Heat wave 2011

Like the old song says- "We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave...."  For so many days now I have been tolerant of these extremes but this last week, I finally broke.  I have had it!  Since the end of May, we have officially had 2 days under 90 degrees- yep, you read that right...2!  And just last week with the temperature climbing into the 100-110 range consistently, it has officially become unbearable.  The pool water is warm, the lake is warm, you can't get a breeze without going at least 10miles an hour in the boat- overall it is just oppressive.  Add in humidity, which is a constant in SC, and its definitely stunk.

Worse of all though, it has driven us inside, into the comfort of air conditioning, but still inside.  I don't even think about how much electricity our air conditioners use.  Its just so frustrating and now that we're in the dog days, I don't see much end in sight for a few weeks.   We have all been more stir crazy than ever before and until recently I realized why.  Was it the heat?  Last week, I realized the answer was no.  The real reason for the extreme boredom and antsy-ness (is that a word? lol) is something entirely different and very unexpected.  Its because this summer we didn't go to our ranch in Wyoming we have visited for the last 3 years.

We decided to not go because we thought we might be in or looking forward to Poland to meet our son.  Obviously, we're still waiting patiently.  I thought we would all be fine with foregoing the trip in lieu of the more involved adventure to come.  I thought, "Its not a big deal.  We'll be fine without going. We've only been a few years in a row".  I even thought Case might be bored if we went again.  I was wrong on all counts.   I didn't expect was how much we would all miss it and it had become a family tradition, even in such a short time.   The heat has definitely made it worse too since I know its cooler and more comfortable there.  Still, it is totally cathartic and we are have missed the beauty, simplicity, and pure relaxation it offers.

So bear with me as I share some pics and memories.  I need to for my soul's well-being.  :)

The entrance to the HF Bar Ranch!

Heaven!

Usually we head out to HF Bar Ranch, the 2nd oldest dude ranch in country, in Saddlestring, WY in mid-July.  We spend 7-10 days there at 5500ft in the Big Horn Mountains, riding horses, fly-fishing, skeet shooting (Brian, not us), going to rodeos, and just enjoying the fresh air and outdoors.

Our family in 2010 with our horses Miller, Russia, and Scotty (L->R)

Running the horses in from the pasture

China Wall- beautiful and you can ride on trails that weave through it!

This about says it all!  Coming down from Castle Rock ride

Natural sound soother, the creek that runs right between the cabins. Bliss.

Rope 'em!

Hanging with the wranglers at the corral.

On Big Mesa looking back at the ranch

Curious little antelope

Ranch pool!

Brian and Case fly-fishing

Brian and some of the other daddies skeet shooting with the professionals.

 Driving the ice wagon! Case got to help deliver ice blocks to each cabin.

The cabins are rustic, have indoor plumbing, but no TV or phones.  The technological detox we are able to experience is so needed.  The food is fabulous and we have met people from all over the world- pretty famous people too, which makes it exciting too.

The best part is, we are all guests relaxing and all treated the same, and we all treat each other the same.  The people, famous and non-famous, are there on vacation and have deep roots that run to this ranch.  Still, even though we might ride with them, sit at the table with them each night, or share a post-evening ride drink in the fishing shack, its still kinda cool when you discover who they are.

For example, one year we met Elizabeth Peale Allen, the chairwoman of the board for Guideposts magazine, and the daughter of Norman Vincent Peale ("The Power of Positive Thinking").  A lovely woman whose husband is buried on the ranch and the family  journeys there often.  She stepped on something in the river and Brian looked at her leg (she was fine), and she was so gracious.

Another year, we met Josh McLagen when Case was playing with his daughter.  So who is he, you ask?  Wait for it....  They had played for a couple of days, we had rode out with them, and Case even ate at their table a few times in the ranch house.  Nice guy and were we surprised when we found out what he did!  While we had no idea he was famous before, we started to realize when he brought "his personal copy" of a movie that he "worked on".   We thought it was a DVD or something until it had his name on it....in the movie credits and literally on the bottom in a security mark.  It was Night at the Museum 2.  He was the 1st director.   He also told us about a "little" movie he had coming out that December that we would like.  It was called Avatar.  Add to that, he worked on films like Titanic, and you get the picture.  The best part?  You would never know he was that famous- he was just another guest who had come there often.  We watched on a screen set up outside, under the stars, in chairs under blankets.  It was heaven.

So, I am posting these memories and great experiences to remind myself that while we swelter away in the heat, nirvana is just on the other side of the country.  We plan to take our new son with us next summer (fingers crossed!) and hope he'll fall in love with it like we have.  But make no mistake, next summer, we are going!

Yeeehaw!