Trip with Dad

Last Saturday/Sunday Brian took JJ and Tessa up to the ranch for a quick trip to check on things. We got our new pivot going and the hay barns almost built. And I got some real gems texted to me in photos ;)

Is that a chetto mustache JJ or are you smelling them before consuming?

Checking on the pivot. And look how that hay grass is growing!!

They stopped at the tractor store  of course - and didn't really ever get out of the clothes they left in. 

Tiny says "COWS!!!" She's obsessed. 

Oh JJ ;) Heff said the carted around that bag all weekend. Never been happier. Or more orange. 

Pleasure Park Rodeo

What a fun Sunday at the rodeo!!! We were up early Sunday morning to check the baby chicks and get some ranch chores done before rodeo time. The Etna rodeo was AMAZING! We are used to the big Red Bluff rodeo with thousands of people and lots of Crown Royal girls ;) This was a small town, know everybody there kinda rodeo. We are so lucky we feel SO welcomed by the Fort Jones/Etna community and everyone was so accommodating to open their tailgates and coolers to us and to our kids.  We were there early after the parade for the kids events and stayed til 6pm. We met new people who introduced themselves (one nice lady said "ok you are talking to all the people I know - but I don't know YOU!?") and the girls mae fast friends with some kids their age and palled around hitting up the snow cone booth, the fancy jewelry booth and sliding down the big hill where the littles all congregated. I loved it so much I was bummed we were going to have to wait a whole year to do it again - but come to find out there is a JULY rodeo AND a rodeo at the August county fair - yessss. :)

Morning mist - love this image of Maisie looking out her window to see what this new day will bring. And yes they all sleep on that mattress on the floor. It's cozy. 

A single line rainbow lingering on the Marble Mountains on the way to the parade

downtown Etna parade route - this parade was awesome! It was sprinkling when we got there but the sun came out. They threw candy from every truck, tractor and float - girls loved that!

I've seen some crazy things... But nuns on a miniature donkey cart!? and it had a flat tire.

My All American girl MaryMarjorie.

then after the parade we hit the fairgrounds for the RODEO! Everyone backs up their trucks to watch from above the stands - lots of food booths (gotta have a corn dog!), beer and so many nice people!

back in the chutes to watch Dylan, their new buddy, Mutton Bust. She was one of the only girls!

looking ready to mutton bust!!! GO Dylan!

The girls agreed this rodeo was AWESOME! Small town, safe and so much fun.

kids on tailgate trucks (stacked with hay bales for personal grandstands :) watching the bull riding and saddle cows

sweet Emma looking good in Dad's hat

hold on tight - Dylan about to go. Each kid gets a dollar coin for participating and winner gets a belt buckle. 

great day at the rodeo  - time to head home with tired kids

it got pretty chilly that night so we got home to cozy in the cabin by the fire. Maisie fell asleep in 3 minutes flat in her cozy Jannie knit blanket.

and this one helped her big sisters check their baby chicks. Bungled up in handmedowns. 

Good Morning from Sharps Gulch

We came up to the ranch last night for a quick weekend escape and have been relaxing and hanging out up here all day - ranch life is the best!! Even worth the 6 hour drive up and back for less than 2 days :)

Maisie in the morning ready to hit the feed store

lilacs in bloom all around the house (so glad we didn't tear them out when they were dormant and scraggly looking!)

JJ practicing for her pony ;)

and headed out on a mission with my girls on the backroads

just the bigs while Tess was out on the ranch with Dad. 

and we got.... Chickens!!

21 little buggers! Feed store had 11 breeds in stock. #trouble

girls are smitten. Tiny is not sure. JJ might be first to kill one. 

Maisie and her favorite two. So far they named 6 of them after Little House on the Prairie characters

and JJ is learning to be gentle. The girls love the story of two year old aunt Kat holding one too tight and brining it to Oma saying "peep peep go night night!" 

doing their ranch chores to get the chicken coop ready

we have them in an old shed thing behind the house for now. 

Tiny substituting her favorite puppy for riding a pony. He will do. 

then off on 4wheeler to greet the cows and calves that are moving on the upper pastures to graze for a few months. Yay for more animals, even if they aren't ours (wait that's even better ;) this is heff's office right now. 

the girls ask to put their toes in the irrigation ditch stream and one minute later it's down to this. Every time! Heff surveys the ranch and tiny just wants to be big 

this was minutes before ;)

I love my husband and I love how happy he is out on the ranch farming and working hard. And yes we are wearing matching wranglers - I gave my sister full authority to make fun of me and told her I'm saving the sparkle butt ones for rodeo!

sisters at the old hay barn. Trying to figure out just how many chickens we can cram in here 

and what am I to do with this kid!? #JJstyle 

later in the afternoon after Tiny napped and I read out on a blanket in the sun (so rare and so good) we went to a BBQ and met lots of new fort jones people (might be the nicest group of people we've ever met in one place!) We had Coors Light and kids - do you need anything else?

Tiny loves a selfie. I pull out my phone and she says MORE MAMMA MORE! Ok tiny. 

awesome BBQ on hay bales with lots of good new people to meet and lots of coolers. Pretty happy. 

and happy kids making up games and playing on the seriously vintage swing set (inspiring me to get one like it and yarn bomb it;)

fast friends with cute Dylan and Grady - love this photo of these happy kids!! Can't wait to keep the party going at rodeo tomorrow!

A Few More of Cousin Campout

I love that I get to keep reliving our awesome cousin campout weekend at the Ranch through Andrea's amazing photos! Here are a few more of the B&W series she shot of the kids. I love that our styles are so different - I capture half-baked mostly-iPhone attempts at documenting everything that happened and she expertly captures the spirits and soul of the kids and the weekend. Thank you Andrea!

Easter on The Ranch

We spent Easter Sunday on the ranch together with just our little family - a rare event coming from big families on both sides! We had intended to go to Easter mass in Fort Jones - even stopped by Saturday to check the time at the adorable little church in town! - but after a late night at the neighbors the girls were all sound asleep at 9am and seemed ambitious to get up, fed, dressed and have pleasant church goers ;)

but the Easter bunny still found us!

and then we had an egg hunt up behind the house

my Ukrainian egg attempts. Not winning any awards here ;)

the girls found them and hid them all again 

JJ in her finest Easter ranch wardrobe

her curls are the best after she actually has a shampoo ;)

and this kid made fast friends with a pet Lizard - carrying it around everywhere and insisted on bringing it home in a Tupperware habitat with straws for air holes. #sorrylizard

and there were many lizard shows. JJ was Francie's loyal assistant (just don't ask her to hold the lizard)

I love my view from the cozy couch in this little cabin :) happy Easter!

and another reason to celebrate - the end of Lent means Heff and I can drink our road trip Diet Cokes again, woohoo! ;)

Happy 5th Birthday Maisie!

Maisie turned FIVE up at the ranch Friday April 18! We had a great day celebrating as a family. She's such a sweet girl and doesn't need much to make her happy. 

presents and breakfast in the morning then hanging outside all day - sweet little five year old 

snacks on the four wheeler headed out to the fields 

and team work to get it done - Maisie on the wheel line with dad 

they love their dad

making lunch- egg salad of course!

and a surprise for parade in the middle of the day!!

and this was her present waiting for her from uncle jerry her godfather when we got home from the ranch. Good picks Jer!

happy birthday sweet Maisie. We all love you!

especially your sisters. You are always so kind to each one and thinking if them and their feelings. We are lucky to have you as a part of our family that's for sure!!

Saturday at the Ranch

We had a fun day working and hanging out in Fort Jones Saturday! Our neighbors the Blacks son had a baseball hand in town at 11am so after our morning chores (moving water lines every 12 hours!) we went to the elementary school field to watch some little league. 

the girls were enamored with Will and Bryce ;)

but early that morning when we were watering Heff gave me the chore to go retrieve this giant wheel sprinkler from the other side of the fields. I tied it on with bailing twine best I could - not having high hopes this would work 

but after a re-giger higher on the four wheeler and a mad dash through the pivot sprinkler I made it!

girls walking the fields having sister talks

tiny was super proud she got her dada glove on ;)

way up in the air

then Saturday night we went over to the blacks to dye eggs with them and another family. They had a serious egg dying set up! JJ was on cloud nine with her crush Bryce ("Brwyce you make really good eggs" "Brwyce wanna show me your bedroom?" !! Oh geez JJ )

tiny getting in on the action 

I brought our Ukrainian egg dyes. Always a hit for dark vibrant eggs. 

and since we failed Friday night with a cake, the big girls and I made fun-fetti and brought it to sing happy birthday to Maisie!

Ranch Weekend

another weekend getaway to the ranch last weekend to work on our fields and get the water lines all working for summer- and celebrate Easter as a family. I love the ranch life ❤️

stopped at the Jelly Belly factory since we had to convince Francie to miss Thursday and Friday at school. 

arrival and immediately a Jelly Belly stand is open for business 

and a late afternoon run to move wheel lines. All girl selfie. 

these two talking about trouble ;)

sister pic

waffles for dinner is ok right? We eat a lot more quick to make food at the ranch when there is so much to do! The kids will survive - and Heff and I live on beef jerky, almonds and bourbon 😉

working wheel lines spreading water. A happy sight. 

after dinner pedicure? I'll take it. 

and Friday was Maisie's fifth birthday!!! We celebrated by going to see if the feed store had baby chicks. No such luck. But Francie did ask for a summer job 

and then the big girls went fishing in our pond with dad, Maisie's birthday request! 

the little girls and hung around the house and found two lizards stuck in the trough. So we made them a habitat. 

complete with a skull playground and teepee

tiny didn't want to nap in her closet crib so Heff drove her to the shop and back like this. Works every time. 

dirt and sunshine. All they need. 

And animals to torture. I mean pets to take care of  

evening wheel line moving. Getting the hang of it! And had to overall up for this right!?

growing new oats

yay for Tiny the farmer!

sunset rider. 

hard working JJ 

Cousins on Sharps Gulch

Awesome photos by my sister-in-law Andrea - wish I was back there with all these kids right now. Carefree kids on the ranch is pretty awesome with family around. Can't wait to do it again!

Cousin Campout - Year 2!

We gathered up the troops to celebrate the spring birthdays again this year - at the ranch! Some of my favorite photos below but full post on the RANCH link! (still trying to figure out the best way to blog on this new one - I better get the hang of it soon :)

Happy kids after some fun in the mud - nothing like a tub bath!

Out on the creek with Uncle Mark - kids were clothes-less in 2 minutes

And lined up for sheep shearing!

After dinner camp fire for s'mores and sparklers

Sister-in-laws with sleeping babies hike

the best days ever.

some sassy girls on Heff's Troopy

and one happy dad!

April 21, 2014/ Mary Heffernan/ Comment

Sharps Gulch Ranch, Ranch Life, Heff Cousins

#ranchlife, Sharps Gulch Ranch, Heff Cousins

Mary Heffernan

The Ranch!

Finally after 5 years of looking at ranches and dreaming of someday having our own property - we bought a ranch and couldn't be more excited. We have high hopes to raise our own all-natural pasture raised cattle. And if I can talk Heff into it - maybe chickens and hogs :) It's going to be a lot of work and a slow process to get an operation going but it's a great starting point for us. The ranch has pasture lands for cattle and lots of wide open space and wilderness to raise some free range kids!

hi here cows

the pasture

the Barn

the view of Marble Mountain Wilderness from the base of the hills

Someday we might build a house on the hills, but for now we will camp out in an 1868 old Victorian on the property- it was built without a kitchen, bathrooms or central heat! But a little kitchen and bathroom have been added to the back and there is a stove for heat. It's simple old 8 bedroom and ONE bath house and could sure use some love. It will be an adventure!

and this is the foreman's house - it used to be a creamery and has 1 foot thick cement walls. Stays cool in summer I bet. guessing there is a 50/50 chance the realtors photo shopped this rainbow in :)

The ranch is in a town called Fort Jones, CA and 5 miles up the road is a supermarket, coffee shop & deli, bike shop and community center. 20 miles north is the city of Yreka (that has a WalMart :) and 6 miles to the south is the town of Etna - good restaurants and Etna Brewing Company. So it's not terribly remote but still off the grid. (but TG for high speed internet in Fort Jones due to a federal grant - and 4 bars cell reception! WooHoo!)

Maisie went with Heff for 3 nights a couple weeks ago and was a trooper going to all the district farm and county offices with Dad. Stayed in the fancy Etna Motel too :)

first time on the ranch that we could call it ours. Oversized jackets for xmas, hoping they grow into them :)

JJ might never want to leave

Bundled up - snow still on the hills

that's a happy husband opening the gate for the first time - my Rancher husband!

dry pasture - needs some rain

we met with the former owners and lots of local neighbors who couldn't be nicer people - learned lots of ranch history! The family who sold it to us were only the second owners since 1850 - or as they say the fourth owners - The Indians, The government, the Sharps and themselves!

JJ riding in the back seat of the family size four wheeler

high fives by the river. First time I'd been down all the way to the river to see it - I see lots of summer picnics here!

pretty happy, can you tell ? :)

throwing rocks in the water - never gets old

the family showed us the old cabin site up in the gulch. There are old tin cans and mining equipment from the gold rush days.

Tiny in the snow - it was chilly!

sunset on the ranch - can't wait for this adventure!

Red Bluff Round Up

One of my favorite weekends in Red Bluff! We brought a whole house full of guests up to invade Oma's house - she was a very good sport about it and feed us all weekend :) It was like a revolving door - we had friends come up with us, a whole bunch come up the next day (some we didn't even know were en route!) and our Bumble server Tracy Hinson who is this years Miss California Rodeo Queen! She and her mom and her horse stayed with us too. SO MUCH FUN!!!

We drove up in the RV with the Edwards - it always sounds so much more glamorous than it actually is :)

and on the way there we couldn't get the back AC working (just needed to turn on the generator :)

Heff at the wheel - he can handle any size rig ;)

The guys were nice and cool up front in those captains chairs while Susan and I had kids crawling all over us!

cowboys and girls arrival in RB

and then off to RODEO Friday night at the fairgrounds!

opening ceremonies -

gotta love the USA

Let's do this

Initiating the Edwards - they were naturals

got the most important stuff

my cowgirl (hair is not straw francie - trying to break this habit!)

much better

Maisie fits right in

Dads and babes

the plaid gang family shot

cowboy up!

our chaperones Oma and Lala!

Tessa's first Rodeo

Maisie kept hiding her eyes when the Buckin Broncs came out. I told her "it's ok Maisie - see the cowboys stand up and are fine when they get bucked off." and she goes "Mommmm - I'm not worried about the HUMANS I'm worried about the HORSES!"

it didn't stop all night..

Kat and Lauren

sun set selfies - couldn't resist

Look at those happy campers :)

there goes the sun - time for the Crown Royal girls to come out!

someone stop torturing this child

and someone pelase get this kid a wet wipe

big THANKS to Oma for putting up with us all weekend!!!! More pictures from Saturday Ranch Day to come

Duck Hunting Girls

Heff took the big girls to Chico for a duck hunting expedition a couple weeks ago (finally uploading pictures from the little camera!) He drove up with Francie, Maisie and Janie to Red Bluff and left JJ sleeping at Oma's when he left with the girls at 5am to hit the duck blind. They were pretty excited to go and loved seeing the decoys, ducks and riding four wheelers - but it got pretty cold out there!

still dark out with one of the guys who took them out - they are crazy!

in the duck blind

love these faces on both of them

love the pink accents on my hard-core camo chicks

they got three big ones - don't worry they didn't miss, those "live ones" are decoys :)

they have a pretty good dad to take them out on his duck hunting trips (and I'll admit he's pretty lucky they put up with it! I went once when we were dating- it's COLD and EARLY in the morning)

they had a good dog out there to fetch the cold ducks, Francie would have gone after them but Heff told her there were Jellyfish in the pond (KIDDING! :)

It's COLD Dad!

Francie asked to ride with the guide - so he took her on a wild one :)

driving fast through the orchards with a pup on the grill. awesome.

Maisie cam (or JJ?) driving to the next stop that afternoon

JJ checking out the loot back at Oma's house

they went to Llano Seco Ranch to check out their cattle operation -

the girls found the feed barn

love this shot of Dad talking shop while the girls played in the corn feed

not a bad playground

Maisie just stopping to enjoy a stale rice cracker they feed the pigs

RELAXING at it's best

cold drizzly day in Chico (perfect for hunting those birds!)

them hogs. BIG hogs

bam bam