April 29, 2016 Busy With The Tractor

The pen for the new girls,
inside the run.

Prairie stars covering our
small meadow.

Wednesday 4/27. Our mostly cloudy sky soon became covered with a heavy overcast.  All day it looked as if rain would begin falling at any moment, but it didn't until 5:30 pm, and then it was just a short, light shower.  It sure smelled good though.

Because of the ominous looking clouds, I hung the wash inside.  After lunch I loaded the tractor bucket with small and tiny branches left from the trees we cut down.  JB took several loads to the small swale that needs to be build up a bit.

It was a chilly day, with a high of only 42.

Thursday 4/28. It was 44 and clear this morning.  After hanging a load of wash outside, we got busy removing ten rotten stumps.  It really wasn't too hard, using a shovel and the tractor bucket, but I did get my cardio in for the day.  JB took the very fertile, rotten wood to the swale and one load to the compost pile.  In the next few days I will work on leveling out everything we have dumped on the swale, then JB will cover it with dirt.

It looks very different with the stumps gone.  They were all old ones that have been here since we bought the property.  There are a lot of others that need to be removed, but we will just work our way out from the house.  Lots of other things need to be done first, now that these are gone.

We built the pen for the new girls inside the large pen.  Our current girls seemed a bit upset at losing some of their space, but they did give us three eggs today.

I noticed that, along with all the wild flowers, devils claw is popping up in many places.  It's going to be a real pain in the patootie to get rid of.

Large, dark clouds began arriving from the southwest about 2:00 pm.  Our high for the day was 61.  A very pleasant day with a breeze just light enough to cool me off when I started to overheat.  And, as often happens, the clouds split to the north and south, taking the rain with them.  Rain that we could see falling far from us.

We had several deer at Rose Camp today.  There was a group of six or seven early this morning that JB saw before I got up, just grazing on the slope of the south ridge.  Then this evening there was a family group of three just across the driveway, a stag with its short antlers just beginning to grow, a doe and a yearling.  We didn't let the dogs out.  Just watched them graze.

Friday 4/29. Today would have been my Mother's 93rd birthday.  She has been gone from this earthly plane for more than twenty years now.  However, it is also Dinga's eighth birthday.

Thought for the day: Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.  Benjamin Franklin

April 27, 2016 Getting Ready for Our New Girls (Hens)

The beautiful bush I have
been unable to identify.

Monday 4/25. The morning had warmed to 48 by the time I hung the laundry out at 11:00 am.  Our high for the day was 54 and we had blue sky except for the occasional cloud that floated over, but the cool wind was still blowing about.

We measured and planned for the small pen we are going to build for our new girls.  It will be inside the run, using the dog pen to block off a small area for them.  Their shelter will be a dog igloo that the dogs do not use and we will line it with straw to keep them warm.  It will be another couple weeks before we get them, but I want to be sure and be ready.

There is a tall bush with white flowers that dots the landscape of the canyon and mountain in the spring.  I love it, and now there is one blooming in our yard by the bird bath, but I have not been able to identify it in any of our books.  If anyone knows what it is, I would appreciate knowing its name.  (See photo above.)

We fixed the fence rails that had broken from the weight of this winter's snow.  Only a couple of the rails were actually broken, but the screws attaching the others had sheared off.

We had been re-watching the second season of Blacklist and finished it last night.  We both really enjoy that show.  There's just something about James Spader. . .

Tuesday 4/26.  It was 34 and clear this morning.  I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am and home by 2:00 pm.  Lots of errands to run and some groceries to buy.  Of course I had to get food and a feeder for the new girls.  Stopped in to see Larry and Elsie, and pick up a box from Emergency Essentials that arrived today.  They are having a great April sale.

I finally spent the rest of my Christmas money and bought a new pair of summer boots.  They are so comfy!

The pink and white flox and the lupine are now blooming along the road way down in the canyon, all mixed in with the balsam root and sweet peas, and putting on quite a show.  The whole town of Wenatchee is lush with spring blooms.

I soon shed my coat Down There.  The sky was blue until late afternoon when clouds moved in from the west.  Our high was again 54, but no wind today.

We both read newspapers, magazines and mail, after putting the groceries away.  I always save one newspaper to read with breakfast though.

Wednesday 4/27. It is 39 and mostly cloudy this morning.  My brother is at his cabin for a few days and will be up for breakfast on Friday.  Haven't seen him since October.

Thought for the day: You don't inspire other people by being perfect.  You inspire them by how you deal with your imperfections.

April 25, 2016 An Early Rattlesnake!

Our first rattlesnake of the year -
about six weeks early!

My bench on the south ridge.

Friday 4/22. Right after breakfast we drove down to my Jeep and brought her back home.  There were only a few puddles on the road and just one small spot of snow along the side, about two feet square.

I hung the wash outside, stacked more kindling and cut up more branches.  We both generally did little outside chores.

At least one of the pair of wrens has returned.  Don't know if they have decided where to nest yet.  I haven't seen them near the bird house.

Our high for the day was 64 with a cool breeze.  The overcast broke up mid morning and we had large clouds drifting in from the south, taking the rain north of us.

Saturday 4/23. It was 42 and mostly overcast with a wind gusting to 16 mph this morning.

As soon as we finished breakfast we drove the Wrangler down to Miss Kitty and pulled her up to the beginning of our driveway.  The Wrangler overheated and just as JB parked it at home, the radiator blew.  We let it cool of and then filled it back up with water from the cistern.

Wanting to get rid of the few piles of large branches that we still have around, we started on the one south of the house.  I walked up to it to start sorting large from small pieces, while JB brought up the tractor.  As I bent over to pick up some smalls sticks, I heard a familiar rattling sound.  Our first rattlesnake of the year, and about six weeks early!  Gave me quite a start!  I immediately went down to the house to get my snake stick.  It hadn't moved by the time I got back to the wood pile so I quickly dispatched it, cutting off its head and rattles.

I loaded the tractor bucket several times and JB took the loads to the wood cradle or wood shed, depending on the size of wood in the load.  We broke for lunch, and finished the pile in a few more loads afterwards.

I showed the snake to the dogs so they would know that they are out and about.  Jesse would not go up to the south ridge on our walk.  He just waited at the house until we got back down, and then finished the walk with Dinga and me out to the north ridge with us.  He hates snakes!

JB worked in his shop and I cut a few more branches on the north ridge.  The skies again cleared up by mid morning and clouds slowly made their way to the northeast taking the rain with them.  The wind stayed pretty constant all day, and our high was 58.

Sunday 4/24.  It was 40, mostly overcast and still windy this morning, gusting to 13 mph.  For me, it was mostly a day for inside chores: vacuuming, cleaning, sorting, etc.  Ugh. . .

I did get outside to help JB move the splitter from its winter parking place back to the splitting area.  JB took the chains off the Wrangler, and noticed that the radiator is leaking.  Guess we'll have to get a new one.

I loaded my Jeep with bags of paper recycle and items to donate to the thrift shop in preparation for my trip Down There on Tuesday.  I have to get food and a water dish for the pullets (young hens less than a year old - Thank you, Elsie), and some groceries.

JB baked banana bread and was quite busy outside most of the day.

Our high was 54, but the warm sun did not make up for the icy wind that stayed with us all day, and by afternoon was gusting to 15 mph.

Larry and Elsie drove up for a visit this evening.  Larry suggested that we try Stop Leak in the radiator, but if that doesn't work, he has a brand new Jeep radiator that we can have.  So nice to have such good neighbors.

Monday 4/25. It is 34 this morning with blue sky and wind.  We are in for cooler temps now for a while.

Thought for the day: We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

April 22, 2016 A Good Tired

Balsam root and sweet peas.

Prairie Stars

All the rounds to be split.

Wednesday 4/20. JB left for Down There a little before 9:00 am and was back home just before 2:00 pm.  He bought diesel for the tractor and ethanol-free gas for all our small engines.  He also stopped in to see our chicks.  They are getting so big that they must be considered pullets by now, although I really don't know the difference.

While he was gone, I cleaned house and cut up more branches from the downed trees for kindling.  This is going to be an on-going project as there are a lot of branches.

We are seeing hummingbirds every day now.  As I was sitting on the porch today, one flew right up to my face and looked my in the eye.  There was no doubt that she was telling me to get my butt in gear and put out the feeders.  But I really do not want to get started with all that until May.

This week I saw our first butterfly and grasshopper.  Not only that, but almost all types of wild flowers we have Up Here are blooming now, even ones that we don't usually see til the first of June.  We now have prairie stars, bear grass, arrowleaf arnica, sweet peas, miner's lettuce and dandylions in addition to all the other ones I mentioned previously.  As enjoyable as this weather has been, April has really been too warm.  The girls are thrilled though, as they are getting so many greens so early, including their favorites of miner's lettuce and dandylions.

Thursday 4/21. It was 57 with a light overcast this morning.  Didn't sit on the porch.  Too many newspapers and magazines to read.

After breakfast JB moved a barrel planter from the garden to the front yard.  He had been using it for horseradish, but now we are going to use it for tomatoes.  Then I loaded the bucket twice with the kindling I had cut yesterday.

Yesterday JB purchased an electric chainsaw sharpener, so this morning he was out to give it a try.  As soon as he finished sharpening a blade, he sliced up the rest of the trees.  He must have sharpened it right because the machine was slicing nicely.  Then we loaded up the tractor bucket with the rounds and he made several trips to the splitter.  He also moved another bucket load of kindling I cut up this morning.

Our high for the day was 67, but there was a lovely breeze to keep us cool.  Another good day's work, and it feels good to be tired.  It was a busy day for the girls too, as they gave us three eggs.

Friday 4/22. It is 52 and overcast this morning with rain in the forecast.

Thought for the day: Live all you can.  It is a mistake not to.  It doesn't so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life.  If you haven't had that, what have you had?  Henry James

April 20, 2016 Working Off Our Winter Fat

This is much easier & less time
consuming to stack. . .

. . . than this is.

Friday 4/15. Had a good trip Down There with no problems on the road.  We should be able to bring my Jeep all the way home in another week.  Stopped in at Larry and Elsie's shop to see our chicks who have almost doubled in size.  Got all the shopping done, including a couple of plants for a large pot, and was home by 3:00 pm.

Saturday 4/16. It was 36 and clear this morning.  We spent the day doing more cleaning up outside, and I enjoyed a nap.  Decades before we purchased our land, someone dumped a set of bed springs on the north slope of the south ridge.  We spent a while trying to finally get all the springs and other metal out of the ground, pulling and hauling with the tractor.   Our high for the day was 50.

Sunday 4/17. It was 44 and clear this morning.  A perfect time to sit on the porch, listening to all the birdsong, and write.  It is moments like that which make all our work worthwhile.  The quiet moments are the highlights.  There is no doubt in my mind that we are just where we belong.  I must remember to focus on that when everything seems to be going wrong.

We both agreed that today should be a day off from work, so right after breakfast I went out to collect wild flowers to press.  Then I planted my purple pot.  I also stacked some kindling.  JB spent most of his day on the computer.

The south-facing slope of the south ridge is almost solid yellow now with balsam root bouquets.  Alpine spring beauties, yellow bells and alpine shooting starts all seem to be meadow plants, so the more bushes we pull out and the more we mow down the grasses, the more of them will grow.  Certainly seeing many more of all three than in past years.

The snow is all gone now except for two thin runners on each side of the house from the snow that slid off the roof.  Dinga is trying to make the most of it while it lasts.  The mud is also gone except for a few patches and on the road.  The ground is damp though, and in places that is looks dry, it is wet less than an inch below the surface.

Got on my computer and tried to get on line but something was blocking my access.  JB worked on it for quite a while, then called our son for help.  It was the McAfee program that came installed on my computer that was the problem, as usual.

Our high for the day was 60.

Monday 4/18. It was 50 and clear this morning.  These warm April temps have been about 15 degrees above average Down There.

I sat on the porch with my coffee again, listening to the various and melodic birdsong.  I always bring my writing pad with me, as sitting there seems to be a conduit for writing and the words tend to flow.

The deer must be getting used to our dogs.  There was a doe up on the southeast slope yesterday and Dinga barked a few times to alert Jesse.  Then they both took off at a dead run.  But the deer just stood there and watched them.  I thought for sure they had finally met their match and this one wasn't going to take any guff.  But just as the dogs were closing the gap, the deer bounded off.

After breakfast JB dropped one large and five smaller trees on the north ridge.  He had checked the chainsaw that Larry had loaned us a couple years ago, and found its chain to be nice and sharp.  Then we pulled two of the smaller ones up to the ridge with his Jeep.

In the Backwoods Home May/June issue, Dave Duffy's "My View" page is perfect.  It is regarding the PC police and discussing what many think should not be talked about.  How the media don't like the way Trump has brought discussions on race, immigration and Islam to the forefront.  I agree with Duffy entirely.  It is an editorial that should be on the front page of every newspaper!

After dinner the dogs and I walked up to the peak, while JB was working on my
computer.  The sunlight shining through the balsam root plants made them look almost neon yellow.

Our high for the day was 66.  Another above-average temp day.

Tuesday 4/19. It was 54 and clear this morning.  More coffee on the porch.  But we did get going by 9:15 to work on those trees we cut yesterday.  JB sliced most of the biggest tree and one of the smaller ones.  I limbed them all, but JB had to take off some of the larger branches with the chain saw.

After lunch I filled the tractor bucket with rounds and JB made several trips to the splitter with them.  A good day's work.

Of course we do take breaks and sit on the porch to rest, and it is such perfect weather for doing that.  A tank top and jeans day with a high of 70.

Then JB managed to fix my computer!  So here I am, back again.

JB is going Down There tomorrow to fill our gas cans and run a few errands.  He will also decide if we can bring my Jeep all the way home.

Wednesday 4/20. It is another gorgeous morning with blue skies and a temp of 54.  However, cooler temps and thunder storms are in the forecast.

Thought for the day: The one conviction that a man should have is that nothing should be taken too seriously.  Nicholas Murray Butler

April 18, 2016 Computer Issues

Monday 4/18. Having computer issues.  Will post when they are resolved - hopefully by Wednesday.

April 15, 2016 Pity Party Day & White Again!

In the beginning. . .

. . . and in the end.

8:30 am Thursday. . .

. . . and 5:30 pm Thursday.

Wednesday 4/13. It was 34 and mostly clear this morning, but clouds moved in by mid-day and our high was only 49.

I woke up with a very sore right leg that I must have strained yesterday while tearing down and re-stacking the wood in the shed.  I have learned that the best thing for sore limbs or arthritic fingers is to just work through the pain and soreness until they feel better.  Of course, some ibuprofen always helps, too.

Randy called this morning and we had a nice long chat.  He has already split and stacked a couple cords of wood this month!

I started stacking the kindling that JB had brought to the woodshed.  There were two large piles of it as I had worked Monday and Tuesday bringing more up the west slope.  Then we drove the Wrangler down the road to see if I would be able to get Down There on Friday.  There were only a few patches of snow and they were no problem, so I should be able to go as planned.  We did see a lot of white trillium along our road and a couple plants on our driveway.  Many more blooms than in other years.  Also some patches of bluebells which I don't recall seeing before.

Monday I had given the girls a planter that we had in the garden and was now 
growing grass and other greens.  They loved it!  There are actually three such planters, so today I gave them another one and they went just as crazy over it.

In reading our homesteading magazines, I often get overwhelmed with all the things we could do Up Here.  I simply have to weed out what we cannot do or don't really want to do, and go on from there.  One project that we have wanted to do from the beginning is build a root cellar.  Larry and Elsie have a hill behind their house into which they dug a place to put one, but the only such slopes we have that are close to the house are inaccessible by any machine to do such a job.  And we are too old to do it by hand.  I have seen some above-ground cellars in our magazines, one made of old tires and dirt that we may try.

I have decided to make the last day of each month my Pity Party Day.  Whenever I get upset over something I cannot control or small irritations that won't go away, I will put them on a list and then let them go until the last day of the month.  I have heard such other solutions such as writing a list and giving it to God to deal with, but I want to know that there will be a time when I can wail and gnash my teeth.  When I can complain and get emotional about such frustrations.  This way I can put it all off to one day and just enjoy the rest of each month.  Friends and family should know not to call on that day. . .  However, I am quite certain that most items on my list will have resolved themselves by then or I simply won't care anymore. 

Thursday 4/16. Mother Nature has a rather perverse sense of humor that came to the forefront this morning.  Having posted the photos of our wild flowers yesterday morning, today we awoke to a temp of 32 and 2-1/2" of snow on the ground.  My eyes, having just become used to the vibrant spring green, now had to contend with bright white again.  The trees dropped their snow bombs for the rest of the day and we mostly stayed inside.  Well, it is still spring in the mountains so we never know from one day to the next what we will get.  It looks like the snow went down to about 3000 ft and everyone else got rain.  So much for no mud season. . .  Also, there was only rain in the forecast.  I think the folks at NOAA are smoking too much of the legalized pot.

I called Sandy to tell her of our weather and we had a nice chat.  Then a little later Jane, from North Carolina, called and we, too, had a nice chat.  

I gave JB a long-overdue haircut today.  He may have to start getting them Down There as my arthritic hands just aren't as capable as they used to be.  I can still cut my own hair quite nicely as it is a lot easier to do.

The sky tried its darnedest to turn blue, but the clouds and fog moved in and we were soon back to January.  It wasn't until about 4:00 pm that we saw blue sky and sunshine again.  Our high for the day was just 40.

One of my best talents is making things disappear.  I will put something away saying, "I'll put it here and we'll know right where it is."  Most of those items are found three years later, and quite by accident.  Like last week when we took the bench for the swing off the porch and over to the frame on which it hangs.  No clue as to where the S-hooks for it are.  Or I will set something down before I get to where it belongs and then spend hours searching for it.  Then there is my very short short-term memory. . .

Prices for standard syne wave inverters have come way down from what they were eight years ago when we purchased our modified syne wave inverter.  So JB is researching the various models to find the perfect one for us.  That will be our major investment for the year.  Once we have it, we will not have to use the generator for the well pump or the washing machine, therefore using less propane and more free solar power.

The girls gave us two eggs today and spent most of their day inside also.

Friday 4/15. It is 34 with clear skies this morning.  Going to be a cold ride down the mountain.

Thought for the day: There are two things that one must get used to or one will find life unendurable: the damages of time and the injustices of men.  Nicolas Chamfort

April 13, 2016 Wildflowers at Rose Camp

Alpine Spring Beauties

???

Bluebells

Arrowleaf Balsam Root

Alpine Shooting Star

Dwarf Waterleaf

Thought for the day: If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change.  Buddha

April 11, 2016 Flowers & Work

Blooms on the
south slope.

JB moving the tree he sliced
to the splitter for me to dice.

Friday 4/8. We left for Down There about 8:45 am in the Wrangler.  Got belly-panned on water corner and spent 40 minutes digging out, just 15 feet from dry ground, and all the while thinking what a waste it was to shower and fix my hair.  We made it to town and got all our errands and shopping done.  Stopped in at Larry and Elsie's to visit our baby chicks.  So cute!

We tried to hurry as much as we could because there were a couple places that were fine going downhill, but we weren't too sure about going uphill.  The main canyon road is just fine, so on the way back I drove my Jeep up to our turn off.  Then we managed to get stuck just after turning off onto our road.  I shoveled while JB drove.  That was the only place we had a real problem, although he did have to back up and try again at several places.  Very odd how it is melting this year.  Half our road is bare and dry and the other half is covered in snow.  

We made it home about 3:30 pm and were so very happy to be there!

Everything is in bloom in town and it was in the high 70's.  The hillside across from Larry and Elsie's is dotted with yellow bouquets of balsam root.  Our high for the day was 68.

Saturday 4/9. Another beautiful morning with clear skies and a temp of 50.  I definitely had to vacuum before attacking the laundry and dishes.  Then we had to put a new breaker in the fuse box.

Outside I filled the tractor bucket several times with kindling that I had brought up from the west slope, and JB drove it over near the wood shed.  That is one steep slope, but it is covered with dry fir branches that have been there for years.  This year's snow really mashed down all the grass so we can see branches and rocks that we never knew were there.

JB saw the first hummingbird today while he was sitting on the porch.  Definitely one that had been here before as he checked out both places where we hang the feeders.  If I start feeding them this early, I am going to go broke buying sugar!

Our high for the day was 64, but I am sure it was at least 70 in the sun.  Perfect weather to work in.

We started re-watching the third season of Elementary a few nights ago and are still enjoying it.

Sunday 4/10. It was another clear morning with a temp of 48, but cooler temps and rain are in the forecast.

We cut up the two trees we had pulled up the other day.  JB had wanted to drop a few trees today but all the chains for the chain saw were too dull.  One winter project that didn't get done. . .

I brought up several more loads of kindling from the west slope and JB took them to the wood shed with the tractor.

The south slope down from the south ridge is growing yellow bouquets just like the hillside across from Larry and Elsie's.  Also have some pink blooms that I don't know the name of.  If you wander off a path or road, it is difficult not to step on alpine spring beauties or yellow bells.  All the bushes are leafing out and everything is so very green.

Our high for the day was 60.  Another perfect day.

Monday 4/11. It is 42 and mostly cloudy this morning with rain on the way for this evening.

Thought for the day: You can't really compare people.  That's one of the biggest things I've learned, because comparing yourself to someone else really stops you from becoming who you are.  Alicia Keys

April 8, 2016 Work, Work, Work

Some of the trees and branches
we brought up from the west slope.

Dinga enjoying the last of the
snow in the yard.

Yellow bells & Alpine Spring
Beauties carpeting the ground.

Wednesday 4/6. After breakfast I walked down to Miss Kitty to see if I could "fix" her, but to no avail.  The dogs came with me and it was a nice hike.

Then JB drove the tractor up to the south ridge with the tools we needed to take down more of the barbed wire fence.  We took down and wound up two strands of wire that were strung on seven posts.  After lunch we took down the other two strands and pulled out the posts.  Loaded it all on the tractor and JB drove it down to where the rest of the posts and wire are than we have removed.  We let our neighbor put the fence across our ridge about thirty years ago when we first bought the property.  Since we moved Up Here, we have asked him repeatedly to take it down.  He hasn't, so we are.

After that workout we just sat on the porch and enjoyed the incredibly beautiful day.  Watched the fat robins and other birds enjoying the day also.  Our high was 63 with a breeze.

The ground is so dry in places that I was able to collect some dry pine needles for fire starter.  We are down to just one bag right now.

Our Grandson is studying WWII in school now, so he is going to take my Dad's aviator sunglasses and my Mother's Marine Corps bible to school to show.  Our son also has some manuals of my Dad's and JB's Dad's that he will take.  We are going to send him an email detailing just what his Great-Grandfathers and Great-Grandmother did in the war.

This was the first evening that we did not need a fire in the wood stove.  And it is only April!

Thursday 4/7. It was 44 and clear this morning.  I finally sat on the porch with my coffee after feeding the dogs and girls.  How lovely!  There are still two small patches of snow in the front yard that Dinga is enjoying.  Pretty sure they won't be there in another few days.  My eyes are still not used to all the brilliant spring green of the new grasses, as opposed to the white of the snow and no brown time in between the two.  I am amazed at the lack of mud, or perhaps my memory has exaggerated the reality of past mud seasons.

What is so very nice about such early spring weather is the lack of bugs.  We can sit on the porch, Jesse can lay on the ground, and none of us are bothered by buzzers and crawlers.  But, like the snow, I doubt that will last much longer either.

Jesse is making up for being so house-bound for four months.  He spends most of his day out and about.  Occasionally we will hear him barking from afar, then soon he will stroll past the house on his way to somewhere else.  Or he will just lay in the sun.  Dinga is also outside most of the time, but she stays close to home.

While I was doing laundry and dishes, JB drove the tractor up to the south ridge to pull out some of the scrub brush up there.  He soon decided it was a two-person job, and was back to help dry the dishes.  And with the news that the balsam root is starting to bloom.

When the inside chores were done and the laundry hung outside, I went down the west ridge to check out the dead and downed trees we wanted to pull up.  I brought up several armloads of small fir branches, then JB brought his Jeep over.  I secured the top of one large, dead tree that had broken off during the winter and he pulled it up.  The we did the same with a small dead tree.  There was another dead tree a bit further down the slope that was leaning way over.  I thought we might be able to pull it out, but upon checking closer I realized it would have to be cut.  It was only about ten inches in diameter, so I cut it with the hand saw.  I secured it and JB pulled it out with the Jeep, along with the top of another tree that had broken off.  It felt so good to be doing this kind of work again.

While I was gathering the branches, I heard a very loud whooshing sound and thought I would look up to see my impending doom in the form of giant eagle!  But it was only two trickster ravens, "laughing" as they flew away.

JB cleaned out the back of his Jeep, which usually becomes a tool bin over the winter, as we are going to drive it down to Larry and Elsie's tomorrow and then go to town in my Jeep.  I have a long list of groceries and supplies, and just don't want to put it off any longer.  JB is coming too, as I am not sure I could get the Jeep all the way down our road.  It is still pretty sloppy.

I love these days when we can get so much done outside.  I enjoy the work and  the rests on the porch.  Our high for the day was 60 on the porch, but I am quite sure it was close to 70 in the sun.

JB is reading Lights Out by Ted Koppel which is about how a cyber attack against the U.S. power grid could completely disable and destroy our country.  He chooses such different types of books than I do to read. . .

The girls gave us two eggs again today.  They love all the greens that we are able to pick for them during the day.  Not quite as much as they would get free-ranging, but still quite a lot.

Friday 4/8. It is 50 with clear skies this morning, our warmest morning by far.  It is supposed to be in the low 80's Down There today!

Thought for the day: We should view our government the way we should a friendly, cuddly lion.  Just because he is friendly and cuddly shouldn't blind us to the fact that he's still got teeth and claws.  Walter E. Williams

April 6, 2016 Freeing Miss Kitty & A Down Day

Pulling out Miss Kitty.

Result of the girls' work
on Tuesday.

Monday 4/4. JB thought we would be able to drive the Wrangler down to Miss Kitty and pull her out.  I wasn't so sure about that, but we did it anyway.  First we had to put the chains on the Wrangler.  Why is it that there is always one chain that seems to be one link too short?

We did make it down to where Miss Kitty was stuck and, of course, the Wrangler pulled her right out with hardly any effort.  I followed JB back up, which was a little more difficult with JB having to back up and try several times in a few places.  Even had to shovel out the middle of the road in one area so the Jeep wouldn't belly-pan.  But by the time we got up to the short-cut, Miss Kitty was making an awfully loud clunking noise.  I didn't want to try to drive her all the way up, so I left her parked there.  We made it all the way back up in the Jeep.  Will deal with Miss Kitty later.

The wind blew the moisture-laden clouds east, but to the north and south of us.  We could see that it was raining in town, and even just one canyon over.  Elsie said it had poured at their place!  All we got was just a few snow flakes while we were putting on the chains.  Very odd how the weather works in these canyons.

We saw three deer on the east slope this afternoon, and then four deer in the evening.  Nice to be able to see them for a change, before the dogs chase them away.  

The girls took the day off and didn't lay any eggs.  Our high for the day was only 38.

I needed to see a feel-good movie, so I watched Guardians of the Galaxy this evening.  JB worked on his computer most of the time, but came down to watch the end.

Tuesday 4/5. It was 34 and mostly overcast this morning with a breeze that stuck around all day.  A very cold breeze, but gusting to only 11 mph.

It was definitely a day off for me.  I did the dishes and laundry but that was about it.  Hung the laundry outside even though it was so cold and cloudy.  It was sheets, so they dried just fine.  And smelled so fine.  Other then that, I read my book and took a nap.  I had read a couple light books, and am now reading Larry McMurtrie's Dead Man Walking.  That is the beginning of the tale of Lonesome Dove.  I really enjoy all his books.

JB got on the tractor after breakfast and moved all the snow from behind the wood shed over to the ridge.  It was everything I had shoveled off the roof and just wasn't melting very fast.  Almost all the rest of the snow is gone.  The ground is usually brown for a couple weeks after the snow melts, but this year it was as if the grass had started to grow before the snow left.  The landscape is green and now the yellow bells and alpine spring beauties are popping up in more places each day.  Even the mums I bought last fall are leafing out.

The girls got back in the groove and gave us three eggs today!  Our high was only 44, but the forecast is for temps in the high 70's and low 80's later in the week.

Wednesday 4/6. It is 36 and mostly overcast this morning with a slight breeze.  Larry gave us some tips on Miss Kitty.  The differential lock may be stuck, so I'll walk down today and try to fix it.

Thought for the day: It doesn't matter who wins the election, none of them are going to fix your life.  You have to do that yourself.  (Seen on Facebook)

April 4, 2016 Free-ranging Chickens & A Stuck Miss Kitty

Spring Beauties already in bloom. . .

. . . along with yellow bells.

The girls in their add-on pen.

Friday 4/1. Amazing how quickly we have gone from the back of winter to full-on spring!  Looks to be another incredible year for wildflowers.  Elsie says that the balsam root is already blooming on the slope across from their house.  This quick season change is reminiscent of Chicago where the same thing happens but spring only lasts for a week, or two at the most.  Then you have six months of summer.

When feeding the girls this morning, I did not lock the hen house door so when JB went out a little later, there were three free-ranging hens LOVING it!  We got the dogs inside before they noticed them, and it took about a half an hour to get the girls back in their pen.  Then I took the small dog pen we have and put it around the door to their pen so they could have some more space.  We will use it to enclose the new hens outside the pen so the girls can all get used to each other before we put them together.  They gave us two eggs today.

We saw robins Up Here today, which I think is the earliest so far.  So nice that I hung all the wash outside.  Another beautiful day and our high was 60.

We put the chain back on MAX's sprocket and parked him.  Then did some general yard clean-up, only our "yard" is about five acres big.

The finish on the deck is beginning to peel, so I am helping it along.  Will have to re-seal it this summer.

We watched one of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour DVD's last night.  My jaws ached from laughing so hard.

Saturday 4/2. It was 44 and mostly clear this morning.  JB left for Down There a little after 9:00 am to play Magic cards.

With all the melting, there is a lot of mud right by the house.  So I built a path going south from the porch with large pieces of bark that I save for just such a project.  Then I sorted out my closet and gathered a large bag of clothes to take to the thrift shop.  Have to make room for more clothes that I will buy there. . .

I had to let water out of the cistern as it was beginning to climb up the riser.  I let out at least 100 gallons which really hurt 'cause I know that at some point we will want it back.  Also trimmed the rose bushes that are budding like all the other bushes, including my lilac and nine-bark.

The dogs enjoyed spending most of the day outside and much of it lying in the horseshoe pits.  Jesse in the south one in the sun and Dinga in the north one in the shade.

Every time I was on the west or north ridges I could hear the wild turkeys.  Often they sound a lot like grouse, but today there was no doubt it was turkeys as they were doing their "gobble, gobble, gobble".

The girls gave us two eggs again today.  I think they heard we were getting more chickens and they want to be sure they don't end up in the stew pot.

JB called at 5:00 pm saying he was on his way home.  Then he called around 6:00 pm to say he was stuck about 1/2 mile from the house.  The dogs and I walked down to see if we could help.  Unfortunately the cable on the winch snapped, so we all just hiked back home.  At least it was a great day for a walk, with a high of 62.

Didn't get back til 7:45 pm.  Had a late dinner and then to bed.

Sunday 4/3. I got up at 5:00 am to let the dogs out and was wide awake.  So I stayed up and fixed a "latte."  Buster was up to visit at about 8:00 am.  By then it was 46 with mostly clear skies.

We were on our way down to Miss Kitty before 10:00 am, pulling the chain, shovel and high-lift jack on the sled.  In the next three hours we managed to get a lot of exercise, but not much else.  There is obviously something about the concept of getting unstuck from the snow that we two old folks just do not understand. . .  We'll try again tomorrow.  

Had to let more water out the the cistern again today.  But I really doubt I will have to do it again as there just isn't that much snow left.

It was another great day with a few thin, high clouds and a high of 58.  The girls gave us two more eggs!  I am going to have to start baking.

We watched Michael with John Travolta this evening.  Another favorite that is always a joy.

Monday 4/4. It is 38, mostly cloudy with a wind that arrived at about 4:00 am gusting to 23 mph.

Thought for the day: If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side.  Orson Scott Card