SkyWatch Friday ~ Weather Balloon

 

Photos taken from my backyard using my Canon PowerShot SX110 IS.

 

Check out SkyWatch Fridays!

Friday Foto ~ Layers

 

My front yard at Sunrise.

(SOOC except for slightly adjusting brightness with Windows Photo)

Sky Watch Friday ~ ET Fly Home

 

I just never know what I’m going to see flying over my house some days.

Check out what others from around the world see, when they look up at their own skies, over at Sky Watch Friday! 

From the Tower of,

Sky Watch Friday ~ Raven

 

I was doing some stuff in the barn and happened to look up and this handsome fellow revealed himself to me.

 

Check out Sky Watch Friday to see hundreds of interesting skies from around the world!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Update on what I’ve been up to around here:

I have been up to my hair follicles in peaches this week. Last night I made the most delicious Peach Crisp. Yummo!

I’ve also been making lots of Freezer Jam, too. I found these cute, interlocking Ball brand containers for sale in our grocery store and am using these for my freezer jam storage.

 

I’ve already filled 20 of these jars well as 7 larger containers and I estimate that I’ve made more than 4 gallons of peach jam so far.

We’re still drinking peach smoothies every day and I work on peeling and slicing a large bowl of peaches throughout the afternoon and placing them in ziplock bags for the freezer for later use.

I’m also selling my over-abundance of peaches now, too. I placed an ad on Craigslist the other day and have had several replies already with one person showing up yesterday and buying 16lbs of peaches from me for $24.00 ($3.00 for 2lbs. of peaches).

And it’s a good thing because the birds have discovered our peaches, and though they do tend to be well-behaved and focus on pecking away at one peach before moving onto another one, and we do have plenty to share, it’s still rather annoying seeing them steal our peaches.

And I swear it’s as if, for every peach we pick, three more take it’s place. Oh…but I am SO not complaining, especially when I think of how much we’re going to be enjoying these sweet, delicious peaches when there is snow falling outside and the temperature is bitter cold.

Mmmmmmm.   

From the Tower of,

Sky Watch Friday ~ Escorted

 

I looked up to the sky from my loft balcony and saw this.

I barely managed to grab my camera in time to capture these photos, and it was so bright outside that I could barely see through my digital camera’s LCD screen, enough to focus. But the planes were headed West on Monday, July 27. Anyone know where they were heading, and who was traveling inside the escorted plane?

Check out Sky Watch to view hundreds of interesting and beautiful skies from around the world.

From the Tower of,

Sky Watch Friday~Angel Fire, New Mexico

 

Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park is a place dear to my heart. It was the first major Vietnam memorial in the United States and is currently the only State Park dedicated exclusively to veterans of the Vietnam War, and the only free state park in New Mexico. It is located off US Highway 64 in Angel Fire in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the Enchanted Circle of northeastern New Mexico.

For more info, click HERE.

The memorial was begun by Victor and Jeanne Westphall, the parents of Marine First Lieutenant David Westphall, who was among sixteen young men in his unit killed in an ambush in 1968 in Vietnam

The Westphalls used their son’s insurance policies to begin construction of the Peace and Brotherhood Chapel in 1971. 

   

The chapel resembles a sail and perches on the hillside overlooking the Moreno Valley. The chapel is open twenty-four hours per day.

Not many people know that The Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C was inspired by The Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park  in Angel Fire, New Mexico.

SPC Lori Anne Piestewa (December 14, 1979–March 23, 2003) was a U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps soldier killed during the same Iraqi Army attack in which her friend Jessica Lynch was injured. A member of the Hopi tribe, Piestewa was the first woman in the U.S. armed forces killed in the 2003 Iraq war and is the first Native American woman to die in combat while serving with the U.S. military. These tags were placed on one of the memorial stones outside the chapel.

 

You may have heard about her story on Extreme Makeover~Home Edition during the show’s first season. There are several videos posted up on You Tube~ Lori Piestewa if you want to see them, just be sure to have a box of tissues handy. I’ve not cried so many tears during a TV show ever. This video below is the last in a series of 10. It’s my favorite because they show the reactions of Lori’s parents and her children, as well as their beautiful paint horse, Arapahoe.

 

The first time we visited The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Angel Fire, New Mexico, was in 1996 and I was 2 months pregnant with my twin sons. (These are photos from my scrapbooks)

 

We also had the extreme pleasure of meeting Dr. Victor Westphall in person, during our visit, before he passed away.

To see hundreds of amazing skies from around the world, check out Sky Watch Friday.

From the Tower of,

Sky Watch~Layered Clouds

 

I was sitting in my friend’s barn, almost 2 weeks ago, watching her newly born foal, Yalla!, when I saw these clouds sliding across the sky.

 

(If you look closely, in the middle of the photo, just to the left of the lower 'T' of the supporting pole, you can just barely see the spots of my paint mare, Baby Doll.)

Their shape reminded me of an alien spaceship gliding across the planet searching for unsuspecting humans that could be zapped up inside for carrying out heinous experiments.

 

Yah, I’ve been told I’ve got quite the imagination.

Check out Sky Watch to see hundreds of interesting skies from all over the world.

~~~~~~~~~

I can’t forget to add some Foal Watch Friday to this post, too. Yalla! is 12 days old (Friday).

Annie and Yalla!

Yallah! at the Milk Bar.

I hope everyone enjoys a wonderful weekend!

From the Tower of,

Sky Watch Friday~Capitan, NM

 

Fort Lone Tree~Capitan, NM

Check out Sky Watch for more views of skies from around the world!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last month, we dropped off our twinlings for a fun week in Homeschool Camp at Fort Lone Tree in Capitan, NM. They had a great time riding the Zip Line, Rock Climbing, slipping down the Water Slide, practicing Archery and Riflery, riding horses and capturing and dressing up goats during Rodeo Day, and participating in water fights, campfires and lots of other fun things.

It was difficult to say goodbye and we all shed a few tears. But we knew they’d have a great time and we believed they were ready to spend some time away from home, too. Their sister was probably the most upset about her brothers being away from home for a week. She adores them and they are usually very good to her. 

I think Jenna was also secretly wishing she was old enough to stay at Fort Lone Tree, too.

The boys were pleased to discover that their cabin was right beside the Snack Shack.

So we said our Goodbye’s as the boys waved to us from the fort. (Can you see them?)

Before we left the town of Capitan, we enjoyed some lunch at The Smokey Bear Restaurant.

Smokey the Bear is buried in Capitan at the Smokey Bear Museum and Historical Park. And of course there is a letterbox located there, too. hah!

Smokey’s got his eye on Ranchman John.

Lots of interesting touristy places to stay in and visit and some great restaurants to eat some delicious food, while in town.

The horses in Capitan eat pretty good, too.

Thanks for exploring Capitan with me. Next up on our road trip is a visit with the Longhorns…….and a crazy Pay-It Forward Contest.

So trot on back on Saturday!

(And hopefully I’ll have some exciting mare and foal news to share, too!)

From the Tower of,

Sky Watch~Pave Low

 

It seems we are on a flight path for Kirtland AFB and sometimes get close-up views of military aircraft flying overhead. Sometimes they are so close I can see the pilot’s faces and we wave to each other.

I took these photos yesterday, in the early evening,with overcast skies, from my bedroom balcony.  After doing a little research, I believe this aircraft is a MH 53J Pave Low IIIE helicopter. (Let me know if someone knows for sure)

Directly over my house.

  

Heading west after flying over my house.

To see more than 300 different sky views from around the world, check out Sky Watch Friday!

From the Tower of,