May 4, 2015 Crickets, Frogs, Pygmy Goats & A Snake

Rose feeding a pygmy goat.

The huge, old lilac bush blooming
down in the canyon.

The rubber boa, our first snake of the year.

Friday 5/1. This morning was 50 and mostly clear with a cool breeze that stayed around all day.  By the time of our afternoon walk, it had increased to a wind that was gusting into the mid teens.  Our high for the day was 65 (not counting the wind chill.)

We both spent the day on little projects.  Moved Miss Kitty's plow back to where it belongs for the summer.  Used the tractor to nudge some rounds closer to the splitter, then parked it where it belongs.  I broke and clipped a pile of deformed branches caused by mistletoe into small pieces for chipping.  JB filled the gas tanks in all the vehicles and generator for me.  Tilted the solar panels all the way up.  And had time to sit on the porch and just enjoy the day.

I am getting firewood from the last row on the south end of the porch now, and because of the warm weather, am finding large crickets and small frogs clinging to some of the pieces.  They don't bother me, just things with more than four legs.

More NCIS tonight.  So entertaining!

Saturday 5/2. This morning was 45 and clear.  After the call from JB's Mom, we both bundled up and sat outside on the porch with the dogs.

The Gridders got their pygmy goats last weekend.  Larry and Elsie had their grandchildren today and got an OK to bring them down to see the goats, and I went too.  They are SO cute!  Got some great photos with the kids and children. . .

JB didn't come with me as he was doing all his last minute things to get ready for his trip to the other side of the mountains on Monday.  Doesn't want to have to do anything on Sunday except pack.

I finally saw one of the wrens today.  They love to perch on top of our extra tipi poles we have in the wood shed area.

Our high for the day was 55, but I am sure it was pushing 70 down at Gridder's.

Larry and Gridder were going to come up tomorrow to put the generator in JB's Jeep for us, but because Mrs. Gridder's family was going to be there for their youngest son's birthday, Larry grabbed another on-the-grid neighbor and brought him up this evening to do it.  What would we do without our friends and neighbors?!

Sunday 5/3.  It was 50 and clear this morning.  Since JB will be with his Mother next Sunday for Mother's Day, he made my Mother's Day breakfast this morning: German pancakes with brown sugar and peaches.  Yum!

JB got all organized and packed for his trip.  I spent time outside with daily chores, and took about an hour to prune the wild rose bushes in the yard and get rid of dead ones.

The May 11 issue of Time magazine is mainly about the Baltimore riots and the Nepal earthquake.  If I were Nepalese, I could easily believe that the gods were angry with my country for allowing all the foreigners to desecrate the Himalayan mountains.  The many expeditions have left so much junk behind!  But with all the bad news, I loved the page about "Baseball's Biggest Snack Stunts."  The one that had me drooling is the Fried S'mores at the Texas Rangers' stadium: $8 for a graham-cracker-coated marshmallow between two deep-fried Oreos - all placed on a skewer and drizzled with chocolate.  Oh, my!

We were just leaving on our afternoon walk, when Gridder and his family and in-laws drove up.  What a great visit we had!  Showed them our home and the main viewpoints, and talked and talked and talked.  Their oldest son found a big, brown rubber boa snake near the north ridge.  They are really a cool snake and their son carried it wound around his hand.  Unfortunately Mrs. Gridder is NOT a fan of snakes.

Monday 5/4.  It is 45 and clear this morning with wind and rain with possible thunder storms in the forecast for the next few days.  JB was up before 6:00 am getting ready and plans to leave by 7:00 am.

Thought for the day: That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history. Aldous Huxley