t seem to get excited about it.
Thanks for listening to me talk myself in a circle and get precisely nowhere!
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Filed Under: life, travel

Up, Up and Away!

3 Sep posted by

Ok. So I’m not going up, up and away, but I am going south.

I will head to Topeka, KS in the morning, and I’ll spend a couple days with family while I run at the Barrel Bash on Saturday and Sunday. Then I’ll head further south to hang with my folks, drop off my old horse, Zero, for the winter, and see my friends- as many as possible while I’m there. I plan to lay out, tan, get a pedicure, have my brows and lashes tinted, and do some things I can’t do while I’m here on the ranch.

I’ll head back to the north country on Sunday the 13th- after I run in my hometown of Duncan, Oklahoma on Saturday at a D and G Productions Barrel Race.

As much as I’m dreading the driving, I’m looking forward to running my horses and seeing my friends, having some sushi and time to get some sun!

I will try to keep everyone updated while I’m away.

But in the meantime- have a look at the Ranch’s newly redesigned website:

www.ducheneaux.com

I just slaved over that for the past few weeks…

Now, I should probably go finish doing laundry and packing!

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Filed Under: horses, life, travel

Texas, Sweet, Texas!

10 Apr posted by

“The stars at night are big and bright…*clap, clap, clap, clap*
Deep in the heart of Texas…”

Which is precisely where I am.

I was fortunate enough to have time to make it to the hill country!
I am a huge fan of the hill country. If you have ever been to Texas and didn’t like it, and you come to the hill country and still don’t like it, you seriously need your head examined!

Wednesday I caught a late afternoon flight- thanks to my friend, Toni for taking me to the airport- to Austin. One of my best friends, Steph picked me up at the airport. We talked horses, fed horses, watched videos, talked barrel racing drills, ate good Mexican food, drank a little, and she cut my hair. All in a 24 hour period of time!

Today my kid brother met us for lunch, and then he took me to his house in Wimberly, TX. I haven’t been to his house since he and his wife Amy got married four years ago. Bad big sis- I know. I got to meet my only niece, Tatum, for the first time today. She is BAD birth control. She’s absolutely adorable! We had a great supper at The Salt Lick. It’s only the best barbecue in the hill country.

I have forgotten how utterly beautiful the homes and the landscapes are in this part of Texas. I’m going to have to replicate some of this stuff in South Dakota! After all, you can take the girl out of Texas, but you can’t take the Texas out of the girl. I realized today that I miss the big, gorgeous live oak trees, and the scrubby brush cedars that’re here,-even the mesquite trees. I miss the longer flower growing season, the plentiful yucca plants, and the massive, rustically-gorgeous prickly pear cactus.

It’s really good to be back in the south.

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