tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17987758267673278102024-03-12T22:39:20.482-05:00Thoughts on LifeI've been a writer since I was 7 years-old: starting with submitting my 4-H club news to the local news. Then, I discovered creative writing, journaling, research papers, essays, newspapers and even wrote professionally for nearly 15 years. Now, for those of you who care to read on, here are few of my thoughts on life. . .Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-79551754373354522712015-04-16T09:03:00.001-05:002015-04-16T09:03:06.858-05:00Best Day Ever
Today, April 15, is a special day in our family. It is my grandparents’ wedding anniversary. And though they are no longer here on Earth to celebrate with, I know this year they are celebrating together in Heaven for the first time since Grandpa passed away several years ago.
Today is also a special day to me. And I suspect most Wednesdays will be from here forward. Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-40875944862837272662014-05-27T21:51:00.000-05:002014-05-27T21:51:53.795-05:00Reflections on the past year
You might have noticed I haven’t written a blog lately. I've just been too busy with work, home, the garden,
the dog. And life in general. But I thought I would take a few minutes on
this eve of my 41st birthday to reflect on my blessings and share a
few thoughts.
Don’t blink – life happens. It doesn’t seem that just about a year ago,Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-87256422712764044922013-11-15T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-15T08:00:03.840-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories - International MarketingIn case you're keeping track, this is day 15 of my walk down memory lane...half way there! Thanks for sticking with me!
No more sad market animal stories. Today I am fast-forwarding to my high school years. I was either a junior or senior, and my family had left Nebraska and headed to Kansas. We lived in Saint Francis, and our flock had grown significantly to at least 100 Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-30462451941694277992013-11-14T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-14T08:00:06.901-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories - The Load OutI feel like I'm on a theme this week and yes, this is another story of me selling a market animal. You might want to grab your tissues for this one.
I was either a sixth or seventh grader, and one of the best times of year for me was October because we loaded up the trailer, packed the suitcase and headed to Rapid City for the Western Junior Livestock Show (WJLS), which was a fall Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-19034346963107650672013-11-13T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-13T08:00:01.595-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories - Saying Good-byeThe more I get into my memory archive, I feel like I should have named this blog, "4-H memories" or "youth memories" but all these stories I'm sharing with you and they all stem from my childhood spent on ranches. So please keep reading...
The above photo is called "Saying Goodbye" and my mom took it in 1983 at the Dawes County Fair Sale. I was 10, and selling my first market Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-91877420177771650412013-11-12T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-12T08:00:02.383-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories - July 2If you ever showed cattle AND grew up in the Nebraska Panhandle, you know what happened every year on July 2. Yep, it's Crawford Beef Show Day. Every year on July 2, we would go to the Crawford Beef Show at the fair grounds right across from the sale barn; the only exception might be if July 2 fell on a Sunday, but I can't recall for sure.
I have so many memories from the Crawford Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-28200890239570485412013-11-11T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-11T08:00:04.813-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories - Winter WonderlandI'd say it was the winter of 1978-79; it was a bad one and I was 5 1/2 years old. We lived on the Cox Ranch North of Mullen and most of our route was a one-lane gravel path. I didn't actually remember that until a few years ago when my dad and I went to the Ranch's 101st anniversary, and drove it for the first time.
But back to that winter. We had FEET of snow, lots and lots ofSheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-16896172944693691892013-11-09T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-09T08:00:00.893-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories: A Birthday TraditionSinging the "Birthday Song". Giving gifts. Eating cake. Opening gifts. Giving birthday spankings. Most of these are common activities at a kid's or even an adults birthday party. When we moved to the Nebraska Sandhills, we learned of a new tradition that made me thankful to have a late Spring birthday.
At the Ranch, it was "customary" to get thrown in the tank for one's Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-14820973378865585812013-11-08T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-08T08:00:14.508-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories: Sledding with EaseWhen we lived on the Cox Ranch, north of Mullen, we had some horrific winters. We also had some great hills for sledding right behind our corrals. Even though we used horses a lot, we were also fortunate that Marvin was a snowmobile dealer. We had a hay wagon that would attach to the snowmobile, and that was sometimes the only way to feed during the snowy winters.
What do big Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-42608212662174244322013-11-07T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-07T08:00:02.024-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories: In the Sheep BusinessI only got to participate in the Hooker County Fair one year, because the winter of 1982-83, we packed up and my dad went back to work at Iodence's. That year I would be ten, and couldn't wait to get a new heifer to show. Well, I did, and if you checked out my "wordless Wednesday" post yesterday, you saw Holly, the one and only horned heifer I showed with horns and me looking Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-43988415721534082332013-11-06T08:06:00.000-06:002013-11-06T08:06:02.200-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories: Wordless Wednesday
Guess who found her 4-H Record Books over he weekend? Yep, those pictures are good for a few smiles. Since I'm traveling this week, I'd thought I'd share some pictures instead of words. Please control your laughter!
The first picture is a page of my first record book, complete with my club name, and project leader, whose family I still keep in touch with.
Next, you'll see the Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-9554798354242497472013-11-05T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-05T08:00:01.484-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories: The Saddle with a SecretIn an blog earlier this month, I mentioned the set up at the
Iodence Ranch, describing various out buildings in our yard. One of those buildings was the tack
shed. At both ranches my dad worked on
when I was little, horses were used extensively. We would move cattle from pasture to pasture
on horses, use them for brandings, and doctor from horse back.
Well, I was a horseSheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-8729509759708503092013-11-04T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-04T08:00:12.628-06:0030 Days of Ranch Memories: Learning to Count
I mentioned in an earlier post I didn’t go to daycare, and I
rarely went to a baby-sitter, with the exception of when I was really little or
it was a super busy time on the ranch. I
was very fortunate to spend a lot of time with my dad. And a lot of that time was spent feeding
bulls, keeping them healthy and getting them ready for the annual sale down at
the sale barn at Charles’ (Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-22377073727772982422013-11-03T08:30:00.000-06:002013-11-03T08:30:02.506-06:00See no Evil. Hear no Evil. Speak no Evil.
For nine years of my life, my dad was the herdsman at Iodence Herefords in the Nebraska Panhandle. He worked for a great man, Charles. We lived in a house on the main ranch across the drive way from Grandma I. In addition to our houses, the yard included the barm, shop, feed bins, tack shed, and some other out buildings.
One of the best things about ranch life for this little girl was the five Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-14976900135860596702013-11-02T08:00:00.000-05:002013-11-02T08:00:00.332-05:00My First Fair Experience
Since I mentioned my first 4-H Club yesterday, the Sandhill
Hillbillies, I thought it would be fun to reflect back on my first project – a breeding
heifer named Herfy. I was a scrawny
little thing and Herfy was just my size.
I rinsed her and brushed her and led her in a zillion circles around the
corral out at the CoxSheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-86296508373273028822013-11-01T07:00:00.000-05:002013-11-01T16:49:51.602-05:00Kicking off 30 Days of Ranch Life MemoriesWelcome to 30 days of Ranch Life Memories. Thanks to Holly Spangler for the challenge to blog for 30 days about a rural topic. Holly is compiling a list of five things daily about rural life. Visit her blog: My Generation I just hope I can remember 30 stories from my days on Nebraska ranches.
Thanks to my great parents I had a pretty good upbringing. We did move Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-30564409901911725132013-10-29T13:13:00.000-05:002013-10-29T13:13:40.844-05:00The 30-day Challenge
I’ve been a little absent from this blog lately – I did a
great job capturing my trip to Israel this April – and am thankful to have the
blog to go back and visit. But then May
hit. I turned 40. Resigned from a
15-year stint at American Angus Association. Listed my house. And moved to
Illinois to start the next chapter. And
with that new chapter came a lot of newness: &Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-65700023117262569872013-10-01T16:29:00.000-05:002013-10-01T16:29:11.702-05:00Eat Beef: Convert a Vegetarian
Thank you social media for informing me that it is indeed
World Vegetarian Day. I won’t be
celebrating this event, and if you want to, I hope you enjoy it to the
fullest. But the thought of it,
triggered my memory to about 10 days ago when I helped the DeKalb-Kane
Cattlemen’s Association distribute steak samples at the finish line of the Fox
Valley marathon, half marathon and Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-54922909710855691622013-05-29T07:15:00.001-05:002013-05-29T07:15:05.773-05:00Life Begins at 40!Late last fall, I was telling someone how freaked out I was about turning the big 4-0! And that someone, a very special someone, told me 40 would be the best year yet. Well, he was right, because today that milestone came, and my entire life is about to get real crazy in the best way ever.Friday was a bittersweet day for me as I turned in my resignation to the American Angus Association. Yep, Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-85125079721850974302013-04-15T12:57:00.001-05:002013-04-15T12:57:11.477-05:00Another Manic MondayToday in Israel was our "day off" or optional tour day. Still, about 30 people chose to go to Masada and the Dead Sea. We were total tourists today, which is a special day since it was the Memorial Day where the country remembered fallen soldiers since its independence and present. See the half-mass flag on Masada above the Dead Sea. So Masada was a palatial refuge for Herod, whom I am Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-9184224102638840582013-04-14T12:27:00.001-05:002013-04-14T12:27:47.990-05:00The Beginning and the End--A weekend in the Holy LandI have to catch up a little bit, as I was too exhausted to write on Saturday, which was a wonderful day. We started our day with a trip to Bethlehem, where we all know Jesus Christ was born unto Mary & Joseph in a manger. For those who don't know, Bethlehem is part of the West Bank, Palestinian ruled. There is a huge wall around the city that is inhibited by Muslims and Christians, called the Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-23243102880721472042013-04-12T12:57:00.001-05:002013-04-12T12:57:32.783-05:00The Journey to JersalemWow! Everyday in Israel just gets more and more special. Today is Friday, April 12, and we checked out of our hotel in Tiberias and headed to Jerusalem, where we will be until we fly out Tuesday. We made several cool stops today, and saw a lot. Forgive me if I don't write so much today, as I'm still exhausted and overwhelmed by everything I've seen the past few days.
We traveled along the Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-24199155237532348122013-04-11T13:07:00.001-05:002013-04-11T13:21:44.140-05:00A Life Changing Day in GalileeToday was amazing! We toured around the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus performed 85% of his public works. Today was an emotional day, in so many ways, and I'm so glad to share my pilgrimage with you.
Our day started with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm, just to name a few. It was a cool, overcast morning, but the sun did shine eventually. We Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-6496840210177770592013-04-10T12:51:00.001-05:002013-04-10T12:53:27.990-05:00The Pilgrimage BeginsWell, I survived the 10+ hour flight from Philly to Tel Aviv. Lucked out with a window seat so I could get somewhat comfy with my travel pillow and new pink blanket (thanks Lara!). They fed us our choice of pasta or chicken as soon as we took off, and then a breakfast just prior to landing.
Our E.O. ( Educational Opportunity) people were waiting for us at baggage, and all bags arrived, and of Sheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1798775826767327810.post-54057810803435876892013-04-03T21:24:00.001-05:002013-04-03T21:25:18.567-05:00Going, Going,GoneWell, my bag is packed and I'm ready to fly the friendly skies. If you know me, you know that travel is nothing out of the ordinary for me. But the trip I'm about to take will be al new. You see, nextTuesday I'll be landing in Israel for a little vaca.
Yes, Israel.
I'd never really considered it as far as international travel goes. I'd always thought of exploring Australia or Africa. HoweverSheliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18040092550647208513noreply@blogger.com1