Two weeks are over for the project!

We have been here for two weeks and have gotten a lot of things done.  In another week we will be heading to the next project in Lindale, Texas.

Pictured here with us is the couple who is in the blue motor home behind us.  They are a Sower couple on staff at Appletree to organize the maintenance projects.

This is the group here with us this month.  L to R we have Dale and Cheryl Curtis, Cheryl and Lyle Rippentrop and B&B.

At our first daily devotion we heard from Rebecca Dow, CEO of Appletree.

Of course when you get a group of boys together we have to talk about our toys. 

One of the major projects was to roll up this 60 foot wide playground rug, repair the holes under the turf then roll the turf back and nail it back down.  We completed it in two days. 

Another project was to empty this container, find out what was to be kept and what was to be thrown away then rearrange what goes back in. 

One of the sights in the area is the City of Rocks.  We spent an afternoon wandering through these giant rocks.

Of course we need to take time for a little reflection and quiet.

Some of just take the solitude a little farther than others---

---but when they come out they are beautiful and refreshed.

We felt that this specimen was unique enough to capture on film.  The core of this rock appears to be a porous material from a volcano.

We saw this one and remembered we were hungry and a few mushrooms on a steak would really make the day.

Taking the high ground, this Gamble's quail has a great view of the whole area. 

From the adjacent hill this view gives you a good look at most of the City of Rocks. 

The City also has a Botanical Garden. 

One of the cactus was blooming--- 

---and this is how you get a great picture like this---

---the agave was looking great--- 

---and the cholla was also in bloom.

During a fund raiser benefit for the Boys and Girls club, a group of the Appletree high school students took part in the entertainment.  

Again, this one is for our daughters. 

No matter where you go out here this is a sign to keep in mind. 

The White Winged Doves know how to eat from a finch feeder.

If you think this place isn't special, just consider where you could be.

Our time at T or C has been enjoyable and productive.

We have been here for several weeks and we have had the opportunity to do some work and see some wonderful sights.

We have had a horrible time trying to upload pictures for some reason.  Now that we're in we are going to make the most of it.  This is where we are at the present.  The home beside us is another Sower couple who are on leave and are staff members at Apple Tree lending their expertise as coordinators. 

Of course we got here before Christmas and our Daughter Rhonda sent us Kolaches (sp) for Christmas and I just had to put a little butter on one and nuke it for 15 seconds them devour it.

In T or C there is a Geronimo Museum and it is quite lovely.  Here a statue of the likeness of Geronimo is displayed.

They also have fossils which were located locally, this one of a mastodon skull.

There was a need for a light outside behind the kitchen.  This line will feed the light which will operate on a daylight sensor.

There was also a need to wire a couple of power poles for the computer lab.  It is quite dark in the attic and we added a light in the attic as well as the wiring.

One job was to split the wiring for the room lights from the switch in the next room.  I needed a hand getting the wiring in the wall so I called on my lovely assistant for help.

This is the beginning of a wall on which to hang two new water coolers.  We built the wall, installed the wiring and the plumbing---

---then we hung the sheet rock and finished it, painted it---

---and installed the coolers.  Cool isn't it!

We fell in love with the vision statement Apple Tree has posted in numerous locations---

---as well as the framed picture in the staff lounge.  Don't you just love this?

Of course Billie has been very busy with here filing and labeling.

Doesn't she just look at home in a file cabinet.  And special too!

For our daughters Jenifer and Rhonda we decided to include the next couple of pics.

Eat your heart out!

We visited Sparky's in Hatch the day after is was a really cold night.  Their statue/water feature wasn't working at all well.

One weekend we visited a bird sanctuary north of T or C.

We saw many of the birds we used to watch come through Nebraska on their way north.  We didn't realize that they spent their winters here.

And so do a "few" Snow Geese!

They kept landing like this for at least an hour.

We also visited a couple of places on highway 152 which goes from I-25 to Silver City.  This picture is taken in an abandoned cemetery near Hillsborough.  

We took a rest at the top of the mountain which the road traverses.  It was a beautiful drive but once is certainly enough for us.

Of course there are a few critters here that one doesn't want to get acquainted with---

---but outside our window we are blessed to see white winged doves---

---and on a walk in Elephant Butte State park we found a bunny hiding (at least he thought he was hidden)---

---and it is a good thing he was hiding as this fellow would certainly like to find him.

A few other great things we saw at the sanctuary was a duck water ballet---

---and an American Kestrel out looking for lunch---

---and a bunch of Northern Pintails.  Doesn't God have a wonderful paintbrush?

This flock of Sandhill Cranes will soon be winging their way north as far as the outer reaches of Alaska.

This Northern Shoveler will be heading north as well but first he is going to get fueled up for the flight.

But, until the temperature heads north of what we have been experiencing lately, they will all stay right where they are.