Ten years ago today,

ten days in New York City, ten thousand dollars out the window :)

The site of the Twin Towers 3 months after 9-11.

Click on the title to see our Christmas 2001/ New Year 2002 vacation page on our website.

Happy New Year!!!!

A Christmas Card

This is a beautiful story rather than a card. The music was written by Martin Spitznagel, ragtime pianist friend. No. It's not a ragtime card :(
Click the title to view and
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

Ragtime Birthday 25/48

We celebrated the 25th anniversary of the West Coast Ragtime Festival and Mark's 48th birthday in Sacramento.

We could not keep up with the musicians. They played from 9:00 am till at least midnight.

At our age......we need some sleep. We also wanted to spend some time with Buck & Spitz. Not that they suffered without us.

Our last day at the Red Lion Hotel. Could you look happy, please?


















OK. How is this?

Vintaged out in the storm. Behind me, Adam Swanson form Shenandoah, IA. He is a very talented, young ragtimer.

Buck & Spitz had their own little vacation at the Wag Hotel.They attended the all day play program for 3 days. The first day, their report card said, they were well behaved and played a lot with the other dogs. (Hmmm....Are they talking about the right puppies?) They made a lot of friends and had a great day.

The second day, Buck had a swimming session and Spitz had a buddy time. Buck was playing fetching and swimming, his favorit game. Spitz had a 15 minute individual playtime with the daycare teacher. Their report card said, they need to work on listening. That's sounds more like my doggies. Buck probably did not want to leave the pool, and Spitz wanted the teachers undivided attention all day.

Rachel, the doggie daycare teacher said: "Buck is so cute when he sticks his whole face in the water to get a drink"

The doggies were well worn out every evening when we picked them up. They were looking forward to dinner and they crashed out for 12 hrs every night.

We are at the wrap party dinner with two ladies from Kansas, and the men are from Canada and Minnesota.

I can't say I was ragtimed out on the end. Never enough for me. The festival was fantastic. We had performers from all over the country as well as an international crew, including Canadian, Austrian, Swiss, Norwegian, Englandians, and Texans...oh....that's local.

The Red Lion had 6 different venues each day, two of the arenas had a dance floor, which we did not use much.

Can we say it was a weekend well spent?

Absolute Genius

Tom Brier is an extraordinary pianist and composer. He is recomposing a Russian folk song at the Ice Cream Emporium in Sutter Creek, CA. Click on title to view.

He will be performing at the West Coast Ragtime Society's 25th Annual Festival in Sacramento, CA in November 18-20 this year.

We are fortunate to be in town those days to see him. That is Mark's birthday present.....needs it or not.

"Tatum is 2" a book in 3 pages

click title for the first page and please find the second and third pages on our website.

Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival 2011

click title for our website page

Summer Fun

Mark & Mom in the garden.

Bea & Mom in the garden

The Fountainhead. What? The new fountain as the bucket dumping.

Buck is hiding from the heat.

Spitz after taking a bath.

Puppie safety. They are not too happy about having a fenced yard on the ranch.

No more running away for Spitzers! Keeping away from rattle-snakes and staying out of trouble is a difficult life for a doggie.

I LOVE my ranch!

Work, work, work, work......that's what makes life exciting!

The flowers are taking over my trails and everything else that we are trying to keep plant free.

When not working on the ranch or at home....I'm in my heated office, waiting for my tools. Mechanical flowers and our mountain in the background.

Too much fun!