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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@just bee wrote:

@aprilskies wrote:

I would really love to be in a place where they park horses outside.  Omgosh, how quaint and so cowboy. Lol. So different then living in a city. 


Oh, it's different all right... Woman Wink


Lol.  It is always greener on the other side. 

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corrales

bosque

market

sign

coyote

church

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@aprilskies wrote:

@just bee wrote:

@aprilskies wrote:

I would really love to be in a place where they park horses outside.  Omgosh, how quaint and so cowboy. Lol. So different then living in a city. 


Oh, it's different all right... Woman Wink


Lol.  It is always greener on the other side. 


Just posted some pics...

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,828
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@just bee wrote:

corrales

bosque

market

sign

coyote

church


 

Oh my.  If this is your backyard, I am quite envious.  Nature at its best.  

 

You seem on the fence about it, what dont you like about the area besides the tumbleweed blowing every which way?  ...and the sand of course. Woman LOL

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@aprilskies wrote:

@just bee wrote:

corrales

bosque

market

sign

coyote

church


 

Oh my.  If this is your backyard, I am quite envious.  Nature at its best.  

 

You seem on the fence about it, what dont you like about the area besides the tumbleweed blowing every which way?  ...and the sand of course. Woman LOL


I have a tumbleweed in my backyard right now that's the size of a buffalo.  Actually, there are things to like: We have four seasons, an agreeable climate, access to nature, interesting geology, and the scent of Russian olive blossoms.  But too often New Mexico finds itself on the wrong end of state lists.  There are issues.  I've lived here 21 years and I can't say they've been addressed.  Albuquerque is stuck: It can't decide whether it's a city or a small town.  We don't have the conveniences of a big city, but we do have all the problems associated with one.  Squandered potential.  The city celebrated its tricentennial ten years ago.  After 300+ years, you'd think we'd be further ahead.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
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Posts: 1,800
Registered: ‎10-16-2010

@rnmom wrote:

dosey-Thanks for the advice! I will definitely keep it in mind! We have a little money saved already, but with college costs growing in leaps and bounds I'm sure it won't be enough. Both my sons are involved in scouts, my oldest just crossed over to Boy Scouts, and we're hoping he'll go all the way to Eagle scout, hoping that will help. They don't really have a lot of interest in sports, they both just started wrestling. My oldest is only in 5th grade but he gets pretty good grades so far, so I'm hopeful. I'll try not to stress out when the time gets closer, worst case scenerio he'll just have to take out loans. My husband did, and we got them all paid off just a few years after we were married so I know it won't be the end of the world if he has loans, just not ideal. 


rnmom, I wasn't clear in my original post.  Furman made my son a great offer, but it is not a full ride.  We put away money in a 529 plan that will help, but a student loan will be necessary.  The loan will be manageable for our son, and I have told him that we will help him with the payments if possible.  Now days, if a person wants to attend a well-known university, it is nearly impossible to do without loans.  Some people are opting to go to a junior college for two years and transfer to a larger school for the major courses.

 

I do not understand why the cost of college has increased like it has.  We have been notified that Furman has raised their annual cost from about $52,000 to nearly $60,000 starting this fall!  I am calling them on Monday to see if we can expect this kind of increase every year.  I hope not.  My son wants to live at home for the first year.  This will reduce the annual cost by at least $10,000.  Initially, we told him that he could live on campus after the first year, but now he might have to live at home the entire time.  He is fine with that for now, but I think he might change his mind once he makes friends and feels comfortable.

 

Also, when I said that we were told colleges like students who are well-rounded, I didn't mean that they want a kid who has a huge list of high school activities that they participated in once.  Colleges like kids who have found a passion for something and participate in it regularly.  The BSA is a fantastic organization.  Becoming an eagle scout would be a great accomplishment.  Not many boys do that.  Doesn't the BSA have scholarships?  I think so.  I believe it was my son's volunteering that got him admitted to Furman.  It is what his essay was about.  A person in the admissions office sent my son a note telling him that she really enjoyed reading his essay.

 

Remember not to worry.  My husband says having our kids pay for part of their education is a good thing.  He calls it having some skin in the game.  Smiley Very Happy

Paws and enjoy life.
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Posts: 1,800
Registered: ‎10-16-2010

@just bee wrote:

 

 

You could plant flowering quince, crape myrtle, hibiscus, azalea, rhododendron, hydrangea, witch hazel... oh, I'm sick with jealousy!  Do you have any butterfly bush or oleander?

 

 

 

Oh, don't be jealous.  You live in a beautiful part of the country.  Just look at the pictures you have posted.

 

I have a variety of plants.  My front yard is on the small side, and the plants are coniferous with the exception of two white dogwood trees.  I add color with annuals.  When I replace the boxwoods, I am going to choose something that blooms.

 

The backyard is large, and I started landscaping it many years ago just to cut down on the mowing.  I have planted both deciduous and coniferous shrubs and trees, including most of what you have listed above.  My favorite shrub is the cameo quince.

 

 

 

My second favorite is the snowball viburnum.

 

 

 

Forsythias are pretty, too.

 

 

 

I plan on adding more of these (one each).  Then, I'll work on border plants, a little ground cover, and white amaryllis bulbs for my mom.  She loved them.

 

 

I would plant a plumbago for my mom, too, but I don't think it would live through winter.

 

 

I'm going to have a tomato garden, again.  Yum!!

 

 

Paws and enjoy life.
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Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@dosey wrote:

 

Remember not to worry.  My husband says having our kids pay for part of their education is a good thing.  He calls it having some skin in the game.  Smiley Very Happy

 

When I decided to work in a hospital and start nursing school, taking one class at a time, my coworkers mocked me.  They said I'd never finish school at that pace.  Two nursing degrees later, the techs I worked with are still techs.  They have failed class after class, flunked out and have changed schools repeatedly.  They've run out of nursing schools at this point.  What made all the difference?  I can't help think that I was more determined to succeed (4.0 GPA for a BSN that was completed in just over a year) because I paid for it.  Happily the hospital has a tuition reimbursement program that did reimburse a portion of the cost (every little bit helps), but because failure meant I was throwing my money away, I studied and passed and graduated.  My coworkers are not paying for their degrees -- they depend on a variety of programs that cover their costs.  But eventually they will run out of benefactors and will take out loans.  I've seen people choose expensive private schools over our local community college because they didn't want to sit on a waiting list; however, they failed each time and have to start all over again.  Some have already had to take loans and they paid for what?  Debt is piling up and they still have no degree.

 

It doesn't hurt to be a tortoise.  College is a huge expense and a young person is expected to make major life decisions at a time when making decisions that will affect a person forever should not be made.  I agree with your husband, dosey.  There should be some skin in the game.

 

It sounds like your son knows what is required and he recognizes that this is an opportunity that cannot be squandered.  Hmmm.  Must have good parents...


 

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@dosey wrote:

@just bee wrote:

 

 

You could plant flowering quince, crape myrtle, hibiscus, azalea, rhododendron, hydrangea, witch hazel... oh, I'm sick with jealousy!  Do you have any butterfly bush or oleander?

 

 

 

Oh, don't be jealous.  You live in a beautiful part of the country.  Just look at the pictures you have posted.

 

I have a variety of plants.  My front yard is on the small side, and the plants are coniferous with the exception of two white dogwood trees.  I add color with annuals.  When I replace the boxwoods, I am going to choose something that blooms.

 

The backyard is large, and I started landscaping it many years ago just to cut down on the mowing.  I have planted both deciduous and coniferous shrubs and trees, including most of what you have listed above.  My favorite shrub is the cameo quince.

 

 

 

My second favorite is the snowball viburnum.

 

 

 

Forsythias are pretty, too.

 

 

 

I plan on adding more of these (one each).  Then, I'll work on border plants, a little ground cover, and white amaryllis bulbs for my mom.  She loved them.

 

 

I would plant a plumbago for my mom, too, but I don't think it would live through winter.

 

 

I'm going to have a tomato garden, again.  Yum!!

 

 


Sweet!  Forsythia grows happily here: My neighbor who lives a few doors down the hill has one in the front yard and it's one of the first plants to blossom in the spring.  Seeing that splash of yellow just makes me happy.

 

Sounds like you have a plan and a lot of wonderful options.  We grew a variety of tomatoes last year and our favorite was the black cherry.  Yowza -- that's a winner.

 

(Still sick with jealousy.  Never take green for granted.)

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
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Posts: 19,487
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

@PAlady wrote:

just bee -  I used to live by a bar where they would "park" their John Deere's and their horses. 

 

 


You used to be able to park your horses in Tucson, too.  In fact, one bar, fittingly named "The Cowpony", actually had rails outside to do just that.

 

That was back in the day when instead of arresting you for drunk and disorderly, the police would just take you home in their squad cars.

 

Ah, the good ole days...