Posts from the ‘Snippets of Life’ category

Dealing with the heat and my 24 hours as a farm and ranch hand

This week was a repeat of last week…took time midweek to head to town and stock up on supplies so we could hunker down over a forecast hot 4th of July weekend:

Full frig and freezer!

Version 2 of the long, long cat … a cat inside to escape the outside heat!

Good news, bad news: The good news is that all fireworks have been banned this year. The bad news is that the fireworks have been banned because of the severe fire danger from heat and lack of rain. I don’t believe I’m saying this, but I’d rather it was green and moist and I was complaining about fireworks for a week. The fire danger is off the charts. I have the motorhome fueled, filled with water and stocked with food and clothes. We can roll quickly if necessary. Hopefully, it will not be necessary.

Meanwhile, my across the road neighbors, home to the chickens that supply me with THE MOST GORGEOUS EGGS – the neighbors went camping. They had hoped to do a 2 day trip but because of the 4th and fire danger, decided on an overnight. They asked if I could collect eggs, feed the horse and pony, the chickens and the barn cats and water the garden…in addition to eggs, I also get extras from the garden. So, I said: “YES”!

So, for 24 hours, I was Ms. Farm and Ranch Person. This is SO out of character for me. I do not like to be out in the hot and dusty and stinky, etc. BUT, the chickens are not only beautiful and supply the most wonderful eggs but they are a kick to be around. The horse (Bernita) and pony (Lexi) and cats (Oscar and Gerti) are so much fun also…

Lexi and Bernita. Lexi aka “Miss Piggy” LOVES her food. Bernita has restraint. They now love me because in addition to forking (pitch fork!!!) over their hay, I took carrots – YUM!

The cats. So funny – these cats are like Auggie: Norwegian Forest Cats!

Oscar, the gray. Oscar kind of has Mr. Bob’s build… wide body!

Gerti, a calico is a bit slimmer but still fluffier than Auggie and shorter tail.

They are both sociable and followed me around as I did the chore routine.

Some of the “girls”. These are last year’s chicks. For whatever reason, this year’s prefer to stay in the coop per Mel. But they are all together in the coop overnight so it is not a “get along” thing ??? Chickens are funny, I think. I can’t remember the breed names, but I think these are an incredibly beautiful group of hens and it was fun to feed and talk with them.

The “inside girls” … this year’s chicks in the coop. So, the other funny thing is that inside the coop there are nesting boxes for each chicken. BUT, the eggs are almost always in the left side boxes…rarely in the right side per Mel and Jesse.

On my watch, Friday night there were 6 eggs on the left side: 3 in 1 box and 2 in another. Saturday morning there was 1 egg on the right side but above the boxes! Saturday, 11:00 a.m. ish there were 2 eggs in 1 box on the left side.

Hmm.

But, there are 15 chickens so I told them a few of them were slackers!!

They said: “bawwk, bawwk, BAWWKKKK!!!”

The garden – lush and beautiful. Jesse set things up so I only had to turn on 2 faucets and all of the garden got a good drink.

After Saturday morning chores, I headed home and gathered my boys for a walk in the woods while it was still cool…

Mornings – still the best!

The long, long cat and the hot, hot dog.

This week.

Sunday Sliver

A beautiful clear morning at 7:24 a.m. As I write this, at 8:03 which is sunrise here, a foggy mist is rising in the woods.

It is 39F, forecast to be sunny with a high of 62F and tomorrow to 68F. It is still shorts weather – on October 19 and 20!

Happy Sunday!

A Thursday

My Wednesday did not go according to plan from the get-go.

One thing that slipped was a trip to town for supplies.

This morning, Thursday morning … in a “kill two birds with one stone” frame of mind, I whistled Bear into Wild Thing for the gathering of supplies, the download of some large files on town’s 4Glte (!!!) and who knew what else.

The morning was beautiful: cool and misty as the sun rose over the mountains and through the woods.

Bear was ALL in for a bit of RV adventure!

We stopped on the way for a walk, parked in a shady spot near the grocery for the download and supply gathering…we both had our breakfast “on the road” – and then headed for home to make it just in the nick of time for a late morning work/meeting session.

Later…

Thursday, is CSA garden day.

Yesterday, I got to thinking about it being August… and we’ve had some heat and sun and …WOW, the garden might start spewing forth some different things pretty soon!

And it did! The bag felt like 10 pounds: beets (WITH greens!!), ‘taters, peas & carrots, a head of lettuce, parsley, basil, KALE!, some “spring green” mix. I called on neighbors and friends to share.

Last week’s bag was good and I used it all…nothing new to report but I continued to enjoy the shredded carrot salad, the pea pesto (my absolute favorite non-basil pesto), a broccoli salad, chard-spinach-mushroom stir fry…

Next week’s cooking from the garden – it should have some new stuff.

Meanwhile, Thursday evening…Bear did his “it is too hot” version of the perimeter patrol and then found a shady spot to have a treat. I let Bob out and he sprawled near us on the porch. I told them, that their nearness to each other and me – it was the absolute BEST birthday month present they could give.

We all sat together and enjoyed. It was 85 but not unpleasant in the shade with a soft breeze and my good boys. Actually, it was heaven to me.

Bear ultimately decided the cool of the house had appeal. I got the camera and tripod to capture a moment with Bob…who has apparently forgiven my passe taste for white wine…well, I am the one who dispenses the food, allows access to the bed, puts fleece cat blankies hither and yon…

A Thursday.

Evening bling

Last evening, Bear and I walked the loop as the sun was getting low – about an hour before official sunset: 7:45 ish. Morning or evening, I love to watch the sun through the woods – the light playing with the ground, the woods plants and the trees.

To the East, the tops of the trees in the small valley between foothills – dramatic contrast in the evening sun break after a cloudy, rainy day.

And the topper? Lupins, dressed in raindrops…a little evening bling :) !

***that little scraggly thing to the bottom right? It is a wildflower (weed?) of some sort. They are all over the woods, but I can’t find them in my flower book. They look like miniature bottle brushes that have seen better days. They make me laugh to see them – silly laughing…fun in the woods laughing – so maybe not a “traditionally” beautiful wildflower, but as in all things, beauty in the eye of the beholder and also not always outward appearance …sometimes beauty [for me] is in how whatever or whoever makes me feel. There…my life metaphor of the day :)!