Change of Blog

Wilma & I are starting a new blog. I will not take this one down, but you can follow us now on ontheroadwithweldonwilma.blogspot.com I am sorrow it is such a long name, but just bookmark it. We are in TX for DR apps along with Christmas and Thanksgiving. We will do some work on the trailer which I will try to post. We are also looking for a place for next year. We are adding some solar, as where we are going in 2010 may not have ele.

COME GO WITH US

Wilma & Glen, he is the Forman at the V A Poma Ranch. Glen is good with horses & working with wood. Glen would take time to answer my questions about things, what was going on & why. He knew the land and the workings of Ranch Life. A great thing about this lifestyle is the people you meet & what you can learn about things.

Weldon & Glen, Glen has the cap on

Karen & Weldon, I am the one with the hat.

This is a picture of Wilma & Karen taken just before we left, as you can see the Boss is watching them. A lot of people would get the two of them confused as you can see they both have the same blond hair. Leaving is always hard as you make such good friends and you both know you may never see each other again. Karen has kin in Abilene, when she come to see them she may call, we will see, & if we get in the area we will go by & see her. Karen is one great lady & a wonderful Boss.

This is the last day as we were getting ready to leave the Ranch in CO to go back to TX for the winter. For the first time I see my father in my picture. I hope I can be the man he was, I still have a way to go.

Walter (goat) Davis was 72 when he died. Daddy had very little formal education, he made it to the fifth grade in school. His mom was alone & he had to help support the family, he had 3 brothers & 5 sister, he was the oldest. When I was born in 1941 Dad & Mother lived in a log house in East Texas. The road to the farm was dirt & Dad would carry an axe in the back of his car, so he could cut a path around any mud holes in the road he could not drive through. They left the farm when my brother was born in 1944. There was a farmer just west of
Athen who had a tractor & so Dad made a deal with him to farm his land (shear-cropper). Dad & Mom later moved to Waxahachie just before I started to school. Dad got a job at Tyler Refrigeration where he later retired. Dad never missed work, would do anything, he saw or found very little in could not do. Dad would cook, clean house, wash clothes, work on cars, sew, my Dad even made a quilt which I have. He found a pattern of a house quilt & ask Mother about it she said why not you make it. So he did. Beside the farm Dad & Mom bought & paid for three homes, & when he retired did not owe anyone. When he retired they went down & bought a new car and paid cash. At age 50 he started putting 50% of his check in saving bonds. They saved enough money to see them both threw retirement & even had a little left when Mother died.

This is a called meeting of Ravens, the top dog or bird called, it the one on the right.

Yes, it has snowed and we can touch it

There was little wind we had this snow so it stacked on the trees.

This is Piedra Road. I took this picture as we went into town, where we had lunch with Karen & Dean (her husband).

The Elk are coming down in greater numbers, these just crossed the road as we were going into town.

The pictures of these icicles were taken 7 hours apart.

What is going on at the Ranch

When I had to replace the motor in our furnace this week I took a picture of the motor then printed it out. A much better way than just making notes on paper where the wires go. I know ever one has been doing this for a long time but me. As Wilma says I am slow, but I get there.

Remember the picture of Wilma working on the chair (she was cutting the fabric) well here is a finished chair with a pillow.

Some time ago I posted a question with one of the pictures asking where the 4-wheeler was. Wilma did not like it because I never told you where it was, well here it is. We were going to store miscellaneous equipment, here but the 4-wheeler fit, so here it is.

This is one of the hunters here from VA, there are 12 of them & they have taken 7 bulls & 2 cows. They are very happy. They were saying they have done much better than the 26% success rate most hunters have. They are looking forward to coming next year to V A Poma Ranch. The last few years they have been going to Durango. This morning when we went by their camp they said the only thing bad about the Ranch was the 2,000 miles they had to drive to get here.

This is a mountain we can see from the Ranch.

Water Drops

Now everyone will not like the next three pictures, but go ahead & look before going to the next four, (you might like them). Click on the pictures to make them the size of your screen, just use your back button to go back. On my walk with Tank this AM I saw these willow bushes with rain drops still on them. The sun was shinning on the drops & I thought they were worth taking a pictures of. Look at the large number of drops on each twig. When we look around us we can see a lot of pretty things, to be pretty they do not have to be large, a rain drop will do. God made all things and to enjoy them so we just have to take time to look and listen.

Wilma at work

Wilma & I did some reupholstering. I know I am not in the picture, but I did help. Karen had four chairs that did not have a good bottom in them. I cut some plywood bottoms & then we got some new foam and used an old drape Karen had. They turned out good.

Clouds & Snow with Cows

These three pictures are from where I walk Tank each day. We have had Elks in the meadow most every day. The hunters took three from here Tuesday, they missed three today (Wednesday). I would take a picture of the Elks, but they are too far away, (and I do not always see them.

New Sign

Tents

We have a very nice group of 12 from VA that are staying in tents. They have two tents that have wood heaters in them, they split their own wood, the Ranch let them take some trees, too split for wood as they will be using a lot of wood. The group from VA also go three Bull Elks opening day. They wanted to stay in the two RV sites as they would then have water close by & electricity. We have another group from VA, but the one who came the furthest came from Brazil.

We took this very close to the Ranch about 1/2 mile from our drive.

This picture was taken about a mile from the Ranch

Leak Fixed

This is why Wilma & I are not plumbers. The whole story is as follows this cabin had a water leak. When Glen was putting on heat tape the pipe started leaking. Glen & I tried to turn the water off. We could not as the valve was frozen. We then found out that when we pushed down on the pipe the leak would stop.

What had happened was that a glue joint had come loose. Glen & I then were able to stop it. The next day when Glen was off it started leaking again, so Wilma & I went had to do something.

The Ranch will close in around three week & to get the water turned off so as to be able to re glue the joint we would have to drain the system or so we thought; Karen later told us there was another cut off. Wilma & I found that if we put downward pressure on the pipe the leak would stop.

Not wanted to stand & hold the pipe down all the time. We put a board on the bale of hay & then over to the pipe, then we put a large rock on the board, as you can see we wired the rock & pipe to keep them from coming apart. Thank it would pass an inspection?

Elk

I do not have a picture of the man who shot this Elk; I will try to get it & post it later. This was opening day. Wilma & I passed by this hunter sitting by a large rock a ways off the road as we were going into Pagosa. Little did we know that just a few minutes after we had passed him he would shoot this Elk. This hunter was an older gentleman late 70 or early 80. He has neuropathy (has a very hard time walking). His partners had brought him to the rock to hunt then they went on up the mountain. He was unable to complete field dressing this large bull by himself. He sent word down to the V A Poma Ranch that he needed help. Karen's cousin, Bruce went up & helped him field dress it & load it in Bruce's pickup and brought it back to the Ranch. The older gentleman worked on skinning it till his partners came off the mountain, then they (ones in the picture) finished it. He was worn out & went in to rest. That is the reason I do not have his picture. He has stated he may not hunt next year. Maybe so, Maybe not, We will see. His partners did not get anything on opening day. Another group here took 3 more bull elks on opening day.

Snow

We now have snow where we can touch it. It was a low of 23 last nite & a hi of 60 today, so most of the snow did melt. We have a lot of snow on the mountains around us, most of them have snow, a few have a lot of snow. The snow we are getting now melts; then it will snow again. Soon it will snow & stay. I must admit I hope Wilma, Tank, & I are out of here when that happens. It is very pretty, but I would not want to pull the trailers in it.

This is the Ranch House this morning. Not much snow, but we could touch it.

Can you see the cows? To see them better just click on the picture; then use your back button. They will come and pick up the cows soon; they will not stay here during the winter.

It was still this morning, not a creature was stirring, and all through the house...........

Christmas Tree

Did you know it is not long till Christmas? Wilma took this picture this AM. I was still in bed; hey it was cold! Wilma took almost all of today's pictures, I think she did a good job.

Ranch Color & What is Going ON

Well the first day of the rifle season is here, it is 12:37 & as far as we know no one has taken anything. I have posted some pictures of the V A Poma Ranch which is located in southwest CO near Pagosa Springs, CO. The hunting & fishing here are great we are next to the National Forest on two sides.

We had a chili supper last nite (the nite before opening day of hunting season this is done for each of the three seasons), they let me make the chili. There was a great time had by all. There were hunters here from as far away as ND & VA, but most were from OK.

As you will be able to tell from the pictures we have snow all around us (well on the peaks), but not here on the Ranch as yet. Now the temp have been as low as 21, last nite it was 22 and the days are around 50. Very nice weather, I walked our dog Tank & I had no coat on, it was 38, but in the sun it was warm.

V A Poma Ranch 10-7-09

The fishing is good in fact it is great, one fishman caught thirteen on 10-6-09. We are also getting a lot of hunters in. Color is good weather is cool or cold.

I wish you would lookat the snow on the mountain. It will snow on this mountain at nite then melt off during the day. Some day the snow will not melt.

We have snow, but I can not touch it as yet. This is taken from the Ranch.

After the leaves fall from the Aspen we have the white trees, which I think are also very pretty. This takes place when we have wind,(a lot of wind).

Ghost Rock

In the early days the cowboys, sheep herders, or just travelers would come upon these white sandstone rocks which would stick up out of the fog, and they would think they were seeing ghosts. If you look hard you will see the other 2/3 of our group. These rocks are BIG. This is on I-70.

The Reef

In this part of the reef before they built I-70 a man could stand where the road was to enter the reef and touch both sides, it was full of slot canyons. I-70 was the first road through this area, before that time you had to go around the reef.