July 10, 2007

This is from Lynn by way of Judi, her friend.
Lynn's phone and the internet have both been down since the 4th of July. They were struck by lightning! Her phone service returned Monday, July 9, but she is still unable to have internet service. She is writing for this blog everyday but cannot post it for you.
She can not get into her email. Can you imagine how many emails she will have when she gets service back? Lynn says, "It sounds real scary to me!"
I am putting this entry into her blog by calling her and she is instructing me how to do it via phone.
Do not fret. Lynn and Joe are fine....well, as fine as can be with no TV either....remember it went out in June. Lynns says, "It is very peaceful."

Tuesday July 3 2007

Morgan Horses on a Hill - Why They Call It Boulder

If this blog looks funny today, something has gone wrong with it. It will probably be o.k. later and I'll fix anything that doesn't look the way it should then. Had to try to get the pictures in about a half dozen times.

Joe has raked and baled today. Now he's picking up the bales with the bale wagon. The bales are pretty far apart for being on a good part of the field. Its a job for him anymore. I'm thankful he is still able to do it and he loves to hay. The gas truck came today and delivered regular and diesel. It was hot again today, and not a cloud in the sky, calm.

One of our friends Tharon fell and broke her hip and had to have surgery. She is in the hospital in Jackson. Then I called Betty Pfaff to visit and she told me that Lois had been taken by ambulance to the clinic, but she's back home and feeling o.k. I will need to call to see what that is about and how she's feeling. Ned called last night and he and I visited for a while before he talked to Joe. Millie isn't doing very well at all it sounds like. Lots of pain from her back. She had surgery and we thought she might get better, but it doesn't seem like that worked for her.

Today I felt a little ambitious and started way too many things, so today is pretty much lost to catching up and doing things here in the house that need to be done. Took the king size bed pads and everything all the way down to the mattress off and washed them and they are out on the line. Dishes, laundry and vacuuming are done. Got a roast in the crock pot for dinner and that's really smelling good. And whether he likes them or not, I'm going to have some of those already prepared mashed potatoes with it and maybe some muffins, a vegetable and salad. Worked on the emails this morning. I've always got 10,000 things going. I have to quit that one of these days. My desk is covered with post it notes of things I need to get done, actually to remind me of it all.

The mosquitoes sure weren't very bad here this year, and looks like they are about over. Even the horse flies aren't bad. Raven hates being outside in the bugs though. She has lots shorter hair and more bare skin than Sparky. She really bangs on the door to get in when the flies are out.

Two fish and game guys drove in in their truck this morning and walked across our field to the creek. First they talked to Joe out on his tractor. So I asked Joe what they were doing. He said they wanted to go check out the fish in the creek and so he said, "Hell, go ahead". All I could do is laugh. There are no fish in our part of the creek, there is hardly a channel it's such a bog or marsh - a muddy pond here and there. But who knows, maybe they had a legitimate assignment or something. There are fish further downstream. I'm seriously concerned that the creek will be no more in the not too distant future.

My Violet is Blooming - It was recently repotted.

Monday July 2 2007

Running on the Road - Sparky with Raven in the Distance.

HA! This was kind of fun. I started reading my new book on the photo program - Teach Yourself Visually Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 - and I really like the way they are teaching, lots of illustrations and not much text. Anyway I got to clicking around in my Photoshop Elements program and this "thing" is called a cookie cutter, the first time I've ever found it. I'll experiment on you - I suppose if I knew how the cutout background could be made beige to match the page, or any color. Not sure how much time I'll have but I'll keep at it because I know the program can be very professional if you know how to use it. I want to begin learning how to work on my website, beginning with getting the photos the best possible.

I dug some iris bulbs for the museum, enough for 1/2 a big yard garbage bag, got a shower and washed my hair and left about 10:15 a.m. Took the bulbs to the museum, walked the dogs, found a parking place with tree shade to leave them in and walked about a block to JoAnne's office. She is the planner. The purpose was to meet with Louise, President and executive consultant who will do the next step, if I understand it right, of helping to decide what is feasible for our location and needs. She sure knew a lot about this kind of thing it seemed. We had lunch, sandwiches from Obo's Deli which were very good. there were only five of us at this meeting, then Charm and I had a short time with Louise to talk about what the artists would like at the center. She really threw a curve by asking if our artists could or would run the art center part of the facility. I looked at Charm and wondered if any of us were prepared or wanted to do that, and we decided no we wouldn't. We are prepared to be artists and pay the rent when we use it, and know we want the facility, but I believe running it is up to a professional staff. We could sure volunteer sometimes though. Louise said a facility like we are thinking of would require about 20 full time staff. WOW!

Ran out fast to Dew Lumber to look for Joe's wire again and they didn't have it. The car thermometer said 91 degrees. Back to town to get the oil changed at 2:30. He said it would be ready by 3. Took the dogs on their leashes and we walked around two blocks. Boy was it hot, and the boys weren't very exuberant either. I went past Josie's photo shop and went in to say hi for a few minutes and we had a good visit. She's afraid of dogs, but she let them come in and sit on the mat by the door. They we so good.

Back to the car joint and my car was out....well, it was out because it never went in yet. So I sat inside and waited, did the relaxing thing. It didn't take too long and there was a couch, that kind that you sink way in and can't hardly get yourself out of, with a fan blowing on me. By the time the car was ready I was cooled off. Next to Faler's for the groceries. That didn't take too long either. Got home about 5. They ran in from the gate. The dogs are worn out. Checked on the cats food and water. Heated up leftover beef stir fry and croissants with salad.

Saw three of the cats after dinner and Traveler was there. Haven't seen Tigger lately and wish I would.

Joe and Raven Go Irrigating

Irrigating is over for this year, so I wanted to get this picture in. Joe turned the water off a few days ago. You can see how dry it looks, especially up at the other end where it he didn't have enough water to irrigate it. It should just be lush green and its not. We could sure use another good rain. I looked at that upper end of the field coming home and it is just crispy critters, all brown. I can hardly bear to see it that way. Joe started to mow the hay this morning, his first day. He does enjoy haying. Its earlier than usual, and quite a bit earlier from years ago.

Today the forest fire is about 90% contained and it burned almost 9000 acres. I couldn't see any smoke when I was in town.

Sunday July 1 2007

Muddy Creek Where the Dogs Swim



Moonrise

Yesterday I worked on getting my last two or three months of WAOW Now Board Perspectives finished up. I got backed up with stuff after I was sick. Its about ready to send in for the newsletter and onto the group email. I skimmed through a lot of the correspondence in order to get comments together from everyone to finish up a bylaws section on membership. That's next to get finished. We've decided I will help Linda with the Membership Chairman position, so I have to get information from her and do some of that next.

Sat and did more phone calls about the TV. Talked to Dean at the Idaho Falls Best Buy. It was not encouraging. I got very emphatic with him that they WOULD either replace or fix the TV and stop giving me the run around. He sounded like he would try to get it resolved. No one wants to come here, but they have my money, the year warranty isn't even up yet, and I bought their four year plan which they said included someone coming and checking on it twice a year - never seen them or neither was able to get their geek squad to even answer a question email when the computer was giving me trouble - I had to take it to town to get it worked on twice. Am thinking if it would be the smart or stupid thing to do to ask for the money back for that service plan and the one on my computer. Anyway it will be 2 to 4 days before they even call me to say what they will do and the holiday isn't going to help that estimate at all. The closest place for Sony to come from is Utah. He didn't talk like that was going to happen. Best Buy sounds like they won't come at all.

Worked on my flower pots a little more, and have just a few more to go. It must be taking me so long because before, in between, and after I keep going and doing other things. But at least this last bunch of new ones should be safe from freezing. I'll get a picture of the big new pot. Its by the back door right now. Not sure that will be where I leave it, but it looks nice there. Made Joe pancakes and sausage for breakfast this morning.

It gets warm in the afternoon. They said it was 101 on the bank temp sign the other day in Pinedale, but I've noticed going by if the sun is shining on it it gets a lot hotter reading than my car temp says. I have an electric fan that I bring in if it gets unbearable.

Those awful crows have left. It was very strange and I don't know what the deal was with them being here and making so much noise for a couple of days. Anyway they are gone.

Tomorrow have to go to Pinedale. Charm and I are going to represent our artists at another meeting for the Feasibility Study and Business Plan for the new Pinedale Community and Fine Arts Center. She and I have an hour with the new consultant they have hired for this phase. So we will be able to really lay out our wishes. We're especially concerned that they will make it too small. We will have lunch with them and then have the meeting. Today I'll update my notes for that.