July 16, 2012 Babysitting the Chickens



Not bad for one afternoon's work



Dinga's favorite place outside

















Saturday morning Dinga is barking.  It's . . . 5:15 am!?!!  A deer is walking across the south ridge and Dinga has a perfect view.  I really need to get blinds for that window.  There's no sleeping now, so out they go and I stay up for the day.  And a good day it was as I think our heat wave is over.  There was distant thunder all around us on Friday, but nothing close by and no rain.   The highs for the three days were 78, 74 and 72 and this morning it is 50 and raining.

I did more general cleaning and clearing outside.  Moved drainage rocks on to the plastic on the north side of the house and am two-thirds done.  Really should have finished that, but it is a really sweaty job and I just didn't want to (finish or sweat).  However Sunday I built the rock wall on the south side of the yard and it looks pretty good, even though I do say so myself.  (See photo above.)

There were black clouds moving in and I could see it raining two canyons over, so Saturday evening I drove the car down to Larry and Elsie's to water the garden and feed the chickens and cats.  Took the dogs with me and let Jesse ride in the front seat so he wouldn't be stuck in back with the wild beast.  He was thrilled.  Actually they both were.  It never did rain.  Just went south of us.

But Sunday morning was pure bliss riding the ATV up and down the road.  If we had one, I would be exploring all the roads and trails on our mountain.  Hiking is great but you simply cannot cover the ground in the same amount of time.  Would love to somehow manage to get an ATV.  Throwing that out to the Universe. . .

I know one thing for sure, If I had to live alone Up Here, I would definitely have a satellite dish.  Does that statement tarnish my self-sufficient, mountain-mama, to-hell-with-the-rest-of-the-world aura?  So be it.  

JB told me to be on the look out for the northern lights as there was a very large solar flare on Thursday.  I looked every night but haven't seen them yet.  I remember as a kid living in southeastern Oregon we would often see them, as Lakeview is a mile-high town with no high mountains close by.

I opened the shop Saturday morning to let some fresh air in and came face to face with a rather large pack rat on one of the shelves.  So I put out a rather large piece of poison.  Checked back in the afternoon and it was gone, so I put out another piece.  Bye bye, pack rat.  Only hope he doesn't find some little hidey hole in which to die, 'cause he will stink.  Like the one last year that JB had to dig out of the wood bin.

I have seen the rufus hummingbird check out the feeder but never partake.  I would love to get a good photo of him as he is a brilliant orange.  Can even spot him in the trees.

Thought for the day:  When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.  Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.  Indian Saying