The Rush Ranch
Eastern Oregon

I think it’s Cabin Fever.  We’ve all got it.  It always presents itself in these months that brush up against spring, refusing to give up the cold, ice and snow until and unless it becomes impossibly bright, sunny, and warm.  And of course it seems so unkind to receive all of the seed catalogs in January, with their colorful photos of lovely flowers and healthy veggies. And my mind is like a complicated roadmap, twisting left, then right.  Do I plant berries, grapes, or roses?  I want to plant them all. Right now.

We have a new resident at the ranch.  A wild cat is now living in the barn.  Not sure where the fella came from, but he is not a tame one.  We leave him hard cat food every morning.  He now shares the barn in a somewhat peaceful truce, with an owl, pheasants, quail, in addition to the original residents – the horses.   The barn is becoming a “Noah’s Ark”.

The weather is the big issue around the country.  My sister in Tennessee is dealing with flooding.  Another sister in Virginia has been without power off and on for days.  I see in the news that California is having unusually heavy rains and flooding.  We have heavy snow and icy roads here in Eastern Oregon.    And my friend Catherine says that the desert is blooming!  She lives just down the road, but took a trip to the Nevada/California border, and the desert is indeed, blooming.  I’m supposed to drive through the mountain pass tomorrow to get to my Doctor’s appointment – just a checkup after my knee surgery.  My husband is convinced that it’s not going to be a problem.   This is how the highway looked yesterday, as truckers waited in line to put on their chains before heading over the pass……..

I’m not as optimistic as husband…..I’ll be taking a good book and a thermos of hot chocolate with me.  I pray that everyone is safe and warm today!

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Design Team:  Pixelscrapper
Design Theme:  Mardi Gras
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

My downloads are below.  You can find all of the other designer downloads at the Pixelscrapper Forum.  By the way – their designs are more to the specific theme of Mardi Gras, whereas mine is just a general download within the same color palette.
I’ve never been to Mardi Gras, nor do I know much about the New Orleans culture surrounding it, therefore I make no attempt to blunder it.

Download Plaids
Download Elements
Download Watercolor Papers
Download Patterned Papers
Download Solid Papers

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Design Team:  Scraptwist Free4All
Design Theme:  Awaken
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

Download Elements
Download Plaids
Download Patterned Papers
Download Watercolor Papers
Download Solids

Blog Role:
Marniejo’s House of Scraps
Songbird Scraps Designs
KJDdesigns
Dancing Tiger Designs
Nellie Bell
Moore Blessings Digital Designs
tp designs
The Preacher’s Gal
Lady DGScrap
The Brown Owl

If you participate in the Scraptwist Challenges, you will receive the following mini kits free.  I have three challenges, and three free corresponding kits to send you as a “posting bonus”, for your participation. The theme for this month is Earth Angels, celebrating the First Responders.

Design Team:  Scrapping Your Heart Out
Theme:  Nature’s Dark Blooms
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

Elements
Solid Papers
Patterned Papers
Cards & Tags

Blog Role:

Design Team:  We Believe Blog Train
Theme:  No Greater Love
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

Lots of snow here in Eastern Oregon.  Not as dramatic as the State of Washington, but lots of snow, nonetheless.  Everyone be safe and warm out there this week!  It’s a great time for easy and filling crockpot dinners, reading beloved books, and naps under the quilts.

Here is a quick recipe that you can easily change by adding different types of canned soups, such as mushroom, celery, or cream of chicken:

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The theme over at the “We Believe” Facebook Group, is No Greater Love, as stated in the scripture of John 15:13:  “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (ESV).  I hope that you will be able to use this scripture in some way this month, either by verbally sharing with someone or making a card to send to a friend.  As humans, we will never be able to fathom the depth and breadth of God’s love for us.  Our capacity for knowledge and understanding is designed to meet our needs here on this earth, but one day, when heaven is revealed to us, we will understand HIS capacity for love, grace, compassion and mercy.

Please visit the other designers by using the blog role links, below.

Download Elements
Download Solid Papers
Download Watercolor Papers
Download Patterned Papers #1
Download Patterned Papers # 2

BLOG ROLE:
Songbird Scraps Designs
A-M Designs
Crystal’z Colorz
Dreamn4ever Designs
Lori Imel Designs
Nellie Bell
Moore Blessings Digital Designs
The Preacher’s Gal

Design Team:  Scrap Designers
Theme: Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

When I wake up in the morning, it is usually still dark outside.  I have one of those minds that wakes me up after just a few hours of sleep.  I usually lay there under my blankets for a bit, gazing out at the shadow of trees beyond my window.  The little chickadees gather there in the branches, waiting for sunrise.  Then they flutter down to the bird feeders on the front porch, enjoying breakfast before their busy day.  It’s our cat’s favorite part of the day, watching the birds eating breakfast.  Mornings are a happy time at the Rush Ranch.

I’m doing great with the knee surgery recovery.  I’ve had a few ups and downs, but that’s normal.  During my first few days in the hospital, I had trouble with the strong painkillers that they were giving me.  I couldn’t keep them down.  I had a visit from our interim Pastor and his wife, and, you guessed it – I needed a barf bag while they were present.  But, what a friends for, eh?  I was very grateful for their prayers, and how they gracefully handled my predicament.  Eventually the surgical team switched my meds to something less intense, but not as effective in controlling the pain – but I was ok with that.  I currently hold the record for the number of barf bags used in a single day at that hospital.

This “downtime” has given me the time to slow down and appreciate the small things, especially my family and friends.  Friends have brought snacks and dinners, sent silly cards, or texted messages of encouragement.  You, the readers of this blog, have sent such wonderful words of inspiration and kindness!  I feel like you and I are friends, too.  Thank you for your thoughts, comments, and prayers.  All of it is a soothing balm, a calming influence, and a precious reminder that we are all linked together by our desire to boldly make a positive impact to our story.  OUR STORY.  Our history.  Our future.  Humbly, I shout out a sincere “Thank you”.

My oldest grandson is 23 years old.  We had a deep conversation yesterday.  The same one you all have with your loved ones.  Our future, and who we become, is defined by our personal choices in life – we are not defined by good or bad parents, wealth or poverty, or our “lot in life”.  You start where you are, and work your way up, and/or out.  You put in the time.  You sharpen your skills.  You apply solid attributes based upon truth and kindness to your decision-making.  You apply yourself now with strength of character in whatever your current endeavor, with the knowledge that it will fill out your life skills so that you move forward with confidence.  The short lesson?  You don’t become a jerk or an alcoholic because your dad was.  You don’t blame others for your lot in life.  Any thoughts about this line of reasoning?

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope…..” Jeremiah 29:11

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Over at the Scrap Designer’s group, the theme for this month is “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”.  I hope that you will find something in my mini-kit that will work well for your own designs.  I have been going a little crazy these last few times with the plaid papers.  I can’t seem to stop designing them.  I am using a ” Photoshop action” by designer Elif Sahin.  I hope that you find the plaids go well with my watercolor papers, as I am trying to make “soft” plaids, rather than patterns with very distinct lines.

I also tried to design a little girl, but as with my animals, I have not yet developed a specific, consistent style.  I imagine that the more I design them, the more I will eventually “land” on a style that suits me well. I want a style that is uniquely my own, so that when you see my bear, rabbit or child, you will immediately know that it was something that I designed.  Please visit the other designers in the blog role below – I think that you will really enjoy the other contributions.

Download Elements
Download Solid Papers
Download Patterned Papers
Download Watercolor Papers

***Blog Role***

KJDdesigns
Songbird Scrap Designs
Rush Ranch
Miggins
DigiJen Scraps
Promethean Concepts
Joy’s Creations
Made by Angelhaze
Skinni’z Statz, Scrapz and Stuff
Scrapbookcrazy Creations by Robyn
Lady DG Scrap
AnnieC Digitals
Moore Blessings Digital Design

When my husband and I lived in Alaska, we spent the weekends at a cabin we built along the Ninilchik River, within sight of the Mt. Redoubt Volcano and across the waters of the Cook Inlet.  I’ve talked about it before.  It was a place filled with serenity, and…………an electric palm tree.

We would put the tree up for Christmas, because we were there only during the weekends, and it made us smile.  We would turn out the lights, snuggle on the sofa in front of the wood stove, and enjoy the sparkle lights of the tree.  I hung tiny, stuffed flamingos from the branches for ornaments.

I tell you this now, because my darling husband just bought me an electric palm tree.

Now THAT’s true love.  Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  As soon as he plugged it in, I couldn’t stop smiling.  And my daughter grabbed the Kermit the Frog that I keep in my kitchen window, and wound his arms and legs around the trunk.  PERFECT!  You know, sometimes, a palm tree can be better medicine that the one I am taking – Both of them combined?  Priceless.

The full knee replacement surgery went well.  Today is day six, so the leg is feeling swollen, tender, and various colors of the rainbow – an alien rainbow.  Dark purple, bright greens, blues………The body’s way of entertaining itself during the healing process.  And I am doing good.  I start my Physical Therapy sessions tomorrow, so I am not looking forward to that at all, because I want a few more days of being pampered, waited upon, and spoiled beyond belief.  I am a simple woman, with simple tastes – ANY bit of spoiling will do. My husband has been an angel through it all.

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Design Team:  Pixelscrapper
Design Theme:  A Walk on the Wild Side
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

The Pixelscrapper Blog Train theme is “A Walk on the Wild Side”.  Of course there are a great variety of ideas that suite this theme, and I chose Wild Horses.  As you know, we have a few wild horses that we have rescued, so I went with this idea.  You can download all of the other designer kits here.

Download Elements
Download Patterned Papers
Download Solid Papers
Download Watercolor Papers

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Design Team:  Scraptwist Free4All
Design Theme:  Sweetly Unique
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

The Scraptwist Blog Train theme is Sweetly Unique, and to me, it gave a vibe of babies, sweetness, innocence…….I made a little bear in a pocket, and the color palette is soft.  There is also a little ladybug.  Please visit the blog train list of designers below.

Download Elements
Download Solid Papers
Download Patterned Papers
Download Watercolor Papers

Blog Train:
Marniejo’s House of Scraps
Nellie Bell
Songbird Scraps Designs
KJDdesigns
Moore Blessings Digital Designs
The Brown Owl

If you participate in the Scraptwist Free4All challenges, this month, these items are free as your posting bonus:

Designer Team:  Scrappin’ Your Heart Out
Theme:  Designer’s Choice
Designer:  The Rush Ranch

I have set this blog post up for a scheduled publishing date, so I am not able to respond to questions or requests at this time.  (surgery date 1/15)  Hope to be up and running by the first of February!  Thank you for your kind thoughts, prayers, and advice regarding the total knee replacement – your comments to me are very uplifting and precious.  I told the surgeon that I had so many people praying for me that my leg was going to look like a movie star when he got done – either Marilyn Monroe, or Ernest Borgnine……………

DOWNLOAD ELEMENTS
DOWNLOAD SOLID PAPERS
DOWNLOAD PATTERNED PAPERS
DOWNLOAD WATERCOLOR PAPERS

Blog Role:

Miggins

Digiscrap Angelhaze

AnnieCDigitals

Songbird Scraps Designs

Crazy Cat Creations

LEA Art Designs

LadyDGScrap

Check out our Blog

and if you are a designer and would like to contribute to the train with us come and join ourFB Page (designers only and make sure sure to answer the questions please)

 

Team:  Scrap Designers
Theme:  All Year Through the Year
Designer:  Rush Ranch

My husband and I drove over to the Orthopedic Surgeon’s Hospital in Baker City, about an hour away from my home.  I had an appointment to keep for my pre-op.  Our journey took us through what I call “Cattle Country”.   The road first winds through “Pyles Canyon”, named after James Pyle.  He cut the dirt road through the canyon back in 1864, and made it a toll road for settlers trying to get to the west. The cost was $5.00 per wagon!  I would have been very disappointed to have been a wagon train traveller, and not have had that amount to spare.  I imagine there were several families that didn’t have the funds to proceed, so settled in the area out of necessity.  The railroad came to the area years later, and set a track line through the canyon in order to haul freight.  The road now belongs to the state, so it has been paved as a two-lane highway, and it winds its way through several farms and the quaint town of Powder, until it reaches the interstate.

A few of the older victorian homes are still standing proud on some of these farms.  I image that they are third and fourth generation farms.  I told my husband that living in the same proximity as these victorian queens make me feel so close to the earth, so close to history, and so close to the “salt of the earth”.  I’d rather be here, than anywhere.

Hey – a bit of news:  I’ll be doing a full knee replacement on January 15th, so I may be out of action for a bit.  Can’t wait to be out and walking on my bionic knee!  I know it will be hard work with the physical therapist, but I’m so ready to get back to an active lifestyle. Please forgive me in advance, for any interruptions in publishing schedules.
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Scrap Designer’s Blog Train:  Each one of the Scrap Designer’s took a specific month to focus their kit on, in a calendar format.  My month is April.  SO………what I have made for you is several monthly and weekly calendars, a meal planner, and some embellishments to use on your calendars.  I also made you a fun “Think Pad” sheet, to doodle some thoughts and ideas on.  I only made three watercolor paper backgrounds for you, so it is a small download.

I put together a rabbit with my shape and warp tools and tried to make a few other animals, but the rabbit was the only one I felt was ok enough to include.   Her name is Abigail.  Please visit the other designers in the blog train, as there are some really cool items that I am going to be downloading myself!

Download Calendars
Download Elements
Download Papers

Blog Train

Nellie Bell
AnnieC Digitals
Songbird Scrap Designs
Miggins
Promethean Concepts
Skinni’z Statz,
Scrapz and Stuff
Joy’s Creations
Lady DG Scrap
DigiJen Scraps
Made by Angelhaze
Moore Blessings Digital Design

Thank you for your visit – Blessings and Big Dreams!

Sunny
therushranch@gmail.com