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Our old trees backlit against the dark sky
Love this lighting.
One more…………
Halloween anyone ?
Our old trees in the front yard cast in amazing afternoon light
It is common to hear a number of things here in the middle of nowhere. One thing is that “if you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes”. That is very true. I have been in town, which is about 13 miles from here. It can be snowing hard. Drive home, and it is dry. Same with rain, then sometimes I talk to my friend at work 6 miles from here, and it may be snowing here, and nothing there…..constantly changing. Of course it does keep it interesting. The trees above are very old, likely put in perhaps 80 years ago I am just guessing. The weather had been weirder than usual. I like this next shot, it looks almost as if the clouds are reflecting the grasses below. If you click on the photo it will come up larger too.
Across the road looking to the mountains
Yesterday my son and I are headed to the local airport. It has been 8 years since our first airshow here. That year my son and I went up for a wonderful ride in a Stearman biplane – compliments of my mom. It was bar none the most excitement I have ever had. I had never had the opportunity to do that before, although I had flown in a number of small aircraft prior to that day. What a thrill ! One day I may have the opportunity to do it again, but for now, just expect some more photographs of our time there. Enjoy your day !
I just love my chicky ladies !
Egg problems ?
Not here ! I have four old Aracauna hens. They like to keep me guessing as to where they will lay their eggs. More often than not, the ground squirrels steal them before I find them. Not today though ! The crankiest hen I saw go by the kitchen window. I opened the back door, and listened. I could hear little grumbling chicken noises and followed it to the source. Ah HA ! The other ladies had already kindly put their eggs there. She complied and walked off. Here is what I took inside happily………..
From the ladies fresh this am....four gigantic blue eggs !
The size is just amazing. I tried to take a good photo of one in my hand to give an idea of just how big they are…….but that really didn’t work. They are larger than the biggest store bought eggs. In fact they don’t FIT into a regular egg carton.
Thanks ladies, everyone enjoy your day !
Charm - my mustang..."what is up with that camera again ?"
The BLM is at it again, clearing our American icons, the wild horses from their own designated use land…….this blog listed below has all the correct information. This is just plain idiotic, abuse at the government level. Our horses are supposed to be protected, and now they can’t wait to run them off, using helicopters to be kept in holding facilities. This area is just over the mountain range from our place. 1250 square miles. Larger than Rhode Island. Private cattle and sheep are grazed there for a pittance, with nothing done to help take care of the range. Their solution to less forage ? Take the horses away from their home and graze more privately owned cattle and sheep ! It costs the taxpayers so much money to keep the horses in drylot situations, which is no life for them at all. Family groups are broken up, and many are killed by these horrific roundups. I have appealed to local tv stations to get to the bottom of this, no one will give an answer. The BLM should be held accountable for destroying the horses and the range.
If you have the time, please call or write to the senators listed in the blog below, call the White House ! Obama appointed Salazar, someone is going to have to pay attention and stop this.
2000 animals are being taken from their homes for no reason at all, except to open it up for more private grazing. Not acceptable.
This is the blog, Straight from the Horse’s Heart
Madeleine Pickens website, this is a direct link to send an email to Obama and Salazar pleading to stop these roundups….copy and paste or go to MadeleinePickens.com
http://www.capwiz.com/madeleinepickens/issues/alert/?alertid=15239716&type=ML
I have a mustang, she is the smartest horse I have ever been around. These horses know what is going on, and it is just wrong.
Make a call, write an email, please help.
Thank you for anything you can do.
Lilacs at night May 2006
The lilac trees wave and rustle in the faint breeze outside my window. They didn’t bloom this year, and along with the leaves rustling, is the faint crunchy sound of the dead unbloomed blossoms – compliments of a late freeze again. As I lie on my bed, when the trucks are not driving past our house, the silence is the loudest thing I hear. Sometimes I hear too much. I know I think too much. Mostly I remember too much.
It has been 6 years since my husband died, right in the same room I am lying in. Looking at the exact same swirled plaster ceiling above the bed. Just to the right of the newer light fixture, which when we replaced it, uncovered a circle of pink plaster swirls. Still haven’t painted that, and I would bet most anything that I never will. I do have a new bed though, a double. I am hoping to get my antique bed frame in before winter comes. It is an old handcrafted frame. I have had it since I was 20, which means I have had it a LONG time now 🙂 The headboard is worn, there are areas where the wood veneer has split and peeled. I am hoping to repair it before it comes in and is put back in service so to speak. I have saved the many small pieces of veneer in an old 35 mm film canister I kept by my bedside in the drawer . It is one of those things I have intended to fix “one day”. And to spare you all, I won’t get started on THAT thought. I look forward to moving, to not having these recollections in my face 24/7/365. One day.
For now, as I rest my weary bones, I turn my attention to other things. The fact that I have trapped one of the three raccoons. That is one less to worry about. Still, I have the trap set and ready. The trapper was by today and he told me he is getting many calls about skunks. Aghhh ! I will wrap my trap in a black plastic, which is in case a skunk gets caught it won’t be able to spray ME. Worst thought of the day so far………
Wishing for a vacation on the sound…….one day, once again…. I tell myself, one day.
Paradise - dawn in Port Orchard WA 2009
Enjoy your family, those you love – we never know what tomorrow will bring.
Such weird weather, this was taken in early June 2010
Material things are really only visual cues to our feelings about a certain time , place or person. When it comes right down to it, the things that we hold dear are embedded in our very being. Our soul, our memory. It is those we love, and things we have experienced we can take with us along our way through life. Our family numbers have decreased dramatically in the past 20 years. Mostly to organ failure or straightforward illnesses….one or two to accidents. Thankfully it has not been the insidious disease process that robs one of their own “self”. That is I think the worst for the family, to see the loved one slipping away emotionally/mentally. So sad, no words for that. My heart breaks for my friend whose mom is at that point. The strength and courage she has shown for taking care of her mom single handed is inspiring. Hugs to you my friend 🙂
As those who know me already know, the past years have been very hard. Death and caretaking has taken a very heavy toll. Personal illness and injury. This is just life though . No worse than any other people I am sure. Then there is the circumstances of illness and weather. on our family with regards to material possessions. Moving to a tiny farmhouse with two households and no storage was not thought out. Not decided on with a direct plan sadly. For three years now there have been a small tarped pile of boxes on my property. With the summer’s heat and no weather to interfere, I began taking the pile of boxed belongings apart. It isn’t like I didn’t know that these boxes were out there, it was just the shock of the final realization that some surprising things were lost and ruined forever. I am only one person, and have not been a very healthy or strong one at that. Even asking for help was really beyond my scope………sad but unfortunately true. The first thing I found as a rotted and molded box fell apart at my touch, was a copy of my departed husband’s birth certificate. The second thing was a copy of our marriage certificate, which I needed very badly to continue a claim. The third was my son’s vaccination card. Below that was my inches high stack of calligraphy projects I did as a young woman. A sketch pad of my drawings. I was good before my hands got bad. I have the calcification and damaged joints compliments of rheumatoid arthritis. On my art, I actually don’t remember being that precise……..oh well. What did I do ? I admit it, I cried. Historically I have lost my treasured items several times. Once in a move and a very nasty landlord. Twenty years ago, when I was only a week away from delivering my son, in the middle of summer and it was over 110 degrees, and with only one person helping me – Sheryl, without you and your support I have no doubt that I would never have survived that terrible summer. Thank you :)………and now this last time, living here 8 years and having lost so much time and as it turns out irreplaceable things. I have only begun to go through this stuff, and I know there will be more sad surprises. I can do it, the “things” are just that. The memories are safe.
However, on the bright side, I have recovered a lot of my health, which is a boon. Since my sisters racing accident on her motorcycle last September, we have forged a relationship for the first time. I have three manuscripts that have to be formatted and edited. Mom has just really turned the corner since her 5th surgery in 8 years. She is now bionic ! I know I am making progress, it is just so hard to see the forest for the trees, ya know ?
My friend in the Seattle area reports it is raining and cool today. Aghhhh, what I would do for some coolness. Reno has had 34 straight days of over 90 degrees. One more will tie the record, two more days will set a new record.
Enjoy the day all and appreciate all you have !
Under the Lilac Trees 