We have a lot to catch up!

Greetings from southeastern Arizona. This is Nathan, my recent hiking buddy. His dad Don is my cousin from St. Louis. Nathan is a P.E. teacher and outdoorsman, like his mom and dad. We were so glad he took time to stop and see us a couple weeks ago. 

We took him to Chiricahua National Monument on a hot day, but got in a little hike and a nice day trip around the area.

It was actually our second visit this year. Shortly after Mom passed away in February, we took a drive and ended up here. It was a favorite camping spot for Ma and Pa. I wish she could have seen it again, but now she has better views!

In March Sam had a two week spring break, so with our newfound freedom we took a road trip. First was a long overdue stop in northern New Mexico to see cousins Brenda and Beth.

It was great to visit with everyone and see all the changes in Farmington, where we shopped when I was a kid growing up. 

Next we headed for Kansas City, where my Mom grew up. We avoided the worst of the snowstorms and prayer brought us through!

We stayed with Uncle Henry in the house my Grandpa built in 1939. Mom's cousin Duane came for a surprise visit. We're all getting older, so it was great to see them.

Mom's brother Charlie lives a few feet up the road in the house he built over 50 years ago. His daughter, cousin Sheryl, had us over for dinner, too.

I walked down to the barn where Grandpa and Uncle Henry used to milk the cows.

This is the little house that my parents moved to the farm sometime before we came to Arizona in 1961. The entire 15 acres is still family owned and is one of my favorite places in the world. (Have I said that before?)

Sam helped Henry fix a few things in the old house. He fit right in with borrowed coveralls. 

And we visited Henry's grandson's distillery in downtown Kansas City. 

After a week in Kansas, our next stop was northern Arkansas to see Don and Linda. 

They took us to Eureka Springs and Thorncrown Chapel, where Nathan's sister Shannon was married a few weeks earlier. Two connections to the Keller family this year!

Eureka Springs reminded me so much of Bisbee, but bigger.

At Don and Linda's, the snow was gone and daffodils were coming up.

We enjoyed their view of the lake so much...

I made a painting of it when I got home.

Finally we had a perfect sunny day and Don took us out in their boat, a real treat in March.

As we headed home we stopped again in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and this time were able to visit the ranch.

It was fun to see the Lodge where Ree, the Pioneer Woman, films her Food Network show. Sam could have his own show: Spiderman Cooks!

Back at home in April, Sam resumed driving his school bus and in his spare time began some much needed repairs around Mom's little house.

The new sliding glass door we ordered last August finally came in and Sam did a great job installing it.

First he had to repair the floor from an old water leak we never knew about. 

I help out when I can.

We (i.e., Sam) also put in a double-pane window in the bedroom. All the old windows are single pane and pretty inefficient. We had decided to buy one or two windows a year and gradually replace them. Then the Lord intervened in the form of close neighbors who were upgrading their old double-panes and we now have used windows for almost all our openings! (Thanks, Owen and Heather!)

Sam also installed a window shade for that south bedroom window.

The mesquite trees grew leaves and blooms, and the sotol yucca sent up its stalk. 

In May I began a new volunteer job. Once a week I'm the docent in charge at Endeavor Gallery in Benson. It has been a fun learning experience, and I sell something almost every week!

Speaking of paintings, I haven't shown you any in awhile. This was inspired by my friend Gaye's superb photos of their waterfront neighborhood in Maryland. 

It took me awhile, but I'm pleased with this rendition of Sam's photo of a train over Cienega Creek. It's big, 12x24", framed and hanging in the gallery now.

As is this one. Since my original painting called "Road to Mescal Studios" sold months ago, I painted another view called "Sunrise at Mescal Studios." I love the colors.

Finally, our No Fear Painting Workshop is the featured exhibition at Cochise College, Benson, this summer. I chose to show my paintings from the beginning to more recent work, as a progression. I guess I'm no longer shy about these things. 

Meanwhile, Sam continued to work on drywall.

And electrical.

And we now have wall sconces and outlets in the right locations for when we move our bed in. Even though we're moving ahead with making the home "ours", we still have moments of tears and missing Mom. But we're doing fine.

Outdoors, we tried our hand at making a "dirt-crete" pad for the (almost) new tool shed we bought a few months ago. 

The shed has a strong plastic floor and the dirt and concrete pad is stable and pest-free so far. And Sam has one location to keep his tools!

We did take some breaks, including 8th grade and high school graduations. Isaiah is a student on Sam's bus and we've made friends with his parents, too.

By Memorial Day, Sam was on summer break and we had a fun day in Willcox at the car show and watched a movie in their historic theater. 

Oh, and at some point we went shopping. 

Did I tell you about our shiny little tractor? Sam has been wanting to mow the grasses around the house, trailers and equipment, for safety reasons in case of fire.

With a sturdy little used utility trailer we found, it's also really handy for tree trimming, brush clearing and hauling heavier items. And fun to drive!

After summer break began, Sam started a two week treatment of chemotherapy cream for cancer prevention on his face. He's a redhead and even with sunscreen, the sun is brutal out here. He's basically spent 25 or 30 years of working outdoors. This is day one of treatment, which he did himself at home.

Day 14. It became more and more painful to rub in the medicine twice a day, then lotion onto his inflamed skin. When the healing started, the itching began! Work on the house remodel understandably slowed.

Ten days later, he's back to healthy skin, though I'm happy to report it's still PINK! Must be genetic! Next, he will do the same treatment on his arms, but we're hoping that won't hurt so much. 

Work on the bedroom continues. Sam tore out the west closet, which backs up to the bathroom. He'll be putting in a pocket door for the bathroom, which necessitates a slightly wider wall (on the right here). And he's putting drywall mud on the drywall.

My job is removing the wainscoting and vinyl wallpaper.

Meanwhile, I had a birthday and we took time for a wonderful dress-up dinner at a fancy but relaxing steakhouse in Tucson. It was a fun day.

Back at the ranch, we've been seeing more deer roaming through. They might also be responsible for the demolition of 4 pots of zinnias a few weeks ago, but we still love seeing them.

A few days ago Sam counted 10 deer behind the shed before dawn.

At the other end of the day, our monsoon rains started early this year, with beautiful results many evenings.

If you have read this far, I congratulate your endurance! From our Pumpkin Patch Ranch to your patch of this earth, we wish you a wonderful summer with many new adventures.