The Pacific Winds Project

Floyd's year began on a high note when the Carpenter's Union called him back to work on another wind farm project in the region. He was happy to be out working again with a new company, Mortenson Construction from Minnesota. His portion of the project lasted through the end of March.Early each weekday morning, we were up around 4:00 to have coffee, a little breakfast, and make his lunch, so he could leave here in time to meet his carpooling buddy. They drove about an hour and a half to the wind farm site west of Rosamond, CA (between Mojave and Lancaster).After an eight hour day of hoisting, lugging, pounding to set up or tear down concrete forms, they made the drive home. The following photos show Floyd's portion of the project: setting & stripping forms on the underground foundation that supports each windmill.

 The underground pad with 50 tons of re-bar in place.

 Floyd's forms in place and 
  1.4 million pounds (400 cu. yds.) concrete has been poured.

 Stripping the 18-inch x 16 foot forms.
Each foundation pad has eight sides with 2-16' forms per side.

 The underground foundation with all the forms stripped.
The whole concrete pad measures 55 feet in diameter with the center section
of 18 feet in diameter and 144 bolts which connect to the tower.

 A completed windmill with a Joshua Tree in the foreground.

Note: At the base of the windmill tower only 6-inches of
the underground foundation remains exposed..

Floyd arrived home ready for dinner and happy tired.

All is good!

(more about the project can be found by clicking on the title above)

hugs,

Christmas Goodies @ SU! Christmas Card Club

As hostess for December 18th's Stampin' Up Christmas Card Club, I provided the group with refreshments. An earlier blog post showed off my penguin appetizers, and here's the rest of the goodies I took. All baked goods were made by Floyd.

Floyd's 12 mini-loaves of Pumpkin Nut Raisin Bread
made using fresh pumpkin, walnuts, and raisins.

Here are two of the mini-loaves before slicing.

Presented on a pretty Christmas tray,
slices of Pumpkin Nut Raisin Bread.

Floyd's Pumpkin Bread Plus (not just raisins and walnuts,
but also chocolate chips and orange rind!)

More of Floyd's baked goodies:
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies

Garlic Cheese Dip (center) with sourdough bread cubes,
cheese, and multi-grain crackers.

The entire spread which was all but gone
when it came time to leave for home.

Love my lovely Poinsettia napkins!

If anyone is interested in recipes for any of the above, let me know in a comment, and I'll be sure you get it!

Thanks again for visiting!

hugs,

Christmas Greetings from Floyd & Jeanie

December 2011

Dear Family & Friends,

I'm happy to be visiting with you again as another year comes to an end. I love being in touch with each of you. Here are some different ways to contact us including my beloved US Postal Service (P.O. Box 996, Inyokern, CA 93527) and the good old telephone! (You can remove our landline number from your files because it's gone. Floyd's cell is 760-677-9162 and mine is 760-677-9174.) Email Floyd at salyer@iwvisp.com and me at jeanie1951@yahoo.com. Visit the blog upon occasion at simplystated4u.blogspot.com and please leave me a comment! I'm on Facebook (search for Jeanie Salyer). I turn to Facebook quite often to get snippets of news from those important to me and to send out little slices of our life as the year proceeds.

As our card and letter arrive in your mailbox, I hope you're doing well and have had a good year. Overall, our year has been a good one! Floyd completed a couple of neat projects for his buddy including a large shed and a fancy chicken coop. Both buildings were Floyd's own design and turned out very nice. The chicken coop was especially challenging to put up because it needed to be built in a very narrow side yard and on an incline!

Interpreting assignments are way down lately, and so I might have had only ten assignments this year. I had plenty of scrapbooking events, cardmaking workshops, books to read, letters and blog posts to write, plus time spent with family and friends whenever possible to keep me busy.

On April 20th, Floyd & I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary at a new restaurant in Ridgecrest called Maddy's Cafe. We had a wonderful time and a delicious dinner.

It was a great year for La Leche League of Ridgecrest with the ideal number of 10-12 moms (plus their little ones) attending each monthly meeting. In May, the new Leader I was training was accredited, and several of us attended the LLL of So. CA Conference. July and August were busy with preparations for and holding an event for World Breastfeeding Week which is 1-7 August every year. I am now training another Leader Applicant.

In the Spring, two longtime interpreting friends, Diane and Derby, and I went to the Deaf West production of "Pinocchio." We had a great time, and Derb treated us to a wonderful dinner afterward.

We were very sad to say goodbye to our beloved Mollie the Blue Tick Hound in May. She was such a faithful, well-behaved dog who will always hold a special place in our hearts. I remember 16 years ago when we went to choose a puppy, she picked me by sitting on my foot and not moving till we picked her up to take her home with us. One of our kitty-cats, Sunshine, had grown especially close to Mollie, and it was obvious he couldn't figure out where his friend had gone. We would find him lying alone on the bedroom floor where Sunshine and Mollie had spent so much time snuggled up together. Eventually, Sunshine has accepted the loss and now spends more time with us than he ever did while Mollie was living.

All of our other cats are doing well, although Blaze was anemic and feeling out of sorts recently. We improved her diet, added feline vitamins, and are generally trying to boost her immune system. Her normally pink pads had lost all color, but they're now pink again. Blaze is our little mischief maker, and she is again getting into all sorts of things, so we know she's feeling like herself again. Sadie, our Great Pyrenees watchdog is outstanding at her job and is such a sweetheart!

When I turned 60 in September, I threw a big party and invited people from all eras and phases of my life. It was a good turn out and a fun time. Jacqueline, Pine, my dad, brother & sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, and a whole bunch of friends joined us to help celebrate! Every day we have is a Gift!!

We hope you'll have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2012!




{Snowman card at top made at Nov. 2011 Stampin' Up Christmas Card Club!}

Happy Birthday, Little Lucky-13!

Here she is, the Birthday Girl.

June 8, 2011 marked one year since we found a tiny little kitten under our deck steps. We call the 8th her birthday because as close as we can figure she was newly born hours before we heard her incessant crying and eventually brought her indoors to baby, nurture, and love.

Now, the pocket on the tee-shirt I'm wearing is clearly too small for Lucky to squeeze into like she did around June 10th, last year. You can see she is a small cat, but she continues to gain and is solid muscle.

It's been an adventure, and Lucky still believes she rules the roost. She's always ready for a game of chase with any of the other cats whether they're in the mood or not.

Her most endearing quality at this time is the way she jumps up on the bed as soon as Floyd turns in for the night and begins padding with both her front and back paws. She purrs loudly while she rhythmically kneads the blanket. We call it Paddy Paws or Paddy Purrs. She moves around as she pads and puts her face near Floyd's showing that all is right with Lucky's world.

Happy Birthday, Little Girl!

Below are more shots of her taken this month.











Thanks for stopping by!

hugs,

Introducing Miss Lucky LuckinBuck

These 2 shots show Lucky when she fit in my

pocket at 2-days-old (left), and then me (in the same
tee-shirt) when she was 3-1/2-mos. holding her(right).

I'm amazed by the number of bloggers I know who blog DAILY. I don't even blog monthly. I think blogging is all about inspiration, and apparently I'm not nearly as inspired as my blogger friends!

In June 2010, we gained a new kitty (because 12 just wasn't enough). In reality, we never set out to *get* any of the cats we now love and adore. They all came to us in a moment of crisis. Our newest addition is no different in that respect.

Our most recent addition is Lucky-13, named that because she's our 13th rescue kitty. Her story is the most extreme because she was abandoned by her mother under our front porch steps the day she was born. Lucky has shown physical strength as well as strength of character since that first day, crying incessantly after being left under our steps so that we couldn't help but hear her and bring her indoors. (I suppose it's also a credit to her mother for giving birth to her close by our house rather than any number of remote areas on our property.) We waited a respectable amount of time (hoping her mother might have a change of heart) to bring Lucky inside.

Following are some photos showing her progress:

Little Lucky at one-day old and 2.8 ounces. At this point, we
were feeding her by eye dropper, 1 ml each feeding.

Here's the little spot of a creature with me at
9 days old, gaining steadily.

At just over two weeks, she graduated to a small nursing bottle.
Floyd takes kitten rescue very seriously.

Even though she looks just terrified in this shot at just over
a month old, I don't think Lucky has ever been terrified since we
brought her inside on June 8, 2010.
{The scar on her face is left after coming to us with ringworm. With
medication, it cleared up quickly and did not spread to any of the
other cats or to us, but it left Miss Lucky with her own
Harry Potter scar on her forehead.}

Another shot of me and Lucky when she was 6 weeks old
and clearly growing.

Floyd and Miss Lucky the smart-aleck sticking out her tongue.
Just over 6 weeks old.

At a little over 2 months old, Lucky naps on the big bed.

Little Miss Lucky looking ferocious (when really, she's just
yawning) next to Blaze our smallest full-grown kitty-cat.
Lucky is 2 mos., 10 days in this picture.

Lucky hangin' out on the kitchen window sill at 3-mos.

Another shot of Lucky (just over 3-months-old) asleep on the
big bed with Big Old Bodie nearby.

Lucky started out at a mere 2.8 ounces on Day 1. There were some critical days where we weren't sure she'd make it, but she pulled through and is now just over 9-months-old and around six pounds as close as we can measure. Initially, we fed her 1/15th of a tablespoon (1 ml) per feeding using an eye dropper. Now, she takes her meals with the other cats.

As I write, she's lying next to me where she inserted herself in a small sliver of space along my left leg. She loves, loves. loves to run through the house challenging all the other cats, learning how to climb higher and higher, and how to jump broader distances. But, when it's time to be calm and peaceful, she's happiest in Floyd's arms or snuggled right up against Floyd or me.

None of the Original Dozen are too big for her to challenge. When she was smaller, the others tolerated her silly antics. The novelty has worn off, and sometimes Lucky and her chosen playmate get into wild, paw-slapping battles. No one ever loses or suffers, but Lucky rarely backs down.

Since she was about 3-days-old, she has responded immediately when we call "Lucky." Until she turned seven or eight months old, as soon as we'd say her name, she'd hop right on over to us even if it was just to touch base quickly then dash off for more play. Now, she really has to be In The Mood to respond with anything more than a backwards glance because as a rule, Lucky's dominant Mood is Playful!

I really appreciate you stopping by. Leave a comment below and tell me what you'd like me to write about!

Thanks & hugs,

Introducing Blaze, Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine

If you've been following this blog, you know we have a number of feral cats on our property. These cats come and go. Some stay and set up housekeeping while others pass across our land to other haunts.

Last August, I wrote about a teen-aged cat we called "Mini-Buster" (and eventually BusterToo) because he reminded us of our cat Buster. As it happens, other than the orange tabby coat, they weren't much alike and BusterToo was female. I figured this out when I noticed in mid-March she was quite pregnant. On March 29th, I saw BusterToo and she'd had her litter. They were well hidden and we had no idea where.

On April 21st, BusterToo didn't show up for breakfast which concerned us greatly because she was a regular and made sure never to miss a meal especially after her kittens were born. She hadn't shown up by mid-day, so Floyd went in search of her litter. He found four three-week old kittens safely tucked away in an old bus. There are two tortie females and two orange tabby males.

Toward box front: Blaze
Toward box back: Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine
Photo taken 21 Apr 2009

THE KITTENS

BLAZE: Tortie female with large "blaze" in the middle of her face
FIREBALL: Extremely energetic orange tabby male
RAINBOW: Tortie female with every color of the rainbow on her coat
SUNSHINE: Orange tabby male with white face, white tummy, and white tip on tail

Their mama had taken excellent care of them during the three weeks she had with them. Each was strong and healthy. Their coats were in beautiful condition. Thankfully, they had all the advantanges of their mama's milk for their first three weeks.

For the fourth time in the 18 years we've been here, we're sharing our front shower with kittens. We confine them in the glassed in full-size shower when it's their kitty-nap time and overnight. We bring them out several times each day to bottle feed them using KMR Milk Replacer for Kittens. Now five-and-a-half-weeks old, they are also feasting on canned cat food from time to time.

In the past week, they've begun washing and grooming themselves, plus started play-fighting with each other, as well as playing with strings, empty paper towel rolls, and pieces of cellophane. Their playfulness and antics are adorable.

Sunshine & Blaze tussling on the bed, 25 April 2009

Thank You Card for My Long Time Friend!

At the end of April, a box arrived with my name on the label. After opening the flaps of the box, I could see that it held a coffee mug that I knew I hadn't ordered. Then I thought, oops, maybe Floyd had gotten me a surprise and quickly closed up the box.

I asked Floyd about it and found out he hadn't ordered it either, so I completely opened the package and was thrilled when I realized a good friend since the 9th grade, Carol, had had a special coffee mug personalized just for me!

On the mug's outside are three brightly colored owls along with the inscription, "Jeanie's Mug...That's Hooo!" Tooo cute! I love that the inside is burgundy colored and will never show any coffee stains! It's also the perfect size for me delivering 8 ounces of liquid. PLUS...about three days before it arrived, the coffee cup I'd been using for years had broken. Now, that's perfect timing!

First thing in the morning out on the deck, me in my jammies, hot mocha in my mug, with sun in my eyes!

Pictured below is the thank you card I made Carol.

I used a white base card, scored, and folded to make a 5.5" x 4.25 card. I added a burgundy colored card stock by Bazzill. The printed floral by Close to My Heart (CTMH) was die-cut using Spellbinders' Nestabilities Scalloped Oval and Paper Shapers' Photo Corner punch. The white oval on which I stamped the owl using Ancient Page Bordeaux ink was die-cut and embossed using Nestabilities and popped with foam tape. The owl is from Prickly Pear Rubber Stamps and was colored with Prismacolor markers. The owl is from Prickly Pear Rubber Stamps and was colored with Prismacolor markers.

Inside the card, I repeated the burgundy Bazzill card stock, CTMH floral, and added a computer printed sentiment.

Carol called the other day to say thanks for the card and that she loved it. Woo Hoo! That's why I love cardmaking!

Too Good to Be True?

The company Floyd’s now working for, Kiewit Pacific, held its annual Family Day on Saturday, January 10th. Floyd, his mom, and I drove 15 miles up Jawbone Canyon and parked our car in the business office area. Then we rode on a school bus to different areas of the Pine Tree Wind Project. We were able to see 64 of 80 windmills that they’ve already put up including watching them put the rotor on a tower. (Read all about that in a future blog entry.)

Next, we were treated to a wonderful BBQ which included barbequed tri-tip, pork, or chicken; macaroni and cheese; potato salad; coleslaw; baked beans; cornbread; rolls; and frosted brownies for dessert. YUM-O!

After that, the raffle began. Each person received one raffle ticket upon arrival, and only one prize was allowed per family. They were giving away $5,000 worth of prizes including electronics, tools, gift cards, and toys. We sat and watched Floyd’s co-workers winning all sorts of things. Next was one of the Grand Prizes: a Sanyo 32” flat screen TV. I heard them say One-Eight-Eight and flew out of my chair and up to the front. 188 was MY number! It seemed too good to be true. But it was! I won the TV! Tooooo Coooooool!

Me & my TV

A Merry Christmas to All!

Following is this year's annual update for those of you who did not receive it by mail.

December 2008

Dear Family & Friends~

As another year comes to a close, I find joy once again in touching base with each of you. I hope you've been blessed with good health and happiness during the year as we have.

Floyd's work on the Pine Tree Windmill project finally began this month. The weather in Jawbone Canyon has not been conducive to long hours out in the elements, but they are making progress nevertheless. This project is the largest U.S. wind farm to date having eighty 340-foot windmills with propeller diameters of 253 feet. We enjoyed vegetables from Floyd's small garden where he also planted a large collection of gorgeous daylilies, cosmos, and other blooms. On his lathe, he crafted many beautiful pens from native and other woods, as well as acrylics.

We were delighted Jacqueline visited this fall. We took her to Death Valley for a day trip. She, Pine, Floyd, and I were on the road by 5:00 a.m. We hiked, admired rocks and land formations, picnicked, snapped photos, played in the sand dunes, and marveled at the national park's amazing beauty until 8:00 p.m. The day before, we took Jacqueline to Lone Pine (also in Inyo County) during their annual Film Festival. We visited the Film Museum which houses exhibits of movies made in the area, especially Westerns shot in the Alabama Hills over the past few decades. Badwater in Death Valley is the U.S.'s lowest point (-282 feet) and Mt. Whitney located near Lone Pine is the contiguous U.S.'s highest point (14,505 feet). Jacqueline moved to Sweden earlier this year as she continues work with the online dictionary -- ordbogen.com.

Those of you who've read my annual letters for years know I always write about Pine's evolving work at Mervyn's. After 16 years, Pine left the company in February. (Just in time, too, because all Mervyn's stores will close by year's end.) She now enjoys helping manage the front office of a small, family-run heating and air conditioning business. Pine is the best cook I know. She is a marvel in the kitchen, and she's never made anything for me that wasn't absolutely scrumptious! She celebrates all the holidays with us, and we're so happy she always makes two or three delicious dishes to share. YUM-O!

I've kept busy during the year with my two favorite papercrafts: scrapbooking and cardmaking. In May, I made digitally created albums for Mother's Day and Pine's birthday. I made lots~n~lotsa cards at workshops, at card club meetings, at Stamp Camps, at Stamp-A-Stack events, and to swap with my CrazyCardMakers Yahoo group and Scrap & Stamp Arts pen pals. I'm so excited to tell you my first card is published in Just Cards!, Winter 2009 issue. In the spring, I rediscovered beading and have enjoyed making earrings, necklaces, and beaded bookmarks. I started a blog just for the fun of it and enjoy writing short pieces about our lives. Check out simplystated4u.blogspot.com if you'd like know what we're up to during the year. In addition to several interpreting assignments throughout the year, I kept busy with volunteer work for La Leche League speaking to parents at the local hospital's birth classes and taking over the treasury for the two local groups.

On the furry front, there are several changes, starting with Sissy's disappearance on June 13th. She was 14 years old, in perfect health, and we believed she'd be with us forever. The night after Thanksgiving, our delightful little Smoky cat bolted out the open back door, and sadly, all evidence points to a fateful meeting with a roving coyote or bobcat. It has been so difficult for us because we adored that little cat and all her happy antics! We took 13-year-old Mollie the Bluetick Hound to the vet a couple of months ago when she slowed way down. We thought we were losing her, but the vet diagnosed diabetes, put her on Vetsulin and a prescription diet, and now she's like a brand new dog. Feral cats come and go, so now, we have four regulars who show up twice a day to eat.

Pine & Jed's Uncle Art died unexpectedly on 2 Dec. It is such a sad loss for our family. At Mark's request, Floyd & I have taken over the care of Art's cat, Julie, an 8-1/2 year old Tortoiseshell who was originally Mark's mother and father's kitty. She's a very sweet, affectionate cat with beautiful black and gold markings and bright yellow eyes.

We hope your holidays are filled with love, peace, and memory-making moments and that the new year is full of promise!