Rancho Sierra Vista

Today we began with cereal and two mile walk to the post office and our study time.  I cut Charlee’s hair, it looks interesting, but he is shedding and his type of dog doesn’t shed.  Go figure. 

We had a baptism here across the parking lot.  The Chinle Elders have been working with a sister and today she was baptized.  We went for moral support.  Dad had to pick the Elders trailer lock as they had locked themselves out and no one had a spare key and they needed towels for the event.  I guess dads former occupation paid off today.

Dad worked most of the day on the rooster for the Many Farms ward, trying to put people in catagories so we can find them.  We plan to map out the ward and locate everyone so whoever comes behind us will know where to look.  No one has a real address so we have to find them and put in a narrative on how to find them.  Many Farms takes in Rough Rock and Round Rock as well as Many Farms, little communities in and of themselves.  ie go to the first blue rock past the water tank turn left and it is about  1 1/2 miles third house on the left! 

We have Elders assigned to the Many Farms ward and we will give them a copy of the breakup of the ward and between the two teams we may be able to work more effectively.

Life proves to be fun.

Today we studied and walked two miles, to the post office, to see if our key worked yet and it doesn’t.  We came home cleaned up and I put together  funeral potatoes for the senior activity we were to attend  in Ganado this evening. 

Jack read from a text book furnished to  us by one of the school teachers that had taught Navajo history.  He is finding it very interesting.  The Navajos have been sold a bill of goods for a very long time. 

The senior sister missionaries, nurses, wanted to leave really early and so we got to Ganado hours before we needed to be there.  Dad set up the tables and helped sister Harris decorate.  I wandered around listening to everybody tales of wo. 

Ganado is where the historical Hubble trading post is located.  We had Indians hocking their goods for the first hour.  They had a captive audience.  I bought a beaded necklace that probably cost to much, but I don’t dicker.  We had a nice pot luck dinner and everyone was asked to write an  unknown something about themselves that they wouldn’t be to embarrassed to admit too.   These little events in each of our lives were then passed out and we each read what was on the paper and then tried to guess who it belonged to.  I don’t think we have ever laughed so hard about anything in my life.  We enjoyed the association with the other senior missionaries and the time spent getting to know each other better  was great.

The Eagans put a gift bag in our car filled with neat little things, to say thank you for dad working on their car.  What a surprise, we certainly didn’t expect.   We didn’t find out who had done it til we got home and read their card.

Today we delivered job opportunities to the chapter houses in Chinle, Many Farms, Lukachukia and found two of the people the bishop in the Many Farms ward would like us to visit.  We will probably deliver to Round Rock and Ruff Rock next week.  We found the bishops place in Lukachukia and visited with his wife. 

The post office still can’t make the key work for our P O Box which I predict will take at least six months.  Dad loves it as he gets to go ask for our mail, which they have a huge sign saying do not ask for your mail!

We walked out to the rim of Antalope trail which overlooks the Canyon De Chille said da shay, and looked down into the valley it was like looking into another world.  There are farms and all kinds of things growing, trees, crops, just beautiful.  The lookouts are on our way to and from Lukachukia.  Up on top is total desert, to include the volcanic rock we had in Cameron.

The weather has been very warm since we got here and so the trees around our trailer have to be watered.   Some day some missionaries are going to have an oasis to enjoy.  The one draw back here is that the electricity goes out quit often and the water gets turned off two or three times a week, then we have to let it run everywhere to get rid of the brown water, to include the tub and washer, lots of fun.

The “ranch” was established in September 2000.  It is a beautiful 80+ acres of hay and trees.  About forty acres are in hay/grass with side rolls to water it.  The other half of the land is treed and takes in a canyon with water running year round.  From the area the house will be built if we live long enough you can see mountain ranges in all four states making up the four corners region.

In the beginning dad and Justin spent a week putting in a road to where we have the barn/house built.  Since that first attempt to inhabit the land we have truly lived in a third world country.  No water, power, telephone.  After seven years and much work we have power, water, irrigation water under pressure, and a telephone line (s).  The barn is mostly done except for the upstairs where we will live, some day. 

This summer we harvested about 2,000 bales of hay and sold most of it to our friends on the reservation. 

The pond was dug out and filled, but not soon enough for the mother duck (wild) to come again and have her babies like she did last summer.

Now that the summer is over we are leaving home and heading back to the Navajo Nation.  We served last year, October to April in Cameron and the Grand Canyon.  It was a wonderful time and we made some really neat friends, and got to hike the beautifl painted desert as well as the whole of the top of the Grand Canyon.  We were the only belagonas so everyone knew where we were even if we didn’t.  We got found when we were sure where we were.

This winter we will be in Chinle, serving in Many Farms and Lukachukia.  Lots of belagonas here so we don’t stand out like we did last year.  We are looking forward to working with the people here.

Last night we were in Provo for the wedding reception of one of our nephews, one of my younger sisters sons. This is always a fun event since we get to see all of the relatives, cousins, nephews and nieces – which is always a treat. We used to drive to Utah for our vacations so my children would have the chance to get to know their cousins and this is an extension of that – though, it is kind of sad to see that my children don’t always know their cousins.

Being at the reception last night helped solidify that son John will be getting married very soon. He and his fiance Erin are getting married in Manti, UT at the temple down there. The day will be filled with the temple sealing and a luncheon and, that evening, a reception at the Springville Museum of Art in Springville, UT. This is exciting and a little terrifying, all at the same. When you think about it, cousins getting married, and the way receptions and events come together, it is strange to think that a lot of small, individual, events have to merge at the right time for everything to be just right.

The reception, last night, was very nice. Seeing my brothers and sisters and their children, and having my own children with me, was fun. Having a son getting married means I get to see these people again.

This is where John and Erin will be married on August 3, 2007.

Welcome to Rancho Sierra Vista dot net. This is the website and home for all things Rancho Sierra Vista. A ranch, farm, or whatever in Southwestern Colorado in the Cortez, Dolores area.

Rancho Sierra Vista is 80 acres where Jack and Alaine have settled after a long, long, long life of travel and moving their family and children everywhere AND in retirement have gone, slightly retarded in deciding to farm 80 acres.

Anyway, this is where they will post pictures, updates, information, and supposed progress on barns, cabins, hogons, and (cross fingers, pray really hard, and find a magical lamp that grants wishes) a house.

That’s it for now.

son John