Thursday, January 30, 2014
Storm a comin'
I'm ready for some mountain time~SkyWatch Friday~013114
Another exhausting day
For some reason yesterday morning I forgot to take my blood pressure pill and by yesterday afternoon, I was shaky, irritable, and exhausted. I've been on this medication now for over 8 years and my doctor informed me I CANNOT go off it. DARN! I had high blood pressure at one point, but now (according to my workman's comp doctor), it is too low! Does anybody have a problem with low blood pressure?
Anyway, our son wanted us to come down to his house and fix dinner for his family, but I was too tired to go anywhere. Some afternoons are just like that...I'm too tired, too exhausted, too cranky to do anything but take a nap after school and yesterday was one of those afternoons. So, we had sandwiches for dinner. I got a good night's sleep and I feel fine today. At least I only have two more days of school and then THE WEEKEND! :-)
Anyway, our son wanted us to come down to his house and fix dinner for his family, but I was too tired to go anywhere. Some afternoons are just like that...I'm too tired, too exhausted, too cranky to do anything but take a nap after school and yesterday was one of those afternoons. So, we had sandwiches for dinner. I got a good night's sleep and I feel fine today. At least I only have two more days of school and then THE WEEKEND! :-)
Monday, January 27, 2014
Drought
I don't know if you saw this article:
http://theguzzler.blogspot.com/2014/01/colorado-river-flow-cut-sharply-across.html
But it's about the drought here in the West and the cuts in delivery of Colorado River water. I personally don't remember a January and December as dry as this. Our acacia trees are already blooming! That's UNHEARD OF in January!!! And, temps in the 80's?
Thank goodness we don't have a front lawn. Instead, we have several large trees which shade the yard (and house) during summer. They also help to keep our air conditioning costs down. We
have a 6 foot fence around the front yard so the dogs can go out there and it helps keep "intruders" out. We are only a block off a major street here in Palm Desert and we HAVE had folks ring our doorbell at midnight until we put up the fence! NO more trespassers! I also feel safer with it, especially when the dogs are out front. That's a pic I took of our cottonwood tree out back. And, no, I don't give it extra water since it gets water from the neighbor's sprinklers (which they run twice a day!)...sigh...
I also don't have automatic sprinklers. Instead, I water the trees by hand. I think (I hope) I'm using less water that way.
Oh, and our back "lawn"...yeah, I haven't watered it all fall and winter. It's bermuda grass, so it's pretty indestructible. I just let it go. I need to mow it sometime...oh, well.
These plants pop up all over the yard. I caught this hummingbird yesterday at one of them!
http://theguzzler.blogspot.com/2014/01/colorado-river-flow-cut-sharply-across.html
But it's about the drought here in the West and the cuts in delivery of Colorado River water. I personally don't remember a January and December as dry as this. Our acacia trees are already blooming! That's UNHEARD OF in January!!! And, temps in the 80's?
Thank goodness we don't have a front lawn. Instead, we have several large trees which shade the yard (and house) during summer. They also help to keep our air conditioning costs down. We
I also don't have automatic sprinklers. Instead, I water the trees by hand. I think (I hope) I'm using less water that way.
Oh, and our back "lawn"...yeah, I haven't watered it all fall and winter. It's bermuda grass, so it's pretty indestructible. I just let it go. I need to mow it sometime...oh, well.
These plants pop up all over the yard. I caught this hummingbird yesterday at one of them!
Raw food diet for CATS?
I was reading up on a raw food diet for cats. I've had cats throughout my 61 years of life. They have always been fed kibble. Mine won't eat anything besides Purina Cat Chow (the blue bag) and an occasional bird. However, now that I'm feeding the dogs a raw diet (and yes, they need more raw food today...sigh...), the cats come running over each and every time I feed the dogs! Hmmm....they especially enjoy the raw chicken!
So, I read up on a raw food diet for cats. Unfortunately, there is NO WAY our kids would come over here and mess with all that for the cats when we would be gone on vacation. Besides, my cats tend to live LONG LIVES and all they get is the Purina. Loki, my white cat, is 17. Our gray cat "Mr. Gray" is of an unknown age (our daughter dropped him off at our house when one of her students moved several years ago). Abby is now 5, but she stays indoors. She always hops on my lap when I eat dinner and I always give her a little sample of my chicken or lamb or whatever I'm eating. She's content with that!
I think for now, at least, I'll just leave things as they are. The cats seem happy and well fed and why mess with that?
So, I read up on a raw food diet for cats. Unfortunately, there is NO WAY our kids would come over here and mess with all that for the cats when we would be gone on vacation. Besides, my cats tend to live LONG LIVES and all they get is the Purina. Loki, my white cat, is 17. Our gray cat "Mr. Gray" is of an unknown age (our daughter dropped him off at our house when one of her students moved several years ago). Abby is now 5, but she stays indoors. She always hops on my lap when I eat dinner and I always give her a little sample of my chicken or lamb or whatever I'm eating. She's content with that!
I think for now, at least, I'll just leave things as they are. The cats seem happy and well fed and why mess with that?
Sunday, January 26, 2014
A visit with a friend
I always LOVE to stop at her place, which is up in Pinyon. There are wild doves, SCRUB JAYS, rabbits, and even coyotes up there. She finally put a fence all around the back of her property. She has chickens and a goat and the CUTEST pork bellied pig, "Hungry", who lives up to his name. He gets into the alfalfa and then comes out and plops down on one of her dogs' beds! And, he loves to have his tummy scratched!
We sat and talked for three hours yesterday. But, the time just flew by and by 1:30, I was hungry, so I drove home, grabbed a healthy salad and a shot of wheatgrass, and went home. I'm trying to avoid the flu which is going around the valley and county...(fingers crossed...)
Photo is of a dead pinyon in her yard. Apparently you aren't allowed to cut DOWN a pinyon, but this one is dead anyway, so the branches were TRIMMED. It is one of the oldest pinyons up there and at one time, I'm sure it was a magnificent tree. It still is...I'm always drawn to it.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Raw food diet?
I've switched our dogs over to a raw food diet. I NEVER fed them Purina. I have fed them Pedigree, which they liked, but their skin and coats didn't shine. I was NEVER happy with a kibble diet and, believe me, I've tried some expensive brands. They do like Taste of the Wild, which IS expensive, and I've had them on the COSTCO (now "natural") kibble of lamb and sweet potato, but even that was...underwhelming. So, like Sue (http://rvsueandcrew.net/the-crew-gets-a-raw-deal/), I did some research online and decided to switch both girls to a raw food diet.
Is it more expensive than kibble? YOU BET! But, I can stop at WINCO (off Interstate 10 at the Jackson street exit) and buy a package of raw ground turkey for $4.00, a package of chicken legs for about $5.00, a HUGE container of yogurt (which lasts for a couple of weeks), one of cottage cheese, which also lasts a couple of weeks, and a package of frozen beef bones for $3 or $4 (I forget now...) So, basically, I spend about $15.00 a week on raw dog food. A large bag of the COSTCO kibble is about $30.00 and would last 3 weeks, so I spend an extra $15.00 a month for a raw food diet....BUT...I really think it is WORTH IT! :-) How about you?
We are also fortunate to now have a small, neighborhood WalMart just 2 blocks away and I can zip up there and restock, instead of driving 12 miles to WINCO (from our house). So, I have a steady supply of raw options.
I haven't tried feeding them raw pork yet. I had a second cousin who raised pigs up in Washington state, near Yakima, and his pigs were CLEAN! And, your dog SHOULD be able to eat pork...I just haven't tried it on them yet.
Oh, and now Lady, our German Shepherd, shares her raw chicken with...LOKI, our senile white cat. We figure Loki is 17 years old now. He rarely moves far from the front porch and takes a sun nap on my chair out front every day! Silly old thing. But, when I throw out a couple of chicken legs for Lady, MAN, does he come running! Oh, and sometimes I'll feed them a little can of anchovies. WalMart also has packages of filet salmon for $1.00 (the pink package...in the canned meat aisle)...
If you want to read up on a raw food diet, I follow one on Facebook...
Here is their website:
http://www.k9instinct.com/ (You can find their Facebook page on this site)...
This was VERY helpful for me, so please head on over there and read on!
***HOWEVER*** they DO love the Trader Joe's peanut butter dog treats, so I do spoil them with those once a day! They know they get one every morning! :-)
***UPDATE*** 6:45 a.m. I made a run to our neighborhood WalMart store (which opens at 6:00 a.m.) and stocked up for this week and next. The cottage cheese was actually the most expensive item (at $7.38)...I think from now on I'll buy that at WINCO. Yogurt was $4.28, which is about the same. I also stocked up on 3 cans of anchovies ($0.88 each, which I believe is the same as WINCO), and 1 bag of rice, which I also like to give them. I bought 1 package of drumsticks for $6.78, a package of gizzards for $1.73, 2 packages of pink salmon at $1.98 each (GOOD PRICE), and 18 natural-raised eggs for $3.48. So, really, the only thing I might buy at WINCO would be the cottage cheese. Oh, and I forgot the raw turkey...My TOTAL was $32.09, but some of the items will last for 2 weeks and I have a full-sized refrigerator at home.
And, remember, I have TWO large dogs, a German Shepherd and a black lab mix. This should last them 2 weeks, except for the chicken and the gizzards, so I can run out and restock that.
Is it more expensive than kibble? YOU BET! But, I can stop at WINCO (off Interstate 10 at the Jackson street exit) and buy a package of raw ground turkey for $4.00, a package of chicken legs for about $5.00, a HUGE container of yogurt (which lasts for a couple of weeks), one of cottage cheese, which also lasts a couple of weeks, and a package of frozen beef bones for $3 or $4 (I forget now...) So, basically, I spend about $15.00 a week on raw dog food. A large bag of the COSTCO kibble is about $30.00 and would last 3 weeks, so I spend an extra $15.00 a month for a raw food diet....BUT...I really think it is WORTH IT! :-) How about you?
We are also fortunate to now have a small, neighborhood WalMart just 2 blocks away and I can zip up there and restock, instead of driving 12 miles to WINCO (from our house). So, I have a steady supply of raw options.
I haven't tried feeding them raw pork yet. I had a second cousin who raised pigs up in Washington state, near Yakima, and his pigs were CLEAN! And, your dog SHOULD be able to eat pork...I just haven't tried it on them yet.
Oh, and now Lady, our German Shepherd, shares her raw chicken with...LOKI, our senile white cat. We figure Loki is 17 years old now. He rarely moves far from the front porch and takes a sun nap on my chair out front every day! Silly old thing. But, when I throw out a couple of chicken legs for Lady, MAN, does he come running! Oh, and sometimes I'll feed them a little can of anchovies. WalMart also has packages of filet salmon for $1.00 (the pink package...in the canned meat aisle)...
If you want to read up on a raw food diet, I follow one on Facebook...
Here is their website:
http://www.k9instinct.com/ (You can find their Facebook page on this site)...
This was VERY helpful for me, so please head on over there and read on!
***HOWEVER*** they DO love the Trader Joe's peanut butter dog treats, so I do spoil them with those once a day! They know they get one every morning! :-)
***UPDATE*** 6:45 a.m. I made a run to our neighborhood WalMart store (which opens at 6:00 a.m.) and stocked up for this week and next. The cottage cheese was actually the most expensive item (at $7.38)...I think from now on I'll buy that at WINCO. Yogurt was $4.28, which is about the same. I also stocked up on 3 cans of anchovies ($0.88 each, which I believe is the same as WINCO), and 1 bag of rice, which I also like to give them. I bought 1 package of drumsticks for $6.78, a package of gizzards for $1.73, 2 packages of pink salmon at $1.98 each (GOOD PRICE), and 18 natural-raised eggs for $3.48. So, really, the only thing I might buy at WINCO would be the cottage cheese. Oh, and I forgot the raw turkey...My TOTAL was $32.09, but some of the items will last for 2 weeks and I have a full-sized refrigerator at home.
And, remember, I have TWO large dogs, a German Shepherd and a black lab mix. This should last them 2 weeks, except for the chicken and the gizzards, so I can run out and restock that.
Friday, January 24, 2014
ANOTHER AD!
I see that there's another ad popping up on my blog this morning, as well as on other blogs. Al had one. Nuzzling Muzzles had one.
Is there SOME WAY to GET RID of these ANNOYING ADS????
Is there SOME WAY to GET RID of these ANNOYING ADS????
Old man cottonwood
There's a huge cottonwood tree on the Cahuilla Indian Reservation. It's up in their oak forest, standing tall. I often stop throughout the seasons to take a photo of it, but now the turnouts say, "For EMERGENCY only." Hmmm...I'm not sure what that is all about! Anyway, there are a couple other cottonwood trees next to it and behind it, but they aren't as tall or as majestic as this one. I often see hawks in one of the other trees, but I rarely see them in this particular cottonwood. In fact, as I drove off Monday morning, yup...I spotted a nice, fat hawk in the other tree!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
B is for birds...ABC Wednesday~012214
Silly horses Monday
Boy, it sure was nice having an extra day off! I didn't get up to see the horses Saturday or Sunday. In fact, the ranch owner emailed me asking where I was! But my trainer comes on Monday and I thought I'd just go up then. I'm also finding that after working all week, by Saturday, I'm too tired to do ANYTHING. PERIOD. I need a day of peace and quiet or a day to run errands. And, Sunday...well, I grabbed my camera and went for a walk up on the Henderson trail in Palm Desert (a short walk)...THAT did me in.
But, by Monday, I was eager and ready for some horse time! :-) Up the mountain road I went. It was a tad cloudy over the weekend, but we still have no rain in our 10 day forecast...sigh...
It was breezy and windy by the time I got up to the horse ranch. My trainer wasn't there yet, so I took Gigondas, who is my big, red thoroughbred mare, over to the tie rack for some grooming. I also cleaned out her feet. She really has nice, strong, healthy feet (which is GOOD!). She's always stood nicely at the tie rack and has let people clean her hooves. For several years, however, nobody could get near her ears. My trainer now thinks people grabbed her by the ears and dragged her around. Ugh! How cruel & heartless! But, now, at least, we can pretty much brush her all over. I took her down to the arena, lunged her, and let her go. Boy, does she LOVE to run! I think she's about 14 years old now (I've estimated her birth year as 2000), so she is in her prime. But, she still loves to run. I went in the arena with her and she just followed me around, like a dog! I always talk to her and I'm teaching her "Stay" and "come". She's very responsive...(and a clever girl!). She always heads to the gate and waits when she's ready to go back to her corral and she did that yesterday, so back I took her. She knows she gets some "treats" when she returns to her corral...nothing dumb about her!
By then my trainer arrived. She took Scout out next and I led her over to the tie rack. She's my mustang mare. We are saddle breaking her, but NOBODY and I mean NOBODY wants to get on her back...she's too darn quick! So, I really don't know what to do with her...She leads well now, although on the way back to her corral she got antsy twice when behind another horse who was in the cross ties, so we had her go back and practice again and again. By the third time, she was okay...Scout has always been a challenge for me. Frankly, I secretly think she's smarter than I am!
Quad was next for grooming and R&R in the arena. All the horses have their winter coats, which make them hot in this weather. Gigondas was really sweating and even Quad was, too. It was probably in the mid 70's up at the ranch yesterday. That is NOT typical January weather. Usually by now, they have freezing nights and days in the 50's or 60's and RAIN. Alas, no rain is in their forecast, either...
Finally, she took out Lucille, who is now my riding horse. Unfortunately, when she was lunging Lucille, who seemed to be "off", Lucille came up a little sore, so we put her back in her corral and she'll get several days of rest. Sunni went up to the round pen and ran around, then came down to the tie rack. Since he's broken away twice, we just STAND there with him, relax him, and talk. He's getting better. One time she took him out, tied him, and he panicked and broke away and went right through the neighbors' barbed wire fence. Yes, he had some tears on his chest, which the ranch owner doctored up. I was horrified to see this, however. Apparently he FINALLY stopped in their neighbor's yard! ACK! We don't want him to do that again, so we are SLOWLY getting him used to just being at the tie rack (we don't tie him)...we just stand there with him on his lead rope. He's always been "flighty" and I'm sure I'll never ride him...While he DOES trust me completely, I don't trust him not to panic and take off with me.
Photos of Gigondas, Scout, with my trainer, and Quad.
But, by Monday, I was eager and ready for some horse time! :-) Up the mountain road I went. It was a tad cloudy over the weekend, but we still have no rain in our 10 day forecast...sigh...
It was breezy and windy by the time I got up to the horse ranch. My trainer wasn't there yet, so I took Gigondas, who is my big, red thoroughbred mare, over to the tie rack for some grooming. I also cleaned out her feet. She really has nice, strong, healthy feet (which is GOOD!). She's always stood nicely at the tie rack and has let people clean her hooves. For several years, however, nobody could get near her ears. My trainer now thinks people grabbed her by the ears and dragged her around. Ugh! How cruel & heartless! But, now, at least, we can pretty much brush her all over. I took her down to the arena, lunged her, and let her go. Boy, does she LOVE to run! I think she's about 14 years old now (I've estimated her birth year as 2000), so she is in her prime. But, she still loves to run. I went in the arena with her and she just followed me around, like a dog! I always talk to her and I'm teaching her "Stay" and "come". She's very responsive...(and a clever girl!). She always heads to the gate and waits when she's ready to go back to her corral and she did that yesterday, so back I took her. She knows she gets some "treats" when she returns to her corral...nothing dumb about her!
By then my trainer arrived. She took Scout out next and I led her over to the tie rack. She's my mustang mare. We are saddle breaking her, but NOBODY and I mean NOBODY wants to get on her back...she's too darn quick! So, I really don't know what to do with her...She leads well now, although on the way back to her corral she got antsy twice when behind another horse who was in the cross ties, so we had her go back and practice again and again. By the third time, she was okay...Scout has always been a challenge for me. Frankly, I secretly think she's smarter than I am!
Quad was next for grooming and R&R in the arena. All the horses have their winter coats, which make them hot in this weather. Gigondas was really sweating and even Quad was, too. It was probably in the mid 70's up at the ranch yesterday. That is NOT typical January weather. Usually by now, they have freezing nights and days in the 50's or 60's and RAIN. Alas, no rain is in their forecast, either...
Finally, she took out Lucille, who is now my riding horse. Unfortunately, when she was lunging Lucille, who seemed to be "off", Lucille came up a little sore, so we put her back in her corral and she'll get several days of rest. Sunni went up to the round pen and ran around, then came down to the tie rack. Since he's broken away twice, we just STAND there with him, relax him, and talk. He's getting better. One time she took him out, tied him, and he panicked and broke away and went right through the neighbors' barbed wire fence. Yes, he had some tears on his chest, which the ranch owner doctored up. I was horrified to see this, however. Apparently he FINALLY stopped in their neighbor's yard! ACK! We don't want him to do that again, so we are SLOWLY getting him used to just being at the tie rack (we don't tie him)...we just stand there with him on his lead rope. He's always been "flighty" and I'm sure I'll never ride him...While he DOES trust me completely, I don't trust him not to panic and take off with me.
Photos of Gigondas, Scout, with my trainer, and Quad.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Ads???
I've noticed that a couple of ads have popped up on my blog. I DID NOT AUTHORIZE these ads.
Is it somewhere written in Google's Terms of Service?
And, especially one for Time Warner, which I hate????
What gives?
***UPDATE*** I went on my blog this afternoon at 3:05 p.m. and the AD WAS GONE! POOF! GONE! THANK GOODNESS!
Is it somewhere written in Google's Terms of Service?
And, especially one for Time Warner, which I hate????
What gives?
***UPDATE*** I went on my blog this afternoon at 3:05 p.m. and the AD WAS GONE! POOF! GONE! THANK GOODNESS!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Birds in the yard
So, I have REALLY wanted to try to get some nice bird shots of the birds that come visit the feeders in our yard. I have several different kinds of feeders...seed ones, thistle ones, flat ones (old bottoms to glazed pots), and I've even turned out bird bath into a feeder. The birds especially love that one! They NEVER used it as a bird bath and I can't figure out what it wrong with it, since I've seen other bloggers with it...sigh...
Anyway, I attached my camera to my tripod, took a chair, and sat down. Nothing. No birds. They completely stayed away. And, the Cooper's hawk took a flight through the yard and he/she scared everything off for about 15 minutes. I didn't even hear it, but every bird in the yard took off, and then I saw it swoop silently through the branches. Man, can it move!
Next, I took 3 feeders out front, next to the driveway, where I put birdseed on the fence between us and our neighbor. It took maybe 15 minutes for birds to appear. I was getting tired of standing, so I came inside the front gate and got a chair for our outdoor table (which is a high table)...It's really a nice table. I should stop feeding the cats on it, but then the dogs would eat all the cat food...sigh...
Anyway, I sat there on my chair, with my tripod and camera and basically just focused on one hanging bird feeder and clicked away. Out of 100 photos, I think I got maybe 10 good ones. Here are a few. I know I have a LONG way to go, but today was a beginning! :-)
Anyway, I attached my camera to my tripod, took a chair, and sat down. Nothing. No birds. They completely stayed away. And, the Cooper's hawk took a flight through the yard and he/she scared everything off for about 15 minutes. I didn't even hear it, but every bird in the yard took off, and then I saw it swoop silently through the branches. Man, can it move!
Next, I took 3 feeders out front, next to the driveway, where I put birdseed on the fence between us and our neighbor. It took maybe 15 minutes for birds to appear. I was getting tired of standing, so I came inside the front gate and got a chair for our outdoor table (which is a high table)...It's really a nice table. I should stop feeding the cats on it, but then the dogs would eat all the cat food...sigh...
Anyway, I sat there on my chair, with my tripod and camera and basically just focused on one hanging bird feeder and clicked away. Out of 100 photos, I think I got maybe 10 good ones. Here are a few. I know I have a LONG way to go, but today was a beginning! :-)
Classical music?
I read Al's blog every morning, while I'm drinking my ONE cup of coffee. I've never been a huge coffee drinker, but that one cup is a BIG ONE! HA!
Anyway, Al was talking about hearing classical music over a loud speaker at a nearby school....
http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2014/01/i-think-this-might-have-been-mighty.html
I've often played classical music for my students. We have a story coming up about a young boy whose grandfather played Beethoven for him. As a child, I grew up learning classical music. I was a classically-trained pianist and my piano teacher (who I ADORED) lived next to us and was also my godmother. She had two grand pianos in her living room. I would play on one and she would model how my piece SHOULD sound on the other one. My mother was also a violinist and was first chair for many, many years in the Whittier college orchestra. She used to give violin lessons, but she gave up on me...couldn't stand my squeeking and squawking!
I remember one year when the kids got noisy, I screamed, "If you don't be QUIET, I'm going to put on some opera!" And, I did. I put on Carmen (not the loud pieces...)...
They LOVED it. They often requested, after that, that I "put on the opera"...(shaking head...go figure...)
I did a paper in college about music therapy and I think I'm going to have to find some CD albums with baroque music for this group. Maybe it will settle them down, especially after lunch. I was talking with a colleague who reminded me that this group was the group that sent one teacher OUT on stress leave. My colleague is thinking about doing that, also. I sometimes sit with my fingers in my ears and go to my little "cabin in the woods"...YES, they are THAT LOUD! Friday afternoon they had to sit with their heads down for 10 minutes. They couldn't do it. I counted about 3 minutes that they were actually quiet...sigh...that's just the way they are.
Sometimes I think there was something in the water that year... Photo is of our daughter. She played in the Redlands University symphony orchestra when she was getting her master's degree there.
Anyway, Al was talking about hearing classical music over a loud speaker at a nearby school....
http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2014/01/i-think-this-might-have-been-mighty.html
I've often played classical music for my students. We have a story coming up about a young boy whose grandfather played Beethoven for him. As a child, I grew up learning classical music. I was a classically-trained pianist and my piano teacher (who I ADORED) lived next to us and was also my godmother. She had two grand pianos in her living room. I would play on one and she would model how my piece SHOULD sound on the other one. My mother was also a violinist and was first chair for many, many years in the Whittier college orchestra. She used to give violin lessons, but she gave up on me...couldn't stand my squeeking and squawking!
I remember one year when the kids got noisy, I screamed, "If you don't be QUIET, I'm going to put on some opera!" And, I did. I put on Carmen (not the loud pieces...)...
They LOVED it. They often requested, after that, that I "put on the opera"...(shaking head...go figure...)
I did a paper in college about music therapy and I think I'm going to have to find some CD albums with baroque music for this group. Maybe it will settle them down, especially after lunch. I was talking with a colleague who reminded me that this group was the group that sent one teacher OUT on stress leave. My colleague is thinking about doing that, also. I sometimes sit with my fingers in my ears and go to my little "cabin in the woods"...YES, they are THAT LOUD! Friday afternoon they had to sit with their heads down for 10 minutes. They couldn't do it. I counted about 3 minutes that they were actually quiet...sigh...that's just the way they are.
Sometimes I think there was something in the water that year... Photo is of our daughter. She played in the Redlands University symphony orchestra when she was getting her master's degree there.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Changes
I will be 62 soon (next month) and while watching "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", I realized that I'm one of those "old people"! YES! I almost couldn't believe it, but it's TRUE! I've slowed down, I don't type as fast as I used to, I don't process information like I used to, and BELIEVE ME, it isn't as easy for me to get up on a horse (I need a mounting block!). And, my feet just don't work like they used to either. I used to swim, ice skate, and participate in track. In fact, when our son applied to colleges, I used to jog around the streets near out home with him! (That is, until I pulled my Achilles tendon). I struggle to make it through each day at school. Sometimes I just deflate after lunch...
Look, hubby and I are on the "downside" slide toward retirement. I really don't mind it at all. I had 3 weeks off at Christmas and it was a good break. I cleaned the house, I vacuumed, I did dishes, and I did a lot of things that I don't normally have time to do.
I read blogs about people who boondock and think, "Wouldn't that be wonderful? Just get up and GO!"...but with two large dogs, 3 cats, and 5 horses, I don't think boondocking would work! Hubby has maybe one more year of work, then he will retire. After this year, I have two more years. And, you know what? I'm REALLY looking forward to it! :-)
Look, hubby and I are on the "downside" slide toward retirement. I really don't mind it at all. I had 3 weeks off at Christmas and it was a good break. I cleaned the house, I vacuumed, I did dishes, and I did a lot of things that I don't normally have time to do.
I read blogs about people who boondock and think, "Wouldn't that be wonderful? Just get up and GO!"...but with two large dogs, 3 cats, and 5 horses, I don't think boondocking would work! Hubby has maybe one more year of work, then he will retire. After this year, I have two more years. And, you know what? I'm REALLY looking forward to it! :-)
No, we don't have snow! I took this photo a couple of years ago...
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Walking plans
Okay, I USED to take morning walks (before school)...I'd get up, eat breakfast, pack my lunch, assemble my school stuff, and take a 15-20 minute walk at the city-owned golf resort. Sometimes our daughter would call, and I'd be huffing and puffing while talking to her on my cell phone (yes, my SMART phone, my Samsung!) But, it got to be such a hassle, I just quit. Period. I haven't done a morning walk now in over a year. Oh, sure, I do short hiking walks with the camera, but nothing like I was doing a year ago. And, it shows. I NEED to start walking again. I just feel better and my joints work better and I lose weight! THAT's important for a near-62 year old woman! (My birthday is next month...)
So, I was thinking this morning (yes, it hurt!)...maybe I'll do my walking AFTER school. I could CERTAINLY use the time to destress!!! Imagine being locked in a class room with 30 kids for 7 hours? They are usually pretty good until lunch, but after lunch...FORGETABOUTIT! They are extremely "rambunctious". And, I mean, to the point that by 2:00, I just take them out for PE (school ends at 2:35) and anyway, we're mandated to give them 200 minutes of PE every 10 days, so that works out well for me anyway. We have early release days every Wednesday (the kids go home an hour early), so that's like an hour of freedom, even though we have staff meetings or staff development.
I think I'll start... TODAY...! If I leave school right at 3:00, I can make it to the Living Desert Reserve by their "last car in" at 4:00. They close at 5:00, but they don't admit folks after 4. It's always so NICE and QUIET up there, especially in the late afternoon. People with kids and strollers are heading home, there are nice, long, deep afternoon shadows....ahhhhh!!! PEACE and QUIET! :-)
Or, I could just drive up to the Santa Rosa mountain visitors center. They, too, close at 4:00, but their grounds are always open. And, it is open desert up there.
Or, I could go down to the city-owned golf resort and walk along their outer dirt roads. There are ponds there with ducks and I used to often see coyotes there (I used to walk there in the mornings...)...
So, I have lots of options. I just need to get off my *** and DO IT! :-)
So, I was thinking this morning (yes, it hurt!)...maybe I'll do my walking AFTER school. I could CERTAINLY use the time to destress!!! Imagine being locked in a class room with 30 kids for 7 hours? They are usually pretty good until lunch, but after lunch...FORGETABOUTIT! They are extremely "rambunctious". And, I mean, to the point that by 2:00, I just take them out for PE (school ends at 2:35) and anyway, we're mandated to give them 200 minutes of PE every 10 days, so that works out well for me anyway. We have early release days every Wednesday (the kids go home an hour early), so that's like an hour of freedom, even though we have staff meetings or staff development.
I think I'll start... TODAY...! If I leave school right at 3:00, I can make it to the Living Desert Reserve by their "last car in" at 4:00. They close at 5:00, but they don't admit folks after 4. It's always so NICE and QUIET up there, especially in the late afternoon. People with kids and strollers are heading home, there are nice, long, deep afternoon shadows....ahhhhh!!! PEACE and QUIET! :-)
Or, I could just drive up to the Santa Rosa mountain visitors center. They, too, close at 4:00, but their grounds are always open. And, it is open desert up there.
Or, I could go down to the city-owned golf resort and walk along their outer dirt roads. There are ponds there with ducks and I used to often see coyotes there (I used to walk there in the mornings...)...
So, I have lots of options. I just need to get off my *** and DO IT! :-)
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Birds
So, every morning I visit Travels with the Bayfield Bunch and envy Al's bird photos...sigh...
I got it in my head this morning to go out and sit in my car with the window down, since I park it right next to the fence where I feed them, and I figured I could get some bird photos without disturbing them. It worked out well, BUT...
HOW IN TARNATION, AL, do you get those beautiful photos with the birds' wings spread out? (...beating head against steering wheel...) I tried and tried and tried. The little buggers were just too fast for me.
Anyway, here is one out of the 82 I took today...Is there some secret?
By the way, hubby figured out how to upload my photos to my MacBook Air, which I have for school...unfortunately, I can't figure out how to get a photo from THAT to post here...sigh...beating head against chair...
Back to more frustration while I TRY to figure this out...
ANY IDEAS/SUGGESTIONS? I finally got it uploaded by using hubby's laptop, which is NOT an apple product...
I got it in my head this morning to go out and sit in my car with the window down, since I park it right next to the fence where I feed them, and I figured I could get some bird photos without disturbing them. It worked out well, BUT...
HOW IN TARNATION, AL, do you get those beautiful photos with the birds' wings spread out? (...beating head against steering wheel...) I tried and tried and tried. The little buggers were just too fast for me.
Anyway, here is one out of the 82 I took today...Is there some secret?
By the way, hubby figured out how to upload my photos to my MacBook Air, which I have for school...unfortunately, I can't figure out how to get a photo from THAT to post here...sigh...beating head against chair...
Back to more frustration while I TRY to figure this out...
ANY IDEAS/SUGGESTIONS? I finally got it uploaded by using hubby's laptop, which is NOT an apple product...
Drought
In the 38 years that hubby and I have lived here in the desert, I've NEVER seen it this dry. And, it was evident yesterday when I drove up to the mountains and saw the "HIGH WARNING" fire signs. There is NO snow in our local mountains...NONE...
Then, today, I found this article:
http://theguzzler.blogspot.com/2014/01/colorado-river-drought-forces-painful.html
LOOK at the photo of Lake Mead! My goodness! That's low. And, the article says that by 2015, Lake Mead will have a 50/50 chance of rationing water downstream (which has never been done before).
So, those of you envying our warm winter, BEWARE...it comes with a price for us and the price is water.
Then, today, I found this article:
http://theguzzler.blogspot.com/2014/01/colorado-river-drought-forces-painful.html
LOOK at the photo of Lake Mead! My goodness! That's low. And, the article says that by 2015, Lake Mead will have a 50/50 chance of rationing water downstream (which has never been done before).
So, those of you envying our warm winter, BEWARE...it comes with a price for us and the price is water.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Friday
Yesterday was a MUCH better day than Thursday, believe me! First of all, I didn't get locked out of the house (thank goodness). Is it as Al, in Travels with the Bayfield Bunch says, that it's about routines?
http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2014/01/turned-out-to-be-visiting-kind-of-day.html
I'm beginning to think so. I now CAREFULLY put my keys on the last peg of the key holder and I now make sure I have MY keys before I lock the door.
Anyway, yesterday I had enough energy to clean out my car and wash it. I'd ordered some Sal Suds from Dr. Bonner and I was eager to try it out. It did a really good job on my car. I even wiped down the inside! :-) I cleaned out the old acorns (I still miss MY blue jay!), some birdseed, a few rocks, and I found a missing CD under the seat! Oh, and one black mitten. I have no idea where the other one is...sigh...I took out the blankets and shirts and washed them. Time to freshen up! No, my car didn't look like this, but it was pretty close! I feed the birds out front and they reward me by pooping ALL over my car! Hmmm....I think I'll leave it out on the street today. I do need to go somewhere and vacuum it, however. It's amazing how many tiny rocks one can pick up with their shoes! And, I need new windshield wipers. I have one that is held together with black tape (not that we have any RAIN in our forecast for a while...)
http://thebayfieldbunch.com/2014/01/turned-out-to-be-visiting-kind-of-day.html
I'm beginning to think so. I now CAREFULLY put my keys on the last peg of the key holder and I now make sure I have MY keys before I lock the door.
Anyway, yesterday I had enough energy to clean out my car and wash it. I'd ordered some Sal Suds from Dr. Bonner and I was eager to try it out. It did a really good job on my car. I even wiped down the inside! :-) I cleaned out the old acorns (I still miss MY blue jay!), some birdseed, a few rocks, and I found a missing CD under the seat! Oh, and one black mitten. I have no idea where the other one is...sigh...I took out the blankets and shirts and washed them. Time to freshen up! No, my car didn't look like this, but it was pretty close! I feed the birds out front and they reward me by pooping ALL over my car! Hmmm....I think I'll leave it out on the street today. I do need to go somewhere and vacuum it, however. It's amazing how many tiny rocks one can pick up with their shoes! And, I need new windshield wipers. I have one that is held together with black tape (not that we have any RAIN in our forecast for a while...)
Friday, January 10, 2014
LOCKED OUT!!!
Yesterday didn't start well. PERIOD. First, I was going to go to my credit union to have them print me out a new debit card. I had them cancel my old one, since I'd used it at Target during the security breach time. It had been 10 days and I had NOT received it yet and by yesterday I was fed up waiting and waiting for it to arrive in the mail (I STILL have NOT received it...)
So, I grabbed my keys, locked the house, locked the front gate, and hit the car button to unlock it...NOTHING. NO response...hmmmm...I tried it 3x before I realized that I had grabbed hubby's set of car keys (no house keys on them). And, I was locked out of the yard.
Fortunately, the workers arrived across the street. They are tearing up the beautiful tiles and putting in wood laminate flooring, so I figured they might have a screwdriver and I could unscrew the screws on the front gate latch. Nope. The latch covered the screws...no way. So, back I went to ask one of them and bring a crowbar to pry off the latch, which he graciously did. I was able to get into the house, grab my keys, and get to the bank to have them print me out a new debit card. And, I had an extra gate latch, which I was able to install myself :-)
So, I grabbed my keys, locked the house, locked the front gate, and hit the car button to unlock it...NOTHING. NO response...hmmmm...I tried it 3x before I realized that I had grabbed hubby's set of car keys (no house keys on them). And, I was locked out of the yard.
Fortunately, the workers arrived across the street. They are tearing up the beautiful tiles and putting in wood laminate flooring, so I figured they might have a screwdriver and I could unscrew the screws on the front gate latch. Nope. The latch covered the screws...no way. So, back I went to ask one of them and bring a crowbar to pry off the latch, which he graciously did. I was able to get into the house, grab my keys, and get to the bank to have them print me out a new debit card. And, I had an extra gate latch, which I was able to install myself :-)
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Tuesday's view
It was cloudy here in the desert today...cloudy and dreary. While I like clouds, I do not like the cold, dreary weather. I get sluggish. So far I've already had one morning nap, with the dogs curled up either next to me on the bed or beside the bed. I did, HOWEVER, go out and fill 1 large green waste container with piles of leaves in the back yard! Yippie! And, I did rake up all the birdseed left on the ground by the birds. Man, they sure make a mess! So, the front yard is CLEAN and I've started on the back yard (which is a total disaster...sigh...)
Anyway, I did manage to make 2 glass mason jars of kitchen wipes. One has Castille soap and peppermint essential oil and water. The other one has water, vinegar, and lemon essential oil. They both have some of my old kitchen towels which I cut into squares. I HATE having to buy commercial wipes. Have you ever read the ingredients and the warnings on them? (...shudder...)
And, I've done 4 loads of laundry and 2 loads of dishes. The first load was mainly pots and pans, so it really doesn't count. I'm just too lazy to wash them all! The second load was dishes.
For some reason there are a LOT of finches and sparrows at the feeders today. And, this is despite the fact that the Cooper's hawk was out on his favorite telephone pole this morning. Then, when I was working out in the back yard, I glanced up and a Kestrel was up there! Now, at 2:30 p.m., the Cooper's hawk is back. He seems to catch a dove every 3-4 days...sigh...I'm assuming there is a pair of them and they have youngsters to raise?
Anyway, here's a view looking out across our valley today from the Toro Peak webcam, looking north. Even with the gloom, it's about 71 degrees here today.
Anyway, I did manage to make 2 glass mason jars of kitchen wipes. One has Castille soap and peppermint essential oil and water. The other one has water, vinegar, and lemon essential oil. They both have some of my old kitchen towels which I cut into squares. I HATE having to buy commercial wipes. Have you ever read the ingredients and the warnings on them? (...shudder...)
And, I've done 4 loads of laundry and 2 loads of dishes. The first load was mainly pots and pans, so it really doesn't count. I'm just too lazy to wash them all! The second load was dishes.
For some reason there are a LOT of finches and sparrows at the feeders today. And, this is despite the fact that the Cooper's hawk was out on his favorite telephone pole this morning. Then, when I was working out in the back yard, I glanced up and a Kestrel was up there! Now, at 2:30 p.m., the Cooper's hawk is back. He seems to catch a dove every 3-4 days...sigh...I'm assuming there is a pair of them and they have youngsters to raise?
Anyway, here's a view looking out across our valley today from the Toro Peak webcam, looking north. Even with the gloom, it's about 71 degrees here today.
Monday, January 6, 2014
The horses got a trim yesterday and Lucille got new shoes!
I got an email from the ranch owner that the shoer was up at the ranch yesterday morning. Sunday morning? Hmmm...So, I skedaddled, fed the dogs, got gas, and up the mountain road I went. I was there by 9:30 a.m. He did 7 of hers and only 3 of mine. Two didn't need trims: Scout and Gigondas. Quad and Sunni, my two geldings did. Sunni, being part draft, has BIG OLE FEET and he constantly needs a trim. And, Lucille wears shoes on her front two feet, so she needed a trim and new shoes. THERE! All done! I love this farrier. He does thoroughbreds down at San Luis Rey and he is VERY patient with all the horses. I had one guy out one time (my cousin recommended him) and the horses all did okay until it was Sunni's turn. This guy had been a former judge at some horse events and he wanted Sunni to "HO!"...he dragged him around the corral, yelled at him, jerked on his lead rope until I finally said, "OK, he's had ENOUGH!" and asked him to leave. What a jerk. The first time Cathy's farrier came, he sang to Sunni, he walked very slowly, he stroked his head, and Sunni relaxed. WHAT A CONCEPT! I've loved him ever since. Sunni stood absolutely still for him yesterday...didn't move once. He's trimmed all my horses now for a few years and they all love him and trust him, especially Sunni, and that's a big thing. Sunni usually doesn't like men. But, Cathy (the ranch owner) says he loves her husband...go figure! And, that's a good thing, too. It means Sunni trusts other people. Anyway, with my computer down, I took only a couple of photos using my cell phone. For some reason, they always come out too blue...I'll need to look at the settings. I have to return this morning for the horses' lesson as my trainer now comes up on Mondays. That, too, is a good thing because I have a Monday holiday in January and two in February, so I can be there for their lesson! :-)
I always love to peek inside his truck and that's Lucille getting her new shoes.
I always love to peek inside his truck and that's Lucille getting her new shoes.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Oh, no! Computer crash...and a photo storage question
I've been using an old hand-me-down desktop that hubby rounded up somewhere. The thing has a non-working copy of Office, so I can't use WORD or powerpoint...sigh...now it has crashed completely. Fortunately, hubby pulled off my photos last week, and I only have 3 files of them current on its desktop. BUT, he defragged it yesterday and tried to run a free antivirus program, only to find it FULL of malware, which, of course, he blames on my blogging. SAY WHAT? ...sigh...so now the whole thing is shut down and I'm waiting for our son, who is microsoft certified, to come out sometime day and declare whether it will live or die...sigh...
So, please bear with me. I have photos to upload, but hubby's laptop (which I'm using right now) is FULL, so I have no place to store them...
Can anybody recommend a web based site to store photos? Or, a cloud based one? I've always just stored them on the desktop...
THANK YOU for your help! I sure need it!
~~Cheryl Ann~~
So, please bear with me. I have photos to upload, but hubby's laptop (which I'm using right now) is FULL, so I have no place to store them...
Can anybody recommend a web based site to store photos? Or, a cloud based one? I've always just stored them on the desktop...
THANK YOU for your help! I sure need it!
~~Cheryl Ann~~
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Goodbye 2013 and HELLO 2014
I should like this year better than 2013...I was born on the 14th of February (yes, Valentine's Day), which was also my parents' wedding anniversary. 2013 wasn't a bad year...I didn't lose any horses in 2013 and I'm hoping I don't lose any to colic this year. The school year is about 1/3 over (YIPPIE!), and hubby and I are already thinking about our summer travel plans.
We had a HUGE dinner with our son last night. His birthday is December 28 (he's 34 years young...), but had to work that day and our daughter and her family were out of town, but we all got together last night. HA~ Guess who the only sober one was? Yup...me. I had to drive our daughter to her house to get some things she forgot, then I had to drive our son around his complex to find one of his friends who was lost! Finally, I drove hubby home at 11:30 p.m. Just too much "fun".
I don't go back to school until January 13 (THANK GOODNESS!), then I have January 20th off for Martin Luther King's birthday. And, I have two 3-day weekends in February, whoo, whoo! Spring break is March 23-30th, then a LONG April and May, then 2 weeks in June and I'm DONE with school for this year!
I don't make New Year's resolutions, but I DO need to get out and walk. Since school starts early, I'm now planning on doing my walks AFTER school, in the afternoons, at least until it gets too hot. We haven't had much snow in our mountains this season, and the next week looks pretty dry, too, with no snow forecast for at least the next couple of weeks. Hmmm....I wonder what kind of wildflower season we will have this year? Last year's wildflower show was abysmal.
I walked up by the Santa Rosa mountain visitor's center a couple of mornings ago and took this photo...
HAPPY 2014, everybody!
~~Cheryl Ann~~
We had a HUGE dinner with our son last night. His birthday is December 28 (he's 34 years young...), but had to work that day and our daughter and her family were out of town, but we all got together last night. HA~ Guess who the only sober one was? Yup...me. I had to drive our daughter to her house to get some things she forgot, then I had to drive our son around his complex to find one of his friends who was lost! Finally, I drove hubby home at 11:30 p.m. Just too much "fun".
I don't go back to school until January 13 (THANK GOODNESS!), then I have January 20th off for Martin Luther King's birthday. And, I have two 3-day weekends in February, whoo, whoo! Spring break is March 23-30th, then a LONG April and May, then 2 weeks in June and I'm DONE with school for this year!
I don't make New Year's resolutions, but I DO need to get out and walk. Since school starts early, I'm now planning on doing my walks AFTER school, in the afternoons, at least until it gets too hot. We haven't had much snow in our mountains this season, and the next week looks pretty dry, too, with no snow forecast for at least the next couple of weeks. Hmmm....I wonder what kind of wildflower season we will have this year? Last year's wildflower show was abysmal.
I walked up by the Santa Rosa mountain visitor's center a couple of mornings ago and took this photo...
HAPPY 2014, everybody!
~~Cheryl Ann~~
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