Cabin Trip

End of June we went to the cabin for a few days. The weather was great, it was warm during the day but cooled down to the mid 60's at night. We borrowed Grandma and Grandpa Hurd's SUV because it has 4 wheel drive and we wanted to do some exploring at the top of the mountain. We went to the Old Dandrea Ranch which was a working ranch around the 1890's. No buildings remain but there is still some fencing in the pasture area. We also went into Prescott the back way "Old Senator Highway" and had a picnic and went to the Sharlot Hall Museum. The kids had so much fun playing and hiking and were so dirty and tired by dinner time. There was no hot water and the water up there is cold so we did old fashion baths with a pot of warm water from the stove. Every trip Michael wants to see the Pink cabin, which at one time many many years ago my Aunt Mattie Lee and Uncle Jimmy owned. We always say the cabin is haunted and sometimes at night you can hear the ghost of Uncle Jimmy whistling.

Just in case anyone picked up on the name Mattie, this is who Mattie is named after. My aunt's real name is Mattie Lee and never Mattie. When Mattie was born Dan and I took out the Lee and gave her my middle name. My Aunt Mattie Lee was my Grandma Anderson's sister(mom side of the family).

Proof that the SUV has seen dirt.


Michael


David was so dirty after playing all day.


Mattie chilling on the porch


Picture taken from the top of the mountain when coming back from Prescott. Our cabin is somewhere down below.


David and Michael showing the sticks that they found while hiking up at the top where the mine is.


All 3 showing there sticks.


The haunted pink cabin: Where Aunt Mattie Lee and Uncle Jimmy used to live.



Michael on the porch of the pink cabin. Found some old bones that are kept on the porch. This is proof that it is haunted.

Dandrea Ranch and Sharlot Hall Museum

We went to visit the Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott. We packed a lunch and were able to sit at a picnic table at the museum (next to the windmill). After visiting the museum we went across the street to the archives site and I was able to view and copy old pictures of our cabin area when it was a working mine.


Sharlot Hall was Arizona's first territorial historian. She felt it was important to preserve the history of Arizona. The sight of the museum is where the first territorial Governor's home was built. Since then either replicated or the actual buildings were added. It is a great place to visit and would recommend it to anyone.

Mattie looking at the flowers


First Territorial Governor's Mansion


A old bed in a log cabin. Mattie climbed right on up and laid down. The bed was stuffed with straw and underneath there was rope to tighten or loosen the mattress. I'm not sure if it was an actual bed or a replica of a bed. If I had to guess it would be the actual bed.


looking at fish in the pond


The windmill that we sat next to and ate lunch.


Fort Misery. Sign reads "oldest log cabin built in Arizona in 1864. The cabin originally was about 1/2 mile away from the Sharlot Hall Museum.



OLD DANDREA RANCH:
The ranch is located about a mile from our cabin. It was a working ranch in the 1890's.

I copied this picture from the Sharlot Hall Archives site.




Cows


Part of the road that we drove on.


Mining Claim


Pasture area of the ranch. My dad said the house used to be in this area but burnt down a long time ago.

Mattie turned 4 this year. She had school in the morning and took cupcakes to class. She and David had McDonald's for lunch. Her Grandma and Grandpa Hurd stopped by in the afternoon and she got a little Red Riding Cabbage Kid. That evening some of the neighborhood kids came down, Grandma Henney and Nancy who is a friend came over for dinner. I did a sub sandwich and salads. The adults had fun talking and the kids had fun playing. Everything turned out great and Mattie loved her pig cake. At that time her new sign was pig and she signed every animal pig. I was not sure what she would do with the cake but as soon as she saw it she signed pig and would point and oink. She is so awesome to have in this family and Dan and I love her so much and has given this family so many blessings. She is funny and loving and cares for others. She hugs everybody including strangers. She loves her brothers and they are the highlight of her day.

Easter

Easter was relaxing this year. Dan worked his regular schedule the night before Easter and had to work Easter night. I did not wake up in time to put the Easter Baskets outside and Michael was up before me. I did not know what to do and he was upset that the Easter Bunny did not leave him his basket. I sent Michael and David on a basket hunt and when they got to the garage I quickly set the baskets out on the front porch. I had the baskets hidden in the den and Mattie was grabbing toys and saying "that" as I was quickly making my sneaky move. I just had finished closing and locking the door when Michael came in and told me they were not in the garage. I told him to check the porch. As the kids were on the front porch looking at there baskets Dan was getting home from work so he got to be with them as they went through their baskets and did the Easter Egg hunt. The bunny hid a bunch of plastic eggs this year but did not hide the colored eggs. Michael and I decided that it was because the Easter Bunny was in a hurry, kind of lazy, and he was also very messy. He ate lettuce and carrots and left some on the floor in the house and the back porch. He also spilled jelly beans on the front porch next to the baskets.

I made French toast for breakfast with home-made syrup. For dinner I did the traditional ham dinner with mashed potatoes, salad and fresh green beans. Dessert was a strawberry pie.