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| Wild Rose spraying the tent caterpillars (her good side) |
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| 1st rattlesnake, sans head! (It's lying by the tail) |
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| Deer on the game cam |
Friday, 5/10. We were back from town by 2:00 pm on Wednesday. I ran errands while JB was at the doctor. Was able to get some great photos of flowers in the canyon both on the way down and back up. High for the day was 72 at Rose Camp and pushing 90 Down There.
We spent Thursday taking care of small chores that wouldn't work up a sweat. Sprayed the tent caterpillars up on the south ridge; hung out the laundry; fixed the garden gate; re-attached two slats on the back of the wood shed and pounded in some other loose ones; cleaned a couple guns; worked on our computers; read books. Our high was 73.
JB went back Down There today at 9:15 am to get the stitches out from his biopsy. It's benign, nothing to be concerned about. Whew! I was outside shortly after he left, pulling weeds. That little cousin of devil's club is everywhere. The gravel by the parking area looked so nice last year, but now everything green is trying to grow through it, so I pulled the tall grass & left the really short stuff. Saved washing the dishes and my hair till it was too hot to be outside and that was right after the dogs and I went for their morning walk, which we cut short because of the heat.
There are at least two male wrens about, both warbling up a storm most of the day. Wonderful music. The hummingbird wars have started over the one feeder, so JB bought another one today which we hung at the other end of the porch. Most of them hover while they are drinking, but there are a couple who sit on the rim of the feeder and drink and drink and drink. One of these days they are going to try to take off after drinking so much and not be able to. They'll just fall right off on to the ground!
We saw our first clouds for the week late this afternoon but the high for the day was 74.
I made a banana coffee cake this evening that we had for dessert after a light supper of cottage cheese and pears.
Saturday, 5/11. Overcast and 54 - nice and cool, but we still ended up with a high of 71. Some of the clouds disappeared by noon, but it got very muggy and uncomfortable by late afternoon.
Today we re-hung my swing then got the lawn mower out of the shop. We had to move so many things to do that, we ended up working the rest of the day to sort and re-arrange the shop. When we finally stopped, I went inside to wash my hands and saw a snake out on the rocks. Couldn't tell if it was a bull snake or rattler til we got out there. I grabbed the gun and walking stick, and call JB. Well, it was a rattler. A big fat one with lots of rattles. I worked on flipping him up on the earth - couldn't take the chance of shooting him while he was on the rocks. Finally got him moved and he coiled. JB shot him but got his rattles in addition to his head. He looked so big and lumpy that I'm pretty sure he had just feasted on a few mice. I cut off his head that JB tossed in the out house while I went up to the south ridge and flung the rest of him over the edge. This is the earliest we have seen a snake Up Here, but then this is the warmest May we have had since we have lived here.
By late afternoon it was just too hot to do anything other than sit on the porch, so that's just what we did. Sometimes I'm afraid that if I stop to admire the flowers for too long I'll just slip into a blossom-induced catatonic state. All the color is almost overwhelming, especially after four or five months of all white. I have been to several well-known, large, man-made gardens around the country but none of them have impressed me as much as Mother Nature's gift of wild flowers Up Here.
Sunday, 5/12. Mother's Day and a gift of a wonderfully cool morning - 54 with a light breeze. Perfect for sitting on the porch with coffee. Our high was only 62 and even the flowers seem perkier.
JB drove MAX down with the dogs to get the card from the game cam. This was the first time we checked it after moving the camera down to the hair pin turn. There were some great photos of LOTS of deer. This is definitely the best place for it. I rode down with him later in the afternoon to put the card back in.
Spent lots of the day on the porch and reading a book. But also cut/broke three wheel barrow loads of small branch wood and stacked it.
We watched "Finding Neverland" this evening for the first time and I am sure it won't be the last. We both needed kleenex by the time it was over, but it is such an incredible movie.
All week long the evenings have smelled heavy with moisture. Today smells like rain, which we sure need. Tomorrow NOAA says there is a 50% chance of rain with thunder storms. Oh goodie. . .
Monday, 5/13. It is 44 and overcast, but not cool enough in the house for a fire. I hope NOAA is right about the rain - not the thunder storms.
I have finally identified that flower I posted on 5/8 as bear grass. Who thinks up these names?!
Thought for the day: Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire. Virgil
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