Bits and Pieces

We have flocks of birds visiting the feeders, and Bertrando, the squirrel, is sprawled flat across the top of the telephone pole, soaking up the sun.  The skies are blue, with a few high clouds, but the view of the Flatirons, less than 1.5 miles away, is already hazy.  I changed my hair color yesterday - it is now a deep burgundy, with purple highlights.  I'll keep it this color through the summer, and then go back to being a grey, almost totally white, haired old lady again.
   It looks like a very interesting field building up for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday - Patch, the one-eyed horse; Tapwrit, Lookin At Lee, Epicharis, Irish War Cry, Hollywood Handsome, J Boys Echo, Senior Investment, and, possibly, Gormley.  The post position draw will be held Wednesday.
    One of my client's said she'd be staying at home this summer - she told me that in mid-May.  I dropped her off at the airport the third week of May, and picked her up the last week of May; then she flew out on 1 June, and back yesterday.  I'll take her to the airport on Friday, and she says she thinks she'll be back around the 24th of June...  Of course, it isn't "really" summer until June 21 - but I always think of summer as June, July, and August...  I'll have to see what happens in later months.  The client's gentleman friend, who is also a client, left on 31 May and returns 7 June, only to leave again on 9 June, with his lady friend.  I know he has to be in California in late June - but don't know when he'll return from the 9 June trip.  Gotta say that this job is always interesting, and never the same any day!  The first client's daughter, who is currently living with her Mom, will be going to a wedding the last weekend of June - and I have been asked to care for the family house and critters for that weekend - but the Mom said she'd be back then - but that's the weekend the gentleman leaves for California - I'll just have to wait and see what happens....
    Beatrice, my roommate, is African-American.  Her maternal grandmother was a Louisiana Creole named Annie DeClouette.  I'm working on her family tree, since we've received her DNA results from 23andMe.  I've been able to trace her DeClouette line back the Governor of Bienvienido, Cuba in the 1700s.  Her paternal line I have been able to trace back to a slave named Priest Trickles, who was born in South Carolina in 1820.  We're heading down to the African-American History Library in Denver today to do more research...
    Foals are popping out all over the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island.  Although we have lost two of the babies, 51 have been born so far (as of yesterday evening, anyway).  The latest was a chestnut pinto sired by Hoppy, and out of Carol's Little Freedom.  Thetis and Wild Thing's bay pinto colt (born May 14) is as bold as brass - and bugles challenges to the tour boats full of tourists.  He certainly give pony lovers' their money's worth!  I also double-checked with the intrepid photography couple, Steve and Darcy Cole, who told me that my buy-back filly, Surfer Princess, has apparently settled into Tornado Legacy's herd.  Her previous best buddy, Badabing, is now content with Ajax.
    My heart goes out to the people of England - first the vehicular attack outside of Parliament, then the suicide bombing outside the concert in Manchester two weeks ago, and now the vehicular attack on London Bridge with three men then going on a stabbing rampage.  Most of my ancestors were from England, and I love that small strong country dearly.  London is one of my favorite cities to visit and explore.  As the old World War signs stated, "Keep calm and carry on," is the country's mantra - and it's perfect in these times of escalating terrorism.
    And, again, the current President of the United States is a complete and total asshole.

Happy June!

I'm so happy it's June; for me, it marks the beginning of summer.  (I know that we've got three more weeks of Spring, but still....)  We had a rain shower about 2:30 this morning, as I heard the drops hitting my window.  And, even though it's June 1, it was 50 degrees (F) at 5:30, when I arose - we're expecting a high of 70 today.  There are some lowering clouds on Green and Bear Mountains, with clouds in the low spots behind the Flatirons.  It looks odd, but it happens frequently when we have moisture in the air.
  Nedi is upset that we're restricting his time outside on the balcony.  There are several groups of house finch fledglings that visit the balcony, and we have a swallow's nest in one of the exhaust vents about six feet away from the south railing.  The babies like to congregate there, and Nedi is a mighty hunter; not that we want him to be.  I re-potted the catnip yesterday and fertilized all the plants; then we had the rain this morning, so I can breathe easy until tomorrow.  With a breeze and humidity at less than 10%, the plants dry quickly!
  Besides being the first day of June, it also marks seven weeks to my departure on vacation - back to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands.  After last summer's fiasco at Washington National, I'm flying in and out of Baltimore Washington International this year...  At least I arrive before noon, so I can hopefully beat the afternoon rush across the Bay Bridge.  And I plan on visiting the Maryland end of Assateague - I have never done so, to my knowledge, other than walking up to the state line from the Virginia side.
  The Maryland NPS got a surprise when it was noted that they have two babies on the ground (Carol's Girl and Jojo have foaled), but still have two, not one, pregnant mares.  Charmed and Gokey Go Bones are still waiting to deliver.  The first two had solid chestnut foals - waiting to see who delivers what color now...
   On the Virginia end of Assateague, the ponies owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company have produced 46 babies so far.  Currently, Diamond Jewel and her colt sired by Riptide are on Chincoteague.  The colt (whom I call Ford) has a cut on his leg and was limping.  He is now on a farm with his dam and is receiving care from the veterinarian.  I have to admit that I love the solid color foals as much as the pinto babies.  I love the wild and crazy markings that our pinto ponies produce, but I also appreciate the chestnuts, bays, browns, palominos and buckskins that hit the ground.  I guess I like the solid colors because it's easier for my eye to just conformation without all the patches of color.  The CVFC ponies have produced an outstanding crop of foals so far - and I can't wait to see the rest.  I have a feeling that we'll have one to three foals born during Pony Penning week - July 25 through 29.
  One of the best places to see photos of the new foals - and all the ponies on the Virginia end of Assateague Island -is on the DSC Photography website.  For the 2016 foals, the dam and probable sire are listed, as well as color and sex, and the date they were first seen.  You can then look at the adult sections, and see photos of the parents.  Their URL is: https://www.dscphotography.net  I hope you enjoy the photos - I do, every day.

Summer Is Here! - Sixteen Wildfires Burning

When I arose at 5 this morning, it was already 63 degrees outside, and we're expecting a high in the low 90s, and the forecast calls for 90s through Wednesday.  Oh, boy.  Rosie is feeling the heat, and prefers to sprawl on the tile floor in the den; Lovey and Nedi are pretty somnolent and nap a lot; the bunnies lay flat on their sides and pant - I try to get them out of their hutch and into the open pen and shade as much as possible; and I try to be certain the goldfish is out of direct sun shine, and has good air currents...  But it's very warm, and the back of my throat feels itchy, thanks to all the particulates in the air.  I have the drapes drawn, the windows open, and all the fans running in the apartment... Hopefully it won't get too warm - and I do know that they (Lovey and Nedi) both are laying in the bath tub and in the bathroom sink to stay cool.  
  A quick aside:  Congratulations are in order for Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II.  After all her years as a thoroughbred owner and breeder, the Queen won her first Ascot Gold Cup yesterday.  Estimate, a 4-year-old bay filly by Monsun, won the 2 and 1/2 mile race on the turf under the training of Sir Michael Stoute, and the riding of jockey Ryan Moore.  Estimate won the race in a time of 4 minutes and 20.51 seconds, and by 1 3/4 lengths.
   Most of the state of Colorado, including Boulder, is under an Air Quality warning, thanks to the wildfires.  Three of the 16 fires burning have 100% containment, but will continue to burn until all available fuel is consumed.  The fires that are completely contained are the Black Forest, the Royal Gorge, and the Ward Gulch - Rifle Mountain Park wildfires.  The Big Elk Meadows fire in Rocky Mountain National Park is 95% contained, but will probably continue to burn through beetle-killed pines until the first snow fall; the Fern Lake fire is uncontained, and is also expected to burn until the snow flies.  The other fires:
The West Fork Complex fire is the worst, at the moment; the entire town of South Fork is under immediate evacuation orders, and  the road over Wolf Creek Pass is closed.  Over 18,000 acres are burning there in Mineral County, and Windy Pass is also burning and closed to traffic.
The East Peak fire has burned 10,000 acres and is uncontained.  The town of Walsenburg is under pre-evacuation orders.
The Wild Rose fire is estimated at 1,000 acres in Rio Blanco County and is uncontained.
The Lime Gulch fire in Jefferson County has burned 600 acres and is only 5% contained.
The Rifle Gap fire is burning near Horse Mountain and has no containment.
The Bull Gulch fire is still burning without containment in Fremont County.
The Papoose fire is burning near the Rio Grand Reservoir above the town of Creede.
The Disappointment fire is burning in Moffat County and has no containment.
The Wild-Hacking Complex fire  is at 400 acres, and is 15 % contained.  Fire fighters hope to achieve 75% containment by the end of the day; this fire is located 25 miles north of Dinosaur.
The Collins fire is uncontained and is located in the Shell-Piceance Basin.
The Derby Creek fire is uncontained and is located 17 miles north of Eagle.
    Most of these fires were caused by lightning; the Black Forest fire was not, and is being investigated.
** Gee, I can't imagine why the air smells of smoke....  **