May 1, 2019 A Trip Down There & Splitting Wood

Balsam root on our south
ridge & on the slope in
the background.

A pile of leftover winter critter meals
of fir cones that we found under the
branches we moved.

Monday 4/29. I was on my way Down There by 8:45 am and had a very good doctor’s appointment.  Saw the flock of turkeys in Larry and Elsie’s yard on my way down.  Balsam root is blooming now almost all the way up to where our road turns off from the main canyon road.  And way down by the Gridders’ house, I saw some lupine blooming along the road.  This time of the year, every time I drive Down There, something else is blooming.

Ran my errands after visiting the doctor, then stopped in at the new thrift store.  Their clothes are selling for give-away prices!  Bought three shirts for $6.  Also stopped in at Stan’s to look for a pair of western work boots (or as we used to call them – cowboy boots).  Found a pair of Double H’s for a price I could actually afford and spent all my birthday and Mother's Day money from my son.  Got out of town just in time to miss the rain.  I was home a little after 2:00 pm, and all we had Up Here was blue sky and a few clouds.  Our high for the day was 50.

Tuesday 4/30. It is 37 and clear this morning.  I sat out on the porch with my coffee just enjoying the warm sun and the bird songs.

After hanging the wash outside and eating lunch, I decided it was time to start splitting the fifty rounds that are left from last year.  There are a few medium sized ones, a few humongous ones, and the rest are very large.  Split two of the large ones, and that was it for the day.  

JB worked on our Jeeps, getting mine loaded with the boxes and coolers for groceries, and his set up the way he likes it.  He also pumped water into the cistern, which is the first time in a few weeks we have had to do that.

We have been seeing our deer every day or so, just grazing as they meander from east to west, or visa versa.

I made an appointment with an ENT specialist for next Thursday.

Huge clouds floated over during the day and the icy breeze picked up.  Our high for the day was 56.

JB’s brother and sister-in-law want to come visit this weekend.  This will be the first time they have come up in the Spring.  So glad they will be able to see and photograph the wild flowers.

Wednesday 5/1. It is 40 this May Day morning and mostly cloudy with a light wind.  May Day always brings back good memories of making paper baskets the night before with my Mother when I was in grade school.  Then early in the morning we would fill them with flowers from our yard and I would race across to the neighbors' porches and place one by each front door.    

JB saw three bull elk on the south ridge this morning and a few deer.  Maybe the same ones that were on our game cam last year.

Thought for the day: The secret of contentment. . . lay in ignoring many things completely.  Mark Haddon