TT :: Roman Cross Boots

Found these at the King Ranch Saddle Shop made exclusively for KR by Old Gringo.

I dream of a dressy boot like this that incorporates brown AND black into it so I may go either way with my outfit. And oh to think of one that sprinkles in a little turquoise. 

Be still my heart.

I think I established that my foot did not like OG boots when I tried them on in December but I'm willing to try again...I mean I'm not a quitter.

Meat Club {Girls Only}

My friend gave this book to me for this past Valentine's Day and she wrote, "To one meat lovin' gal from another!" I mean, am I blessed or what with good friends?! {Thanks Lauren!}

The Meat Club {Girls Only} has a lot of things going for it that make me love it.

a} Look at that logo. Utterly precious. On their website she winks at you.

b} "For Gals Who Love Their Meat!" Yes, yes I love me some carne

c} Check out the rules:

1-Check. 2-All over it. 3-On it. 4-You know it!

d} I love the total design and feel of the book. I know that may sound weird but it has a homey feel to it with it's little sewn designs.

e} The names of the recipes are priceless

I haven't tried any of the recipes yet but plan to. Some that have me excited:

{Flat-Iron Steaks with Warm Onion Relish}

{Marinated Tri-Tipsy-there is tequila in the marinade...and the first sentence in the description says, "Vanessa once seduced a vegetarian into eating meat with this spirited recipe for tri-tip."} LOVE.

{Bacon, Basil and Apple Sandwich}

{Confetti Lamb Kebabs}

Here's an amazon link for the book, I'm not sure if they sell it on their site because the link for "Join the Meat Club" isn't taking me anywhere...The authors Vanessa, Kristina and Gemma did a fabulous job and I would love to "meat" them someday!

Enjoy!

Cowtown here we come!!

And no, I don't mean Fort Worth. Maricopa, Arizona has also been dubbed that and that my friends is where we are headed.

The hubby will be wrapping up his last week at his current job and will be starting in another two weeks at his new place of employment {he will still be feeding cattle.} This move will allow something magnificent to happen...we will get to live together FULL time!! Woohoo!

For those of you that don't know, I work in Phoenix but I live in small town outside of Yuma, AZ. {Look it up on a map, you will be in shock} But no fears I don't make that drive daily. What I've been doing is staying with my sister in Buckeye{still a commute to Phoenix but it's kind of what we do...} 2-3 nights a week depending and working from home on Mondays and Fridays {usually} however, a couple weeks a month I'm gone anywhere from 5-7 days :( that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

However, now, in the words of a friend of mine, "Hubby is going to have a weekday wife!" You know what he told me? "Well, I better get rid of my weekday girlfriend then..." :) Such a jokester.

What this all means for us right now is basically one word: LIMBO. And to be honest it kind of scares me and irritates me all at the same time. We will be blessed to be staying with hubby's sister and her lovely family for the time being during the week. Please pray for us and the home selling and buying process. I will keep you posted of our status!

In addition to the pros of getting to live with my soul mate daily we will be a solid TWO hours closer to my parents and another ONE hour closer to my inlaws. To say I'm excited about this is an understatement!

Happy Monday!

The 100 Years 100 Ranchers Project

Scott Baxter has been working dilligently for several years to put together a collection of photography and history of 100 Arizona Ranchers in the last 100 years to celebrate our centennial.

I have had the pleasure of meeting him and seeing some of his work which is outstanding. Here is his artist statement which can be found on his site.

I just wanted to share because I am proud to be a member of the ranching industry. And, if you know of anyone that should be included in this please contact Scott ASAP :)

http://www.100years100ranchers.com/

The Main Ingredient Ale House & Cafe

The Main Ingredient Ale House & Cafe was the destination of a little lunch of some ladies in my office and some ladies who used to work in it. Great food, great weather and great friends!

Another fun place on 7th street that turns an old house into a funky fresh eatery.

The menu and my iced tea.

Our appetizer.

{TMI Toast……warm, house-made Jalapeno Cream Cheese served with crostini}

I found this to be delish and reasonably priced.

{The Jive Turkey……oven roasted turkey breast, Jalapeno Cream Cheese, local tomato & field greens, on baguette}

This was my salad...now if I can only remember what salad it was...nothing on the menu is ringing a bell with me. I definitely added turkey to it I remember that convo with the waitress. If I remember I will update the post...

{Griddled Cheese……havarti, muenster, & cheddar, with local tomato, on sourdough}

I almost ordered this but went with the salad...that I can't place the name of...

{RB & C……juicy roast beef, topped with muenster, & creamy horseradish sauce, on baguette}

We didn't partake in any of the Ale but my friend Sarah said she has gone there for happy hour and really enjoys it. If you are in downtown Phoenix and are looking for a new place to try check out the Main Ingredient Ale House & Cafe!

Miscellany Monday :: Keeping it Random

{1} $25K

I mentioned this before but in case you are interested in winning $25,000 go check out the details on my sista's blog La Ranchita

{2} The Toe

 The injured toe I spoke of last Monday is on the way back to some normalcy. Well, sort of. It's a bit tricky. When I wake up, total soreness and tenderness. By the end of the day it's usually feeling pretty good, as long as I wore sandals. When I try and put my toes-zees in a closed toe shoe-forgetaboutit. I really wanted to make my debut at my new gym Crossfit this week...and so does my future MOH dress for my sister's wedding.

{3} Purple Cabbage. 

Cut it up. Toss it in EVOO. Garlic salt/Salt/Pepper it. Bake in sheet pan at 400 for oh I think I did 20 minutes or so...thank me later. And thank my SIL who told me how awesome it is. Really, baking or broiling of any veggie tossed in EVOO/Garlic Salt is right up there in my absolute faves!

{4} The Kitchen Sink

Can I please someday have a huge sink like this? Please and thank you.

{5} Berfday

One of my lovely nephews and Godson turns 2 this week. Yesterday we celebrated with pizza/cake/icecream/UA basketball/jumpy house and it was so much fun! I love watching all of my kiddos {nieces/nephews} grow up into little people. Happy birthday Jake!

{6} March Madness

My Cats won yesterday sawing off the horns of Texas. We take on Duke this Thursday and I would like to quote a fbook status I saw, "Bring on Duke--we have made a living out of beating Devils"

BEAR DOWN ARIZONA!!

{6} Inappropriate Men

The last two weeks have given me two run-ins with some interesting characters. The first happened on 3/11 at my very first spring training game with my lovely friend Kami for her berfday. In a nutshell a very drunk man sat and talked/hit on me for 30+ minutes and let me know how amazing I am. At one point he said he thought I was so great he could kiss me--to which I replied, "That would be inappropriate" his other fave line of mine, when he told me he came to get drunk with his buddies I replied, "Well executed."

The next man was not drunk but strangely even more intense. This past weekend took me to Chino Valley, AZ to an annual event called Cattleman's Weekend, it's a cow/horse/bull sale that draws people from all over so naturally the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association {me} would have a booth there. This moustached cowboy comes up while I'm setting up and starts chatting with me and let's me know how beautiful I am. This happens a couple times and then he mentions that if my picture in our monthly magazine that I produce was bigger he would cut it out and hang it up on his wall...

*crickets*

My facebook status then went up like this: There is a man here @ Cattleman's Weekend who has told me no fewer than 5 times how beautiful I am and if my picture in the Cattlelog was bigger he would cut it out and hang it up...I was flattered now I'm starting to get concerned...

This continued all dang day. At one point he said, "I think your hair used to be lighter." Me: "Yeah, it was. I'm growing it out." Him: "Well, it's lovely. Just like you." Finally Saturday came and my hubby was there with me. Sure enough Larry comes up and starts complimenting me. And I say, "Yeah, my husband thinks I'm lovely too." {motioning towards him} Him: "That your husband?" Me: "Yes" Him: "Well introduce me!" I don't know at which point he left and although never really scared of the man since he was married {apparently very proudly for 39 years-even though he only mentioned that to Lauren at her booth} just a strange and painful interaction that I am thankful is OVER.

Hauling Water

On my family's ranch and like many other ranchers we often have to haul water to our cattle in certain pastures. This isn't to say that the hauled water is the ONLY water in this pasture it is just one more location for them and wildlife to get a drink.

My dad and hubby loading two troughs to go take out.

Gently unloading them. It's imperative that you don't bend them otherwise you have got an un-level trough and that doesn't make a happy rancher.

Setting down next to three other troughs already in place.

Next up is levelling. We don't get super high tech but we do our best with different pieces of wood to make sure we can get the most water in each trough. {These hold 751 gallons each)

Time to fill her up. What's that board you ask? It will float at the top and will be a little perch for birds and other wildlife.

My daddy-o on the water truck. The tank behind him holds 1,000 gallons of water.

Handsome Cowboys

Another trough in another pasture. Just wanted to show you the adorable {I know I shouldn't use that word when describing ranch equipment} ladder put on for any little wildlife that chooses to go for a dip...ahem get a drink.

These storage tanks hold 10,000 gallons each.

Just had to share a pretty view we are blessed with. The Red Rocks and beyond is the San Francisco Peaks.

To wrap up this post if you can remember one thing about ranchers: good management of natural resources on ranches across the country isn’t a choice; ranchers know that protecting the environment now protects the business for future generations. 

We are firm believers if you take care of the land, the land will take care of you.

TT :: Saint Patrick's Day Edition

I'm keeping it short and sweet {read non-existent blogger this week} due the craziness of one event after another but did want to say, HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!!

I love that Chicago dies the river green for the day... 

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

Miscellany Monday

I do not have much to say but, OUCH!

I am almost certain I have broken my pinkie toe on my left foot. I am in pain and totally annoyed. While getting gas yesterday after church I bought a case of water and while walking and carrying said water my left foot somehow got caught on a pipe of sorts protruding from a pole.

Honest to goodness people I thought I would look down {after I dropped the case of water and clenched my teeth to hold back tears} and see that my toe no longer was there and blood would be flying. However, no blood, all five toes still intact, just excruciating pain.

Why? Why me? Why this week???

I am off to a bull sale today for work. Here's hoping I can get my boots on and hobble around the auction barn...

My Soap Box

Let me step on my soap box for a brief moment.

Let me ask you a question...

What is the most nutritious tomato?

a) the one you buy at a farmer's market

b) the one you grow in your backyard

c) the one you buy at the grocery store that may have been grown in CA or FL

answer: They are ALL nutritionally equal.

Please join me in this logical thought process, since when does the geographical origin effect the nutritional content of a food? It doesn't. Plain and simple. The vitamin C doesn't increase or decrease and neither does the fiber based on backyard, farmer's market or the moon. And I for one am sick and tired of people in certain food movements touting this inaccurate claim. STOP it right now. You're spreading lies and annoying me...

Stepping off of my soap box. Thank you for listening and thinking.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Turquoise Thursday :: Sweet Treats

I love me some sweet treats thought I would share some very pretty ones...

Star Cookies There is even an "Anna" one :)

Gorgeous

Love the dots.

Wedding Candy Bar

Yummy! How about that tray they are on? Fab!

Fantastic Totally precise, I love it.

This dessert table looks phenomenal!

It's probably just the photo but these look HUGE

Simple

Do you want to win $25,000?

Yeah, so do I.

Here's the deal, you actually have the opportunity to win $25,000 + one paid trip to the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Washington, D.C. on November 5, 2011 OR you could be one of 4 to win $3,000.

Want to know how?

All you cooking men and women need to go check out the National Beef Cook-Off. It's a national competition put on by the American National CattleWomen and beef checkoff dollars.

Rather than a cooking challenge event, this year, the 2011 NBCO is hosting a national search for extraordinary beef recipes that demonstrate the benefits and versatility of cooking with beef via  four uniquely themed contest categories.  Learn more about the new contest themes here. Here they are:

• The 5:30 PM Dinner Crunch – This category will focus on easy-to-prepare beef recipes for busy weeknight meals using ingredients commonly on hand at home. 
• Retro Recipes Revived – For this category, home cooks can improve and modify an American classic or old-time family favorite recipe to be more convenient, healthier, or both for today’s busy families.
• Fuel Up with Beef – Recipes in this category will feature convenient and healthy beef recipes using one of the 29 Lean Beef Cuts for people with busy lives. 
• Stir Crazy Solutions – Home cooks won’t go stir-crazy when they have a chance to create a unique stir-fry recipe using one of the 29 Lean Beef Cuts along with fresh vegetables and grain ingredients. 

Enter your recipe now for a chance to win up to $25,000 in cash, plus a trip to the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Washington D.C.


You have until April 30, 2011 to enter so get on it!!

Weekend in Review

This weekend my hubby and I went to my parents for a visit. We got up there early enough on Friday to take my mom to lunch at one of my favorite places in Cottonwood - The Tavern Grille - Here's a couple reasons why I love it: a} it is housed in the old movie theater which I grew up going to and was touted as the oldest single screen theater in the country...until it burned down. b} they make a steak salad like it should be c}it's in Old Town Cottonwood which I love.

The owners of this lovely restaurant also own Nic's Italian Steak & Crab House just across the street. And my mama said they will soon be opening a little hotel in another building in Old Town!

The hubbs and I were also able to help {he did more helping than me} my dad haul some troughs out on the ranch and haul some cattle from one corrals to another. I had the chance to bring the camera along and paparazzi them the whole time.

This is at Goddard Tank

Those are the San Francisco Peaks just past the Red Rocks.

Got to spend some quality time with my nieces and nephews.

~Let me interrupt this post with a thank you~

Please notice my lovely Double D shirt I am rocking here. Remember what happened here? Well, unfortunately they were out of the Turquoise Honor Guard tee so they send me another one with turquoise in it. And turns out...I love it. It says "Out of Control" under the horse and my hubby stressed to me this weekend how appropriate that is for my life and my personality in general. So thank you thank you thank you Cheryl and Double D for this fabulous gift, I will rock it proudly!!

Here's another shot of it on the mannequin.

Friday night my mama made a delicious leg of lamb roast. I know some of you are thinking, "Hmm, not a lamb fan at all." And that's okay. But I promise you if you have had good LAMB and had it prepared properly you will love it. Let me know when you want to come over for dinner :)

Saturday my dad and the hubby headed south to watch the Wildcats beat the Oregon Ducks and take the Pac-10 title!! Which means we automatically have an invite to the big DANCE!! Woohoo here we come March Madness!! Here is a shirt I will be purchasing shortly...

While the men went south my SIL and I headed to Prescott for our state Cowbelle board meeting. It was held in Hotel St. Michael and afterwards we hit up a couple shops on Whiskey Row aka Montezuma Street.

-One of my favorites is the Dave Newman Studio which has his work and a lot of other local artists and a few well known artists like Rocki Gorman :)

-I also hit up Van Gogh's Ear because I was out of my Carolyn Schmitz cards/stationary. She is an amazing local artist who takes things in nature and does amazing things with them. My absolute favorites are when she makes heels and shoes out of plants/insects.

I seriously love her. Please go check her out!!

-Finally we went into a new store we hadn't been in called Jenny Longhorn had a nice visit with the owner while there because we thoroughly enjoyed their boutique! They had some jewelry Lauren and I have been excited to see, they had Ryan Michael, Tasha Polizzi, Luchesse, local art and more!

We finished the day with dinner at a local establishment I grew up eating A LOT, Hacienda Mexican Food. And Sunday we went to church, ate breakfast and headed the long trek back home. We finished our Sunday night with a movie and popcorn just chilling on the couch!

Hope you all have a fabulous week! Peace & Blessings :)

What's Your Beef? #1

This is the inaugural post for my {hopefully} weekly ag and beef fact:

Did you know that nearly two-thirds of land used for grazing in the United States is not suitable for growing crops?

Explore Beef

Turquoise Thursday :: Rios Interiors Edition

Rios Interiors is located in the Stockyard Historic District in Fort Worth, Texas. I recently stumbled upon a blurb about the designer Natividad Rios in the April 2011 Cowboys & Indians magazine. Based on the one photo in the magazine I knew I was intrigued with his designs.

{ad in C&I}

This is the first piece that made go WOW! I heart this immensely. 

Then this chair just says BOOM to me! Talk about funky and fresh!

Then I saw it in this setting and I fell deeper in love.

One word: breathtaking. This is going on my wish list.

Dinner time.

I think this would be fabulous in a living room or bedroom. It's just FUN.

Happy Turquoise Thursday!