July 30, 2018 A Delightful But Hot Weekend

Dead rattlesnake stripped of flesh
by bees in 24 hours.

Friday 7/27. I did a perfunctory vacuuming of the rugs, then realized that I really should vacuum out my Jeep if I was going to have anyone else riding in it.  JB did a little weed-eating around the tipi as the grass seems to have shot up in the past day or two.

The tree removal company called with an appointment for August 15.  That will give us plenty of time to take down the fence and move all the plant containers.

Bees had begun munching on the rattlesnake that JB had run over yesterday, and by noon today it was nothing but bones with rattles at the end.

I drove down in my Jeep at 1:15 pm to meet our guests, JB's nephew and his girlfriend, at the gate.  They parked at Larry and Elsie's; we loaded everything into my vehicle and arrived at Rose camp at about 2:30 pm.  They got settled in the tipi and we visited.

He brought his bow and arrows so they could practice Up Here, which they did for a while before dinner.  We visited some more and then they watched the sunset from our swing on the west ridge.

A rain squall blew through at about 6:30 pm and lasted for almost half an hour.  Very refreshing and nicely cooled everything down.  Our high for the day was 89.

Saturday 7/28. It was 68 and partly cloudy this morning with absolutely no breeze.  Our guests spent more time practicing with the bow and arrows, and just enjoying the peaceful mountain.

On his morning walk with the dogs, JB saw a very large and long timber rattler that just rattled at them and slithered back into the trees.  Upon the first sound of the rattle, Jesse ran.

After lunch, our nephew and his girlfriend took Miss Kitty for a drive, but it was just too hot to go very far.  Our high for the day was, again, 89.  We all sat on the porch chatting after dinner, and while we were there a flock of grouse wandered down from the south ridge and through the yard.  (Dinga was inside, and it was just too hot for Jesse to expend the energy to chase them.)  We watched them for a while until they went, chattering, up behind the house.  Then our guests went to sit in the swing and watch the sunset again.

Sunday 7/29. It was a hazy 68 again this morning.  Our guests planned to spend the day and night in Leavenworth, so I drove them back down to their car at 10:00 am.  These visits go by so quickly, but they had time by themselves to decompress from the city.  It was very hard to say goodbye.

We spent the rest of the day just trying to stay cool and reading our books.  It's not so bad if I just move slowly or not at all.

Our high for the day was 88, and now the forecast is for even hotter weather through Tuesday with the "back to normal" temperatures coming on Wednesday.  Monday is supposed to by over 100 Down There.

Monday 7/30. It is 74 and hazy this morning.  Just going to try to stay cool.

Thought for the day: Power is the central promise of evil, the dark side of that lamp, because nothing extinguishes the soul more quickly than pride in power.  Dean Koontz, Deeply Odd, page 249