First Ranch Trip of the Summer

We arrived Friday afternoon. Mom, Dad, (my brother)Doug,(his wife) Mary and baby Grace were at the ranch. The boys were very excited to be there. I was amazed that we were able to get them down for bed. Later that night Kathy and her children (Tim, Jake, and Mandy) came to the ranch. Saturday morning Doug and Nate got up early to go out on Grandma’s fishing boat. Later that morning Kathy, Mary and I decided to take all the kids to the lake and let them ride in the boat and maybe do a little fishing. My mind was changed when we got there – thousands of little June bugs were flying around everywhere. Yuck. And it started to rain. I guess the only time I want to go fishing is when the sun is shining and there are no bugs. The boys didn’t even want to get out of the car. Jake and Mandy were the only brave ones. Side Note: When we drove the bugs hit our window like it was raining. I think if you would have stepped outside and taken a deep breath you would have swallowed a few. Okay enough about the bugs. Doug caught a fish. Nate cleaned it and cooked it (45 min on low on the BBQ with butter and lemon juice) My sisters (Kathy and Tracee) and I along with Nate and my Dad ate the whole fish right out of the tinfoil. It was a really big fish and tasted good. The only time I like to eat fish out of Panguitch Lake is in the early spring when the water is still freezing cold. Later that day Nate worked on fixing up the four-wheelers. Only one out of the three were working. Doug helped Lou with the cows. They boys played with Mandy and Jake. Chase chose Mandy to be his best friend for the weekend. She was a good sport – Chase would hardly let her out of his sight. She had to sneak away to go to the bathroom. Sunday we went to church at the Panguitch Lake branch. (One of my favorite places to go to church). Later that night mom watched Aspen and Nate took the boys off to explore – even though it was freezing cold and raining. I went with my dad to visit some people at the Lake. They had the most interesting little cabin. There cabin was maybe 500 Square feet with a cute sleeping place in the attic for grandchildren. They had an old white stove that they used for heat and beautiful quaky aspen tree furniture (it looked like the pine furniture but smaller- still just a pretty). They also turned an old boat storage unit and a shed into cozy little rooms with the same nice furniture. Monday was my favorite day. We took the camera and went exploring...

The Whole Family

Tytan, Me, Aspen, Nate and Chase
Chasing cows in the meadow (Well Sort of – with Apsen we don’t drive over 5 miles per hour)

Two things I never thought to bring when I was a kid exploring the ranch - A gun and fishing pole. It’s defiantly a Nate thing.

Pictures at the old corral (Which Doug and my Uncle Lou still use)

Chase is trying to figure out how to cross over the water that runs out of the pond to the river.

Exploring the old fishing pond - No fish – Too mossy

Butler Creek (A small stream that runs through the ranch and mets up with Panguitch creek) - Lots of fish.
I don’t have a picture of this but Nate and Tytan used nets to catch fish in this creek later that day.

Aspen

Nate catching a fish with his pole. Just after this one he caught another one but it broke the line. I didn’t know fish grew that big in Butler. Next time I’ll get a video of him catching fish with his hands – I taught him that – even though I have never actually done it. ( I just told him about it and he was able to do it)