The Tangrens

This last weekend Derek's mom and brother came down for a visit. Since we had extra people and Hyrum was asleep we decided to see just how deep that pit was in the back yard.

We got all of the bricks cinder blocks and rebar reinforced cement blocks out and under that we found...trash! Pop cans, bleach bottles, wrappers of all kinds, packing peanuts, pop bottles another knife and a plastic bag. When we saw the plastic bag we all got nervous. Had they really buried something or someone back here? There were even phantom smells on the breeze but as it turned out it was just more junk. A bunch of plastic Walmart bags. Lovely!

We continued to dig and after an hour and a lot of earth worms we reached the bottom. Two and a half feet below the surface.


The bottom is made of bricks and there was some wood planks at the bottom. The general consensus is that it's a fire pit but I've never seen a fire pit so deep. Plus if it was a fire pit why would you cover it up? Wouldn't that be a good selling point for the house? This land used to be a cow pasture. So I don't think it was an old well or root cellar. I still wonder what it is or was or whatever and the jury is still out with what we'll do with it. Regardless I think we'll watch it for the spring and see if it collects water and has to do something with drainage. Any other ideas of what it is and what we should do with it?

Kiddie pool for Hy?
I don't think so. He didn't like being in there. I'm glad about that.

If you're anything like me , Escape Club is dancing around your head right now. Or maybe Will Smith if your a little younger than me.

We've lived in our house for a little over a month now and we are getting a feel for the area. Looking at our house and the neighborhood you wouldn't think that we are living in an area that is too remote. You may feel that way on the way down here. But once you are in the neighborhood you wouldn't think so...until you've lived here a while then you start to realize that we are in fact living in the Wild Wild West.

Exhibit #1

TUMBLEWEED in our back yard! Ok so those of you who grew up in the west aren't going to be too impressed with this. But to us easterners THIS is definitively wild west material.

Exhibit #2

That white jeep is our mail man! Some times he comes in a white jeep, sometimes he comes in a red jeep. But our mail always comes in a jeep...at least it's not by horseback. :)

Exhibit #3

One word...TRAINS!!

And more trains (how are you doing Holly?)



The previous owners assured us that the trains only come by once a night at 3 or 4 in the morning. And since we lived next to train tracks that were only used once or twice a year we believed them. That is most certainly NOT so. Trains come by at least 6 or 7 times. Both day and night. Oh and we live very near a train crossing so they have to blow the whistle every time they pass. For the first three or four weeks I was livid! I'd count how many trains were coming by and curse the names of the previous owners and quote scriptures of where liars go. As time has gone on it's gotten better and I've even gotten to the point that I ALMOST like them. There are many in the neighborhood that say they don't hear them anymore. I don't know if that will happen. We'll see.

A little someone has been instrumental in my change of heart.



Hyrum has become the biggest Thomas the tank engine fan since living here and it must be a common obsession in this neighborhood because the nursery is FULL of old Thomas the Tank engine trains sets. In the meantime I keep my ears open for gunshots and horse hooves of the train robbers.

There's also a corral down the road and we often see people riding horses around by the cemetery and the field nearby.

Next time you see me I just may be in a long skirt saying "y'all" and "partner"

I've never done a "Why I love you" birthday post for my dad which is a crying shame so without further ado....

The countless reasons I love my Dad! ( because honestly I don't know how old he is :)

He's an artist and has given me an artists eye and a bit of an artist mind, but unfortunately I'v yet to seriously try my HAND at art.


He uses big words and has given me a huge vocabulary. Some people may don't understand him but Derek and I do! :) It's one of the reasons I love Derek too.

He doesn't like salty and sweet (so not a big fan of peanut butter and chocolate) but is a big mint fan.

He helped me paint my house. He hand edged everything. Never used tape. And it's perfect!

They say that you can't kill a tree by pruning it unless the cut comes inches above the soil... We may be testing that theory...we'll see! So to be continued...