11.17.2008
Wow
Yesterday, I was forced to participate in shooting clay pidgeons. Suffice it to say I have never been so TERRIFIED in all of my life and I never EVER want to shoot a 20 anything ever again!
11.11.2008
Yay! I'm alive!
Hey guess what? I haven't been eaten by mountain lions or fallen off a rock!
Wow, two months, really? What is my problem! I'm sorry it's been so long folks! So many things have been going on around here, it's hard to believe how fast the time has flown.
The Fall is not as wonderful as I thought it would be, although it has been fun all around. It's different to be setting up two tables for dinner instead of 25! Falls in Colorado are just breathtaking...and not just because it's cold enough to snow in October! When the aspens change color, it's like God sprinkled gold dust on the mountainsides.
Our first snow was interesting! I woke up and was about to walk out my front door in my slippers to go to work, when my friend Sable said, "Hey I think it snowed!" (it was still dark out so it was hard to see) I didn't believe her, and ended up walking to the dining room in my slippers in almost a foot of snow! We stopped in the middle of cleaning up from lunch to win a quick snowball fight with the kitchen guys.
The snow melted and the leaves fell, and now in the land is battening down the hatches against what could be a long cold winter. The ranch is enjoying a nice lull this week. We have 10 guests until Friday when we'll get in about 70 new guests for the weekend. Then the weekend after that, we're having the Staff Girl Reunion, when 40 previous staff girls are coming in for the weekend. It's going to be GREAT! Stasi Eldredge, John Eldredges wife is going to be our speaker (John wrote Wild at Heart, The Journey of Desire, The Sacred Romance, etc.) for the weekend, and I'm SO EXCITED! Then the next weekend is Thanksgiving, and we are going ALL out. We'll have 160 guests here for Thanksgiving...talk about a crowd! I can't wait. Tables and tables of food and friends and family to enjoy it with. It's going to be awesome.
Well, that's about all that's new here. Here's some pictures of a hike I took with my two closest ranch friends, Haley and Jenny. Hope all is well with you!
And here's a quick look at the Aspens in the fall!
Wow, two months, really? What is my problem! I'm sorry it's been so long folks! So many things have been going on around here, it's hard to believe how fast the time has flown.
The Fall is not as wonderful as I thought it would be, although it has been fun all around. It's different to be setting up two tables for dinner instead of 25! Falls in Colorado are just breathtaking...and not just because it's cold enough to snow in October! When the aspens change color, it's like God sprinkled gold dust on the mountainsides.
Our first snow was interesting! I woke up and was about to walk out my front door in my slippers to go to work, when my friend Sable said, "Hey I think it snowed!" (it was still dark out so it was hard to see) I didn't believe her, and ended up walking to the dining room in my slippers in almost a foot of snow! We stopped in the middle of cleaning up from lunch to win a quick snowball fight with the kitchen guys.
The snow melted and the leaves fell, and now in the land is battening down the hatches against what could be a long cold winter. The ranch is enjoying a nice lull this week. We have 10 guests until Friday when we'll get in about 70 new guests for the weekend. Then the weekend after that, we're having the Staff Girl Reunion, when 40 previous staff girls are coming in for the weekend. It's going to be GREAT! Stasi Eldredge, John Eldredges wife is going to be our speaker (John wrote Wild at Heart, The Journey of Desire, The Sacred Romance, etc.) for the weekend, and I'm SO EXCITED! Then the next weekend is Thanksgiving, and we are going ALL out. We'll have 160 guests here for Thanksgiving...talk about a crowd! I can't wait. Tables and tables of food and friends and family to enjoy it with. It's going to be awesome.
Well, that's about all that's new here. Here's some pictures of a hike I took with my two closest ranch friends, Haley and Jenny. Hope all is well with you!
And here's a quick look at the Aspens in the fall! 8.19.2008
Some pictures from the flood
Remember that flood I told you about? Well...here's some pictures of the girls who saved the ranch...with a little help
8.11.2008
And the rains came down...
Well, last week was definitely an adventure. We finally had rain for the first time in two months and when I say rain I mean raaaaaiiiiin! I was sitting reading on my front porch swing when I noticed some foreboading clouds moving our way. I literally sat there for about 20 minutes and watched a curtain of rain slowly move its way over the mountains and onto the ranch. It started with just a soft rain but quickly moved to driving rain mixed with pea sized hail. All of a sudden, the entire maintenance crew and several kitchen guys converged on the front lawn and began throwing sandbags at a furious speed. I looked at my friend Haley and quickly knew what we'd be doing for the rest of the afternoon! I quick threw on a sweatshirt and my sneakers and we ran outside to help with shoring up the ranch for a flood. So, there we were, eventually about 30 of us...staff and guests...were out throwing sandbags and making walls to direct the creek if it decided to overflow. For about 45 minutes-ish I stood in soaking grass with rain and hail pounding down on me throwing sand-bags. I definitely will not win an award for my bag throwing skills...but I will say it was one of the best and most memorable days off that I've had on the ranch.
Starting this week, we start losing people in droves. Some of the staff that has been here for over a year and a half are leaving...and it feels like an institution is departing or something. I mean, when I think of the ranch, I think of these people. It's a little nerve wracking to think of the slack all of us who are staying are going to have to be picking up. It's exciting too...you know how I feel about change and new things...I'm REALLY looking forward to this change. It's hard watching people come and go, but it's exciting to think about what God is going to do here with a brand new staff. This week, I'll be taking over more responsibilities, and then next week I will be the official head waitress....AHHHH!!! I'm frightened, but getting a little bit more excited about it too.
God is so good! When I thought about 13 weeks at the beginning of the summer...I almost died. But now that I look back, I can't believe how fast time has flown. I"m so excited for the Fall and the community that comes with it. I can't wait to have time to actually get to know the staff that will still be here. It's hard because I don't really feel that connected to many people who are leaving, so I'm not that sad. But I'm excited to finally be able to dig deeper with the ones who are staying.
Well, that's all for now, I need to take a shower...Love to everyone!
Starting this week, we start losing people in droves. Some of the staff that has been here for over a year and a half are leaving...and it feels like an institution is departing or something. I mean, when I think of the ranch, I think of these people. It's a little nerve wracking to think of the slack all of us who are staying are going to have to be picking up. It's exciting too...you know how I feel about change and new things...I'm REALLY looking forward to this change. It's hard watching people come and go, but it's exciting to think about what God is going to do here with a brand new staff. This week, I'll be taking over more responsibilities, and then next week I will be the official head waitress....AHHHH!!! I'm frightened, but getting a little bit more excited about it too.
God is so good! When I thought about 13 weeks at the beginning of the summer...I almost died. But now that I look back, I can't believe how fast time has flown. I"m so excited for the Fall and the community that comes with it. I can't wait to have time to actually get to know the staff that will still be here. It's hard because I don't really feel that connected to many people who are leaving, so I'm not that sad. But I'm excited to finally be able to dig deeper with the ones who are staying.
Well, that's all for now, I need to take a shower...Love to everyone!
8.05.2008
Bush wacking.
What's new...now there's a question!
I am now officially going to be the next head waitress of Lost Valley Ranch. Definitely not something I was expecting...at all. Definitely not something I'm looking forward to...at all. My friend Sable likes to say that God is a trickster. In this case, I'm beginning to agree. It does not follow, however, that his practical jokes are entirely unwanted. Just that I'd like a little warning before they show up. But then, I guess, life would cease to be an adventure.
And adventure becomes reality on this ranch. The other day, I went on a walk which started out on a path. A great path, infact. Wide, very definite, very predictable. Which is why I decided to leave the path, climb over the barbed wire fence and walk straight up the side of the mountain. I mean, who really wants to wait and follow the path? As I walked I realized the obvious analogy to my life. I'm pretty sure that every time I find a perfectly good path to follow, I decide to diverge from it into a long period of intense bush-wacking. I was on the fast track to a great life in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and decided to take a very large detour to become a rancher for a time. Bush wacking? I think so. Before that, I was on the fast track to being a teacher and decided to go to the one school in the country where no one takes a normal path and decided to abondon teaching for the elusive "liberal arts" degree. I'm a bush wacking extrodinaire! And I like it that way. So this little divergence back onto the path of leadership seems pretty fitting...and like a new adventure. So, I guess I am looking forward to it...aprehensively.
On light and bright side...last night we had a staff movie night on the lawn. We watched Ratatouille and sipped root beer floats and ate lots and lots of swedish fish...well, I did anyway. Definitely one of those nights that makes me thankful to be here. This week in general has been great. I'm serving a family of giants...not an exaggeration. They are all (women included) over 6 feet tall...I'm definitely the odd man out. But they are GREAT. I mean really great. And this is our last week in the 90's (guests and temperature!) so I"m pretty excited for the lower numbers in the coming weeks.
Well, time to do some much needed laundry. More news from across the Cattle Guard soon...
I am now officially going to be the next head waitress of Lost Valley Ranch. Definitely not something I was expecting...at all. Definitely not something I'm looking forward to...at all. My friend Sable likes to say that God is a trickster. In this case, I'm beginning to agree. It does not follow, however, that his practical jokes are entirely unwanted. Just that I'd like a little warning before they show up. But then, I guess, life would cease to be an adventure.
And adventure becomes reality on this ranch. The other day, I went on a walk which started out on a path. A great path, infact. Wide, very definite, very predictable. Which is why I decided to leave the path, climb over the barbed wire fence and walk straight up the side of the mountain. I mean, who really wants to wait and follow the path? As I walked I realized the obvious analogy to my life. I'm pretty sure that every time I find a perfectly good path to follow, I decide to diverge from it into a long period of intense bush-wacking. I was on the fast track to a great life in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and decided to take a very large detour to become a rancher for a time. Bush wacking? I think so. Before that, I was on the fast track to being a teacher and decided to go to the one school in the country where no one takes a normal path and decided to abondon teaching for the elusive "liberal arts" degree. I'm a bush wacking extrodinaire! And I like it that way. So this little divergence back onto the path of leadership seems pretty fitting...and like a new adventure. So, I guess I am looking forward to it...aprehensively.
On light and bright side...last night we had a staff movie night on the lawn. We watched Ratatouille and sipped root beer floats and ate lots and lots of swedish fish...well, I did anyway. Definitely one of those nights that makes me thankful to be here. This week in general has been great. I'm serving a family of giants...not an exaggeration. They are all (women included) over 6 feet tall...I'm definitely the odd man out. But they are GREAT. I mean really great. And this is our last week in the 90's (guests and temperature!) so I"m pretty excited for the lower numbers in the coming weeks.
Well, time to do some much needed laundry. More news from across the Cattle Guard soon...
7.24.2008
Hello Again from the World of Horses and 5 Minute Rain Storms...
...that happen to shut off all of our phones and hot water. Lovely.
This week...well, it's been fun. I'm definitely coming off the low point of the summer I think and getting ready to kick the last stretch into high gear. Two momentous events happened this week which make me think that, yes, I can be added into the annals of true Lost Valley cowgirls.
The first was the big 8 Seconds viewing. Apparently, next to The Man From Snowy River, this film is a must see for anyone who wants to talk intelligently about all things western.
The second was the Waitrii's photo shoot, in which I, Heidi Kobin, voluntarily allowed myself to be photographed in chaps. And the pictures were GREAT! Or so I hear. I'll put the link on here when the photographer, the great Michael Bankston, sends it to me. Michael and Amy, if you're reading this...THANK YOU! You have been such a blessing this week, we've thoroughly enjoyed having you here!
And now, for the thing I've been waiting to post FOREVER...this is from our Thursday Newsletter, and I thought you all would get a kick out of it...
Minimum Requirements for Ranching
1. A wide brimmed hat, one pair of tight jeans and $20.00 boots from discount house
2. At least two head of livestock, preferably cattle one male, one female.
3. A new air conditioned pickup with automatic transmission, power steering and trailer hitch.
4. A gun rack for the rear window of the pickup, big enough to hold a walking stick and rope.
5. Two dogs to ride int he bed of said truck
6. A $40.00 horse and a $300 saddle
7. A little place to keep the cows, on land too poor to grow crops.
8. A pair of silver spurs to wear to BBQ's
9. A spool of barbed wire, three cedar posts and a bale of hay to haul around in the back of the pickup
10. Credit at the bank
11. Credit from your father in law
12. Credit at the feed store
13. A wife with a full time job at the courthouse
...and all of this is VERY true.
This week...well, it's been fun. I'm definitely coming off the low point of the summer I think and getting ready to kick the last stretch into high gear. Two momentous events happened this week which make me think that, yes, I can be added into the annals of true Lost Valley cowgirls.
The first was the big 8 Seconds viewing. Apparently, next to The Man From Snowy River, this film is a must see for anyone who wants to talk intelligently about all things western.
The second was the Waitrii's photo shoot, in which I, Heidi Kobin, voluntarily allowed myself to be photographed in chaps. And the pictures were GREAT! Or so I hear. I'll put the link on here when the photographer, the great Michael Bankston, sends it to me. Michael and Amy, if you're reading this...THANK YOU! You have been such a blessing this week, we've thoroughly enjoyed having you here!
And now, for the thing I've been waiting to post FOREVER...this is from our Thursday Newsletter, and I thought you all would get a kick out of it...
Minimum Requirements for Ranching
1. A wide brimmed hat, one pair of tight jeans and $20.00 boots from discount house
2. At least two head of livestock, preferably cattle one male, one female.
3. A new air conditioned pickup with automatic transmission, power steering and trailer hitch.
4. A gun rack for the rear window of the pickup, big enough to hold a walking stick and rope.
5. Two dogs to ride int he bed of said truck
6. A $40.00 horse and a $300 saddle
7. A little place to keep the cows, on land too poor to grow crops.
8. A pair of silver spurs to wear to BBQ's
9. A spool of barbed wire, three cedar posts and a bale of hay to haul around in the back of the pickup
10. Credit at the bank
11. Credit from your father in law
12. Credit at the feed store
13. A wife with a full time job at the courthouse
...and all of this is VERY true.
7.13.2008
Finally...a good day
I am feeling every day of the last 8 weeks! I'm exhausted and I just want to be Rumpelstiltskin for a few hundred years. I am beyond tired as a descriptor and have moved on to sheer exhaustion.
But...I am still so glad to be here. I've discovered the beauty in being exhausted because I am giving away every ounce of myself to someone (or in this case 92 someones) every hour of every day. There is such beauty and peace in giving yourself away. That must be why Jesus commands us to do it!
This past week was very hard. We had a family reunion of 52 people from Louisville, KY. Yeah, they were hicks! But, they were also so much fun. Especially the guy who doesn't believe in the Federal government, and therefore doesn't pay his income tax. Yeah...they do exist! I was looking forward to a good King's talk with him...unfortunately, I did not get a chance to because he was sick for a majority of the week. But, I got his email, so I'll be chatting with him soon, hopefully.
This coming week, I think, looks promising. Mostly because today has been one of my favorite days so far. On Sundays, all of the girls have to turn over the Ranch. That means, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, all of us run around like crazy women thoroughly cleaning each of the 26 cabins. It's insane! But, I don't do that anymore, because I stay behind to help the head waitress clean up from Breakfast and serve Lunch. But today, we didn't have lunch!! So, we got off an hour early, and I got to see the whole rodeo for the first time since the first week. It was awesome! And such a blessing.
Church was also a huge blessing. We have church every Sunday outside on a hillside overlooking the mountains...yeah, I'm pretty lucky :o)! Tony has been speaking on Philippians, so we were reading the end of chapter 2 when Paul talks about Timothy and Epaphroditus and their faithfulness to Paul. I praised God for giving me two amazing women here who have blessed me so much! Jenny Denman is our baker, and she is so wonderful! And then Haley Chesser, my old crew leader, is also so wonderful. We're going to start meeting on Monday nights to pray together...I never realized how special prayer is between women until I didn't have it any more. I've been praying for a new group of girls who will build me up and God gave them to me! He is so good.
Thank you for all of your prayers...I have felt every single one of them. I miss you all and I'm praying for you too!
But...I am still so glad to be here. I've discovered the beauty in being exhausted because I am giving away every ounce of myself to someone (or in this case 92 someones) every hour of every day. There is such beauty and peace in giving yourself away. That must be why Jesus commands us to do it!
This past week was very hard. We had a family reunion of 52 people from Louisville, KY. Yeah, they were hicks! But, they were also so much fun. Especially the guy who doesn't believe in the Federal government, and therefore doesn't pay his income tax. Yeah...they do exist! I was looking forward to a good King's talk with him...unfortunately, I did not get a chance to because he was sick for a majority of the week. But, I got his email, so I'll be chatting with him soon, hopefully.
This coming week, I think, looks promising. Mostly because today has been one of my favorite days so far. On Sundays, all of the girls have to turn over the Ranch. That means, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, all of us run around like crazy women thoroughly cleaning each of the 26 cabins. It's insane! But, I don't do that anymore, because I stay behind to help the head waitress clean up from Breakfast and serve Lunch. But today, we didn't have lunch!! So, we got off an hour early, and I got to see the whole rodeo for the first time since the first week. It was awesome! And such a blessing.
Church was also a huge blessing. We have church every Sunday outside on a hillside overlooking the mountains...yeah, I'm pretty lucky :o)! Tony has been speaking on Philippians, so we were reading the end of chapter 2 when Paul talks about Timothy and Epaphroditus and their faithfulness to Paul. I praised God for giving me two amazing women here who have blessed me so much! Jenny Denman is our baker, and she is so wonderful! And then Haley Chesser, my old crew leader, is also so wonderful. We're going to start meeting on Monday nights to pray together...I never realized how special prayer is between women until I didn't have it any more. I've been praying for a new group of girls who will build me up and God gave them to me! He is so good.
Thank you for all of your prayers...I have felt every single one of them. I miss you all and I'm praying for you too!
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