Off the Air

I will be off the air for a bit.

Life is getting in the way of blogging.

I hate that!

The weeds are taking over the yard from our rain.

I need to pull and bag... 

and pull.

The dog hair is taking over the house.

I need to brush and vacuum...

and vacuum some more.

I finally unpacked my cardmaking boxes

from our move...

two years ago.

I want to play with paper.

I have a trip to make and will have sporadic Internet....

at best.

But.... 

it all gives me the chance to pick up new blog fodder,

if you want to read about

weeds,

dog hair,

paper,

and 

airplanes!

I'll be back...

In a week or so,

 or a month....

Volunteers Angels Needed

I have seen this alert posted on Facebook, and my friend, Once Upon an Equine posted it from the Colorado Horse Council Facebook page. Please share this with your friends. Even if you can't help in Colorado, maybe by registering with the Fleet of Angels, you can help out in your area at some other time.


URGENT CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS WITH EQUINE EXPERIENCE TO REGISTER FOR RESCUES OF EQUINE FLOOD VICTIMS IN COLORADO

Most areas in the flood zone are completely inacessible right now, BUT- when the rain stops and the waters start to recede, there will be MANY equines in trouble! PLEASE REGISTER at www.FleetOfAngels.org

If you have a trailer, a dry (enough) pen, stalls, arenas, extra hay, even sleeping quarters for horse owners and haulers, hot meals for helpers, etc. THIS IS AN URGENT SITUATION. Evacuating before the storm was not possible for most, so evacuating post-storm will be needed ASAP. With homes, barns, vehicles, and fields being washed away, equines will be in desperate need of help. We need MANY MORE volunteers in Colorado ASAP.

Please register at www.FleetOfAngels.org
and then join the Fleet of Angels page on Facebook (only after registering, please), and stay tuned for more information and specific rescue missions when they start.

PLEASE SHARE WIDELY TO COLORADO FRIENDS AND SITES, AND IN SURROUNDING STATES.

Now the Sun Shines

The rain has finally stopped... at least for the moment. Flood waters can now begin receding, but this does not mean that life will resume as normal for many people anytime soon.  Life is going to be very difficult for so many, for a long time. As I write over 1000 people are still waiting to be airlifted from their flooded neighborhoods in the river canyons and some rivers are well above flood stage. In some areas of Estes Park, people are being told to plan on living somewhere else until some time in the spring, as the roads to their homes have been totally washed out. There are at least 30 highway bridges that have been destroyed in the state and countless others that have sustained damages. Many roads have sustained serious damage. It isn't just a matter of the flood waters leaving and the area drying out. The water carried a lot of debris and tons of mud with it. I heard on TV that tennis courts near the CU Boulder campus have over a foot of mud on them. Streets, driveways, yards and farms are in the same mess.

Animals are impacted too.  Farmers may have fences down and buildings destroyed, and they may have lost their entire supply of hay that was put away for the winter. Pastures may be covered in mud and debris. In some areas the water has nowhere to drain and may turn fields into huge popsicles come November - this, according to a news report on the television.



One of my Blog friends wants to help. Gun Diva (aka C.S, Wilson), writes a blog called Tales from the Trail. She also has a book by that title that was recently published. In her book she shares stories from her time as a wrangler, leading trail rides in the Rocky Mountains. GunDiva is donating the proceeds from the sale of her book for the rest of this month to help horse owners in Colorado. Clicking on the image below will take you to the Amazon sales page for her book.

Perhaps it is time to consider some early Christmas shopping for your horse lover family and friends!

Please take a minute to share this with your friends. 

And Now For the Real Story...

OK.... tripping on a perfectly flat floor and falling on one's face is a really sorry story. So, I worked on ramping it up a bit, so I'd have something better to tell the curious. How does this sound as an answer to how Dreaming ended up with stitches and a black eye:

*

*

*

Dreaming decided it was time to check one more thing off her bucket list. So, she went by the local hang gliding club and signed up for a flight. After intensive instruction she was buckled in and jumped off the cliff. Wheeee! Dreaming was having great fun...

But then,

Dreaming’s harness buckle snapped open and Dreaming began to fall....

But then,

she grabbed the strut and held on as the glider fluttered in circles, down, down, down.... into the forest. 

But then,

Dreaming landed in the top of a tall lodgepole pine and softly ricocheted from a branch on one tree to the branch of another until she was safely deposited on the thick bed of pine straw on the forest floor. 

But then,

she heard the grumbling of a brown bear. Mama Bear lumbered into the clearing, staring menacingly at Dreaming, who happened to be standing between Mama and her cubs. Dreaming didn’t waste a second, but took off running through the brambles and the underbrush, heading down the mountain. She jumped from boulder to boulder. She somersaulted from clearing to clearing. She dodged branches and leaped onto a raft of snarled logs in the raging river at the base of the mountain, leaving Mama Bear behind...

But then,

the raft of logs began to break up. First there were five, then four.... three, two and finally Dreaming was straddling one log plummeting down the raging river, swollen from the recent rains. The log snagged on concrete pylons, the remainder of a dam. Dreaming was contemplating how she might get to the land, a tantalizing 20 feet from where she sat, unscathed, on a log in the midst of the river...

But then,

a helicopter appeared over the trees and dropped a skyhook. Dreaming grabbed the hook and was hoisted into the 'copter and whisked to safety. The helicopter dropped Dreaming off at the end of her driveway. She thanked the rescuers and walked to her house...

But then...

The Curious Incident of....

No. That's not quite right. 

Let me try again.

The Idiotic Incident of...

Oh, yes... I like alliteration,  but, it still isn't quite right.

The Stupid, Dumb, Idiotic, Imbecilic, Moronic, Dopey, Dizzy

Thing That Dreaming Did on Friday

There, that seems to fit the crime!

So, the day began as most days have this week.

It was raining.

I did all my morning things.

I even had my coffee...

so that can't be used as an excuse.

I headed to the Rec Center for Pickleball.

How normal and routine.

I helped set up two nets, 

and walked around the curtain to see if folks

needed help on the other side.

Then....

I was on the floor, pickleball paddle in hand.

I went down

HARD.

You see, the Rec Center has just opened their

facility for pickleball after redoing the floors.

They are shiny and beautiful.

But, our sneakers stick... just a bit.

And, as I walked around the corner

my foot moved forward to take a step, 

but the sole of my sneaker sorta stayed where it was.

Then a scientific principle called

MOMENTUM

took over. 

That is... an object in motion tends to stay in motion

unless acted upon by an equal and opposite force.

Well, since the foot stuck,

the body kept going.

I was holding the paddle in both hands for some reason

and I went down on my knees,

then on my elbows,

and then performed a very ungraceful face plant 

on that new shiny floor.

Uh oh.

I was bleeding.

A wonderful friend went and got some paper towels.

I protected that shiny floor...

not a drop of blood was shed on it. 

Then we inspected the damage.

Uh oh.

It wasn't just a little cut.

It was, in fact, two cuts;

one above and one below my eye.

My eye glasses evidently slammed into my face

and they did a number.

This is me. Just a few hours following the fall,

and after a fairly quick trip to the Doctor's office 

for 6 (or is that 7?) stitches.

(I am so glad I didn't go to the ER....

I might still be there if I had!)

I look a bit more gruesome now as more swelling 

has set in - despite applying cold compresses most of the day.

Mr. Dreamy has posted a disclaimer on Facebook

to let folks know he was 5 miles away from me

when this happened.

Well, I need to come up with a better story...

the truth is just too 

Stupid, Dumb, Idiotic, Imbecilic, Moronic, Dopey, and Dizzy!

Rain, Rain...

I was wishing for rain. 

That would mean I wouldn't have to water the grass. 

Right?

"... and the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down..."

Now I'd like to rescind my order, please? 

Pretty please?

Although I live in an area that is in the 'flash flood watch', I have not been impacted by flooding. 

I don't live near a river and I live near the top of a ridge. 

I'm lucky.

Some areas of Colorado are experiencing terrible flooding.

Boulder has had over 9" of rain since the storm began on Wednesday.

This, in an area that normally gets 20"-24" of precipitation in a year!

This is 'downtown' Lyons.
Lyons is an island, for now.

Lyons, CO
source

Hwy 7 West of Lyons

source

All streets in and out of Lyons are now closed.
They are blocked, or cut, or bridges are threatened.

Flooding in Estes Park, CO


source

Estes Park, CO
Denver Post

Estes Park is practically an island.

One of the roads leading to Estes Park has washed out. Others have landslides and debris blocking the roads. The only road that remains open (as I write this) is the Trail Ridge Road through the Rocky Mountain National Park. This is the highest paved road in the US. It does not remain open once snow flies.

Commerce City

Rain is filling numerous water reservoirs and to keep them from overrunning their banks, or washing out the dams, water is being released, which compounds the problems 'down stream'.

Near Broomfield, CO

Rain is still falling, and is expected to continue through midday tomorrow. I hope that folks stay safe.

Watching Grass Grow

I have a little strip of grass weeds in our front yard. When we first purchased our house, this strip had an impressive bed of thistles that had grown and multiplied for years and stood about 4' tall. I pulled. I sprayed. We pulled some more. I finally eradicated most of the thistle... and all but a few tufts of grass. Much of the dirt was washed away.

I shoveled two cubic yards of fill into the area and raked it smooth, planted some grass seed and spread straw to help keep it damp. The straw may also have discouraged pigeons and magpies.

I watered.

I watched.

Will you look at that?

There is a blush of green showing,

where before there was only dirt.

I have the beginnings of a front lawn!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Wha' D'ya Do With the Money Your Parents Gave You for Music Lessons?

I feel like chatting today. We are enjoying one of our first cool days. As I type, it is barely 60 out and the high is supposed to reach 72. Whooo! That sure beats the 92... and the 102 we had last week! I will actually have some energy left to do something!

Patrice, I am so glad that you are feeling better.

You can join the chat too - either leave a comment on my blog, or on Patrice's blog - or respond to the questions and link to Patrice's Everyday Rurality blog.

Here are our points of discussion for the day:

1. Did you ever take piano lessons, as a child or adult?
2. How many times do you eat out each month?
3. If you could snap you fingers and change on thing about your appearance, what would that be? (Temporary or permanent)
4. Do you like looking at art or photography? Do you go to any place that displays them?
5. Do you have new things for your fall/ winter wardrobe?

Here are my answers:

1. As a child? No. I took clarinet lessons in 3rd grade (and was kicked out of class for lack of drive and talent) and guitar lessons in middle school. When I went to college I had to learn how to play the piano - but I have forgotten all of it now. I think I have some sort of learning disability when it comes to music. To this day I have to say the ditty, "Every Good Boy Does Fine" to name the notes. I'm a music flunky!

2. We don't eat out very much. I have probably had 2 lunches out this month and we haven't made it out for dinner.

3. Oh, please, make me thinner at the snap of my fingers. It takes far too long to lose weight these days!

4. I am not much of a looker. (Oh my, that statement could be interpreted in a totally different way!) I enjoy art if I have an expert there to tell me the back story of the piece I am looking at. Museums often make me yawn (I think it is the stuffy air and lack of oxygen)... then tears begin to flow down my face and people think I am all emotional about the art work.

5. Nope, well, not unless you count the T-shirt I got at Kohl's using Kohl's cash, so it ended up being basically free! I 'earned' the Kohl's cash buying a new pair of tennis shoes since my old ones have been worn down from playing pickleball. Does any of that count?!

Invasion

Tucker fluff ...

... is taking on a life of its own.

 And just what are you gonna do about it?!

Saturday Centus: Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Aw, Jenny, I wasn’t ready for this word yet. I do have to admit it fits right in with my story line, though it is a bit earlier than I had planned, and perhaps too easy! I just don’t know if I can tie it up in 100 words!

(Perhaps, dear Jenny, you were saying, "Enough, already, with the darn pony... let's get this over with?!)

Jenny’s word this week is SALVATION. We must write about the word, but not use the word, and we must write 100 words in all. To visit other responses to Jenny's prompt, click on the image to link to her Saturday Centus.

When Jenny began the one “not-to-be-used” word prompts I wrote about an auction, and a woman missing out on the bid for a sweet, old pony. I didn’t intend for the story to go on. But, a few of my blog readers pestered me, wanting to know that the pony was going to be OK. So, I continued my story. 

If you didn’t get to read earlier installments, here they are, in order:

FORBIDDEN

ETHEREAL 

TREASURE

So, what’s next?  Where will my keyboard take me.....

The man, looked at her incredulously and spat tobacco juice toward her feet. “Lady....” 
“Papa! Oh, papa! You got him,” a young girl squealed in delight, interrupting him. She threw her tiny arms around his thigh, hugging him, and sobbing in relief. 
“So, you must buy this pony?” the man asked, a twinkle showing in his eye!
“But...but I thought you were the kill buyer,” she spluttered. “I had to save this pony.”
The man guffawed. “Lady, you got me all wrong.” he continued, “I consider it my place on earth to out bid the devil whenever I can.”

source

Tucker Talks: Gypsy Made me Do It

It is all Gypsy's fault. 

She is such a food hound - she'll eat anything! 

The other day Mr. Dreamy called us over for a treat. 

Gypsy ran right over and plunked her bottom down on the floor.

She is such a show off and a goody-goody.

I didn't want to miss out, so I came over too.

Mr. Dreamy gave each of us a treat.

He said it was something called carrot. 

I chewed.

Gypsy chewed.

Bleech....

It tastes TERRIBLE!

But, since Gypsy was still eating her carrot,

I wouldn't dare spit it out.

I didn't want her to have the satisfaction of

having two pieces... even if it tasted awful!

I woulda never eaten it if it hadn't been for Gypsy.

Yuck.

And will you look at her...

It's kinda blurry cause she is moving so fast,

but she is actually licking her chops.

That girl has no taste!

Calf Cutie

The neighborhood 'colorful cow' somehow produced a calf.

I almost drove off the road when I first noticed 

the new young 'un in the pasture.

Prairie Dog Hogs

We went for a bike ride along the Cherry Creek Trail a few weeks ago. The trail goes through several areas with Prairie Dogs. I love watching them. They are so cute (as long as they are on someone else's land!) They utter warning chirps. They stand tall, and as still as statues until the very last minute. They scamper along the ground, and dive down their holes.

My pictures were taken on the fly from my bike, so they aren't as close up or as clear as I'd like. The picture below shows a family of three. The two children ran back to Mom or Dad as I got close.

Peek-a-boo!

I certainly wouldn't want to have these 'cute' critters in my pasture. They destroy the grass and their burrows could easily break a horse's leg. 

The Prairie Dogs are a little indiscriminate as to where they build their burrows. There were a number of entrances to burrows built on the bike path/walking trail. 

Do you see the Prairie Hog Dog?

This bold little fella was chattering 

and shaking his tail at us!

Hey, watch out! 

You're hogging the trail!

Naughty!

Isn't she simply adorable?

This Brevy's Zebra filly was born on June 14 at the Denver Zoo.

Handlers wanted to bring the zebras inside.

This sassy lass just didn't want to go! 

Her escapades provided great entertainment.

Yes, the zoo keepers eventually succeeded...

but it took 6 humans to convince 1 filly

to go where they wanted her to go!

When Elephants Fly

Strike that.

It should read

when elephants "swim"!

Groucho "swimming" at the Denver Zoo.
Friday, August 30

Groucho is a 43 year old Asian Elephant. He is Denver's largest elephant, standing over 10' tall and weighing a mere 12,400 pounds. Groucho came from the Ft. Worth Zoo when Denver opened its new "Elephant Passage" exhibit last year. About 10" of the ends of his tusks were sawed sawn* off in preparation for travel as there was concern that the tusks might get caught up in the bars of the crate he was shipped in, or, that he might jab himself, since the ends were close to his trunk. 

So, Mr. Postmaster, I have a package I'd like to ship.... 

We were told that Groucho is very independent-minded. He will enter the swimming pool if he feels like it, otherwise, he will turn and go back into a quieter area of the exhibit. Groucho is also a jokester. He decided to spray a young girl who was standing up by the glass fence. He also turned, while in the pool, and farted passed gas! He may not have thought it was amusing, but those of us who were still watching were tickled by the bubbles rising behind him!

Animals at the zoo are trained for husbandry purposes, not for entertainment. Each 'trick' prepares the animals to allow the keepers to examine, clean or take care of the animals' medical needs. 

* sawed off? sawn off? 
Google says 'sawn' is proper because it is an irregular verb, however, creating the past tense by adding "-ed" has taken precedence and 'sawn' is losing ground to 'sawed' - also, 'my dictionary resource indicates that sawn' is how the Brits would make the past participle and Americans would use 'sawed'.