[No photo with this post since the storm drowned my cell phone.] We had a hell of a weekend. A huge thunderstorm came thru on Thursday. Charlie and I were here at the ranch awaiting visitors, and we did our best to secure things, including leading horses into individual stalls, but it was like going out into a hurricane. Huge limbs were breaking off of trees. The rain was coming down sideways. A couple of times I had to simply bend over and … [Read more...]
Introducing Charlie
July 28, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
Many of you know my white lab Charlie. No one has ever been born with a kinder, purer heart. Charlie is a service dog, and his prime job is to hang out with the kids at functions of the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation. Charlie has made numerous appearances at functions in Sandy Valley, and he is a regular at the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings. (Do you remember the T.V. show Cheers and how everyone would shout “Norm!” when he entered the … [Read more...]
Bongo & Jack
July 28, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
Bongo is our African Grey. He jabbers a lot especially in the morning. The other day something frightened Bongo and he flew down from his perch (a common occurrence). It just so happened that Bongo landed near Jack the cat. Upon landing, Bongo looked at Jack and said, "Hello Darling!" … [Read more...]
High school buddies
July 21, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
Graduates of Kent-Meridian High School, class of 1966, during a recent visit. I'm outside of the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings with Gary VanAckeren, John Grisham and Rico Pierotti. … [Read more...]
Dogs in the boat
July 21, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
Dogs like boating too! In the boat with me are Charlie, Zoie, Kingman and Pirate, as well as granddaughters Laney and Ruby. … [Read more...]
Woodpeckers
July 15, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
Often we hear the sound of wood-on-wood, rat a tat tat. Turns out it's a wookpecker. … [Read more...]
Charlie’s medical records
July 15, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
I just obtained a copy of Charlie's medical records. Here are some highlights: 9/4/12: 50 days old, 9.7 lbs. 11/1/12: Em. call because Charlie ate rat poison. 11/2/12: Ch successfully vomited yesterday, administered Vit. K, 2 testicles descended; 28.3 lbs. 1/15/13: 56.3 lbs. 1/28/13: 68 lbs, Wife brought in to be neutered (husband wouldn't do it). 3/6/13: 66 lbs. 4/5/13: Em. call because Charlie may have swallowed tennis ball; told to … [Read more...]
Mt. Charleston Assent
July 13, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
On July 10, 2015, son Scott and I climbed Mt. Charleston (an hour NW of Las Vegas). It took 13 hours, and we walked 20.6 miles (75,400 steps according to Scott's pedometer). That was on my bucket list for 40 years, and now it's checked off. … [Read more...]
Grasshoppers caught in the act
July 13, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
After a particularly cold night, I found these two grasshoppers frozen stiff while in the throes of passion. This is how I want to go. … [Read more...]
Milagro the Stallion
July 13, 2015 By Kingston Ranch
Milagro ("miracle" in Spanish) is our one and only stallion at the ranch. He got his name after he suddenly appeared next to his mother in the field on May 19, 2012, even though Joanie had told me I had to stop breeding horses because we had too many and I never seem to sell those born at the ranch (who become members of the family). When he was born, I claimed it was an "immaculate conception", a "miracle"! (She obviously did not know that I had … [Read more...]