Scrub Oak

Good Bye from Scrub Oak

After two and a half years of keeping up this blog I think it's time to say goodbye.  I've loved "meeting" you all and will check in on my friends as usual.  I've decided to return to keeping a private journal and the thing is....there's just not enough time for both.  So - let's just carry on, shall we?!  Have a wonderful life, all.

 

Piñatas, Barn Kitties, and Family

Oh, what a fine Labor Day weekend.   The daughters and grandchildren have come for a visit and I am in my glory.

 

Mama Cat surprized us with five new barn kitties.  Emily needs to take this one home.

 

And Jessica broke her birthday piñata with one whack. Well, maybe two.

 

 

 

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies and Overdue Paperwork

This is my weekend to be on call for the mental health center and I've made it to Sunday morning - Yay!  I had it in my mind that I'd get some overdue paperwork for work caught up this weekend, thinking that since I was working anyway I may as well go in and write service plan reviews, too.  Well, to hell with that idea.  I clued in to how wretched I was feeling about the whole thing.  It wasn't really that difficult of an insight because I was very into being the Victim all this past week until I realized that I was setting myself up to do just that. 

So, so, so.   This morning we walked up the road with the dogs and were invited for coffee on old Bob and Bonnie's porch.    They're very sweet folks and just neighborly.  We discussed the excitement yesterday in which lightening had started two fires in the higher ravines above our places.  Somehow the volunteer fire folks thought it was our house that was lightening struck and all sorts of folks showed up to help out.  We've been lucky this year and have gotten so much rain with our lightening that although people are cautious, they're not so worried as they might have been in recent years.  It looks like both those fires are out this morning,  but will bear watching in days to come.  The lightening struck trees can smoulder for days just waiting to flare up. 

I'm making vanishing oatmeal raisin cookies this morning (because carbs are good when you're into being the Victim).  This is a great recipe from Quakers Oats that I've made for simply years.   I think it will be a good day to work on my stitchery, watch the rain, and eat a few cookies:) I'll do that paperwork that is waiting another day. 

Delaware Pullets and Fall Garden Plantings

 

(from Mcmurrayhatchery.com)

We searched out new pullets this morning and found five 12 week old Delawares in Colorado Springs.  Right in a downtown backyard which I think is wonderful to see!  The owner had bought too many and was looking to "relocate" some of them.  And they're very healthy and friendly.  So now we have replacement hens for those that Wiley Coyote took for her own.  We've seen her sneaking around the hen house and I know that she's some pups somewhere.  The best we can do is only let the hens out when we're sure to be right there with them.  For now.  I'm looking into some chicken tractor plans but the only ones I've seen online cost money to download.  sigh.  Everyone wants money.  Have you noticed?

The new pullets are now resting from their relatively long journey in the back of Jerry's Ford pickup and the other hens are quite put out with the new arrivals.  The new chickens have stayed in the hen house and the older ones came out into the chicken yard for the day.  They will get used to each other. 

It was fairly hot today - sunny and breezy.  I worked on a new sun screen for the chicken coop and when I felt my face burning I came in and got the seed trays ready for the fall crop of lettuces and such.  I'd heard that germinating the cool weather stuff in the house at the end of summer guarantees success in your fall garden.  You simply let the seeds pop up and then plant them in the lettuce beds with lots of mulch. 

 

Frost in the Air, Green Beans, and Stepfathers

There's a Fall-ish tinge to the air here in the Rockies.  The San Luis Valley had a frost advisory last night.  We got our garden in rather late this year because of confusion about where we'd be living (more on that later) when the harvest came in, but the garden is starting to produce and I have some thoughts about extending the growing season so that we can "catch up".

 

I came home from work tonight and threw on my jeans and my ratty wool plaid bathrobe and went down to the garden.  Started picking green beans which, overnight it seems, had grown into something edible.  Now, whenever I pick green beans I think of my stepfather, Tom Kennedy.  I remember how he used to come into the house with a basket of beans and with great delight would cook them up for supper.  All of them at once.  He'd dolly them up with lots of butter, pepper, and onions.  After supper he would pour off the pot liquor into a tall glass and - to the absolute horror of my brother and I -drink it with relish.  He'd even smack his lips for more effect.   

I haven't yet gotten the taste for green bean juice, heavy on the butter, but I do love a green bean pot.  Fresh green beans, onions, bacon or ham chunks, potatoes, basil, bay leaf, and pepper.  Tonight I added some sun-dried tomatoes that I dehydrated over the weekend.

 

And when I pick beans I always think of my stepfather who taught me to love a garden.

Uncle Joe

 

I've been back to my beautiful home state of Michigan to attend Uncle Joe's funeral.  I was only 18 months old when my own father died so my uncles were very important to me.  I wonder if they knew that?  Wish I'd told them.  I got home late last night from a whirlwind weekend filled with wonderful family and lots of memories.  I knew I had this picture of Uncle Joe and me somewhere and went through dozens of drawers and photo packets looking for it today. 

I also found this picture of Cousin Jan and me (on the right) wearing our Christmas present from Aunt Peggy and Uncle Joe.  It's too cute, right?

 

 

Just for Happiness

Work Dreams, Penne Pasta, and Night Breezes

I had dreams last night.  In one my husband and our best friends were drowning.  I knew I couldn't save them and I despaired.  Just at the moment of the deepest grief they resurfaced and were wet and spluttering but very much alive.  And early this morning I had another dream that the new clinical notes at work took about an hour and half to complete per client per session.   I was drowning in clinical notes yet to be written.  It was horrible. 

Tonight we grilled lamb chops and I made penne pasta tossed with sauteed pine nuts, sweet red bells, green onions, garlic, and romano cheese.  It was wonderful and so undrowning-like. 

I've just come in from trimming the "water wise" garden.  At 8:30 p.m. there is still some light and the night breezes starting up are heaven sent.  Extremly grounding, not at all like drowning.

Pike's Peak, Elk Calves, and Reevaluation.

 

(from pikespeakgallery.com)

On my way to work this morning I discovered three elk calves who were trying to jump the fence.  They were adorable and so distressed that I stopped the jeep and got out with the intention of...what? helping them jump the fence?  (This isn't my photo but it was in the general area of the proposed rescue operations.)  The view in the morning is softer and the Peak is purpler, uh...more purple.  We have had rains and it is a lovely soft green now with sunflowers growing where ever they please.  Anyway, back to the elk calves.  I pulled over and my husband pulled over and then a coworker and neighbor pulled over just to watch them cavort and bawl for their mamas.  (I know, I know!  aagh!  Why don't we ride together?  We're all going in the same direction so what's the deal?  Well, the deal is that all of our jobs require our own transportation.  I'm on call today and am "required" to have my own vehicle, Des has to go to Pueblo to check on our clients at the state hospital and is on call tonight so will need her own transportation, and my husband has to have a way to escape the prison at least once a day. The absurdity of this came so very clear this morning and I am going to rectify it.) Anyway, back to those elk calves.  

  

(image from my-photo-blog.com)

So, we watched them and searched for their mamas and wondered it they were triplets as they were so identical in size and color.  They ran away from the fence when they sensed we were paying too much attention to them.  It was a nice start to the day and I thought about the event several times.  Each time brought a smile to my face.  They were gone this evening so I'm sure they found the Way.   

The Dog Days, Fire, and Cat Cuddling

Good morning!  It's another hot one today and I'm sitting here in the cool of the house hibernating.  I do cold weather so much better and I'm pretty sure it's genetic.  I hung the sheets out early and did some garden watering. 

We had our first fire of the season up around Newlin Creek.  It started yesterday but it seems almost out this morning. I hope so - it's always been such a lovely place for a day hike.  The rains up until a few days ago have really helped.

  

(Photo by Someone Other Than Me)

The grandkids visited us all week.  Whew!  If I heard "Grandma?!" once I heard it a thousand times.   These are Jerry's daughter's children so not technically my "blood" but damn close enough. 

There was lots of cat cuddling,

 

Campouts,

 

Castle exploration,

  

Merry-go riding,

 

and "mountain" climbing.

 

(the mountain climbing could have been a bit much for them).

It's blissfully quiet here now.  I kind of miss them.