Mt_Rider

Clarification: As Mother said.... You all remember the BIG HUGE HUMONGOUS CLIFF SIDE we all had to get our wagons down when we entered the Big Valley at the end of our journey? The one with the pulley system to help brake the wagons so they don't roll right over the oxen? The other end of that rope went thru the pulley and then was controlled by a set of oxen UP at the top. They are directed SLOWLY backwards...thereby letting the rope out to go with the things descending that HILL slowly and safely..... THAT is what I'm calling "Mother's Little Hill". Remember how we've teased her so much about the "little ditches" and "little hills" when she was valiantly driving the horse team pulling her wagon? So that's how this last great hill entering the Valley became named after her. If you look at the map, it's across the East River and quite a bit south of Mother's clan's property....... Just making sure folks showed up at the right location when our new folks arrive [July 1] in Wagon Train #2. Don't want everyone rushing out to Mother's place cuz we are going to be working hard for a couple days to get the belongings and herds down the "Little Hill" . Remeber, except for privately owned wagons...the rest are NOT coming down the HILL but are going back to the Rockin' J. So if you are meeting people that haven't purchased their own wagons, bring your wagon to load their stuff back to your homestead [or where ever your people are going first]. Gooood point, Q. If this event takes a couple days (as it did with us), who is going to watch/care for livestock at the MtRider place...cuz I wanna go to the hill and meet our new kids. It is one of our new realities to remember....high population of wildlife. [Although some of the larger animals have a territory range that is vast and would not permit another to roam in their territory. ...and it would take research to find which ones that would be... ] MtRider [hoping to post BV perspective today... ]

Dratted MS! I SO wanted to go with DH when he went to check on Mother's fall. Dumb Cow! Dumb chicken!!! But I told him to give a message to her that I'm sending lots of anyway. To be claimed in person when she and I can meet again. AND she has been sending some of their extra milk. This time she sent cream too and the horseride back with DH was already turning it to yummy butter! I hope to make some yogurt before I lose my last batch and have to borrow some starter. Frankly, I've been SO incredibly frantic [yes God, I realize You don't really wish us to be frantic...as IF we are left to our own devices in this new challenge You've set us...OK, taking a deep breath and feeling Your peace] ... ...well, anyway..... I have been frantic and trying to go in 16 directions at once. I HAD thot mebbe we could get the adobe house done before my parents actually arrive...such a nice homecoming after a long journey. But ..that's not gonna happen. And I'm sure my dad will have a lot to say anyway, about how to build the thing. So best we just wait. He WILL know how to build safe and strong but we have to keep him from trying to physically DOING it all. [yeah, like father - like daughter ] For now ,I'm just trying to get a lot of bricks made and sun-dried and then stacked into the Hot Cave to completely harden. It should go fast if we have those done and ready. Wow, I've been so impressed with this adobe building. I've gotten some books from our Lodge Library [had to wait to get them cuz everyone who's seen the Anarchy's place now wants to know about this! ] I'm copying the data...handwriting...I will lament not having a copy machine or Amazon Books. It took me a number of trial bricks to get just the right 'feel' of sand/clay/straw..for the right results. The straw helps to keep the brick from cracking...esp if the soil one is using is too high in clay [apparently that is often the case]. I should have tried this in Colorado! {IRL...I INTEND TO!} Then there is the massive duty of sweeping out and cleaning of some of the Maui-side caves so that there will be room for them to move in. I've got enough for them to start with and they [being lots younger, y'know!] can finish it. DH and I have already cleared debris and cleaned the caves needed on Our side of CleftoftheRock, for the Montana kids. If not for them, I'd be real tempted to go back to Rockin' J and help the rest of my family travel the wilderness route. We are seriously considering sending DH, in fact. Someone who knows the routine of wagon travel to help them. With the 6 MT kids including Nathan [& he says the 14 yr old twins are quite responsible too] then we should all be fine here till DH gets back with the last (?) wagon train. We'll see. So we have settled into the huge "living room" cave with the Hot Cave in the back. We have a series of caves all spreading out within the hillside but enough of them have at least window-size openings to make nice bedrooms. The younger [5 yr olds] girls will be in a large alcove within the cave room of their big sister Machela. 10 yr old Ben will share a bedroom with Machela's twin, Micah. Nathan got to chose his own [and advised on the others] cave room and has an entrance to the patio ledge. DH and I have a large cave with alcoves for closet area, etc and sitting area and a short cut to the Hot Tub springs. We have the door to the Hot Tub cave and to our bedroom done. DH and I have been working on doors....which is how we've made some attempts with using the adobe bricks. To fill in around the door frame once it's in. We cut and square out a *good* size post with the wedges, and froe. Then use the drawknife/planes/lava rock to smooth it. Use the mini sledge to wedge it upright into the cave opening. One on each side. Then pound the top and bottom cross pieces into the already carved notches in the uprights. ...trying not to knock the uprights loose at that point. Involves a lot of tedious measuring and shaving thin slivers until it is JUST right. We are using dead fall wood that is well dried already. Else it would just shrink as it dried and all our work would be for nothing. Once we have a secured rectangular frame within a odd-shaped oval opening [One truly CAN shove a square peg into a round hole...but it aint' easy!! ] the rest goes faster. We're constructing the doors out of thick planks [using wedges to split and smoothing again]....real thick for the exterior doors.....lions and tigers and bears, oh my! We copied the 'Z' pattern for the cross bracing for the doors..same as on our old log cabin in CO. We have a lot of bolts/nuts for fastening these. [We studied how that cabin was constructed before we left!] If someone gets the time to learn how to make wooden pegs, we will begin using them instead. For now, a metal bracket holds a bar that can be dropped down horizontal to secure the door shut from the inside. Now, access from the outside can be done with a string. Since this door-building is tedious and exacting but not heavy labor, the children and I can work on that while DH is gone, I think. We searched out and found enough dead trees to work with. If we don't get more doors installed, we plan to give my parents our room and make do till we get more doors. Ideally, there is a temporary apartment for them that we have in mind. A cave with four good-sized connecting areas. Entrance to the patio and a huge window high up. I've crawled up there to see how bad it would be to secure clear plastic. There is soil up there...some rock. I'm wondering about building a rock wall about a foot high to hold down the plastic sheet that would be the window. Putting the first layer of plastic down, cut large enough to go under the rock wall. Then a second sheet of plastic on top of the rock wall, to insulate come winter. Fasten that sheet with more rock. The wall would have to be quite sturdy, meaning we need to use heavy rocks that won't allow the wind to tear away the precious plastic. ....thinking on it... May try it and see. Wish we had some cement. Later, we're thinking this area can be the school room. It's close to the Hot Tub cave and is definitely warmer than some of the others. Lesse, we need two doors on those rooms... and one for Nathan's bedroom and I want to get the small greenhouse up in front of our "summer kitchen" alcove and secure that. Kids can help collect rocks for the knee wall around this greenhouse and I've plans for a large greenhouse (hope the family brings plexiglass or more greenhouse plastic!) over on Maui side. It needs to be positioned by one of the Papa Bear [too hot] springs so that will help to keep it warmer in winter. We neeeeeeed to get things planted in there. OR, I can put seeds in starter pots and we'll transplant when the greenhouse(s) are ready. Have to have a good start on plants or they won't thrive in the lessor light of fall/winter. My SIL will be great in the greenhouses. He's got a green thumb and likes to garden. Tho Maui boy is gonna have a shock come winter, mebbe this will ease the long cold weeks. The gardens and fields are recovering as they can after the danged storm. It was better than we'd tho it might be. Does show how quickly a month's worth of work can be turned to ashes tho. ...er, not meaning that literally about poor N's cabin mind you. But I'm glad he's getting it replaced - before he even knew he lost it. Wish we could have attended the house raising, but a long trip like that would be hard for me...especially while we're racing to finish so much for the kids. New & old. So I'd best get out and weed while the clouds are keeping the sun off. Midday got too hot and I decided to catch up on this journal......seems I am always catching up. MtRider [door maker/garden weeder/cave cleaner]

Carterville Bro was laying on his stomach watching the town below him through binoculars. He'd left Denise, GF and her daughter Janet & SIL Jeff back several miles with the vehicles. Hopefully he'd left them far enough back from this mess. He'd taken one of the horses and rode on, edging to the east of Carterville. He wasn't military trained. He was hoping he'd been smart enough not to be noticed. He prayed fervently that he had not been noticed. He'd been praying a lot in these past months. He thought he was going to die until his daughter Denise had finally made it home from the university, 2 states away. He should have gone down to get her but she'd had a ride with friends. Then they began to shut down some of the highways and more brigands were robbing and killing travelers. Those 4 college kids had been fortunate. A army vet had come to their aid when they very well could have been killed....or worse. Now, he was pretty sure he was seeing worse. It was obvious that a pack of brigands had taken over this town and had bullied the people into what just had to be called slavery. Those-With-Guns were in charge, of course. The others hurried to do as they were told, defeat and terror showed in their stance. Whether it was tending the field crops and gardens, or washing clothes or serving meals, they did it with fearful glances at Those-With-Guns. Bro wondered how this situation had occurred out here in the West. Ranchers and townsfolk alike were pretty independent-minded out here. Most people knew guns and hunting and such. How had this pack gained control here in Carterville? He'd ridden way around the town and checked out the highway to the bridge. Where his niece had last called from. There he'd seen a replay of what must have happened to his family. Another group of 3 vehicles taken the roads that bypass the small town. Then as they approached the bridge, they were stopped and demands made. More of the brigands came in from behind, cutting off retreat. At least it hadn't erupted into gunfire immediately. There was negotiation back and forth. He was too far to hear, of course, but it was obvious. He'd watched it play out through his binoculars. They happened to be of excellent quality because he'd won them in a poker game. He wasn't a hunter so he thought he'd have no use for them. But seeing it was a friendly game, he took them in payment. Right now he considered that straight flush the luckiest hand in his life. The conclusion of the encounter he'd witnessed was chilling though. The 3-car party agreed to the terms, and yet when the brigands came in casually to take their portion, they quickly went into practiced action. Within seconds they had disarmed the party, searched them for weapons, and forced them to walk back to Carterville, children crying and all. They were not gentle and Bro was afraid he might be a witness to murder right then and there. But the party complied as best they could and were herded into the high school. Apparently the holding cell for a lot of travelers. The three vehicles were driven into the high school parking lot, which had what looked to be a hasty job of security fencing surrounding it. Bro counted 5 guards around that area. None of the enslaved population got near that parking lot. He scanned the vehicles in that parking lot through the high power lens. That's when he nearly lost it. He very quickly spotted the distinctive truck that he knew so well. His parents are frugal and their truck is now a 20 years old classic in excellent condition. He'd recognize that truck anywhere. OK...so they must have been taken into that high school like this party had been. How many days had it been now, since his niece's phone call to his sister's cell phone? He tried to count back but it was all starting to be a blur. He had to force himself to remain still in his lookout position. From the time he'd used Uncle's cell phone.... finally gotten service, and discovered his family was in trouble, he had been nearly crazy with worry. His parents are in their 80's. No one should treat them like this! The security caravan had moved too slowly across Iowa to suit him. He would have left it behind and driven all night straight through. But GF was constantly telling him to remember his daughter...and her own daughter/SIL. GF was right, of course. He really didn't think he'd make it by himself either. No one went alone on the highways anymore. So his group had finally made it to the juncture of the northern route. Their 5 vehicle caravan was now heavily laden with things he hadn't known he would be bringing. He'd packed the tools of his trade that were applicable in a non-electric situation. Construction equipment and supplies were in his long, enclosed trailer. He'd done some welding back home, modifying it so the trailer could later be pulled by oxen, as well as by his truck now. The household things had mostly been handled by GF and Denise. There were all the necessary farm things related to their horses, a legacy of Denise's late mother. With the sale of some of his other machinery and equipment, he purchased another horse trailer. He was hoping to find livestock like cattle and hogs. Animals raised for meat. He found no one willing to sell as they came across by caravan. What he did get was his own family's antique farm implements, excellently restored through the years by his Uncle. And the empty horse trailer now hauled four animals, though not for meat. A male set of dark, tall, heavy mules trained to work at the museum. The huge, black jack-donkey who was their sire. And a dark mate for him - a jennet. Both donkeys were American Mammoth Jackstock. A dying breed that would now be making a comeback. If enough were still alive. http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/jackstock.html Bro already had a standard jennet with him. He wasn't all that thrilled to be taking on more of the highly intelligent but independent-thinking creatures. Uncle's friend, and director of the small town pioneer museum, was Mr. Case. He insisted that the gene pool must be spread out. Who knows how long before we'd be plunged backward into an era of needing animal power for field work and transportation. He'd been raising up mammoth jacks/jennets for a couple decades and producing mules by the males. Breed the jack to a large horse mare and you get the tough & heavy, but infertile critter they call a "mule". But you need a jennet to produce another mammoth donkey. This jennet was already bred by a different jack so they had two genetic lines, especially if her offspring would be male. "Just don't ever breed the jennet to a horse stallion." Mr. Case warned. Bro laughed and said he knew breeding *that* direction produced a hinney [ http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_female_mule_called ] That useless creature managed to combined the worst of the horse and donkey traits while the mule somehow gets the best of both. Neither can reproduce itself. And yes, the correct and proper term for a 'intact' male donkey is "jack azz". As for the machinery, a few of the pieces had been ornamental in Uncle's front yard. Common decorations in farmlands. But most he had donated, after restoring them to original working order. His Uncle had worked in the demonstration fields of his town's pioneer museum. It was quite the attraction for city folks and school children. He'd used horse or mule teams with his own plow, disc and wagons....acting out for the visitors, the chores he used to do as a boy. Grandpa would have marveled at the thought of people nowadays paying 'good money' to come see his son pulling his old plow with horses. Grandpa liked the tractors that replaced the horses. Tractors plowed a field faster and didn't have to be fed when it wasn't working. But Uncle liked the animals. Bro had practically begged Uncle to pack up and come with them. Bring his daughter and her family too. But the Grandkids were married with their own families. If all of them didn't come, none wanted to leave any behind. Well, he'd told them how to make contact if they changed their minds. Just as his sister had left that information with her daughters, himself, and their parents. None of them would be in this situation if they had only gone on that first wagon train. Who knew things would get this bad so quickly though? Uncle had taken Bro to the now-closed museum . Who would go to a museum in times such as this? Besides unexpectedly ending up with some of the donkeys/mules, Mr. Case had allowed them them to ...er, UNdonate their family heirlooms. He'd given them other antiques that could be spared. There were plenty of looms and spinning wheels and such just sitting around, he'd told them. Better to get them to folks that will put them to use again, than have them burn in an arson's fire. Bro knew his sister was going to pop her eyes out to see this stuff. She'd kept many things from their ancestors and loved the old ways. The last thing Uncle had packed was Grandpa's old scythe which he'd spent the night before showing Bro how to sharpen. "I promised this to your sister a couple years ago. Just didn't know how to send it to her in Colorado, " he said. "I'm sure you'll have need of it." Boy, it had been hard to leave Uncle and his cousin and the rest. The last of the family back there now. Most of the family was captive down in this town. Bro was just about to shift to another viewing location when he suddenly knew he had NOT been smart enough to remain unnoticed. A rifle barrel was poking hard into his back and a very low, steady voice said, "Who are you and state your business!" Bro froze. "My family is missing...are you holding them in that town?" "You didn't answer my question." A hard voice. Bro gave his name and waited. "The joy of the Lord is my strength." was the reply. Funny, but that hard Voice sounded like it was true. Not just a line of code. Bro had never been so glad to hear a sentence in his life. "The civet cat is from Iowa...comes from Iowa. Sorry, ....but my sister gave me such a stupid code." he was a bit flustered. Hadn't Jacob warned that his lead man would require that code? "Close enough, Farmboy. " said the Voice, not unkindly. The pressure of the rifle barrel was released. "I met your sister in the Valley. She'll be happy you made it and they could sure use some help, her and doc. " Bro eased back from his vantage point before he stood and looked at the three men staring at him. The Voice stepped forward and put out his hand. "I'm Jerry. My momma and her dh are in Big Valley too. We're gonna get your momma and daddy and the rest out of this town!" The two other men nodded curtly in agreement. "Have you seen them?" Bro asked anxiously. "We think we spotted one of your nieces holding her younger son this morning through the window. This group seems to have a lot of new folks locked away in the school. Looks like they have more people than they know what to do with, actually. Their kingdom is getting too big for the amount of noble knights they have. " His tone told what he thot of the noble knights. He handed Bro a packet of plastic-enclosed pictures. His parents, his own face with his 19 yr. old daughter. The Korean faces of his nieces and DD2's family. He hadn't seen them for so long....hadn't met SIL or the young Grsons. Always meant to take that long trip to see them and let Denise meet her cousins. As he stared at the photos he felt a helpless rage come over him. The Voice...Jerry spoke firmly. "Easy there, Farmboy. We get them out MY way."

{for other writers} PREVIEW NEWS: Wagon Train #2 will arrive in BV....up at the top of "Mother's Little Hill" on July 1. They will have sent rider to tell us so we can be ready to help them get down. A sledge device is being constructed so that STUFF can be brought down by loading that and lowering it by pulley [oxen powered] to the bottom. All wagons are staying at the top except if they are personal wagons/carts. Wagons and oxen are returning to fetch wagon train #3...likely the last wagon train....except the Rocking J folks trying to still hold the "gateway to the valley" shut! Wagon train # 2 will go to the homestead that our group visited with the greenhouse and all. There is an EVENT planned there so don't step on it . {stay tuned} Homestead is about half thru the 'wilderness' ....just after going thru the long canyon. From there, wagons begin going UP HILL {remember?}. Until finally they reach M'sLH [Mother's Little Hill ] Just so some events stay on the same page....cuz I [we] don't wanna write Events and mash right into someone else's storyline. MtRider

Mother, I can see I'm not the only one who's scheduled for therapy once Wagons HO/Big Valley is done. ....another day IRL so busy I didn't even THINK about The Bridge.... ACK...... I just found out my BROther and Denise [ Da Niece.....get it? ] are coming for a visit IRL next month. I need to get that situation at The Bridge resolved and make sure they get to the Valley safely..... ACK..... Hey wait a minute! Now y'all have ME doing it. Mixing up our realities. Their trip out here will go just fine....obviously....for sure.... MtRider [....hmmmm, they need to bring out more rice and wheat and garden seeds tho..... ]

So now I'm "fate", am I? Well, as long was we're talking about the UNreality of W*Ho....I'll accept that. So the question becomes, what to do with all this.... POWER I think I'll write in some storyline that everyone in the Valley suddenly wins a lotto. That's better than a boring sunny day now, isn't it? BTW, I'm doing some research and..having REAL life happen and ...I don't even have a post quite ready today yet. Almost.... My mother is anxiously awaiting what's happening at the bridge. {pressure} Cuz that's were I wrote her in the story. This "daily serial" writing is difficult...making sure you don't paint yourself into a corner. So I'm working on it...working on it! Q, I certainly hope you get your cleared out computer back SOOOOOON! Mt3b & Annarchy.....um, ..... I am so TOTALLY INNOCENT...... [i'm beginning to see why Darlene uses that line so much! ] Afterall, you should have been SO prepared for a storm IRL after that scene here in UN. OK...we'll see how far I get.... MtRider [...and Leah, that homestead is coming up... after I get my Bridge Scene handled! ]

Dear Diary ----The Storm {WHOAAAAAAA...this got really long.... } That storm had been a DOOZEY but honestly...... I LOVE LIVING IN CAVES!!! I was worried about so many things and worried for the rest of the people here in the Valley. Worried also for Wagon Train #2.... {God, protect our new children and the rest!} But deep inside the rock, I didn't fear for our safety at all. I just kept JUMPING when the thunder crashed. We could still hear that! That morning, I could feel the change even before verifying it with the barometer. Then it seemed like everything happened at once. I was just telling DH about the impending WEATHER when a messenger came dashing up to the mouth of our living room cave. He hollered in for DH. [LOL we've got to get working on some coverings for the cave openings but there is just so much else to do... ] Young Sabrina Caylan had fallen from a tree and her hand is swelling bad. Could Doc come and do that "tuning fork thing" to see if she's broken anything in her hand? Dr.MtRider grabbed his bag [always at the ready] and headed out to saddle Roan. I grabbed a piece of paper and began writing as fast as I could write neatly. Then I padded a few of the extra barometers I'd only recently found in the things that were sent on by mail to Rockin' J. Some of the things I got from recent Rockin' J deliveries were my own things that I couldn't fit into the wagon and donkey cart but wanted here. Anyway, I explained to the wide-eyed messenger about the need to alert everyone to prepare for STORM! He promised to send riders in all directions. Then he and DrMtR left - one to the Lodge and the other to make sure Hobbit Hole knew about the storm, tho I was pretty sure they'd be up to speed already. Mother would feel it too. Okaaay, now I'm gonna have to do this preparing alone....nothing new there. I've always been "holding down the fort" alone while DH is off being a doctor. Hopefully, he could get back here quickly. It takes a little over a half hour to travel by horse to the Lodge from here....less if you run part of the way. Then an hour to handle the injury, maybe? Then a half hour back. Two hour minimum. I SO do not want to ride out this storm worrying if DH is caught half-way back in the mess. He should have time to return. {please, God? } I got to work pulling back anything near the cave openings cuz wind likely from the south and that's the direction our caves were open. {I repeat: we're gonna have to do something about doors soon....Maybe when my dad gets here? He'll know how to rig it into this stone.} Made sure there was nothing that could get blown around inside the caves either. That didn't take long cuz I'm afraid all my STUFF is still pretty much just dumped onto the floor in the totes and containers. Had to move some things out of the summer kitchen area tho cuz it's wide open. [grabbed some leftovers from last nite and ate them cold as I ran around settling stuff in the caves....we didn't even eat before this began to happen.] Next, I worked on coaxing the animals back inside. DH had been up early enough to have done the morning chores. He's not weather-sensitive so wouldn't have noticed. The equines were easy enough. Just offering treats. The goats weren't too bad either. They are getting real close to delivery date and can't gad about as normal. I just took some grain and rattled it noisy in a pan. I sat down and tried to act normal and calm. By now I was rather in high gear from adrenaline. A necessary allowance for emergencies. They came right over to see what I was up to. I hooked leashes to Grma goat and her daughter. The Grdaughter twins came right along to the large alcove in the "Barn Cave". The 2 donkeys and Midnight were restless but could move freely throughout the rest of the "Barn", including to the back where the water seeps into the stone trough. I filled a rubberized bucket for the goats and made sure the barricade that holds them into the alcove was very secure. I went down the hallway towards our main cave. About half way was another alcove which we'd been using to store cut and dried grass. Every time we come in from the fields/gardens we try to bring in another batch. I brought some into the Barn for the goats and equines on a child's plastic sled. I used the same sled to bring the rabbit cages inside the Barn and placed into another alcove. I barricaded that too, tho normally we don't bother. But if the equines would panic, that would protect the rabbits. [We haven't even begun to breed the Rex females...due to all the OTHER work going on. ] OK, what's next? Ducks and setting geese. Well, the ducks usually can take care of themselves. They go in and out of a rock ledge near the river. Deep but only 2 foot high. It's not likely that a duck would get caught in flooding. And even hail only sends them for cover under a bush. The geese have been located in a small cave on the western side of our "C". The setting females [all three of them] were on the shared nest. This is one door we did complete...as well as two NON-carpenters can manage. It aint' pretty but it's solid to keep predators out of there at nite. Usually it's open during the day and we rely on the dog and the donkeys to keep anything out of this 8 acre pasture. I shooed the ever-vigilant gander inside with his ladies and shut the door. DH had put water inside since the geese were not leaving the nest much right now. They always look half dead at this late stage of brooding. They drop a lot of weight and are so limp. But they're fine when the job is finally done....which is also coming up real soon. [mentally counting up the days...good, a few more days left] Incubation for ducks is about 27-28 days and geese is from that to maybe 32 days. Cat....shoot where did she get to? I think I'd like to see her in an enclosure for this mess. I start up our gradual but definite slope to find cat....and spin around before I taken three steps. The fish pens. The idea of caging fish that are caught neatly [only hooked on the mouth] within rocks on the edge of the river comes from the ancient Hawaiian culture. Likely many early peoples practiced this, but that's how we learned of it. Catch them and carefully turn them loose within the cage made from rocks and a liner of chicken wire. The water continues to flow thru but if you want lunch, even *I* can catch these fish. : lol: Scoop them up with the net. If the river floods, our captives would be set free. And there were a few really nice fish in there. I grabbed the net from it's place on the tree and scooped up four large ones. Most of the rest are trout and we can always catch them again. Now I climbed the hill. Especially good thing I got the net out of there or it might have been lost. I plunked the fish into a tub under our ledge and filled it with water that had been setting in a bucket. They can live there for now. We might need them for supper or breakfast. I was beginning to spin in circles...literally. Trying to go in every direction at once. How long had all that taken? Was DH nearly back? Nope, only an hour. Who am I forgetting? Cat! Gotta find the cat. Fortunately, Cat was in her morning snoozing spot and I popped her AND HER BLANKIE into one of the larger kennels we'd used to transport goats. She was not amused. YOWL....YOOOOWWWLL........ Oh hush! Donkeys, horses...well, only one until DH brings Roan back....goats....ducks...geese....cat...dog. Dog is staying right by me. Good, then drag this sled out to the gardens and lets start on that.....oh, wait. We have a wagon setting right here in the way on the ledge. I decided to roll it in front of the Barn cave door. I left some ropes there to secure it to the small trees that had managed to drive their roots into the spaces between rock. It would be an extra protection for the animals inside. I blocked the wheels with heavy rocks and set the brake. But had to wait to tie it until we got Roan inside. I also grabbed a few other things that are tucked in here and there around our "patio"...things that you don't notice anymore cuz ...this is home and that stuff belongs there. Not during a big storm it doesn't. Satisfied, Dog and I went down to the first garden...Three Sisters... with the sled loaded with odd things for covers. Corn was about a foot high....and the pumpkins had several major leaves on the spreading vines. Still small but they would do better if those fragile leaves were not punctured like Swiss cheese. Then there were the pole beans. Ok, let's see if I can pull this over..... Between the palisade fencing that ringed the outside of the garden, and the sturdy bean supports in five rows down the middle of the garden, this was where I'd use our largest size tarp. Tarps were one thing you can never have enough of. And I'd brought lots. I'm a mountain gardener....I know hail and I know frost. This one took a 20 X 30 foot tarp. I used tent stakes and bungie cords to tie off the corners....getting inside and outside the garden a dozen times before I'd worked the tarp into position. Using my cane to lift it up and over here and then again there. I worked it from bunched at one end to smoothed out as far as it would go. I REALLY hoped it wouldn't tear on the saplings that made up the palisade. It was only woven nylon. If I kept it nice and tight.... Dang! The wind is already picking up a bit. WHERE is DH? I could use some help here! Finally it was in place. And I staked it down. Bungie cords were also a modern help that we'd eventually run out of . Do I run over to the Maui garden which has a similar set-up with the palisade perimeter? No, there really isn't anything coming up there...except radishes and some peas. Well, I might cover the pea rows. But that garden was one of the last to be planted. I went off to spread sheets over the next plants...cole crops like broccoli , cabbage, kohlrabi, et. No....I'm going to leave them. These plants are tougher than most so I'll take my chances with them. Sunflowers: That's when Dog and I went to the woods and loaded up the sled with brush and branches. I drove in sticks around the plants and draped sheets, blankets, etc over the rows. I tossed rocks or dirt on the edges of the covers to keep them from lifting off before the rain secured them with water-logged weight. Pea and bean field: Oye. Well, let's just hope the posts we drove in to secure the supports will hold. We planted rows going North to South so they are not sideways to prevailing winds...unless this came directly out of the West. Both plants could take somewhat of a pounding tho it would scar the pea pods that were forming. It might knock off the blooms that were currently on there but more would replace them. {Oh God spare us, please....or , I will trust that You will Provide in other ways.} Potatoes are a dense enough plant to cover with blankets and whatever I had left. So were the summer squash and zucchini if I threw in the bundles of drying grass that we'd been cutting around the perimeter of the fields and gardens. That would keep them supported. Would just be mulch after it got plastered down with water but we'd been meaning to do that anyway. On and on I went until I finally heard hooves. It was beginning to rain by now and the wind had blasted a couple times as the front moved in. DH and Roan ran nearly by us until I gave a blast on my emergency whistle...always a part of my 'uniform'. He veered up and joined me in bringing one more tarp over the root beds of carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips,etc. I did NOT want to lose these! This is where the second large tarp went. The greens from these are all quite flexible and it didn't matter to squash them down. As he helped me secure the edges with rocks and dirt [turning to mud as we worked on it] he told me that Sabrina was lucky she didn't break her neck from the sounds of it. He'd checked carefully for a break but didn't find any in her hand or wrist. But badly sprained. He'd taught her mother how to wrap it with an Ace so it wasn't too tight. He gave her two of the gel packs to wrap with the Ace...keeping one in cold spring water while the other brought down the swelling. He'd also given the girl a check for other injury and an adjustment. She'd really knocked herself good. Fortunately they had radios and called back to inform their family that they would, indeed be staying at the Lodge until the next day. That had been Plan A and they had brought their things. No way they would attempt to cross the North river and get home before the storm hit. I was so glad that he'd gotten here and glad to hear he hadn't had to try to set any bones. A bit out of his expertise and it would be better to have Q to work with him on something like that. Before we left to come, MrS&J had sent DH to a 2-week seminar to train for "Wilderness Medicine" . What to do when you are in the boonies and something needs attending now! It's mostly for extreme backpackers, missionaries, etc. He's been very glad to have that training. But we honestly need someone experienced in major surgery out here...but then we'd need the equipment and that can't be done without some electricity. So , DH can do basic stitches and things...has done them. I'm sure Q and some of the other women can too. But... it's worrisome to think of things like what happened when the livestock bolted in panic with that silly helicopter. The trickiest cover we tried was to sink the wagon ribs into the soft earth and secure the GoreTex cover. We covered some of the tomatoes with that and really pounded in big stakes to make sure it didn't fly...hopefully. The tomatoes with cages already built got covered with liners or pillow cases or plasic bags. By now I was up at the ledge covering the herbs and greens in the gardens made from piled rock walls on the "patio". Roan was put up with the others...to everyone's relief, and Dh was over in Maui, putting our towels end to end over the just-emerging peas there. I was beginning to get QUITE creative in my scavenger hunt for more things to use as covers. I'd used some ground pads to wrap around inside the tomato cages. Every empty bucket or plastic planting pot was overturned on the melons...with a large rock to hold it in place. In sheer desperation I went down and stole the bucket from the geese and left them with a much smaller pan. I was definitely wishing for my salvaged aluminum siding that I bent into "V" shapes and used for hail protection in Colorado. But our wagon just couldn't hold all I'd thot to be important. If only I could have talked my parents or kids/Grkids into coming earlier. {snort} I'm just so surprised they are coming now!! {God watch over them and keep them from harm, PLEASE!} But I hope they were able to gather up the things I'd left at their house/garage and can fit it into their wagons. DH came running up to where I was still trying to get "one more" plant covered. We were both soaked by now and even the dog had abandoned me for the shelter of the nearby 'garage cave'. Our cookstove was fully exposed to the rain that was now coming sideways so I'd covered that with a poncho. It would likely need to be wiped down carefully after this was passed. "Hail's coming" he yelled over the wind...and as I turned from placing a rock as anchor, I watched it making divots in the river and quickly climb the hill to our patio. I grabbed up the now-empty sled before it could fly and we dove for the mouth of the garage-turned-kitchen. Wind-driven hail followed us in and we heard it plinking against the cookstove. Sheeeesh, I hope it doesn't ding that enamel parts. Dog was wagging her tail in joyous greeting and across the large cavern Cat was still voicing her opinions. We stood dripping and watched the hail pile up on the south face of our cliff. It's fortunate that our patio ledge cants ever-so-slightly downward toward the river and away from the cave openings. But would it be enough to take the rain water away? It was cascading down from the hill and pouring down from the overhanging ledge. Some of that waterfall was being blown hard enough to reach our cave entrance. A near lightning strike caused us to both jump back...too late to truly make a difference if it had been necessary, of course. But it always makes one feel better. Well, we were both shivering so hard...I could barely walk. There was nothing else we could do now. "Hot Tub!" we said in unison. And headed in that direction, picking up some dry clothes on the way. "Do we have ANY bedding not out in the rain?" asked DH in dismay when he discovered I'd used ALL the towels. "Sure," I said. "We still have the feather bed and the down comforter...and the sleeping bags..um, most of the sleeping bags. No sheets or blankets tho. " Our "Baby Bear" springs was back far enough to be unaffected by this barrage but had a lot of ventilation from a broad cave mouth. We got out of wet clothes and were very happy to relax in the quite warm water. Baby Bear stand for the water temperature...."Just Right!" Papa Bear's porridge was too hot. Mama Bear's porridge was too cold. But Baby Bear's was..... Just Right. We had a few Papa Bear pools and a number of Mama Bear pools we'd discovered in our side and the Maui caves. And in a passage between (so that we could be safe in any weather to go back and forth) there was a large Baby Bear on the Maui side which would serve their larger population. We welcomed the fresh air pouring in thru the cave mouth by the time we'd soaked sore muscles. How many times had we done this since finding our home here in Cleft of the Rock. During this horrible storm [and I kept JUMPING with every lighting/thunder flash-crash ] we truly felt sheltered by HIS Hand. We dried off using clean Tshirts and dressed. DH went thru the tunnel that led past the hay storage to the Barn cave to check on the animals. It was pouring in the window hole in the hallway but water was pooling away from the hay storage. I went the other direction to make sure nothing we stored was getting wet. All was well but I noted a couple cave areas that were pooling water. We'd know not to store things there. In the large primary cave, there was some water coming down from way up in the ceiling. That skylight [aka: hole in the hillside]. Well, we'd just avoid that too and it wasn't too much. Kinda splattering tho when it hit the floor. I moved some things a little further away. I thot of the adobe bricks piled up along the back wall. Glad we didn't have any formed and sun-drying down by the river. It was warm in the back of our huge 'living room' and the next alcove was a dry but very hot. From a Papa Bear spring somewhere in the rocks but the spring waters were not emerging where we could see. The hot alcove was a great place to dry the adobe and dehydrate foods. I hoped we'd have enough to soon build the greenhouse on the front of what was now our summer kitchen...with a wet cookstove. Glad we didn't begin till this is over tho. I'd used the huge sheets of greenhouse plastic out there too....over a large wheat field that I hoped would spring back up after being so squished. But the field canted slightly downhill or I never would have used it. How ever would we get it up off the field if there was inches of water held on it? Even the blankets and quilts were going to weigh a ton! Laundry was going to take forever. {sigh} MtRider [...comments on a VERY long day...and night....and next day pulling off the covers and surveying the damage. Not as bad as it could have been. Saved a lot. Sad to not save it all. ]

SIGH.......Mother keeeeeeps saying that. But I don't know WHAT she is talking about. IRL we've been snowing and snowing and snowing....which makes my reprieve yesterday to fill the horse water so DELIGHTFUL. Actually, its been quite pretty and warm (kinda) and only accumulating a few inches at a time....feather-like. No wind. So as snow goes, it's been mild. So do I feel like I'm in the mood for a nice sunny day in UNreality? Ya just never know, do ya? MtRider [overly busy telling story from THREE points of view right now......SHEEEEEEEESH...what did I do? ........and I might ADD that it wasn't ME who put a TORNADO into our beloved Valley now was it...Q? I'm innocent!!! ]

IRL snow has been mostly missing us....until now. Whatever is hitting you, Mother, has already passed thru here in the West. It's light fluffy stuff but makes me slip and stumble [can't SEE the uneven ground and my MS doesn't allow my feet to send me back the data... ] So I come in EXHAUSTED from doing the chores. Whew! But I had a WONDERFUL provision from God today. He allowed *JUST* enough sunshine hours this morning [between snow fronts] to heat up the 350 feet of hose going downHILL to the horse water tank. Sooooo I could get it filled. It was empty nearly to the level of the tank heater coils. The alternative would have been carting jugs and buckets down there with the car.... not with His & Hers back issues right now! OW! So I was just so delighted to wait until it was good and heated up....turned the water on and it flowed all the way thru without slushing up due to COLD hose. AND IT WAS SNOWING HARD AGAIN before it was even half full. But that's ok then. Miz MM and "Roan" have water to last a week again. Whew! Thank YOU God!!!! Of course staying up all hours of the nite looking into my "writers screeing glass" to see what the various characters I've recently added are up to.....that wouldn't be why I'm so tired. Well, I'll try not to trip over anyone else's post...for a couple days, anyway. Frankly, I've been TRYING to see how I can get my family outta that bad bridge situation..... [can we say "painting yourself into a corner"?] But finally, I have some ideas. Welcome back CeeGee!!! Once you read the novel this has become, hop in and tell us what your clan has been busy doing in Big Valley. And are you expecting packges or people on Wagon Train #2?????? We've MISSED you! Now if we could only get CrabGrassAcres back toooooooooo......? But she's had her hands full of good things happening IRL. Steph too. Michael, I wish you would post again toooooooooooooo! MtRider [....of to read posts and cause trouble..... ]

Hail storm Mr. Hughes looked out across the hills towards the southwest. “Well, the good thing is, we DON’T have this wagon train down in some of those ravines or mountain passes yet.” “Yep, answered Chef, standing beside him eyeing the ominous weather building up on the horizon. “Be nasty flash flooding down there for sure.” “But the bad news is that we’re up here high in the wide-open meadows,” continued Mr. H. “Lighting,” grunted Chef. “One day on the trail and we’re running right into this mess!“ Then both men turned to hustle the camp into action. They had to make it to the shelter of the rocks and down off this high ridge line before that storm hit. About 3 hours from now, give or take. --------- Machela urged the team of oxen to move faster. Their long cart, loaded with poultry cages- covered with a tarp, was lagging behind again. But she was new to driving the strong oxen. Nathan rode up beside her on their late father’s buckskin horse, Amigo. “You OK or you want to trade with me, Macky?” At 17, Nathan knew he was a lot stronger than his 14 year old sister. Machela’s twin brother, Micah, was driving the team with the next wagon...the one with all their household things and their 5 yr old adopted twin sisters. 10 year old Ben was on his horse helping to herd the sheep and goats owned by anyone in this wagon train. In another half hour or so, Nathan was going to tell Ben to put his horse with the herds and get into the wagon with Micah. This incoming storm was making all the animals so edgy. “I’m OK. I have to keep after them though. Are we going to make it to somewhere safe?” asked Machela. Well, I’ve done this trail going out to Big Valley and coming back. I’m pretty sure the valley we’re stopping at is still nearly an hour away at this pace. It will surely be close since we’re moving toward the storm.” Just then Mr. H came riding by and pulled his horse to a quick stop by Nathan. “Your wagons doing all right?” he asked quickly. “Just checking that, sir. Yes for now, but I’m a bit concerned if the storm gets on top of us.” he said glancing at his sister. “We’re going to be taking the herds of livestock on up ahead of the wagons. We’ll need every spare rider to push them down to the lower valley and get them off this ridge. Come help with that and I’ll send you back here when that’s done. Kenny will keep an eye on your sister and brother.” Kenny was an employee of the Rockin J that was driving their third wagon. The hay wagon adapted for hitching to oxen. It was hauling their hogs. Above those cages was some fencing laid out flat for use each nite to contain Machela’s sheep and the hogs. Kenny was driving two spans of oxen [4 animals] for that heavy load. Later in the trip, he’d need all 6 oxen to pull it up the mountain trails. “Yes, sir” and Nathan spun his horse to follow MrH back to the herds. ---------------- Though the wagons continued at the fastest pace they could manage, the herds of horses, cattle, goats and sheep easily passed them. They moved each species separately or there would be real chaos. The horses were moving fairly well and the beef cattle were quite used to this. The dairy cattle acted a bit put out at being told to move quickly. But those trying to move the sheep...and those idiot goats... Even with the herding dogs, they were having a lot of trouble. After getting the horses and cattle into the wide box canyon, down quite a ways from the high ridge they’d been on, several riders were sent back to help with goats. By now the sheep were moving better. Nathan was among this group sent to herd goats. He kept his eye out for the wagons to make it around that far bend. He was getting nearly frantic with worry for his siblings. Parents dead and being the oldest, they were his sole responsibility...at least until he could share it with Dr & Mrs MtRider when they arrived at Big Valley. The MtRiders seemed like they were truly pleased to be taking in his whole family...adopting them as their own and sharing whatever they had in the primitive conditions of that remote place. Nathan saw Ben working the sheep so smoothly on Whistler. That horse had been his 10th birthday gift....graduating from his pony. His young brother had scarcely been out of the saddle ever since. It was one of those strong bondings that sometimes occur between an animal and their human. Well, now at least Machela’s sheep, their Border Collie dog - Pax, and Ben on Whistler were down to the relative safety of that valley. Their family’s extra horses and some Dexter cattle were down there too. Nathan snorted as he urged the buckskin to cut off escape yet again for that goat with young triplets. His family didn’t have any goats, a fact that currently pleased him, considering how much trouble the goats were giving the riders. Machela was going to fall in love with those four dwarf milking goats of MtRider’s though. He spun to chase that stupid doe again. A very strong gust of wind slammed against him with a scattering of rain drops. He stopped to button the top of his oiled canvas duster. The thunder was getting closer. He looked again, hoping to see the wagons arriving down off of that ridge. It was a bit steep going down this way and if the oxen were frightened, would the older twins be able to control them? They’d been raised with ranch livestock but they were only experienced at driving the small pony cart when they were kids. “Lord, we need help here,” he began. “Please hold us closely and keep us from all harm. Especially my brothers and sisters.” And then he could only concentrate on pushing that lop-eared-monster-she-goat forward down the final few yards into the box canyon. By now, this box canyon was one of the regular stopping points on the way to Big Valley. Permanent latrine sheds had been built...tho the holes were filled in and sheds moved to newly-dug pits each trip. He’d taken part in digging the new ones for this second wagon train while on the way back from Big Valley. They’d also dragged over enough brush and timber to form a blockade across the wide opening into the canyon. There were high walls that would likely soon be cascading water. But it was wide enough across that flooding was no danger. The lightning would not be nearly so bad as exposed up on the ridge. As the last goat finally entered the paddock, he wheeled his horse and flew up the hill to check for the wagons. The first wagon was beginning the descent. “C’mon...hurry,” he coaxed under his breath. The wind was lashing at the tree branches now and the rain had increased. He rode carefully along the side of the first wagons so as not to excite the oxen. His family was near the end of the long train. When he finally reached them, he dismounted and tied his horse securely by the halter/lead rope to the rear of the wagon. He dropped the bridle off just inside the back tailgate. Then he leaped up to the seat in front. He took control of the oxen and told Micah to run up and help Machela with the smaller poultry cart. The cart that MtRiders’ donkeys had pulled all the way into Big valley some months earlier. He’d brought back the cart and their oxen to use again on this trip. His little sisters popped their heads out to hug him. “Not now, babies,” he said. I want you both sitting down inside where I told you.” “We’re NOT babies, Nathan!” “We want to see out...ooooooooh,” Kaylee squealed as the lightning cracked across the sky and the thunder was close behind it. “Get INSIDE and sit down NOW!” he ordered firmly without turning around. They ducked back behind the drawn material that covered the wagon ribs. Fortunate that it was a GoreTex waterproof material in this modern time. “God keep them safe and make them stay put inside,” he begged. He’d felt the oxen jerk when that thunder crashed. They had arrived at last at the final descent. It seemed too steep. They were all new drivers and hadn’t counted on such challenging conditions this early in the trip. “God help us!” He didn’t have much time to look around for the storm now. He had to remain focused on applying the wagon driving lessons he’d had. He did watch that cart ahead of his wagon...the one with the precious cargo of the older twins. He hoped that together they would be able to handle the oxen and the sliding wheels of the cart. The rain was now turning the ground into a muddy mess. But in the way of some twins, those two coordinated together without need for words. If Micah held back the team and Machela handled the braking of the cart..... His heart jolted as the cart slid again. Perhaps they should leave the poultry cart up here and just get people down to safety. But they’d entered the narrow section. One more turn and the trail leveled out. The tarp covering the poultry cages scraped along the right side as his siblings made the turn a bit wide. The load held tho and he focused on completing his own turn. Finally both wagons were on level ground and were pulling into their spot in the wide circle of wagons. He caught a glimpse of their former hayrack-turned-hog hauler. Kenny had gotten it down just fine as well. Orders were being shouted. It seemed like mass chaos but the final wagons pulled up and completed the somewhat irregular circle. The livestock herds were in the relative safety of the far end of this canyon. People were to get into the wagons and stay put. After warning the little twins of the peril of disobeying his order to stay where they were, he climbed down to unhitch the oxen. These animals would stay within the circle of the wagons during the storm. Hopefully they would be calm enough. Macky and Micah ran up to help Nathan after releasing their oxen. “I want to check on my sheep,” said Machela. “And WHERE is Ben?” Nathan looked up, “Oh good grief!...he was down here when the sheep came in. I forgot him!” He looked ready to panic. He took a deep breath to regain control. It’s something he’d had to do a lot since his parents died. “Macky, please get in the wagon with the girls. They’re scared. I’ll go find Ben and bring him back here.” “I’ll help Kenny with all those oxen and maybe throw the tarp over the hogs,” offered Micah. Then the hail began and they were all thankful for the protection of oilskin cowboy duster coats and leather cowboy hats. --------------------- MtRider [...looking in on Wagon Train#2...]

OOOooooooooooooops! I didn't realize that Quiltys had already posted for today. I thot I'd gotten in first. Oh well, another blooper. We don't care if Q has two posts for the same day... Sorry gal! MtRider [...running around trying to keep track of characters! ]

MtRider is sending around messengers..... BAD WEATHER ALERT FOR LATER TODAY. Be aware, the barometer has been dropping significantly! I collect barometers from the thrift stores [cuz they don't work WAY up in Colorado altitude, but I didn't know that and kept trying to get a working one...they ALL work at lower than this altitude! ] so I'm sending our some extras to y'all. Learn to watch it from day to day and you'll know when to PREPARE FOR STORM! Whatever is coming [with this season it will surely be wind, rain...flash flooding?....thunder/lightening.....hail in places?]..it's a heavy weather front! Flash flooding...remember we are in a BOWL......water will RUSH down and each rivulet will add more and more water. STAY AWAY FROM EVEN SMALL CREEKS....and don't enter water on foot that is getting near to knee-high. You can be swept off your feet faster than you can say "butterscotch" [as Mt3b's would say, lol] . Get EVERYTHING battened down for strong wind or put inside. Tie it down good. Don't be standing out next to the tallest thing around...lightening rod effect. Livestock: THEY will sense this coming and get edgy. They make good barometers, actually. Expect larger herd animals to bunch up with butts to the oncoming wind [ coming from SW in this season]. Horses are much more flighty than cattle ...and goats even worse. However, weather bothers animals less than humans normally. Unless there is a near lightning strike. Animals can be struck by lightening so they also should not be allowed to bunch up under a lone clump of trees...as they do to shelter from the rain sometimes. In the middle of a forest of trees, it's not quite the issue. Generally, goats do not like to get wet. DON'T tie animals up during storms...esp goats/horses. Our crops....she wails. OK think of which ones might be flooded and you might have time to construct some small drainage ditches to divert water...or drain off water. Think of plants that might be flattened by heavy rain but will bend and raise up again. Like corn. Those are ok. Now think of those that have more brittle upright stem. Like sunflowers that are still too small to be strong. [i'm going to try to shove some tree branches between the rows of sunflowers - deeply anchored so they don't come lose and cause more problems. Something for the plants to lean against. I don't want to lose those precious oil seeds. Vines should be ok in wind. Low to the ground....UNLESS they are pea vines, etc that are staked up. Either carefully lay those stakes down (worse for hail) or reinforce the staking. Make sure your surrounding garden fencing isn't going to come loose. Look above your barn/home....any dead or dangling limbs from trees? Remove them before this hits. Now if there is hail...... {groan} and often there is with strong weather fronts, violent storms.... Well, pray first. You all with sod roofs will do well with hail, I would think. Lots of padding. But for the crops, try to cover anything delicate. With something that won't blow away or squish the plant dead. A blanket [held down with rocks] can pad the impact IF the plants underneath won't break from the weight of a waterlogged blanket. Something like lettuce which can be turned to mush in heavy hail. Even wrapping a tomato plant in a plastic garbage bag [if we still have any] will help to blunt the impact of hailstones. But increase the wind problems...like a sail. I'd expect anywhere from 1//2 pea size to 1/2 inch diameter. [i've seen much bigger but God is going to be merciful today.] Remember that LOTS of 1/2" hail being THROWN at you with the force of 30 mph winds can be quite damaging to humans thin hide. OW! So get stuff under cover quickly and get inside yourselves. [for coordination of our story...this will begin about 3pm with some wind and rain but increase quickly over the next hour and continue for several hours of storm....trailing away during the nite to sunshine in the morning..... ] You CANNOT protect it all. Prioritize WHAT you need most to try to protect. God gets to chose [well...IRL. In the story we get to chose... ] what is damaged and what slides by with minimal problems. Good luck, the next few hours will be busy adn the next few may be frightening. RULE ONE FOR SURVIVAL: SAVE HUMAN LIFE FIRST. Please take care, everyone! Don't even *think* of risking human life for livestock or crops. [Harsh farmer reality here.... shrug: ] Animals second and crops third. The messengers will be around in the EARLY morning to check at each homestead...report if there is any damage we have to come to help. MtRider [ Weather Watcher...it's gonna be a big one ]

(((((Poor Quiltys))))...... HUSH, puppies! If there is anything I'm well practiced at, it's yelling that the dog to SHUT UP! Ooooops, That's not good for Q's migraine. Shhhhhhhh, and don't laugh either, Q. that will hurt. I get migraine-quality sinus headaches and whoooooeeeee...not fun! Mt3b...that's the easy thing about the Dear Diary format. We can always catch up talking to our diaries. LOL Leah. At least in UNrealty, we get to CHOSE which family makes it into the Valley. Wormie.....y'know, those numbers are staggering. I wonder how many hours of typing they represent? No wonder I don't get anything done IRL. But then, this was started during the late fall and winter...when I have little energy to be up and about anyway. We can't promise this will still be a daily diary once springtime and gardens IRL start to call us..... MtRider [....hey, I think we're getting snow.......I was gonna plant more spinach today! Is anyone else mixing up which season we're in {UN time and IRL time} due to typing here????? Or am I the only one who will need therapy when this is over.... ]

The Phone Call. Nathan jumped when the cell phone on his belt began to jingle. His new mom, MtR had given him both hers and MrMtR's cell phones before he left Big Valley. "Maybe there are messages on them from loved ones but we haven't had service since we began up the mountain pass in April," she'd said. There had been messages. Several from the MtRiders' DD2. Since the MtRiders were "adopting" him and 5 his siblings, DD2 was his new big sister. Some of the messages were old enough to have been covered in the letters he'd brought out to them. Letters had arrived earlier at the Rockin' J. That things were getting so bad on Maui.... That DD1 & 2 and family had gotten passage to Calif. on a cargo ship with their vehicles and whatever they could pack into them.... That they'd arrived and were driving to Colorado.... and had arrived there at their grandparents house. Near the beginning of June, the message explained that DD2 and her family, DD1 and MtR's parents were all going to try to make it up to the Rockin' J and on into Big Valley. They were packing, and gathering winter clothes and other things they didn't have from Maui. Things they'd need for primitive living in Big Valley. DD2 commented that a couple letters MtR had sent to GRma had been helpful, since she listing things they found most useful and things they wish they had in the Valley. GRpa and SIL were making room for the rest of the bucket stored-foods and a few other things that MtRs had to leave behind when they left. At the request of the MtRs, Joy and Jacob had listened to the messages with Nathan. It was the last one that had made all the commotion. It was DD2 again: That message had been left three days ago. Calling the number back was not successful. Not even to leave a message. So when MtR's phone rang again, Nathan signaled to Joy at the other end of the picnic table. Both of them headed for the quiet of the office nearby. Nathan answered it as they closed the door. "Hello?" [male voice] "Hello....uh, .....I was trying to reach MtR. Do I have the right number?" "Yes, this is her phone," Nathan replied cautiously. "Who is this?" Joy leaned in close listening too. "I'm her brother and I'm trying to reach her. I finally got to a phone that works. Can I talk to her? Is she all right?" "Yes, she's all right but she's not here with the phone," replied Nathan. "I'm going to give you to someone that has more information." He handed the phone to Joy while he ran to find Jacob. Months ago a code system was set up so that those at the Rockin' J could verify if the loved ones of Big Valley settlers contacted them. Many family members had been given enough data to get them to the pick up point at Willow, Montana. From there, someone would arrive to lead them in from that location. Now Joy quickly referenced the codes for MtRider's friends/family. She spoke carefully into the phone. "Hello, ....The JOY of the Lord is my strength." Then she waited. "Oh...um, .....oh yeah! The civet cat comes from Iowa." was the man's reply as he remembered his code line. Joy smiled. "Verified and Welcome! Are you trying to come here, MtR's Brother?" "Yes. But first we go to Colorado to get my parents. Denise [MtR's niece] and I and the rest of our group have only made it to Iowa though. It's really rough trying to travel. You have to wait for security caravans. It's like waiting for city bus service on a grander scale. We're with my dad's brother now. My cell phone company quit and my uncle's phone only works now and then. It finally worked today and we're ready to leave. No one is answering at our parents house. Does MtR have any idea why? When can I talk to her? " By now Jacob and Nathan had joined her and Joy turned up the phone volume so they could hear. She whispered, "MtR's brother". "MtRiders left here in April and have been out of phone service since. They recently thought to send their phones back with Nathan, the young man you first spoke to. He arrived back at the ranch last nite with instructions to try to handle any messages they might have gotten." Joy took a deep breath. "We've got some information to relay to you. MtR's daughters and Son-In-Law and grandsons arrived to your parents home some time ago. Then all of them joined an armed security caravan to begin the trip up here. ...... Yes, your parents too. They and DD2 sent letters up here before they left Colorado telling of all this too and MtR is aware that they are coming. Last nite we listened to these phone messages. The last one was three days ago from DD2." Joy went on to explain the last message left by DD2. Bro was very distressed to hear of his parents and nieces in such danger. "I don't have much time to talk. Our next caravan is starting their vehicles and I have to hand the phone back to my uncle. I probably won't find another working phone but I'll call again if I do. I'll head straight to Carterville as fast as we can cross Iowa and get up there. I can see it on my map. " Bro replied. "WAIT!" exclaimed Joy. Jacob took the phone at this point. "This is Joy's other half. Look, we've got a team on this situation already. Go on up in that direction but don't get entrapped like your family is. We don't know yet if the outlaws are from Carterville or if it's safe to go into there. But I'll give my lead man your code. If he asks for it, you'd best be prepared to give it fast and give it accurate! He'll give you the same code you got today. He's a professional and he'll handle this. That bridge is the only one for 100 miles so no one needs this kind of gang blocking it. Hopefully, our man will have it under control by the time your group gets to that point. They'll wait for you. How many in your group....without saying names?" "How will I know where to meet your man?" "He'll find you once you are near." answered Jacob gravely. "I'll relay this to him. How many are you?" "Myself and my daughter. My GF and her daughter and SIL. And various horses, cats, dogs, donkey.... You need what we're driving?" asked Bro. "Nope, that's be enough. About four or 5 rigs then?" asked Jacob. "Five, hauling trailers" "Most folks are hauling nowadays. You'll be welcome when you get here. Your sister will be very glad of news from you. We'll send out word with Nathan that you're all on your way. He's your new nephew, by the way. Your sister and DH are taking in him and his siblings cuz their parents are gone now." "Sounds like something they'd do. Well, tell Nathan I'm sorry for his loss. I'd appreciate him telling them we're fine...so far. We'll move as fast as we can. Your man is good at this sort of thing then?" He couldn't help asking. "VERY good at this sort of thing. He's already headed down there. Don't worry. " Jacob didn't add that he prayed the situation was still at a stalemate. "OK, thank you all very much. I'd have been going the wrong direction if I hadn't reached you. I need to pull out now, so we'll see you as soon as possible." "Go with God's blessing and protection. We're already praying. " Jacob broke the connection and sat down heavily. For a moment, none of the three spoke. Then Joy began to pray and Jacob and Nathan bowed their heads as well. "Almighty God....watch over those of MtR's family at the bridge, for her brother's group, and for Jerry and his team......." MtRider

I wanted to say that I had a fun conversation with my mother last nite on the phone. Since I've been reading her parts of this since WagonsHO began, she's up to speed and has contributed ideas. Now that I've decided she and my dad are coming to Big Valley, she's getting more excited. She is a storyteller [says she doesn't call herself a writer but one who writes down the stories she has to tell...] and likely where I get my "storytelling". So last nite I just asked her to list what she's packing in her wagons.... Well, they get to drive vehicles to the Rockn' J but still have to travel by wagon over the wilderness. She kept saying she was bringing LOTS of canned goods. I said, OK...which ones? And we began to make the list. Then she went on to list other types of things needed: garden seeds, fruit trees, other trees?, tools, radio equipment? [bringing two electronics experts with her. {If anyone can get reception [not transmit, for safety reasons} from that Valley, they can!], clothing, candles, etc. We ending up hanging up after midnight. After concluding that the wagon(s) were gonna be SO heavy! While it's great to have such fun, she is also catching the prepping bug....In Real Life. And for that, I am grateful. After life on the farm all those years, it's not anything but going back to that mentality anyway. So stay tuned to see some of our new characters...MtRMom [with MtRDad dragged along. ]. Maybe she'll even write me something to post? MtRider [...as usual,running out to milk, feed...IRL ]

Cool! Thank you for the comments, AMartha. Feedback is helpful since this is new territory for us. It's been fun for all of us but it's always great to hear how it's affecting the readers. I might take a moment to remind readers that 1)..... this is fiction so sometimes we veer off of our UNreality...stretching things a bit to get a storyline. OR we run out of knowledge on how we'd have to do it the primitive way and decide we "cheat" and use a modern way. The temptation is always there in UNreality. 2)..... that anything you read here [or elsewhere] obviously should be researched to make sure you understand any pitfalls or details in the procedures. We're often giving a brief overview so as not to bog down the storyline. 3) .....while the authors of this story have some amount of personal knowledge and experience, we are all STRETCHING to make this story of actually LIVING the primitive life. Something none of us have done to THIS extent. So we are putting together the pieces we do know---and doing a lot of research ourselves to verify our facts before posting or to just figure out how we'd need to solve the problem we have in Big Valley. Just saying that we'd like to encourage everyone to do your own research as well, on any specific topic. I'm currently researching adobe cuz until Annarchy began with that in the story, I'd not fully realized how useful it might be. Now I want to know how it's really done. And have copies of that data in my binders. If you find anything interesting while you research, let us know here in Comments. Some of you do that already and the writers find it helpful. MtRider [...who is also thinking I haven't taken enough notes while WagonsHO/BigValley has been written..... {sigh} ] AND I HOPE SOMEONE HAS SAVED A COPY OF THIS WHOLE THING SO IT DOESN'T GET LOST IN SOME WEIRD MRS.S GLITCH.

Cleft of the Rock Homestead Dear Diary I'm not going to have much time tonite. I seem to have more hours in my mind than hours in the actual day. [iRL tooooooooo!] Somehow got a late start. Was still eating when I am usually out weeding.... Tho it's still pretty cool out in June, my MS does not allow for anything over 75 degrees. That's including the direct-sun effect. So I've already started my summer protocols of staying outta the sun thru most of the day. NOT efficient. Hmph! I gotta get things done I and here I am dancing in and out of the shade. So glad for the overhead ledge. Anyway, I was trying to rig up a way for the water to pour and I could wash the dirty duck eggs. I'm quite fanatical about cleaning eggs. After all, poultry only has one hole for all uses. Poo and egg...down the same chute. ICK! Even those nice 'clean' eggs are covered with microbes...some can be quite harsh on the human body. Not gonna go there. But I wanted the dirty water far away from other uses too. I'd been thinking of this dilemma for quite some time. Wanting it more efficient. [ I use that word a lot when I feel like I'm behind in my goals. Be more efficient and catch up!] But sometimes it just takes some time to make a repedative chore more efficient. I'd found a hollow log down by the river and fetched it out last week. It was only about 4" around and about 4 feet long. Somehow.....before Winter made going down to the river to wash eggs too cold... Gotta get a better plan.... Oh well...I'll just do them in the river today. I use a facial scrubbing mitten or glove. I made sure I stocked up on them...tho I've been using a couple for years and they aren't even showing wear. And they get the eggs very clean. We stocked up on waterglass too. To keep the eggs preserved without needing a fridge. Just the cool part of the cave will do fine. Keep for 6-8 months easy. Even longer but the whites get watery. [iRL I do this and keep them in the basement. Have used this for years with good effect. ] But don't scrub the ones you put in waterglass. Used the "clean"-looking ones. Scrub as you use them. Have I mentioned how I reallly don't like scrubbing eggs? [iRL I spent some time trying to raise the hose for the basement utility sink up so that my strained back would not have to bend over for the water while washing a couple dozen eggs this morning. 1 in 4 was cracked cuz of freezing on our subzero nites. {sigh} But they restarted they laying in January this year so, I won't complain. ] Made Hawaiian sweet bread in my GRAunt's dutch oven. Not the camping kind with legs. I tried cooking bread in the wood cookstove oven for the first time. I watched it like a hawk....and it turned out rather well. I had a lot of coals and kept some more going on a campfire nearby. With a shovel to shove some in if the temperature began to drop. Once I had to shovel some OUT ...got too carried away. I was really sweating by the time it was done. Hey, I love this bread. Did some work training puppy...she'll have to have a name one of these days. Or she'll think "puppy" is her name. Mostly still such a baby tho. Awwww DH decided that he's not really fond of being a farmer. He's supposed to have "doctor's hands". But he likes to eat and....weeding needs doing. Tomorrow we'll begin stacking bricks for the framework of a greenhouse in front of the "garage cave". I've been making some every day. I use the donkey to haul the fairly dried ones by travois up to the hot cave for further drying. I also lit a fire in the middle of a small square of them to see what that sort of firing would do. Some cracked. Some...I dunno...Wish I'd studied more about this. So many possibilities. I need a kiln! I NEED TO GO TO BED! MtRider [..trying to borrow from tomorrow to finish today....not an efficient plant ...IRL toooooo!]

Ugh...musta been trying to do toooooo much lately [ya THINK?] cuz I got flattened for a day or so. [not IRL ....til tonite not feeling well...sinus... blech! ] So anyway, Mr.MtR has continued to plant some things as he can. Y'know...acre for acre..... I have NO idea what yield we might expect from the basic grains like wheat and oats....or potatoes. I've lived in Maui [ZERO garden due to bug population ] and 9,000' Colorado [ garden problems obvious! ] for so long that I'm nearly jumping outta my skin to see how things are gonna do way down here at merely 3,000' AND Zone 5. I love the feel of the soil here!! After the crumbling granite...wow! I hope the yield is goooood in this soil. So nuthin' much to report except the Witlock boys came by the next day to see if they were in big trouble over the prank with locking me inside the fencing. No, privately I admired how sneaky they'd been about it. This pair were cousins [their dads were Witlock brothers] and are 17 yrs old...both born in November. ....I wonder when our son Nathan's birthday is? He's 17 too so likely will be joining this pair of rascals. I asked if they'd met him when he was here briefly and they had. It would be good if some of the heavy responsibility of the younger siblings came off of our boy and he'd have some time to just be with guys his own age. These two went straight down and made me a decent garden gate that day too. Well we did make it into services and potluck at the Lodge today. DH put on his 'Dr.MtR hat' and had quite a few folks wanting his chiropractic services. SO much heavy labor going on and inevitable strains, pulls, and spasms. One badly sprained ankle. He sent that one to get a poultice recommendation from Mother, Q or Annarchy. I think M's DD was able to help the woman's DH find [accurately ID] some appropriate plants outside to bring down swelling and for pain. Dr.MtR really had them lined up today. We were so glad the medical wagon was able to transport one of his pneumatic adjusting tables [non-electric] as well as the light portable one we have out at Cleft in the Rock. Between his adjustments and the 'hot tub' springs, I'm doing better than we'd hoped...most of the time. While waiting for DH, I talked to Mother's DD and asked if she was ill today. No, Mother and MrM just stayed home for birthing of a cow. Yum, more milk. Wow, more goat babies and sheep and .... Iffen ya got extra milk, I've dried up my milking doe until they all four give birth.....ah.....WHEN did I breed them? Dang, where are my goat notes? How many months/weeks has it been since we were traveling thru the ranchlands? [seems like a year or two...] I neeeed to figure this out. Anyway, as soon as the Montana kids get here in few weeks, they are bringing 3 milking cows. If they can keep them milking during the mountain trip here. With so many children/babies coming on this wagon train, they'll have to take it slow tho. I think the goats are due about the end of July. Then we'll have a lot of milk. Yum, cheese. Mebbe Doc MtR can do a Hobbit Hole housecall to give adjustments and such in exchange? M'sDD told me that they'd remembered some bags of buckwheat and millet to plant for the short season. Whoooeeee..THANKS! I've got both of those along too. My buckwheat is definitely "plantable" cuz it's birdseed quality. Not human standard with the black stuff [tannins?] rubbed off. So that's good, right? And buckwheat is about the highest thing for Vit. C. Good pancakes but I'd have to get more recipes besides that. I've got animal-grade millet too. I have NO idea how to plant these so took some notes while M'sDD explained what they had done. Now lesseee...what else do I have odd like that? I was picking up animal grains here and there... I told her about my wonderful forest of sunflowers. Well, it might be a forest if they get really tall. I had a lot of BOSS [black oil sunflower seeds] for the milking goat. So I got some of those planted early. I had asked a friend back in CO to save me her panty hose to cover the flower head when it goes to seed. Keeps birds and hopefully squirrels from stealing all the seeds. If we can just catch up to weeding the first crops while still planting the final ones.... AIIIIIEEEEE! I've never done so much in rotation before. With a mere 60 days between frosts in CO...you plant it ALL as quick as you can and then the season is over. {sigh} I need to get over an visit Mother at Hobbit Hole sometime. I just don't seem to have a chance to breathe half the time. While our population explosion will solve some issues, it's causing us some real tangles until they get here to help. AND THEN....trying to break in a lot of new folks to rural, primitive living Big Valley style! Our new children are certainly up to speed, thank goodness. More than us in some cases, like sheep and cattle and the hogs. My folks have lived it...grain farming with outhouse, etc. My dad farmed with horses in his youth. Even my DD's have lived somewhat primitive too, back in Korea. If they recall that. Oh...drat. I meant to get some more Chinese cabbage direct seeded...even if it has to finish in the greenhouse. [my brain just took a zig-zag there.... Thinking of the stone jars for kimchee making in old-time Korea...and wondering.... ] I still can't figure out where to put the greenhouse. That large garage door-sized opening with the garage size cave [leading to the barn cave on the left and the main LARGE winter-warm cave on the right] is currently set up as a summer kitchen. Nathan helped DH lift the cookstove down from the wagon finally, when he was here. I've finally gotten to cook on it...and it's fun but it takes the knack. DH is applying his scientific mind to the draft and such. He's catching on to it too. He's our main baker. [ We pull bramble *thorny* bushes across it each nite like the African villages do....but Big Dog sleeps just inside there and is on guard....need to solve that problem better too. ] So that is actually where I want the greenhouse. In front of, and encompassing the "garage" cave. It's blocked to the west by the rocky hill but full east and south sunshine. Lower winter sun should shine under the rock ledge 'ceiling'. Fortunately, the higher summer sun is being blocked nicely. But all that rock still does heat up and it's driving me inside or into the shade for the hot part of the day. Or else I go play with adobe down by [and IN] the river. I'm improving my adobe block technique and getting a collection of them drying. YIKES....it's beginning to sprinkle so I have to hop down and tarp over those sun-baked bricks. But I sure am glad to see the rain on our gardens/fields. Carrying water....even in donkey panniers is a pain! MtRider [slithering down the Maui hillside quick to rescue my adobe efforts....]

sorry to hear that news IRL, mo3b. Your story line about Aiden is pretty cool. And you've been bringing up some points about how it would affect someone living in primitive conditions. But it's not so great to meet these challenges in real life. I know some of the hearing difficulties are not helped by a hearing aid. I hope technology can assist in some way. MtRider (((Mo3b)))

Thursday "Mud" Well I decided to try my hand at making some bricks before our newly acquired knowledge left my brain. Oh my. Y'know....that is a very messy way to build a house. The Annarchy's made it look so easy. They'd gathered the materials together before we'd arrived. I went out to the fields and gathered up the grass that had been mowed by the Witlock boys with a scythe. It was dried nicely by now. I may have to chop it up smaller so I kinda stomped around on it while loading it into MM's panniers. [large open saddle bags] Decided since the river and the clay were in the same location....and the sand bar on the river was just a short ways from that, the bricks would be made down there. On the riverbank in the Maui "C". Found a patch of wild strawberries there too so I was careful not to track thru them. Not many berries left but I've got the notes from Mother/Annarchy about the leaves. I harvested some before I got all muddy. So one mixes clay, sand, water and straw....or manure. Um.....I heard that manure actually helps as a bug repellent. If it's humid or something, is it gonna stink? Miz MM was very obliging about dropping some raw material RIGHT at the worksite, sooooooo....I'll work that in with the straw ...thankyouverymuch. [mumbles...have to ask Annarchy about that stink factor. ] AND NOBODY TELL MY FOLKS WHAT'S IN THE WALLS OF THEIR HOUSE! The sandbar was not hard to wade out to and I shoveled a bunch into the big plastic hunter's sled. The other end of the long rope was attached to donkey. Donkey made it quite clear that the rope needed to be long enough so her precious hooves did not get wet. WHAT? You just had them painted? Sheesh, donkeys! ...Speaking of which, need to trim MM & Jack's hooves soon. Easy for DH to do that. Just watch for correct angles. Horses are more complex. [iRL...just tried a new farrier today. He gave MM a 8.5 rating for behavior out of 10. Not bad for a first meeting. Donkeys are wary of strangers. And now hopefully, my horse's shoes are on properly....the last guy messed her up! ] OK so now MM is willing to drag the heavy sled with wet sand over to the clay pit on the banks. Bribes help. I have to keep finding wild plants in season that she likes for that purpose. Hope we have a LOT of carrots to harvest. She'll do most anything for a piece of carrot. Wonder if she likes turnips? We'll have lots of turnips. I have a bit of tarp and I gathered some small willow strands and made a mat to act as a drying rack for bricks. Ready to go? Dump onto the tarp: 50% sand and 35% clay. Gooosh around with bare feet. [wonder if stomping grapes was nicer? ] Ow...rock. Was I supposed to screen out larger stones? Add a bit of water....more goooshing. More rocks...definitely have to ask about that. Or do they add "character" in the walls? Gooooosh,goosh,gooooosh, YIPE!!....*splat* Oh for petes sake. I slipped and now *I* look like adobe. This stuff really gets slick when you have the water with it. Might as well use hands and knees to gooooosh. It's safer! Ooops! Did I mention that I brought the puppy down to "help". Actually, I'm keeping puppy outta Big Dog's way. Till she gets more used to the idea of having The Pest around. Well, the pup was off a little ways exploring but heard my yelp. Came FLYING back to see what I was having so much fun at.....and joined me, of course. Puppy is definitely amused by playing in mud. What a clown! What a MESS. We are both going in the river when this is done. Mud wrestling, pioneer style. Wheeeeee.....give a push and pup slides across the tarp and recovers to gallops back for more. I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe. Suddenly I hear that I'm not the only one laughing. Another pair [how many cousins of this teen-early 20's age are there? ] of Witlock clan boys are nearly busting a gut. Oh.....I didn't know ya'll were coming today. Well, they decided to help get the fencing up around that garden so that the new livestock wouldn't get at the veggies. I tried to wipe off the mud from around my mouth..unconsciously cuz it itched. From their renewed howls of laughter, I could tell the effect was... unsuccessful. {sigh} What's a middle-aged woman to do? ****SPLAT**** SPLAT**** Nailed both of them with cob blobs! Wellllll, they retreated but they didn't stop laughing. Returned to working on the palisade fencing but...now I had to be a bit more dignified in my gooooshing. Hmph. Youngsters! With the straw added -- and I am SO glad to have had hands-on experience at Annarchy's new home, so I knew how much to add --- I began to form some bricks. Hmm, I might need to let this set for a while to get the right consistency. Besides, I really do have to make some forms so the bricks are nice and even. So pup and I got cleaned up in the river. Pup was not as enthusiastic about a bath as mud play. But mission was accomplished. I headed up to release MM from duty, grab some more seeds and went back over to plant in the "Maui" garden. I ignored the snickers from the fence builders. Tom wasn't telling David that he was still wearing some cob-blob on his forehead. After a long afternoon of pleasant weather and steady work, the boys said goodbye and headed for home. I thanked them profusely for their work. I had a bit more daylight left and I wanted to plant another long row of bush beans. Finally I finished, gathered up my tools, untied the sleeping puppy and ....... ....twirled around and around....looking for an opening in the palisade fence to get out. OH! THEY DIDN'T! They DID! They fenced me IN! And they'd both kept such perfectly straight faces when they'd wished me a good evening. The scoundrels! And DH is up planting one of the fields above the caves today. He'd never hear me. ...well, I *could* fire a gun but..... I think I'll get myself outta this. Dang, they've done a really good job on this fence too. Quite sturdy. I had to really yank to get a few of them back outta the ground and squeeze out. Gate! That's NEXT on the priority list! Need gate on Maui garden. Hmph! MtRider [heading for the river once again for a wash before supper...]

Goodness....what DAY is it????? Lesseee, Tuesday DH and I followed Mother's clan over to the Annarchy homestead for the big barn raising. We wanted to help since we'd not been able to travel down to Q's barn raising. But the A's live right across the way from us. AND we were dying to see how this adobe construction worked. It's wonderful. Not that I'm giving up my caves, mind you. But it DOES solve a problem I've been chewing on ever since those Rockin' J riders came out with letters from home. My parents! I realllllly cannot see them living in a cave. I wasn't sure I could visualize them living in a rough-built log cabin either. Clay-moss chinking or whatever.... [What we need is my brother to show up....but I haven't been able to reach him since before we reached the Rockin' J. He's a contractor and good at improvising. ] So I've been pondering and praying for some insight. THIS is good. Nice clean lines. Able to ward off bugs with nice tight doors. Might have to fire some tile roof pieces but....this is acceptable for them. ......on that grassy knoll overlooking the river. Not tooo close to the traffic areas of our tribe [once they all get here]. So I poked my nose into everyone's business and took notes how the process was done. I turned out some respectable looking bricks. Asked about what kind of clay...and we have the same stuff along our riverbank. Made sure Mr.MtR was paying attention on how to brace and all that. I'd really like to begin working on it....to have it ready when my folks arrive. This trip will be severely harsh....cuz they aren't as young as they used to be. Entering their 80's. But basically healthy, {thank YOU, God}. Here's a family joke. And now, I've just discovered, the joke is on me. Somewhere in my childhood, I began to tease my mom about being old enough to have arrived in the covered wagons. Even in recent years, I've had chances to slip that in and it's just a joke between us...as I'm now older than she was when I began this. Well, turns out *I'm* the one who has arrived in the covered wagon. They will arrive, at least as far as the Rockin' J, in a Ford Truck. [Please God, guard and guide them. Escort my family safely here. ] I find myself praying that a LOT now. Before we got the update on how BAD it's getting out there, I just kinda blocked it out. NOW...I know they are traveling..... Well anyway, it was quite a day over at the A's. And learning things from Mother and Annarchy about the herbs and plants too. I grew up in a zone 5 climate but it's been decades. I needed a refresher course. Thanks you two! I had brought my plant identification books and I marked up a number of pages...and the index. Now I know what I'm looking at. Some I just wanted to be sure of the ID. And we have acquired a new Saint puppy. I was holding my breath to see what Big Dog would do. But in the normal way of animals, she acknowledged that it was a pup and ignored it accordingly. The pup has to be contained or tied until it gets used to our area. It did a lot of crying the first nite. I allowed it to crawl next to me and that was all it took. It was so tired that it immediately fell asleep. Poor little thing. Misses it's mommy and Big Dog isn't a substitute. Sure is cute! I had a Saint as a child. Mebbe my folks are going to like this pup too. The dogs that Nathan's tribe are bringing are all working dogs for the livestock. This pup will be a childcare dog. The young twins, Ben, and my Grandsons, in particular. So today is Wednesday. More garden work and fencing around the garden in the new village. DH and I took a good look at the fairly flat area between our "C" of rocky cliff and the "C" where my Maui ohana will live. Where they join is the grassy knoll and it overlooks the river. Plenty of room there for a nice adobe house. Hillsides are steep but not dangerously so. Good walkway back towards our cliffs/caves... Well, it will be a good walkway if we clear out the brambles of gooseberries, that is. Just a few yards but enough to give them peace and quiet. Mebbe... Pleasant sights and sounds of the river below, anyway. I need an army to put to all these chores and projects. I send up prayer again for the returning riders...especially our Nathan. For the other children waiting at the Rockin' J. For the rest of my family...wherever they are! Then we get back to work again...on EVERYTHING! MtRider [ ...missing that donkey cart we sent with Nathan. It's handy. Wonder if we can make a goat cart someday? For now it's the wheelbarrow and the travois and the pack saddles on the donkeys [can haul 100 lbs each] . ]

Well, as nice as the break was yesterday, we ran thru today like our drawers were on fire. I think MrMtR and I are a bit ..... about what we have stepped into. Not just the new kids but the huge challenge when our FIRST kids come with their kids and my folks. It's the population explosion that has us up before dawn and out planting those new fields/garden spots. We were so grateful that the Witlocks decided to return and help plow again. We set the two of them up in the grassy area in front of the Second Village [the caves our kids/Grkids will inhabit]. We need to get gardens going over there. The soil is rich, tho a certain amount of rocks is inevitable. For protection from critter invasion [small varmints like rabbits, etc. Not the burrowing kind like moles tho] we'll have to cut a lot more small saplings to drive into the ground. At least we can harvest them where we need them thinned out. We sharpen one end with a hatchet and drive them into the ground like a picket fence [or palisade]. We're weaving some [very prolific] vine material in and out of each one to bind them together. We had to experiment with the natural materials here and this one remained strong when it dried out. At around 4', they have kept our dwarf goats out. Hopefully it will keep Machela's sheep out too. A higher solid fence would block the sun too far into the garden space. As it is, we plant lettuce, spinach, and other things that do not like hot direct sunshine near the fencing. There is a wide walkway all around the edge as well. You have to leave room to kneel down to weed/harvest...as we found out the hard way in the CO garden one year. [same garden that had horse-harvested turnip greens....he reached over the fence to "self-serve"... ] However this palisade fence certainly doesn't keep the deer out... Harvesting venison keeps the deer out! But we've only taken one deer so far. We can't stop to process all that meat when there is so much HURRY-UP planting to do. The garden spots within our first "C" [caves where we currently live] are additionally barricaded with rail fencing about 3 feet outside of the palisade fence. To keep Miz MM, Jack, & horses from pushing on the palisade walls and trying to reach over. {grass is always greener} We'll have to do that in this pasture too. The Montana kids will be increasing the livestock which is good but..... Time for that rail fencing later. It's just made from tying tripods of poles together to support the horizontal rails. Our quick-job rails are also just smaller trees or straight larger limbs from downed trees. Not fancy split-rails yet. I've been wanting to try getting two tall vertical poles into the ground a few inches apart. Slide some horizontal rails between them and another set of verticals at the other end...and so on around the larger gardens. These areas are out beyond dog and human watchers and wildlife can ravage them in a hurry. Would need to put spacers in so that the rails didn't block out the sunshine tho. Can't remember....is it 15 feet to keep deer out? The rails could be skinny... Deer won't barge thru. BUT...there are moose and elk here too. Not sure WHAT is gonna keep moose out...but they mostly like water plants, I think. I've had elk in my CO garden. BIG-FOOTED monsters! They make large craters even if they didn't eat anything. But it IS really cool to see the males. Beautiful. The homely cow elk have these puny heads upon such a large body. Odd looking. They ALL just need to stay outta my gardens/fields. So we've been planting as we get more plowed and prepared. Today, Witlock boys did the skinning of the sod off of the new garden space and setting that aside for a chicken house [now that Mother has explained that type of construction ] cuz chickens arrive in a month. Then Witlock boys plowed and used the disc and got a good half acre garden spot prepped. I kept bringing back more saplings from the near woods and along the river bank. I rode MM and took Jack to haul them travois-style. Took Big Dog too. Stayed pretty close to home tho. Managed to get quite a stack and began to sharpen the ends. I'll say I've become pretty good at sharpening tools by now in this new lifestyle. Sat in on some lessons during the wagon train here. Wish I'd picked up that skill earlier. Meanwhile, DH has been doing the planting. He's moved into root crops. We need to get more mulch done in the peas and beans and the first potato areas. Ack...I wish our troops were arriving tomorrow! Suddenly two of us are doing the farming for FIFTEEN of us. Good thing I brought a LOT of seed. Not sure how well turnips and beets will be appreciated. I hope our Maui kids will bring some seeds from the types of things that they like to eat. I did get some daikon radish planted. And we'll have Chinese cabbage, bok choy, and lots of garlic. And hot red peppers. Well, we'll see how spring planted garlic works. First thing I planted actually. I'd had to dig UP the garlic I'd planted last fall...when we heard we'd be leaving on this trip. Good thing it was deeply mulched and I was able to get at it. So I've got my fingers crossed. All of those things are needed to make kim chee. Our new kids will eat that perhaps more than our older ones. I'll have to get used to the pungent smell - again. I grew to like the smell before but it's FAR to hot-spicey for my German tongue to bear. We've got a LOT of spinach, onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi planted. I had started those in small pots as our wagon train neared the Valley. Direct seeded more for fall harvest. They all like cooler temperatures. I'm planning to shade them soon.....if I get the energy. I was SO excited to plant sweet potato but...I couldn't get any plants shipped. Good thing actually, since they probably would have frozen in our blizzard. Nathan says they have some sprouting in their root cellar. Hadn't had them planted before their parents were killed. Sweet potatoes need about 100 days. If kids arrive the first week of July....with plants in containers......oooooo, that's gonna be close. But we HAVE to get some started in the Valley. Even if we just harvest enough for seeding stock next year? I've never grown them so I need some veteran advice. Well, it's time I sleep....can barely keep my eyes open. SO appreciate our 'hot tub' for spasms and sore muscles. Glad I have my own chiropractor in residence too. I HAVE to keep in mind that I'm over 50 and....just cannot lift as much as I used to....ow! MtRider [ ....need to get out to harvest wild edibles toooo.... Note to self...talk to Mother about that! ]

QUILTY.......BEHAVE! I am SO needle-phobic. I have this LONG & EMBARRASSING history of passing out...even when my DOG got a shot!!!! I nearly dropped the computer off my lap when that wretched picture came jumping out TO GET ME! SHEEEEEEEEEEEEESH! [i outta use my mod privileges and delete that one! ...Should we, Mother? :darth duck: RE: the maps. OH....so THAT's where you all are down south. I never quite figured it out. Thanks for the maps, folks. Much easier to understand. I'm the "R"..you know. Very close to Annarchy then. [ across the trees and meadows to Annarchy.] ?? What change, Annarchy? You mean the part where the script writes in new refugees and orphans? BTW, I've had that in mind from the beginning...or nearly. Thank you, dear Mother. Flattery will get you anything...... not! She's been cajoling me and begging me for the past weeks. Finally she got down to two specific requests...so I posted to answer one and ....fell in love with this again so that I"M UP WAYYYY PAST MY BEDTIME EVERY NITE WRITING INSTEAD OF SLEEPING..... You're a bad influence Mother. But this is so fun..... Don't think I wasn't thinking up storyline while I got too frantically busy IRL to post for a bit. Just wait till you see what ELSE I've been plotting. And since my own mother has been feeding me ideas too.....yeah, the one who actually came up with that storyline about the helicopter disrupting our wagon train cuz of the two runaway teens -- her idea! ....SINCE she's been coming up with them, I decided to PUT HER INTO THE STORY. I brought my laptop over to their house today and she spent some time reading the story. She's enjoyed it as I've been reading parts of it to her all along. So don't blame me if something happens. Blame Mother....or MY mother..... MtRider [going to BED!!!!! Good nite! ]

Also, don't forget the Wagons Ho series going on in Pioneer Forum. We are going to be bringing in another Wagon Train of people into the Big Valley. So if anyone wants to come into that story, just pack your wagon and c'mon! It's a corporately written story....each of the participants writing from her/his own perspective. About the lifestyle of post-modern "pioneer" survival. After the hooey is hitting.... And our escape to an isolated valley. No great writing skills necessary! Just make up journal entries. It's fun. And we're learning more than I'd have guessed. By now, these months later.....yes, we've been writing this series for several months now....we can FEEL what this might be like. And that tells us some things that we might not have realized otherwise. Like how much DH and I would NOT want to try this alone without our extended family members. Come join us. Catch the next wagon train leaving from the Rockin' J.... MtRider [who might have time to catch up in Fireside if I wasn't writing for Wagons HO.... ]

Sunday DH and I can't believe we only met Nathan 2 days ago and already we feel anxious and sad to see him go. We can't WAIT to see him back again...and meet the rest of our new tribe. We've done this adopting thing before tho. It's quite exciting but, in reality...kids will be kids. Imperfect and not always sweet. They will find out that parents will be parents too. Imperfect and not always right. But somehow....it all works out. We kept a list.... Well, ok *I* kept writing more on the list I was sending back with Nathan. Things to try to bring. Things to remember about wagon trail life. I also sent back some letters. I couldn't send any to my parents or DD's since they were en route to the Rockin' J. I tried another one to my brother. And one to my niece's university. Not likely that she's still there tho. Not from what we've been hearing. It is just tragic that her generation is going to be cut off, denied so much like completing higher education. 'Taint fair! ANYway....I have been wondering where they might be. Did they stay on the east coast???? Did they try to make it out to CO? They knew we'd left on the wagon train and they know how to contact Rockin' J. I sent my cell phone back with Nathan. It still has some paid minutes on it. If Verizon is still in business???? So I sent a letter to Joy and Jacob. I let them know about our DD's clan and my parents. That they were on their way from CO to the Rockin' J and to be looking for them. Then I reminded them about my brother/niece and the code words they would use to identify themselves. I asked them to try to contact any or all of them if possible and give any messages to Nathan. Included all cell numbers. Couldn't think of anything else I could do. I asked Nathan to see if he could dig up any fruit-bearing plants from their ranch. Or young fruit trees? It would not be a good time to dig things up but it was worth a try. He said they have a lot of raspberry, blackberry, etc. I told him we'd ask Mother about how best to handle those things for the trip out here. He said he'd ask an old neighbor of theirs about it too. Their family had planted a large garden, of course. We discussed transplanting some things like tomatoes and peppers into containers and bringing them. Not sure if the transplant shock would be too great. If the risk was too high and the space and weight would be better served in other ways.....and we pretty much decided it would not be a good idea. There are some friends of the family who will be glad to take over the tending and harvest of the garden. They would pick and use anything that came ripe before they'd leave tho. I was especially anxious for him to transplant some of his mother's herb garden tho. He promised to ask the neighbor for help with that too. "Make sure you bring chicken wire for the trip here. Your chickens are going to be crammed in those cages while riding on the cart all day. They have to be contained in a larger area during the night." "Yes, Mom," he said in that patient voice that informed me that I was repeating myself again. We both laughed. They have lots of chickens.... Their family has camping equipment and often did camping while they traveled around to visit friends. They have tents, sleeping bags, lanterns, backpacking stoves, water jugs [and Katadyn filter], and Mountain house foods. Seems like they're set for the wagon trip. We discussed having each child wear the emergency whistle, etc around their neck... But then Jacob Rock was the one who'd outfitted our children and adults with a chain to carry a tiny pulsar lite, emergency whistle, and for adults - a neck knife. Most of us are still wearing that small kit. Kind of a part of the uniform around here. A fire starter and emergency mylar blanket should be always carried too. Nathan began to laugh and pulled on a chain around his neck. Yep, that's one of Jacob's kits. Nathan had driven the donkey cart with the two female oxen to the Lodge. Dh and I had the horses. Between the donkeys and Big Dog, the livestock in our pasture should be safe. Big Dog has been so enamored with saving her goats that she is now compliant with staying to guard. Good, cuz she's still not very socially appropriate with other dogs. It was so much fun to see everyone. Mr.MtR & I have missed a few Sundays here and there. Our energy is so scarce sometimes that we've just had to focus on resting. So the remainder of the week we can work our tails off. DH wanted to check on young Jaime Witlock...make sure he showed no sign of relapse. A number of others met him at the Medical Clinic too. It had become part of the Sunday routine while many gathered. To have the Clinic open for checking on symptoms, getting an adjustment, or whatever. Q drops in for part of that time too. Mother, Annarchy, and others been dispensing their herbal medicinal knowledge too. A lot of folks just gather around a table in the Lodge and take notes as a bunch of them talk and show examples of what to look for on our lands. I know I've got a whole notebook of notes already....started along the wagon trip. LOL ....see, Dr.MtR is used to getting his herbs outta bottles and capsules....already processed in doses. So he's been taking notes too. But once identified and processed, he's got years of study on WHAT they are used to treat. You should hear that table buzz with comparisons and "war stories" when all of those Medical folks get to talkin'. But today, the focus was on those leaving to bring back WT#2. Tearful goodbyes and hugs....including the MtRiders and Nathan. This has reaaaalllly brought out the point that family is the first thing you pack when coming to live in the wilderness. All the rest is of lessor importance.....until it comes to providing food/clothing/shelter/education for those loved ones. We also had a meeting about the new folks arriving in about a month. How will we be prepared to get all of us through the winter? Community gardens, expanding our own fields and gardens, finding wild edibles, reminders to hunt only the male animals so the females can care for the young. We discussed how to pass around the plowing equipment and found that each area was doing that pretty well already. Neighbor was definitely helping neighbor. This is an abundant Valley so hopefully we can organize some wild food foraging parties. Someone suggested Sunday afternoons might be good. Someone else pointed out that the cool mornings might be better and have services in the later afternoon when it's too hot to be getting mauled by raspberry thorns and mosquitoes. It was a great time catching up with Q, Mother, Mo3b, Annarchy and all the rest.... I showed off the pictures of Nathan's family to everyone. LOL...like I once did with a well worn picture of two other Korean girls..holding each other's hand and looking at the camera with pleading faces. [iRL too] Everyone tried to guess the personality of the child thru the photos. Nathan had been frank with us about his siblings...and even himself. We had that advantage over our last yet-to-meet-them adoption. I am so excited. The other households are expanding too. Either by family groups coming in and/or children needing a home to come to. As the situation grows worse, this will definitely be a ministry of our Valley. A refuge for some who need the shelter as much as we do. But it will change our lives once again. Drastically change at Cleft in the Rock Homestead. When everyone arrives, we will jump from two adults to 7 adults [i think] and 8 children ranging from 4-17 yrs. AM I REALLY READY for this? Well we're back home and ...it does seem a bit ....quiet. We've all three been jabbering away for the past couple days and now.... whoooooooo. But it's time for bed and more planting tomorrow. I think the Witlocks are returning to open more ground with their plow/disc. I'm going to try to get some plants started up by the caves. We'll see if we can keep the durned rabbits and squirrels outta them. I want some containers for that project.....but may have to try my hand at some clay coil pots. I tried to get information from Q or Mother about firing clay pots. I've got some sticky red clay located now on the banks in the larger "C"...where the Maui ohana will live. If I could fire some correctly, coil pots are not complex to make. Just get the clay into the right consitency to make long thin ropes and begin one long circle like a braided rug for the bottom. Then begin to climb the rope up to make the sides of the pot. When done, carefully smooth the clay together so that there is no gaps between the coils..inside and out. Carefully, without toppling your creation. Put in the drainage hole if it's for a plant. [Now where did I put my pottery tools...that I haven't used since college? I KNOW I packed it with other craft-type stuff! ] Yes....that's worth a try. Cuz I didn't bring any sets of dishes. Only metal and graniteware pie plates and wooden bowls. I told Nathan not to bring anything glass/breakable...unless there just was no choice. So we need more plates and bowls and cups and some......ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz