tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51261283453710250442012-02-16T05:59:33.428-07:00life down on the farm in New Mexico...tori vigilnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-2292063516308010292012-02-09T14:32:00.001-07:002012-02-09T14:32:23.327-07:00

It's about time I post something.  Anything...   The last week and a half has not yielded much news.  Work, work, work.  I worked Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning, then Monday and Tuesday I worked late, too.  In the meantime Thomas has been cooking, stocking the woodpile, folding laundry and all that domestic stuff because I have been too tired and lazy.  Tom did start a new

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-73121810930709770342012-01-27T14:18:00.001-07:002012-01-27T14:18:58.705-07:00

Tuesday I arrived home willing the snow to fall faster and thicker because I was in no mood to go back to work on Wednesday.  It wasn't that I didn't want to deal with something in particular so much as I just felt exhausted.  I had a full day of church and work on Sunday, and I had stayed late nearly every evening the week before.  Feeling out of sync, I hoped that the inch of snow would at

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-43863524851427145512012-01-20T09:46:00.001-07:002012-01-20T09:46:59.873-07:00

This week, though a "short" week because the office was closed on Monday, feels like it has been dragging on too long.  Though the office was closed, I did work Sunday afternoon and will have a full day this coming Sunday, too.  Maybe this is tipping the scale a little heavier on the "long" side.  Plus, Thomas has not been feeling super, and these last couple of days it's been a mind over matter

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-28626180049057974052012-01-16T18:12:00.000-07:002012-01-16T18:12:08.826-07:00

Actually, it was more like a smoke alarm! Tom is not one to make a big fuss about his birthday, and he really prefers that nobody else make a fuss either.  Last year we had cake mid-week at Mom & Pop's to celebrate here, and we drove up to Denver for the weekend and had dinner with his friends up in Conifer.  This year we weren't planning on going anywhere, since we just spent a lot of time in

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-64615340527587990232012-01-10T20:23:00.001-07:002012-01-10T20:23:27.165-07:00

I am not a New Year's Resolution type.  Yet I find myself secretly proud of myself for accomplishing something I decided I should do in 2012.  Not sure how to classify it, but proud all the same, and I am going to shamelessly pat myself on the back for it because it's really not a big deal to anyone else.My mom found out the day we arrived in Portland for Christmas vacation that she had breast

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-41814747808273483582012-01-03T23:57:00.001-07:002012-01-05T08:28:18.680-07:00

Holbrook had been our stopover specifically so we could drive through the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Park.  Just south of town you pick up the highway through the park and then catch I-40 at the north end of town.  This was definitely set up to be a drive-through park, and though there are a lot of pre-marked areas to go explore things they want you to see, there is a lot more

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-51152817043981386482012-01-03T19:09:00.000-07:002012-01-05T08:53:44.139-07:00

The rest of the drive from the Painted Desert was mostly a breeze.  We did take a less than satisfying detour to find a spot Thomas passed years and years back, but it wasn't on the map and thus difficult to find.  We turned around before running out of gas.  We also stopped for groceries and dinner in Santa Fe.  It was late when we got home, but we managed to drag ourselves and any perishable

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-11058245156989762632012-01-01T23:38:00.000-07:002012-01-04T22:53:08.603-07:00

From the Kolb Studio, we walked back out to a shuttle to take us back to the parking lot.  I was amazed at how large the "village" at the south rim is.  I didn't realize how commercialized it is.  I commented to Thomas about how the Grand Canyon is a spectator sport.  Sure there is hiking and camping, which we really hope to be able to go back and do, but it felt much more separate from us than

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-14500410794225240662012-01-01T23:29:00.001-07:002012-01-04T22:30:21.831-07:00

From Kingman, Arizona there is only one place to go.  We arrived at Williams, but we didn't know what time it was.  We had been listening to NPR out of Vegas, and we also know that Arizona doesn't do the whole time change thing, so we weren't sure what time it was.  We knew it was breakfast time, so we picked a cafe (my choice, and a bad one!).  Thomas looked at the clock on the wall, and it said

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-753470125844709582012-01-01T22:02:00.000-07:002012-01-04T20:58:44.133-07:00

Around midday on Wednesday, we pulled over to a scenic overlook into Death Valley.  There wasn't a picket fence with Death Valley on one side and the rest of California on the other.  The landscape just eased into the park.  Along the way we saw a whole bunch of mines, probably abandoned.  There was also an area of rectangular pools of water - not sure what they were extracting, but a car driving

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-49066309227935435922012-01-01T21:22:00.000-07:002012-01-04T19:20:51.601-07:00

Having crossed into Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon, we took the plunge on an entirely different route home.  We did have a GPS - more of a backpacking model than driving model, which served us well, until we stopped at an information center/rest stop in California that passed out free maps.  We acquired a California and Arizona map, neglecting Nevada in between. Tuesday morning came

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-69957702382130365032012-01-01T20:47:00.000-07:002012-01-04T18:58:09.839-07:00

Advent is such a long season, and then Christmas seems so short.  But I am lucky that I have spent 35 Christmas holidays with my family in Portland.  I come from a family of many traditions....many!  And while I miss a lot, it is still fun to spend my Christmas vacations in Portland and enjoy a few.  A newer one (relative to 35 Christmas Eves) is watching Christmas Vacation - one we didn't skip

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-40085252404714095852012-01-01T19:26:00.000-07:002012-01-04T18:29:50.579-07:00

After Tom and his dad got a road plowed between the car and the highway, we set to work getting ready to leave for Portland on Wednesday morning.  We had planned to leave Wednesday night after Tom got home from work, but he was able to take Wednesday off after having missed the first two days of the week.  I am relieved for this good fortune. We packed what we could before going to bed and

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-18423727935685543142011-12-20T19:10:00.000-07:002012-01-04T18:00:58.176-07:00

This isn't an advertisement for Dairy Queen, though in wintry weather when we drove home from skiing at Mt. Hood, we often stopped for one.  Instead, this blizzard stopped for us.  And it brought a mighty breeze with it that blew the snow all over the place.  Guesstimations suggest that we got almost a foot of snow, but it was so hard to tell because of the drifts.  Thomas and I woke up to a snow

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-91064073633314659622011-12-19T09:25:00.001-07:002011-12-19T09:25:32.834-07:00

December 19th has been looming large on my calendar.  I awoke this morning singing happy birthday for dear Liam, the son of my friends Oren and Ahna.  We dearly miss his presence in all of our lives and pray that the heavenly hosts sing for him and celebrate his life today!And while the tune is happy birthday, the happiness is hard to swallow for those left behind, so I invite you all to life up

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-63677062942653706042011-12-12T19:15:00.020-07:002012-01-03T20:09:06.318-07:00

We were instructed to arrive on Saturday the 10th at 4:00 pm and bring only liquid refreshments and to come prepared not to talk about politics, religion, health, war, price of Coca Cola and a myriad list of taboo topics.  We weren't all together on Thanksgiving and wouldn't all be together for Christmas, so attendance was not optional. Thomas and I arrived with our things and parked in the snow

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-41108947742261707202011-12-09T21:48:00.001-07:002011-12-09T21:48:18.122-07:00

I had the privilege of spending two and a half hours with a couple in town this evening.  It really was a privilege, though the visit turned out to be about five times longer than I anticipated.  I am a talker, sure.  But I really enjoy listening to other people's stories.  And sometimes it is most important to let someone tell his stories so that they may live on.  The gentleman I visited is a

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-70954552748442071052011-12-06T22:46:00.000-07:002011-12-06T22:46:22.356-07:00

Thanksgiving was a wonderful day off.  Tom had been home sick all week, but perked up for the long weekend - just in time for company!  Mary came to visit and had specially requested that we make a trip to Santa Fe.  And so we did!  I had been watching goats all week for a neighbor, so I rolled out of the house early to feed them and such.  Then it was home for a quick shower, breakfast, and

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-87619007807828287102011-12-06T21:46:00.000-07:002011-12-06T21:46:04.755-07:00

I am grateful for a great many blessings!  A slow internet connection and other to-dos have kept me from posting this sooner, but I had a fantastic Thanksgiving.  I am especially grateful for the time woodcutting with the guys.  We made a trip out on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and then on Thanksgiving morning.  Not because I am the token female, I have been the truck loader and get great

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-12397313988164085932011-12-06T20:59:00.000-07:002011-12-06T20:59:01.035-07:00

Oh how I love to eat!  Out here in the middle of nowhere, inspiration for a meal can come from a magazine, from the produce that needs to get eaten, and from how long it will take from inception to belly.  Thomas and I take turns cooking, but sometimes neither one of us is in the mood.  Recently, I was inspired by a recipe from Food & Wine magazine.  It was for a quinoa-stuffed kabocha squash.

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-56264164966008416052011-11-22T13:42:00.001-07:002011-11-22T13:42:58.585-07:00

This is a mostly silly post, so stop right now if you are not interested.    This morning I was posting a message on our reader board at the parish hall.  I had stacked up my letters, minus a few that were used in the message still on the sign and needing to come down.  I walked out towards the road where the sign rests and started to remove the tape holding up the remains of "turkey bingo". 

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-70658155850460149162011-11-18T09:10:00.000-07:002011-11-18T09:10:13.142-07:00

Last week I thought I might just drive off the side of the road.  The view on my commute home was stunning.  The full moon rising, the dusky colors, the snow on the ground.  Really a remarkable and serene landscape.  I wish I had the means to capture it just as I could see it, but this will have to do.  I stopped a number of times one day driving home, trying to snap pictures.  This is from the

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-34579217797990254272011-11-18T08:46:00.001-07:002011-11-18T09:11:18.958-07:00

A close call - almost didn't get this posted within the week!  Last Saturday we celebrated the life of another Vigil - JULIE!!  Birthdays are every two weeks all through the fall and into winter.  Do I tire of the family fun?  Never! Daniel tried to plan a surprise party, and though Thomas was convinced that Julie knew, I am still too new to know these things.  I maintained the charade Saturday

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-41705938356181249712011-11-11T21:59:00.001-07:002011-11-11T21:59:26.989-07:00

So most trips to the library result in renewing a book from the previous trip (an eyes-bigger-than-the-stomach kind of thing) and selecting books randomly from the shelves.  The selection isn't awful by any means, but it seems if I am looking for a particular book, I probably won't find it on the shelves...maybe in the card catalog, but rarely on the shelves (especially the last book in a series)

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-89320248355690861982011-11-10T09:04:00.001-07:002011-11-10T09:04:17.863-07:00

What a week it has been!  Thomas and I returned from Ruidoso on Friday evening, and the laundry list of to-do's just filled in the blanks.   A major feat was Tom's fix for the dryer, which has gotten noisier and noisier with every load.  Thomas, my hero, pulled it apart, vacuumed out the mess of lint inside the box, and then replaced the wheel that had cracked up.  It runs so much better now -

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-63414762542246010492011-11-03T17:55:00.002-06:002011-11-03T18:17:10.855-06:00

Yes, we are in Ruidoso, NM, and according to an online Spanish dictionary, that's what "ruidoso" means. Thomas left Monday morning for a work conference. With Father's permission I planned to "work remotely" Wednesday - Friday. I would have liked to drive down on Tuesday, but the dark (pitch dark) on a non-lit high way with who know what animals and terrain and curves, etc....you get the idea.

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-52554266457782945312011-11-01T09:00:00.000-06:002011-11-01T11:51:30.640-06:00

Growing up on Henderson Street, there was a tradition to make our way up the hill towards Grandma and Grandpa and stop when we go there. Sure, we were excited to ring the doorbell and say trick-or-treat, but the real treat was homemade pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream. Grandma never disappointed - at least not that I can remember. Now my mom carries on the tradition. Henderson Street is

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-65512578034640768772011-11-01T08:49:00.002-06:002011-11-01T10:44:36.334-06:00

So I crawled into bed at Mary's house right about the end of the half marathon - about 1 am. I wasn't looking forward to an alarm set earlier than even my weekdays, but I was excited to see him: Henry just turned one on Friday. And he is an early riser, as are his parents, so we met at Loyola for 7:30 am mass! Nikki, my support person my JV year in Denver, and Fr. Tom, my Jesuit support person

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-43057767615228475752011-11-01T08:20:00.002-06:002011-11-01T10:09:30.461-06:00

Twenty-six hours - twenty-two friends and five shopping stops... oh yeah, and a measly six hours of sleep! I paid the price Monday morning, when it took several pieces of Halloween candy to revive me, but it was all great fun. I woke up early-ish on Saturday and was on the road at ten after eight. Too late for the Bob & Tom Show, but I enjoyed the increasing numbers of radio stations and variety

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-32796226786884307902011-10-30T19:55:00.000-06:002011-11-01T10:06:23.744-06:00

Friday night we celebrated Marie's birthday with pizza and fabulously perfect homemade cheesecake. It was a lovely celebration. I was most entertained by the biggest kid who kept asking for more and more stories about his tios and the trouble they got into as boys and men. Somehow during these storytimes, with Tom in the same room as his big brother, he just melts into a little boy. I can see

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-55572416186047544992011-10-28T08:46:00.002-06:002011-10-28T09:04:21.648-06:00

Yesterday morning I guess I made a mistake. I rekindled the fire from Wednesday night before I got myself together and out the door. Given the hurried departures of Thomas and I in the morning, it probably isn't really necessary, or rather, it probably doesn't benefit us much in the morning. Now if I was the good wife that got up before dawn to stoke the fire, make eggs and bacon, and pack my

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-87643864799796890782011-10-28T08:36:00.002-06:002011-10-28T09:05:44.290-06:00

OR First Snow of the Fall... Either way you look at it...it came, it soaked, but it did not conquer...in fact, most signs of it are gone. It snowed Wednesday evening. It had been so cold all day; I just couldn't wait to get home and build a fire - though there had been some teasing about whether I was capable or not. It was a soup night for sure, so I also made some delicious focaccia bread and

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-30930720239505305082011-10-26T08:28:00.001-06:002011-10-26T08:28:47.511-06:00

This morning I didn't want to get out of bed.  Could be that I stayed up to late.  Could be that the bed is so warm and comfortable in the morning, as compared to the rest of the world.  Could be that even with the shades drawn, I could sense the overcast-ness of the day, the kind of day that deserves to be relished under blankets with books and movies and cocoa.  But we do what we do because

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-18421346102932189262011-10-22T11:11:00.002-06:002011-10-22T11:42:32.466-06:00

We were all head prisoner between these bars until it was finished. With the sun rising and the concrete setting, we urgently got the last of the rebar in place and the concrete smoothed around them. Then, with my soreness, hunger, and thirst, I made it out of the pit and into the kitchen to make lunch! My fingers felt raw on my left hand, tender tips. When I finally washed them, I learned

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-76108816097154873532011-10-22T10:45:00.002-06:002011-10-22T11:11:42.524-06:00

Well, I heard the rumble of the truck before I saw it. Pop had cleared a path all around the hole for the truck to drive and drop down the concrete. The gentleman driving was quite kind (and turned out to be quite talkative after the fact. I offered iced tea and got his family heritage - part Indian, you know?) Hooking on the extra lengths of chutes....a massive truck next to our little hole

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-45570546353932315172011-10-21T09:40:00.004-06:002011-10-21T14:04:11.836-06:00

We're (hopefully) minutes away from the arrival of the concrete. A truck is coming down from Raton with our liquid foundation. Last week we finished the digging of the trench and flooded it. Thomas, Daniel, and Pop had long since finished the rebar forms for the footer. This past weekend the boards were ripped, and the forms built. Yesterday Thomas & Pop installed the forms. Last night

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-87370502383179484032011-10-19T07:59:00.001-06:002011-10-19T08:39:19.114-06:00

Oliver has a voice, and mostly he just talked to me a lot, but sometimes he's a little fussy. Of course, those are not pictures I would have taken. After Lou & Lisa headed back to Leavenworth, I was first in line to hold Oliver. There is no way to hold onto the kid long enough not to notice a couple of months of his absence, but I was going to try to get my fill. He really is such a happy baby,

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-28930829019797279322011-10-19T07:44:00.004-06:002011-10-19T08:39:52.118-06:00

Monday morning we rolled out of bed to the alarm. I got dressed and ready and headed into the kitchen to make a couple quick breakfast smoothies. Miki was a little nervous about the noise waking up Oliver, but he also needed to be awake, so he could be fed and changed for his baptism. We scooted on down the road to church in morning traffic and found front row parking at Mom & Dad's house.

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-21273904117673319472011-10-18T07:49:00.000-06:002011-10-18T10:49:29.115-06:00

Day two brought more joy! We had a leisurely morning, sleeping in and taking out time. Ollie with his Tio Tom Miki had an appointment mid morning with Ollie, so after pancakes we cleaned up and headed out. Thomas found a new pair of sneakers; Marty got a belt; and I lost a few inches of hair. We rendezvoused at a new-to-us brewery on Powell - Hopworks. Delicious seven grain stout - one of the

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-40087401536804513322011-10-18T07:42:00.003-06:002011-10-18T09:49:40.081-06:00

Flying in over Mount Hood - a forecast of rainy weather meant this was the closest we'd get to seeing Mt. Hood We got home a week ago, and already the hectic pace of work has eroded the feeling of any recent time off. A good time to remember... Day one - we sure had fun with Oliver. Dad dropped us off at Miki's, and the playing began. We enjoyed Miki and Ollie for a few hours before Marty got

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-88413543741845568292011-10-14T09:00:00.001-06:002011-10-14T09:00:31.810-06:00

So much to post about the last week - and pictures, too!  But there have been a few occasions the past week I wish I had a camera.  If a picture paints 1,000 words, then this should be a long blog post about what I can't show you with a picture - don't worry, though, I'll spare you!   Thursday, Oct 6th Thomas and I left for the airport...not exactly a 30 minute drive any more, so we left early. 

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-52533551870869509562011-10-09T12:40:00.000-06:002011-10-18T08:42:26.597-06:00

Our time in Portland is numbered...hours - minutes - seconds...can't take it with us! Thomas and I have been having fun, and though we joke about our time being all planned out, we've enjoyed a little down time...emphasis on little. Thursday we arrived in the afternoon. Our drive from Denver was slightly delayed by a need for extra sleep, but we made it to the airport and through security with

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-56006526450381273652011-09-28T10:24:00.002-06:002011-09-28T10:37:27.852-06:00

You usually can tell when new neighbors are moving in when you see the moving van coming up the road, or the line of pick up trucks of friends to help haul and unload your belongings. Saturday I had finished changing the oil and filter on the Hyundai and was about to change the oil in the Honda when I noticed my neighbor Ruby walking up the road. She had just gone to check the mail, so we

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-6266202583662350832011-09-28T09:52:00.002-06:002011-09-28T10:23:56.453-06:00

It's true that I have grown up around children. Having babysat most of the neighborhood growing up, I got to care for a lot of babies, change a lot of diapers, and watch them grow up. It floors me that most of the caring and changing happened before I was 18. I nannied summers during college, but I really haven't had the pleasure of spending a lot of time around little kids, particularly babies,

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-25870642968510740532011-09-23T08:35:00.001-06:002011-09-23T08:35:16.120-06:00

Yesterday I canned for the first time in two year.  For the weenie amount that I did, it was totally worth it.  Last summer with the move and the wedding and all the other projects, we didn't have a garden, and I hadn't learned where to get the things I need to can.  I also canned baout 50 quarts of pickles in 2009, so I wasn't worried about running out.    This year we planted a big garden, but

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-66194069287829186882011-09-19T09:34:00.002-06:002011-09-19T09:43:26.186-06:00

That's my baby....home again sick in bed. The crud, a cold, and a sinus infection seem to be on "re-circulate" mode in Miami and Cimarron, or maybe just for all of Colfax County. After staying home sick a week and a half ago, I think I have upped my garlic intake and have been mostly feeling better these past few days. Unfortunately, Thomas has been pacing himself from the tummy to the cold to

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-73704952641009283652011-09-19T09:21:00.003-06:002011-09-19T09:34:08.940-06:00

What a treat from my sister-in-law, Jen! She sent about 20 pictures from the gathering of Fords and Greenlees at the Bear Hut over Labor Day weekend. It looks like they weren't laboring over their weekend like the logging Vigils and Salases. Here are a few favorites.... Ollie hanging out with Jen, showing off his big feet! Cole, having the time of his life in the pool with his Uncle Auggie (

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-16230130930842667462011-09-17T21:39:00.002-06:002011-09-17T21:51:43.618-06:00

This morning I had the honor of singing with two wonderful musicians. It reminded me of concert choir in high school because the woman on the "piano", we just have a keyboard at church, sang harmony. The songs we sang, many unfamiliar to me, before the funeral began were so beautiful - both in tone and lyrics. One was called "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry". The lyrics brought tears to

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-63611633538797321642011-09-16T23:46:00.002-06:002011-09-17T00:08:03.957-06:00

Admittedly, September 11th was memorable. Not entirely for all the reasons it should be. Thomas and I both felt like crap. We worked hard on Saturday, but still didn't sweat it out of our systems. There was no way we could go to Cimarron, where the bug supposedly had originated and worked its way through our family, and behave anything less than we felt - tired stuffy, achy. But we also

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-65921177128687498832011-09-16T23:20:00.005-06:002011-09-17T21:38:33.869-06:00

Not me, nor the hunk standing next to me..... It's SOFIA CECILIA SALAS!!! She's our new niece, born to David and Marie on September 14th! I had the privilege of driving to Raton after work on Wednesday, so we could meet her right away. Thomas and I joined the family for dinner out at K-Bob's, which was entertaining as ever. I took the girls in my car - Julie, Maya and Sara. Daniel took

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-20861168694052925122011-09-10T17:54:00.001-06:002011-09-10T17:54:52.690-06:00

Last weekend we got three loads of wood, and this weekend I got two loads of goat poop!  It's not really as exciting as it sounds, but it is going to make some great organic matter to till into the garden over the winter.  I hope to get a couple more truck loads before it is time for tilling.This past week Thomas and I have both been a bit of zombies.  I stayed home from work Thursday and slept

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-71370241675646660322011-09-07T08:48:00.001-06:002011-09-07T08:48:28.898-06:00

When we were camping this weekend, I enjoyed falling asleep Saturday night to the sound of rain on the tent.  I wish I could have stayed asleep, but then the sound of the rain in the morning was soothing, too.    Yesterday I spoke with someone in Cimarron before I left work, as the rain was pouring down.  He told me that he overheard a couple in the morning say how the rain was coming down so

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-64055457204284486392011-09-05T19:58:00.001-06:002011-09-05T19:58:06.209-06:00

As Thomas joked at dinner, the memory is the second thing to go!  For me it sometimes feels a little too close to home!I forgot a great story from Day One of the camping/logging trip.  I mentioned that when we first showed up, we set about settling in.  We unpacked coolers into the fridge and boxes onto the shelves of the kitchen area.  I was unpacking a box by the sink, and a bird flew by.  I

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-67727701167400086032011-09-05T17:19:00.003-06:002011-09-05T17:45:00.495-06:00

Sunday morning we awoke slowly, at least in our tent. I am sure those kids were up at first light, but I was grateful for a good sleep once I made it back to the tent. The day was gray and damp, but a mug of hot tea and Tom's breakfast burritos fortified me for some more work. It wasn't long before we heard Ma & Pop coming up the hill, calling for help. Pop had a heck of a time through the

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-62998881571809743752011-09-05T17:06:00.000-06:002011-09-05T17:19:13.766-06:00

Two weekends ago Thomas and I noted that we had not made it camping this summer. Then Daniel shared that he reserved the cabins at Urraca for family camping and logging Labor Day weekend - looked like we were going to be camping! When the scouts and staff have all left after a busy summer, permanent staff, like Daniel, can cut wood and camp as long as it isn't a weekend of hunting. This is a

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-49871276397969221322011-09-05T16:06:00.003-06:002011-09-05T16:16:52.081-06:00

The rainbow is a reminder of promise and God's love, but really it came to remind God's people that there wouldn't be another flood. Sadly, the flooding this past week on the East Coast still came. And the rains have been heavy all around us, but Miami continues to be the little speck of blue sky on the weather map surrounded by dark rain clouds. This shot was from on my way home last

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-18632628704558802912011-08-29T15:51:00.004-06:002011-08-29T15:57:34.966-06:00

These pictures are from Sunday's sunset. The sky was such a beautiful blue - the intensity and saturation of color was unbelievable. And despite racing for the camera and snapping a few pics, the color cannot be duplicated. I was swoony standing next to Thomas. The blues, the pinks in the clouds, the way the light was not quite clear and bright. It seemed as though we opened the door of the house

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-4523169303892951122011-08-29T15:37:00.006-06:002011-08-29T16:11:43.044-06:00

Right now I am taking a personal moment at work. I am working late tonight, so for the moment I am enjoying the rain pouring down in sheets. The sound is soothing, though loud; the breeze is cool. I am grateful to be protected indoors, as the road is a brown river flowing down the hill. It looks like blue sky in the direction of home, but I am hopeful that this rain might be reaching Miami, too.

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-30635968027138952922011-08-27T20:33:00.000-06:002011-08-27T20:33:52.951-06:00

Thomas and I did not have a summer vacation. We aren't students or teachers afforded this privilege, nor were we able to take a sustained period of quality time away from our jobs for leisure. Both of us kept very busy with work at our jobs and with work at home. This will probably be true of many summers to come. We did have fun with some weekend jaunts from home. And we certainly enjoyed

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-38765858407561140662011-08-27T20:02:00.000-06:002011-08-27T20:08:55.947-06:00

I love having a land line! First, the cell service is pretty spotty out here, but there is just something nice about picking up the phone instead of pulling it out of my pocket. There may come a time when all that has to change, but I really do like the feel of a full size phone, the sound of the phone ringing, and the cord that keeps it from going everywhere with me. On the other hand, I

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-64983866748176480592011-08-27T19:48:00.000-06:002011-08-27T19:57:52.052-06:00

I have been busy - consequently exhausted, too. I have been giving the happy family a hard time about posting pictures or updates to their new family blog: www.greenleepdx.com. Of course, I am not one to talk. I have been stalking their blog for updates and am grateful for the e-mails of pictures that everyone else has sent. I got an e-mail from my fairy godmother with some pictures...an

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-12733317320496808812011-08-23T09:11:00.001-06:002011-08-23T09:11:38.363-06:00

Phew - I made it!  Friday when I left work, I wasn't sure I could get to Tuesday.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed.  I was helping with reading and singing at a funeral on Saturday morning, baking cakes all afternoon for the enchilada dinner on Sunday evening, singing at Mass Sunday morning and staying all day to prepare for the dinner, and then after wrapping up that presenting my first

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-84255652426541443332011-08-19T08:49:00.001-06:002011-08-19T08:49:57.253-06:00

Yesterday I received a message from a colleague, catching me up to date.  It included the predictable question about the weather.  It's not just that anyone and everyone asks.  This area has been experiencing such a terrible drought this year, so people know this and often pray for us to get rain and want to know if anything has changed.  Mostly the answer is no.  And in a lot more words, I

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-54793007799216998192011-08-17T08:45:00.001-06:002011-08-17T08:45:32.711-06:00

It's finally happened.  I received a note from a high school senior addressed to Mrs. Vigil.  I am still a little in shock.   Sure, teachers are used to this kind of respect, young and not as young.  However, I have not worked in a setting where younger people were encouraged to call me Ms. Ford or now Mrs. Vigil.  The school in Jersey City encouraged the students to call teachers by their first

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-77641515416408458532011-08-12T08:30:00.001-06:002011-08-12T08:30:29.766-06:00

I don't think the neighbors heard, or at least they didn't bother to see if all was well.  I got in my eeks with some little visitors, and though Thomas didn't come running, he obliged me all the same.   We have some buckets around that catch water.  Though we can't have rain barrels in Denver because it is illegal to capture water that belongs to people downstream (yes, it really is a law), we

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-66941262288637947022011-08-11T08:58:00.001-06:002011-08-11T08:58:15.770-06:00

It is hard to believe that four years ago I was headed home for my grandpa's funeral.  It hardly seems like it has been that long, especially when I am gripped so strongly with a longing to be with him.  I still miss my grandparents both, and I know I have posted before about how sometimes I am overwhelmed with a need to call them.  For a long time, I couldn't delete their phone number, sometimes

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-25035331210547906322011-08-09T09:32:00.001-06:002011-08-09T09:32:33.114-06:00

Monday ended well.  The blahs of the morning gave way, and for two great "things" I am grateful.   First - I got to skype with Ollie.  Miki held him up to the camera, so I could see him, and he could see me.  He was definitely checking out that crazy face moving around the computer screen.  He made some cute faces and even showed me what it's like to burp up on himself (Miki was spared).  She and

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-58902928834568184572011-08-08T10:34:00.001-06:002011-08-08T10:34:18.996-06:00

Is it surprising that I would not want to wake up on a Monday morning, roll out of bed, and head to work?  Not terribly, no, but when all other signs suggest I should go back to bed, why don't I?   This morning before I poured the milk onto my cereal (yes, I am back on cow's milk), I took a whiff.  It didn't smell quite right, but it didn't smell sour.  I took the tiniest sip and almost lost it.

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-19899668945590977312011-08-04T10:37:00.004-06:002011-08-04T14:52:42.317-06:00

My little sister Miki and husband Marty just gave birth to their first child!!!!Oliver Martin Greenlee came into this world 8 days late (he was supposed to come on my birthday), but he is here now! She started labor about 3 am (PST) this morning and dilated quickly. Surrounded with Marty and her girlfriend Kori who is a midwife, she made it through the morning until about 5:30 am and headed in to

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-1119669785074287952011-08-01T20:56:00.004-06:002011-08-01T21:39:53.912-06:00

Yes, it is "our" garden, and Thomas has been a great help with watering. We bit off a pretty big space, and we have certainly learned a few things for next year. But this year is still just mid-stride. The season seemed to start so much later here - that extra thousand feet really makes a difference with night temps. Oh, and then it has been the driest year in forty years, or something like

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-18728450410782105452011-08-01T20:33:00.002-06:002011-08-01T20:56:04.619-06:00

Okay, this first picture with throw you off for sure, but I thought it was a very great illustration of how it can rain in one little area and leave big puddles, and then a foot further it is completely bone dry. It's raining at the Tooth of Time, and we didn't feel a drop. Nor did anyone else around. I am sure some scouts got soaked, though. The Tooth of Time gets rain. Still working

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-49093727119093883792011-08-01T20:26:00.000-06:002011-08-01T20:26:00.890-06:00

So my sister didn't have her baby on my birthday - nor now, one week past her due date. Guess it wasn't meant to be. And while I may have been blue about not having my grandpa with me anymore to celebrate our birthday together, I am sure blessed to have another birthday boy: Pop celebrates his the day after me! Marie and Dave hosted a party on Wednesday, and it was awesome! Marie made seafood

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-76048870278786914032011-08-01T20:15:00.002-06:002011-08-01T20:33:07.931-06:00

Well, I guess it is more likely that Auggie will make it all the way to New Mexico than pigs will fly, but it was close. Despite a little car trouble, he made it all the way from Grand Junction (where he traveled for a friend's wedding) to Miami, NM. It was too short a visit, but we'll take what we can get. And now Thomas won't let Nicholas forget it! It's always fun to show your big brother

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-37612919472039396082011-08-01T18:47:00.002-06:002011-08-01T19:26:00.021-06:00

Yes it is true. These are a month in coming, but here they are! I was delighted to harvest my garlic scapes before the fourth, so I could bring garlic scape pesto to our BBQ. Aren't they so pretty - even prettier when they flower, but I want the garlic more than the flower. Thomas took me dancing at the Maverick Club Dance on the third. It was a lot of fun, a little stepping on toes, and

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-89456749882660212502011-07-29T09:41:00.001-06:002011-07-29T09:41:15.999-06:00

It is a good thing I was moving slowly this morning.  I missed the morning commuter traffic.  It's not that I was worried about getting stuck in it, but I am glad they weren't driving by this morning as I broke into our house.  Yes, it finally happened.  I locked myself out.  My pockets were heavy with work keys and a phone and some other stuff.  As I went around closing windows and getting my

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-36751890423731378782011-07-27T10:12:00.001-06:002011-07-27T10:12:10.341-06:00

This morning I woke up feeling a bit tired - is that what getting older does?  Or is that what staying up late reading does?   I am feeling refreshed emotionally, though, and started off my day gently.  I went and watered the chiles and cukes, and guess who was in the garden!  No, not a big ol' rabbit like we had been finding of late, but a little baby rabbit the size of my fist.  It was hiding

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-56542235917190120942011-07-26T22:36:00.001-06:002011-07-26T22:36:07.478-06:00

What love today!  I was greeted by a beautiful bouquet of flowers on my desk this morning from a couple parishioners.  I received texts, e-mails, phone calls...singing and well-wishing.  Some very thoughtful birthday cards and gifts came my way - really thoughtful.  It is truly a blessing to celebrate a birthday and feel so loved!  I am so grateful to everyone who brought that special cheer to

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-38644312975697072942011-07-24T19:50:00.001-06:002011-07-24T19:50:34.884-06:00

I have some serious catching up to do!  I will start that later...always the procrastinator!I am really excited for tonight's dinner.  While not a delicacy by any means, I am having a real baked potato for dinner.  I think the last one I had was cold in May and dipped in my mom's ranch dip straight out of her refrigerator.  I don't get touchy and feely about steakhouses, and I am not really sure

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-5685979369429307682011-07-15T10:09:00.001-06:002011-07-15T10:09:24.400-06:00

It has been two weeks since my aunt Roxie sent out the news that my cousin Theresa was slipping through the doctors' fingers.  En masse on First Friday, people prayed and offered up their days in the hope that Theresa pull through.  After an unsuccessful round of chemo and rejected platelets, Theresa's body was overcome with the leukemia.  And then things started to turn around.  That Friday

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-80107616242180217752011-07-09T19:04:00.001-06:002011-07-09T19:04:33.146-06:00

There really are more exciting things to write about.  More importantly, I have a few new pics to share that I have not yet downloaded.  Instead, I note our process of laundering.  It really is an endeavor to start and finish the laundry.  I fully credit Tom for doing as much laundry as I do, though some things really take my initiative - namely the sheets and towels.There's a load in the dryer

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-21007348161776102242011-07-01T23:50:00.000-06:002011-07-02T00:10:12.147-06:00

Today is the first of July. I should have bet money on my prediction because here it is. Raining... I figured that the rain was holding off for the afternoon showers of the summer time, but I predicted that they were going to wait until the first of July just to spite us - can't have the July rains in June even if we are desperate for moisture. Given the circumstances of the night, I got to

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-42646943513852547012011-06-29T21:26:00.001-06:002011-06-29T21:26:51.515-06:00

It just wouldn't be like me to post a prayer request here sooner than later.  The message below is the prayer request I received from my aunt on Monday.  My cousin Theresa, a most vivacious lady if I do say so myself, is in dire need of support and love and a miracle.  Years ago we were all shocked to learn of her leukemia.  It was around Christmas time, and it was just so unlike her to be

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-8423529513494047082011-06-28T21:09:00.002-06:002011-06-28T21:37:49.844-06:00

Neither really - you know that joke about the mama tomato telling the baby tomato, who couldn't go as fast, to "ketchup"...yes, yes, well, I am trying to catch up. The task of adding pictures has not become streamlined for me, so it takes a little more effort on my part. This weekend flew by too quickly. After a full week, I was so excited to sleep in. While we could use a trip to town for

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-58832536799538195542011-06-27T22:14:00.002-06:002011-06-27T22:36:47.165-06:00

I will always be Bear to my dad, though my engagement ring names me Tom's "osita". There is a new-to-me country song about a father giving his daughter away in marriage, and cheesy as it is, the father tells how he loved her first. Well, it reminds me of my dad, as I have always been his favorite oldest daughter. I may not have been the first he gave away, but giving me away is just different

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-5868800307654902592011-06-26T19:24:00.001-06:002011-06-28T08:07:23.927-06:00

Yes - Father's Day was a week ago. I know. I have been feeling quite tired and busy, and so it goes. Lucky me, I got to celebrate Father's Day with "my two dads." It made me laugh when I recalled the TV show from my youth, but as I was working in the garden, across the property I could see Abba and Pop working away. At lunch I fixed them sandwiches, and they talked and hung out in the evening.

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-51332955936241329322011-06-23T21:45:00.000-06:002011-06-27T22:12:38.148-06:00

Abba came to visit Wednesday, June 15th and stayed until Monday. It was a big weekend: Father's Day and our first wedding anniversary! A few fun photos below... Thomas welded a bigger bucket for the back hoe as a Father's Day present for Pop. It was lots of fun watching an old paper cutter blade and all sorts of other scrap turn into a really pretty and nice bucket! I get it from my momma:

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-54159496306533021522011-06-20T10:07:00.001-06:002011-06-20T10:07:51.612-06:00

Four and a half full, fantastic days with my father....    He came to Miami to work, and so we did.  And now I just want to go back to bed.  I think he probably does, too.  I wish  work day wasn't ending with a bunch of manual labor clearing out the parish hall to prepare it for floor waxing.  Alas....maybe all those pleas we made for volunteers did not fall on deaf ears.   I really shouldn't

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-83679060839219754982011-06-15T10:02:00.001-06:002011-06-15T10:02:31.312-06:00

Actually, this is two "top fives"....  I'll start with the negative and end on a positive.  These are not an all-time top five, so much as the highlights of the last couple of days.   Top 5 to Make Me Cringe: 5.  I finally saw the doe with all the growths on her neck and face.  It's one of the things that makes you wince, and you want to look back and see it again.  Your brain just can't process

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-26871354592325408182011-06-13T09:25:00.002-06:002011-06-13T09:42:46.373-06:00

Yesterday was a bizarre day. I slept poorly after 4:40 am, finally falling back to sleep for a couple hours before getting up to sing and read at church. After we got home and had a quick bite, Tom's dad stopped by to talk "buckets". Tom and his dad are building a larger backhoe bucket. Thomas had welded one part, and Pop had cut another part. After Pop left and my brief exposure to how hot the

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-8287013203579906332011-06-13T08:47:00.001-06:002011-06-13T08:47:22.673-06:00

Yesterday afternoon a fire broke out in Raton.  This picture is from Marie, who was there with the kids.  They could see trees bursting into flames.  It has been too dry, and fire danger is really high everywhere around us.  We have been listening to the radio and scanner, and the stories or evacuations and lost structures makes everyone a little nervous and on edge.  I-25 has been closed,

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-80033947854473355192011-06-12T09:06:00.002-06:002011-06-13T09:24:56.699-06:00

No, I don't live in that Miami, but I have to say that I have been mighty thrown off by a bird. We haven't been seeing tropical birds like toucans or macaws that might suggest a beachfront Miami, rather it is the sound of one (or more) silly bird. There are so many birds around here lately that it is almost a constant cacophony of chirping, singing, tweeting, etc. It is quite lovely, too. I

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-68489153227419833502011-06-11T08:54:00.003-06:002011-06-13T09:06:55.353-06:00

I have no idea, but more importantly HOW did the skunk cross the road? When I saw him the first time, he was already roadkill!?!? No kidding, I drove back by 8.5 hours later, and the skunk was on the other side of the road. Likely a bird tried to carry him off and accidentally punctured the stink gland and dropped him like a rotted potato. Other animals crossing the road include deer. There have

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-18844025311999573132011-06-09T08:40:00.001-06:002011-06-09T08:40:59.700-06:00

This morning we actually woke up to a blue sky.  This shouldn't be surprising, considering that we have been having such hot and dry (and windy) days.  We are close enough to the large Wallow Wildfire in Arizona that the smoke has been looming over the mountains and down over the towns.  I haven't noticed ash on the car (unless it is disguising itself as bird poop), but Albuquerque and Eagle Nest

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-22608121522659590992011-06-09T08:34:00.001-06:002011-06-09T08:34:14.853-06:00

Not me, but hopefully my dad will be going home today for an urgent recovery before he comes to visit.  After a little scare over 6 weeks ago that my dad was having pains related to his heart, yesterday he finally went under the knife and had a blockage removed and two stents inserted.  Last I heard, he was uncomfortable flat on his back and waiting to be transferred to his recovery room for a

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-90546493399195812912011-05-31T08:35:00.001-06:002011-05-31T08:35:38.279-06:00

Yesterday morning I posted about a wonderful weekend in the company of Mary and Jennifer.  Shortly after, they awoke, ate breakfast, packed up, and headed off.  It was sad to see them go, and though Thomas could have made a day of yard work, neither of us knew how much of the wind we could take.  Thomas suggested we take off for Santa Fe to pick up a few things, including a new camera.    After

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-13111582033483396882011-05-30T09:15:00.001-06:002011-05-30T09:15:52.067-06:00

It's been a great weekend so far.  Everyone is still asleep, so I thought I would post a note.  Mary and Jennifer arrived on Saturday afternoon.  Thomas and I were eager to start our weekend and were lucky enough to enjoy some porch time at Daniel and Julie's.  We were picking up the grill in preparation of the first meal we hosted for the family at our house.  This invitation was, of course,

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-20729463128061916812011-05-26T08:38:00.001-06:002011-05-26T08:38:35.665-06:00

I am not referring to the supposed rapture that was miscalculated by five months.  No, I am thinking about toothpaste.  A peculiar situation to be sure.   I am often asked where we get our food.  People find it most fascinating that we don't have a grocery store within 15 miles, unless you count the Mom & Pop Pantry about 3/4 of a mile down the road.  While we do most of our grocery shopping

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-91637469725870047572011-05-26T08:18:00.001-06:002011-05-26T08:18:20.547-06:00

This morning I hopped out of bed about 6:30 am and took a shower before starting my day.  As I was stepping out of the shower, I wondered what happened.  Since when do I pop out of bed?  I am notorious for snoozing my alarms (yes, plural, which started in college because I am known to unplug or turn off alarms in my sleep rather than just snooze them) and known for waiting until the last minute

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-3492537341547342032011-05-25T08:05:00.001-06:002011-05-25T08:05:13.905-06:00

Last night I got in late.  It has been a long time since I had a work day like yesterday.  I left at 8 am and got home at 8 pm.  Phew!  The beauty of that kind of day this time of year is that the sun was actually still up when I first left the office.  It had fallen behind the mountain before I was even halfway home, but it was still that wonderful evening light that draws out all the animals. 

tori vigilnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126128345371025044.post-68382738446581415972011-05-24T14:28:00.001-06:002011-05-24T14:28:44.891-06:00

It was chasing the chicken!!  Okay, there was no chicken, but I did see my first live snake crossing the road.  I have seen dead snakes in the road, but I haven't seen a live snake since I was startled to find one under a board behind the tin shed about 11 months ago.  That is a long time to go without seeing a live snake, especially since Thomas told me that I would probably be uncomfortable to

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