Packages and Apples

I finished re-reading Visitor last night, and now have to wait until May for the next book in the series,  Convergence.  And, yesterday, we received three packages that we had ordered; new cooking assists - a couple of new frying pans, ceramic knives, silicon muffin cups, and some microwave gadgets;  I got my copies of The Rain Wild Chronicles; and we received the audio book version of Ship of Magic, the first of the Liveship trilogy....  Enough to keep us busy for a small time.   

   Once again sitting in the office at Lynn's with Lyra and Tess - Lyra's cat tree is positioned so she gets the first sunlight on the top perch, and that's where she is.   Tess is grooming herself behind my chair.  The housekeeper is due this morning, so I can go home and visit my kits, and make my Facebook postings.  Then I'll walk Rosie, and be back here at the house for the rest of the day - other  than going over to Donn's house and checking his mail and package deliveries.   I had to pick up a piece of certified mail for him yesterday - boy, procedures have changed since I last received, or picked up, a certified item...

   Our apples are starting to tumble from the trees - this neighborhood was originally an apple orchard, and every lot has at least two apple trees, if not five or six of them.  The squirrels and deers have been munching away, and very shortly, it'll be time for the bears to arrive and finish the harvesting.  That's when I have to be careful that I don't do what I did last year - turn a corner around the house and come face-to-face with a black bear.  I froze.  The bear turned and ran.  Before I got back around the corner of the house, the bear climbed the wooden gate and took off....   Lucky me.

   We will try to drive across Trail Ridge Road this weekend - the better weather will be on Sunday, so we'll probably do it then.  Hopefully it hasn't snowed enough to close the road and mountain passes; and I'd like to stop in the bakery at Grand Lake again, just to purchase a few croissants.  There is an Arts and Crafts festival on the Pearl Street Mall, and we might brave the crowds for a short time on Saturday.

Rain, and Bears

Yesterday was grey and cloudy, as is today.  Last night we had several rumbles of thunder, but only enough rain to dampen the grass.  Our weather folks say we'll probably get about 3 inches of rain within the next 24 hours, which will be good for farmers and folks raising livestock, and will be fantastic for our water tables.  However, this rain will create flooding problems for the land-owners who have experienced a wildfire burn over in the past 18 months.  Not enough rain or snow - too much rain or snow.  I feel as if I can't be satisfied by Mother Nature any longer.  Thanks to the snow up in the mountains, the "seasonal" creek that runs along my brother-in-law's property line, has a pretty good flow and is about a foot deep; and the Silver Lake Irrigation Ditch has a little bit of run-off in it....  According to the weather people, we'll have rain today and tomorrow, and then skies will clear, temperatures will rise, and we'll have clear and sunny skies from Friday through Monday - with highs in the upper 60s on Saturday, in the 70s on Mother's Day, and in the low 80s on Monday.  It will be nice.
   Since Boulder had 4 feet of snow last month, and almost a foot on May 1, the bears are coming out of hibernation only now.  Monday, there was a sow with two cubs in a tree and wandering around the campus of the University Corporation's Atmospheric Research area, to the southwest of the city.  Police tape ("Do Not Cross This Line") was put up to keep curious people from interfering with the bears, and they eventually wandered back up into the Foothills.

Mother bear visiting UCAR Monday, 6 May.

 

Individual Dressage, Olympics Wrap-Up

The rides in the Grand Prix Individual Dressage that NBC aired yesterday morning were breath-taking.  I have to admit that I was watching sitting astride a kitchen chair, and trying to guide each horse with my legs and back.  I was exhausted by the time that Charlotte Dujardin made the last ride on Valegro, and took the Gold medal for Great Britain.  Adelinde Cornelissen on Parzival garnered the Silver medal for the Netherlands, and Laura Bechtolsheimer on Mistral Hojris took the Bronze - also for Great Britain.  I also totally enjoyed the rides of three others in particular:  Anky van Grunsven was riding the great Salinero, now 18 - they finished in 6th; Juan Manuel Munoz Diaz on Fuego, performed their Spanish dances and won 10th place; I was disappointed that Steffen Peters and Ravel were 17th out of 18 horse and rider pairs, but they gave their best for our country.  It was a truly magical morning, watching these fantastic horses and riders perform Grand Prix Freestyle to such wonderful music.
  The United States, for the first time since 1956 (when I was born), did not win a single equestrian medal; nor did Canada.  The final count was spread across five countries:  Great Britain had 5; Germany 4; the Netherlands 4; Switzerland 1; and Sweden 1.  Great Britain earned 3 Golds, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze; Germany garnered 2 Golds, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze; the Netherlands earned 3 Silvers and 1 Bronze; Switzerland got 1 Gold; and Sweden earned 1 Silver.
   The final competition using horses will be the Modern Pentathlon, with the Mens competition being Saturday, and the Womens test on Sunday.  The modern pentathlon consists of five disciplines (from Greek word pente) that will be contested on a single day in the following order:
1. Fencing: Epee (35 bouts)
2. Swimming: 200m freestyle
3. Equestrian: Show jumping (15 jumps)
4. Combined event: 3000m (1.82 miles) cross-country running + laser pistol (15 targets)
It should be an interesting event!
    Last night, the Broncos steam-rolled the Bears, winning 31 to 3...  Of course, it's the pre-season.  Of course, Peyton Manning did start for the Broncos.  Of course, Jay Cutler did not start for the Bears...  In any event, it was a fun game to watch.  I have found that the NFL Channel will be showing the Jets games tonight, so I can watch Tim Tebow (whenever he's allowed on the field)...
   My kits wanted lots of love this morning, but seem to be content at the moment.  Rosie and Remy had a great afternoon, evening, and night.  I was a little freaked out to arrive at the house yesterday afternoon and find the garden crew having a "war" in the street, using crab apples and gooseberries for ammunition.  The head gardener had called Nancy and told her that the plants were absolutely parched, so I gave them 4 times the usual amount of water this morning...  And I start caring for Shady and Cloudy today, also.
   I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Wild Weekend in Boulder

Today is my eleventh wedding anniversary.  This is Family Weekend at CU; and there's a home football game today against Washington State.  There are already several cars and trucks full of fans who were tail-gating at 7:30 this morning in our parking lot.  Lovey slipped out, saw the tents going up, and decided she was safer on my chest.  (I'm blogging using only my right hand, as Lovey is cradled with my left.)  Nedi is running in and out, but I'm sure that once the folks outside get a little noisier, he'll be content to stay in, too.  Mocha is stretched out in my small hallway.   -  I did have one strange thing happen this morning:  I finished the book I was reading at midnight, turned the light out, and fell asleep.  I awoke at 2 a.m., because the wicker chair directly under the open window had been moved; both  kits were peering out, Lovey from the cat tree, and Nedi at the corner of the sliding glass door.  I didn't have my glasses on, but I thought I saw a pale hand on the back of the chair.  I talked to the kits for a few minutes, convinced myself that a raccoon (maybe Frankie?) had knocked against the chair and moved it, and went back to sleep.  The kits rejoined me in bed about 10 minutes later.  But, when I got up this morning, my chair was sitting out in the grass in the back yard, about 3 feet from the patio edge.  I may be silly, but I know that a raccoon did not move the chair noiselessly, that far, and turn it around so it was facing my window. I reported it to the apartment manager and maintenance man this morning.

If you live in a rural area, or in an area that wildlife travels though, please be extra careful while driving for the next few weeks.  A 15-year-old black sow bear, weighing about 250 pounds, was struck and killed crossing the highway north of Boulder yesterday.  This is the time of year when critters are feeding heavily for the winter, as well as it being mating time for deer, elk, bears, squirrels, etc.  These are wild creatures; they get confused when suddenly faced by a vehicle that moves much faster than they can comprehend; they panic, and can either stand stone still, or dart away in any direction (including at the vehicle).  They are wild critters.  They are unpredictable.  Supposedly, we are smarter than they are - please drive defensively.  The wild creatures don't know that their lives are in your hands when you're behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

Odds 'n' Ends + Belmont News

Haze and smoke from the Arizona and New Mexico fires are blowing to the west; we have clear skies, a light breeze from the east, 31% humidity, and it's 75 degrees. A beautiful day! Even though the patio door is open, both kits are inside at this time... they really don't trust Mocha. Lovey is lying on the high counter watching Mocha sleep, while Nedi is in the cat tree, looking out. Rosie and Remy are both getting itchy again - and Nancy stopped giving them the benadryl that the vet advised, so we'll see what's going to happen. Jim's vet advised an interesting combination of human Pantene shampoo and original Pine-Sol (an antibacterial) as an aid to clean the dogs and relieve their itching. For puppies and older dogs, one uses 2/3 shampoo to 1/3 Pine-Sol; for adults in their prime, use a half-and-half solution. Suki, who had hot-spots, is a very happy girl since she got her bath, using the Pantene/Pine-Sol combo.
Odds-n-ends: Just to drive my persnickety neighbor crazy, I hung a tin and wooden cat wind chime from one of my old bird feeder hooks, and a wild air spinner thing with a prism in it from another. .... The Wallow wildfire in Arizona has burned over 607 square miles as of lunch time today. .... The Boulder County Emergency Operations Center just announced that we might get "minor flooding" from Boulder Creek, but that they do not expect any flash floods this season. (Hooray!) .... Talk about weird! About 25 miles north of Ottawa, Canada, a car hit a 440-pound bear, which sent the bear flying into an on-coming car. The bear hit the windshield directly in front of the driver, killing her, and her 40-year-old male passenger (in the back seat), before flying through the rear window to its own death. - In other words, when you're driving your car in rural Canada, beware of flying bears, deer and moose!
Ten colts are challenging the winners of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness in Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Some have faced Animal Kingdom and Shackleford in either or both races, and then there are a couple of new faces. The race has a Post Time of 6:35 EDT; all colts carry 126 pounds, and they will race for 1 1/2 miles (probably the first and only time they will be asked to run this distance) in Elmont Park, New York. These are the post positions for the Belmont, with a D indicating the colt ran in the Derby, and a P showing he ran in the Preakness: 1: Master Of Hounds (D); 2: Stay Thirsty (D); 3: Ruler On Ice; 4: Santiva (D); 5: Brilliant Speed (D); 6: Nehro (D); 7: Monzon; 8: Prime Cut; 9: Animal Kingdom (D,P); 10: Mucho Macho Man (D,P); 11: Isn't He Perfect (P); 12: Shackleford (D,P). Of the 12 colts in contention, 8 ran in the Derby, 4 ran in the Preakness, and 3 are new faces. Animal Kingdom has been made the betting line favorite at 2 to 1. The purse is $1 million.

Cold and Critters

Our snow and cold have caused Oaklawn Park, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to cancel racing for the day. And the state of Georgia is trying to get a bill passed to allow horse racing there. ... It was -5 when I got up this morning, with a wind chill of -27. Ouch. Last night I slept with Tessa at my feet on the bed, with Lilly on one side and Lyra and Dhisana on the other. I didn't need any covers, thanks to all the warm bodies snuggling with me. Lynn called me yesterday afternoon, concerned about her two bee hives and the spring water delivery scheduled for this morning. I've already dealt with the water delivery - the bees are something else entirely. We're supposed to have a gradual warm up and have temperatures in the mid-50s this weekend. Since Lynn is due back Saturday evening, she will be able to check the bees on Sunday - it's simply too cold for me to try and open the hives today.
My kits were very happy to see me this morning - both wanted lots of love, even before food. Then they both ran outside, realized how cold it is, and they both came and crawled into my lap. Nedi had to nurse on both of my arms, while Lovey just wanted to lay across my heart. They are such sweet things! And I've also been visiting Brett's kits - Patches and Phoenix. Both were a little skittish at first, but now they both greet me at the door, want loving and play, and, finally, food. They are super love bugs.
Yesterday, a man who works for the Boulder Community Hospital went out to check a building that is built on a slope. They seemed to be having plumbing problems; so the man climbed into the open space under the building to take a look. He heard a very loud growl, turned on his flashlight, and found that he was face-to-face with an adult black bear. The man left the vicinity quite rapidly. They drove the bear away by playing a loud recording of country music all night long, and the man was able to fix the pipes without the bear in attendance this morning.
And, it's now noon, 14 degrees out, with a wind chill of 5 degrees.... Stay warm!

Cold, Cold Air & Pizzly Bears

During the past few days I have learned several things that I didn't know previously. I walked out onto the patio on Tuesday, when it was -10 degrees, placed a handful of almonds in the squirrel chair, and returned inside, closing the door. Within 5 minutes, my throat tickled, and I coughed; then I had trouble breathing. I immediately grabbed my asthma inhaler and gave myself the prescribed "double shot." It took another hour before I could breathe normally again. Then, on the news, they announced that with the air temperature being so cold and dry, people who suffer from COPD (and I have the double burden of asthma and chronic bronchitis) should be very careful in exposing themselves to the frigid air, as it can cause asthma attacks and bronchial spasms. I guess that since I was originally diagnosed with this in Florida, my Doc did not advise me (or at least I don't remember it) that extreme cold would trigger an attack. On Wednesday, the GP that appears on our local news station announced that this extremely cold air could also bring on migraine headaches. I found out about that this morning. I headed out to walk Rosie and Remy, and became violently ill with a migraine before I made it to the bus station. Luckily, one of the female drivers was heading home, saw me, recognized me, and brought me back home in her car. Thank you!
My only other comment has to do with the positive DNA testing that showed that, in the Arctic Circle, polar bears and grizzly bears are breeding and producing hybrids. The one photo I saw of the resulting union called the bear a "pizzly." I hope that the naturalists and scientists that will end up deciding on a common name for this creature, will change it from "pizzly" to something else. Why? Because it is too close to the word pizzle, which is an ancient (12th through the 19th centuries) word for a man's penis. It is generally recognized that the term "pizzle" is used in reference to a bull - but in Elizabethan times, it became slang for a man's genitalia. My Mother was raised on Chincoteague Island, and I grew up with her using Elizabethan English and the slang that accompanies it. She frequently used the words "pizzle" and "pizzlin' strings" up until her death. Please, call the polar bear-grizzly bear cross something other than a pizzly!

Sore Ear and Wildlife

Time has really gotten away from me. I can't believe that I've missed blogging for three days! I am currently at Ooch's house, and have just seen my nephew walk by with his dog, Mona. I've already talked to Lucy's owner, and have sent an e-mail to Topgallant Charlie's family. Remy's ear has been diagnosed as "chronically inflamed;" he will be placed on a restricted diet, and will be receiving Otamax and antibiotics twice a day. Poor guy! I hate it when I have an ear ache! Ooch is purring in my lap while I blog... I should be with Sophie and Walt out in Niwot, but I've been at home sleeping with Lovey on one side of me and Nedi on the other. Sophie's medical condition became much worse over the weekend, and she was sorrowfully put to sleep at her home on Monday. Walt is up in the mountains with his family. Many people in the area I call "Bird Valley" will miss this intrepid black Border Collie, who only had one eye.
The coyotes are still in the Githens Acres neighborhood. I heard them several times while I was staying with Rosie and Remy, and the bus drivers have commented about seeing them cross 19th Street. I have seen three black bears, eight fox, and the two coyotes within the past two weeks. I am hoping that with the much lower temperatures and the snow, that the bears have finally gone into hibernation. They are not normally around and about at this time of year, and they are very irritable. And, hopefully, some of the hunting laws in Colorado will soon be changed: a couple of hunters killed a 703 pound black bear, and were given heaps of praise. Then one of them admitted to having followed the bear into her den, and having shot her while she was sleeping. That's a no-no; that is unsportsman-like. Soon the Colorado hunting laws will also declare this.

Windy, Windy

It's a good thing no football, baseball or golf games are scheduled here in Boulder today. We have a constant 25 to 35 mph wind from the west (with a forcast of gusts up to 50), and it would really mess up the various games. I've walked Silver, and paid my morning visit to Skippy. I'm currently at home with the kits, and have my sneaker blocking the screen door to the patio open, as the wind keeps closing it. Neddy and Lovey are running in and out, and enjoying the weather (it's 91, but the humidity is is 8%). Tonight we're supposed to drop into the low 50s and have a high of, maybe, 71 for Labor Day. It will be a nice change. I need to visit the library again - I'm out of books to read. Local author Margaret Coel has another new book that just came out - if you're interested, see: http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15941525?source=rss
A big "Hello!" to Darren L. Hutchinson, a fellow Eastsider! Mr. Parker's band leadership was absolutely the best in the state, and it really helped weld our school into a single community - since he was there for us at the very beginning (like me) when the school was first established in January 1970. The Marching Ram Band was something every student could be proud of! - And, yes, I might have been hard on my comments about the Gators' first game yesterday. It was Brantley's first game as the starting QB; Brantley and Mike Pouncey, the center, just couldn't get on the same wave-length; and it was only the first game of the season. Of course, I'm partial to the defense - and, for the third year, I fell in love with Janoris Jenkins' plays. That young man is going to be another star!
In thoroughbred racing, Kent Desormeaux has to sit out riding until at least Sept 25, as he has re-broken C-7 in his neck. He went down when his horse collapsed under him on 2 Sept at Saratoga. His mount died while running - a probable heart attack. ... Here Comes Ben was an upset winner in the Forego Stakes yesterday at Saratoga, while Cape Blanco was the surprise winner of the Irish Championship Stakes at Leopardstown. Quality Road won the Woodward Stakes impressively by over 5 lengths under a hand ride, also at Saratoga.
In Boulder County, we have lots of wildlife - black bears, fox, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, elk, mule deer, etc. We can now say we have a moose population as well. Wildlife has been in the news recently, as a mother bear was killed by the Department of Wildlife after she and her cub parked themselves in a neighborhood tree. The mother bear was killed because the homeowner reported there was "something terribly wrong with her mouth." DoW people came, took a look, and verified that the mother bear was missing her entire lower jaw and most of her tongue. The open wound was heavily infected. The bear was shot, but the cub, who was still nursing escaped the DoW personnel. The search is still on for the cub. ... And in Grand County, across the Divide, a young pair of brothers, aged 2 and 6, were playing alongside a lake that sits beside thick woods. Without any warning, two adult moose ran out of the woods, and one of them ran over the two-year-old. The child spent a day in the hospital being tested and treated for bruises and a few abrasions, and then was sent home. - Again, a good reason to always be aware when you're outside in Colorado!

Hooker Horny Toads Rule!

Neddy has decided that if I am eating something, it must be good for a young cat, too. He continues to eat strawberry Jello, and loves ice cream; yesterday he ate a mouthful of ripe peach - not the fuzzy skin, mind you, but he took a big bite of the juicy fruit and ate it all. Today is a warm day - I've walked the Irish kids, and met little Thor's folks again while walking; they want me to stop in and care for their cat while they're gone next weekend, and they live only a couple of blocks south from Githens Acres, so it'll be easy. Saturday is Kathy and Jim's 29th wedding anniversary - I've invited them out to dinner. The construction crew is due at the Irish kids' house this Wednesday to start renovations - I'll be spending more time with the kids so they won't be so distraught, and will probably take them away for much of each day.
The window curtains did not shred yesterday when washed yesterday, and I am amazed at how much brighter they are after being washed. I guess the build-up of dust, cat hair, cooking, and daily handling was much heavier than I had realized. I got the 'fridge defrosted yesterday, and can actually use the freezer once more - it has never kept anything frozen hard, but it works... I pulled out my Hooker Horny Toads Baseball shirt and wore it today - it's been awhile since I've had it on. The students are coming back into town, and I received 5 offers to buy the shirt off my back this morning. I told them to go to Hooker and buy one themselves.
Kathy and Jim are up hiking in the Indian Peaks Wilderness today, so I was kind of freaked out when I glanced at the Denver headlines at 11:30 this morning and saw that the body of an older man was found on one of the trails in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The story was posted at 10:23 this morning, but it wasn't until the end of the story that it was stated that the body was first seen last night and that the man was 70 years old. (Jim will be 67 in September, so I was really beginning to wonder where Kathy was...) ... The other news around here is that a bear let itself inside a family home and ransacked the kitchen and refrigerator about a mile from the Irish kids house; and police found four home-made bombs next to a public pool in Longmont yesterday - luckily someone reported a suspicious package, and only one bomb blew, causing over $1,000 in damages to one of the pool houses. ... So, don't work too hard for the rest of the week!

Cats, Dogs, Horses and Bears

Today is another gorgeous day before a cold front moves in tonight, giving us rain and a high of 50 tomorrow. I walked Suki and Boo 45 minutes after their breakfast, and then walked Remy and Rosie for an hour at 9:30. I purchased my October bus pass on the way home, as well as picking up some deli meats and cheese for a lunch-time sandwich. The kits were ecstatic to have me return home, but are now outside sunning, while I blog. They each had some turkey breast, ham-off-the-bone, and Provolone cheese with me, besides their regular kitty kibble. I slept like a rock last night, and hope to do so tonight while we have our first freeze. Keith just called Riley, the Shar Pei, back inside and both of the kits came running to me. They are good kits. I've read 6 books in the last 4 days, and am ready to start a seventh. I just finished two Philip R. Craig mysteries - he was born and raised outside of Durango on a cattle ranch; he writes his mysteries based on Martha's Vineyard and the Boston area. I'm about to start Do Cats Hear With Their Feet?, and then I'll go on to A Breed Apart. And I need to remember to take my jacket and umbrella with me when I go back to Suki and Boo's this afternoon....

Not much else going on around here - Some rural schools have been closed for a week because half, or more, of the student body is out sick with the flu. We've had two confirmed deaths from Swine flu here in Boulder County, and 8 others throughout the state. ... Cryptoclearance, one of my favorite stallions, died this past week from a heart attack following colic surgery. Clarence was 25. Kona Gold, a retired gelding living at the Kentucky Horse Park Hall of Fame, was put down the day after Clarence died due to an injury he inflicted upon himself in his paddock. Rachel Alexandra is taking a holiday/vacation from racing and has just been moved back to Churchill Downs from Saratoga Springs. ... Oh! And in Vail, a woman walked into her bedroom, and hearing footsteps behind her, thought it was the family dog. It was an eight-foot-tall mama black bear, who brought her three cubs along to visit. The woman threw her bed pillow at the bear, who left her alone in the room. As the bear and her cubs returned to the house three times the next day, DoW tranquilized them and relocated them to the back country. ....

Wildfires & a Good Walk

I truly feel sorrow for the folks in California that have lost houses and homes in this latest wildfire; but I am truly moved by the loss of habitat and wildlife that have not been able to escape the heat, ash, bad air, and tongues of flame. - The critters, after all, are "dumb" animals; they can smell the smoke, feel the wind and heat, and try to run in front of the fire, but in many cases there is absolutely no way for them to escape the horror of dying from burns and asphyxiation. My heart goes out to all creatures caught in or near these fires.
The smoke from the California fires has been carried here to Boulder, so we are hazy, and have a great deal of particulates in the air. People are being told that if they have respiratory problems, they should stay inside and avoid exertion. There is a dry, burning sensation in the back of one's throat after walking a couple of blocks here. (I guess I'll take my inhaler with me when I walk Rosie and Remy today.)

Remy and Rosie were extremely well behaved yesterday - we ran into four sets of unexpected dogs on our walk; and the first one was the only one to get Rosie a trifle riled. The first dog was a golden retriever that was barking at us long before Rosie gave one half-hearted bark in return, and Joel had shortened the Rs leads, so nothing really happened. As we passed another house, a dog that was tied up in the driveway lunged out at the end of its rope, barking like mad at us. Remy and Rosie just continued walking. The house full of Newfoundlands barked at us as we walked by, again with no response. We ran into a loose Norwegian Elkhound at the Elks Club, and he left us alone, so the Rs ignored him. After cutting across the Centennial track, we ran into two Chinese Pugs - and, again, the Rs ignored them. I think it was a great walk, overall, for Joel to have taken with the kids. I told him not to expect trouble, and most of the time it would not appear (this, after he immediately shortened the leads by half as soon as we saw another dog). He seemed surprised that it worked, so I told him that the dogs can definitely read his tenseness, and if he relaxed, so would they. ... The kits have been having a ball with me at their beck and call 21 hours each day. They have managed to get me to spoil them even more - Banichi with huge, pleading eyes like a dog, and Lovey by talking to me until I'll do (almost) anything to get her to stop talking. She is a mouthy child!! ... The only "news" on the horse racing front is that the owners and trainers of Mine That Bird have Calvin Borel back on the colt for morning exercise rides at Saratoga. ... And, finally, Aspen is still plagued by bears: yesterday afternoon a lady fell asleep on her deck while reading and was awakened by a pain in her leg. It was a black bear, clawing at her, trying to see if the scented tanning lotion was edible. The bear ran up a tree when the lady screamed, and DoW tranquilized and relocated the bear.

Bears and Horses

Lovey discumbobulated me yesterday by sitting on the keyboard and causing all the task bars and address bars to disappear from the computer screen. I finally have them back, having played with controls for 6 hours... The kits cuddled with me all night long; and it was wonderful to have both of them sleep with me. I was able to finally catch up with my Facebook requests, after running behind for 3 weeks. - And, since I'm reading the fourth book in Wilbur Smith's series on ancient Egypt, The Quest, please forgive the Egyptian photos and references.... I'm going to have to check out some books on the dynasties, reigns, etc.... Wilbur Smith has me fascinated in yet another historical topic!

Over on the western slope, a woman was sitting in her home office working; her two dogs were with her, and her husband was in another part of the house. The dogs began to growl, and the woman went out to look, and bumped into a 400-pound black bear - the bear had broken the lock on the French door and let itself in. The lady tried to get to the front door and open it for the bear to leave, but the bear was between her and the door. She was scratched on the chest and back, but not seriously. The bear was after a bowl of candy that was sitting out on the kitchen table. The bear managed to escape, but this is his seventh break-in, and DoW is looking for him to put him down since he has no fear of humans. ... Mine That Bird had successful out-patient surgery yesterday at the Ruffian Equine Clinic. He was relieved of an entrapped epiglottis, which was causing breathing problems. Last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, Big Brown, has been put back under saddle at the stud farm - he began his first exercise with a rider on board since his retirement, jogging a mile and a half. And Sea the Stars, a European bred colt, won his fifth Grade I race yesterday, winning the Juddmonte International under Mick Kinane; the race was 10 furlongs plus 88 yards, and "Stars" set a new record for the course.

A Very Nice Morning

It was 47 degrees in the backyard this morning. Our usual low for this time of year is 60 - and we're hoping for a high of 70 today, as a cold front drops in from Montana and Wyoming. Hail the size of golf balls was reported yesterday evening at Blue Mountain. Because of the cold front, we're expecting rain showers all afternoon, tonight, and tomorrow morning. (I must remember to take my bumbershoot with me when I leave today!) I forgot to purchase a ticket for yesterday's lottery, but since it was not won, I'll get a ticket for Wednesday's drawing... $245 million... wouldn't that be something?!? The kits are chasing each other in and out of the patio door, having stuffed themselves on beef and gravy for breakfast. Suki and Boo have been suspiciously well-behaved since Kathy and Jim left, and I keep poking around the house, trying to find some mischief they've been up to, but I haven't found anything. Last night, one of the girls did push open the gate and they both came upstairs and settled at my feet while I was on the computer, doing research. The only problem that arose was when Suki curled up under the desk, and laid down on the mouse cord, making it fly off the back of the desk - which surprised both of us.

I understand that the west coast of northern Florida is under a tropical storm warning, from Alabama down to the Suwanee. I hope there is no damage done to any of my friends, or their property. ... I have another bear story - a man and his wife built their retirement dream house on Red Feather Lakes, west of Fort Collins; they hike, fish, and love to ride his Harley - and they love pepperoni pizza. They rode into town and had a pizza, and brought the remains of it back with them in the fiberglass carrier on the rear of the bike. As soon as they arrived home, they transferred the pizza slices into the 'fridge in their house. The dogs awoke the couple, barking, around midnight. There were strange noises coming from the driveway. The man took a flashlight and went out to look. He was confounded to see his Harley laying on its side, with two baby bears and a momma bear attacking the carrier. He fired a rifle into the air and the bears left - having done more than $4,000 in damages to his Harley - just because they could still smell the pepperoni pizza.... I am hoping to attend the Estes Park Celtic Festival in September and then see a day of Cross Country Horse Trials in October down in Parker; we shall see. .... Please enjoy what is left of your weekend!

Cats, Dogs, and Bears

I had a wonderful chat with my friend Carolyn in Vero Beach yesterday... she and I have been friends since the first grade - we were the two horse-crazy girls that grew up together, and agreed we'd be little old ladies together, complete with cats. Well, we're headed in that direction, age-wise, and we both have cats. She and her hubby will be heading up to visit his family in Virginia, which is just a few miles away from the plantations in King George County where my husband's family is from. - Not only that, but his (Greg's) father was born in Hooker, OK, just like mine. Sometimes life is a little too scary with its' coincidences. The meteor shower was spectacular this morning! Walt and Sophie couldn't understand why I just wanted to go outside and sit - they wanted to walk and/or play - and once again the mosquito population drove me in. As soon as I finish this, and post some photos, I'll be heading out to walk the kids around the neighborhood - maybe we'll see Laura out with Steve and Indie... Tonight I'll be back home with Banichi and Lovey, and I'll have to see how long they stay "miffed" with me. But, then, I start taking care of Suki and Boo at Kathy and Jim's tomorrow, as they head down for the Pike's Peak Double near Colorado Springs. Then I am home for a couple of weeks, having only to walk the red kids (Rosie and Remy) weekday mornings. Ah..... contentment.

Bears are back in the news again. The folks who own and make "Wally Biscotti" left a couple of trays of a new product, containing blueberries, on their kitchen counter at home, under a window. The window was closed, and all doors locked, when the couple left for the afternoon. They returned to find the kitchen window broken, just a few crumbs of biscotti scattered about the kitchen, and lots of bear scat. The folks had been thinking of calling the new biscotti "The Blues Brothers", but I think they should re-name it "Blue-beary." (Their house is a couple of miles away from Kathy and Jim's house.) .... I must admit I laughed out loud yesterday evening at the TV; actually, at a sign that was posted under a former big-name's photo. You have to remember that when I was growing up, curse words were absolutely forbidden on TV - even words like "Heck" raised eyebrows. So I stopped short and laughed out loud, when I stepped back into the den and saw the descriptive label "Turdblossom" under this person on a news commentary show. I laughed so loud that it alerted the dogs and they came in, barking and raising heck, only to find me collapsed on the sofa, still giggling. ... I do have to remember that "the times, they are a'changin....!"

Bears and Familiar Critters

The weather yesterday was spectacular - especially for August first - in Boulder. We had a high temp of 82, and an almost constant breeze... it was a great day for reading, lazing around, mowing the yard, grilling or just partying. Thanks to the breeze, it did not feel hot; thanks to all the extra rain we've had, the trees are still in full leaf, and the breeze caused a quiet murmur of the leaves all day. It was a truly relaxing set of hours. I read all of Fire and Ice, the new Beaumont and Brady novel by J. A. Jance yesterday, as well as re-reading One Corpse Too Many, a Brother Cadfael mystery. And I started a Wilbur Smith novel, titled Monsoon, in which Hal is fighting pirates near Madagascar during the reign of William and Mary... Having a good time stuffing my head! I've had both sets of dogs out walking, running, and playing this morning; and have finally made my way home to the kits for a few hours. As soon as my key was in the lock, Lovey started singing to me; Banichi was curled up in his favorite chair and looked like I'd woken him from a very sound sleep. The kits have eaten, and I've cleaned their litter boxes, and checked my e-mail... Is it time to go back to bed yet?

I watched the West Virginia Derby yesterday, but did not really take in the fact that it was a handicap race (the better the horse is considered to be, the heavier the weight he carries). Soul Warrior, a pretty chestnut colt, trained by Steve Asmussen won the race by half a length; Mine That Bird was 1 1/2 lengths behind the second horse. Both the first and second-place horses were carrying 11 pounds less than Mine That Bird. And Mike Smith, Bird's jockey, puts the blame for the loss squarely upon himself - saying he didn't read the other horses well enough, and that he moved a hair too soon in asking Bird to begin his one long charge to the wire. Until I read the racing reports this morning, I had thought that all the horses were carrying equal weights. Silly me! ... In one of the canyons to the west of Boulder, a family had a bear break down their door and proceed to demolish the interior their home. The family has chased the bear off multiple times over the past two years, and has reported the bear to the Department of Wildlife. This past week, the bear refused to leave the premises, tore up the kitchen looking for food, and ruined most of the furniture in the living areas. A daughter was trapped in the basement during this time, reporting to both her father and DoW via her cell phone on what she could hear. When the bear started battering at the basement door and there was no other alternative, the father shot the bear twice in the chest with his shotgun. The bear ruined more items in the house during it's death throes. DoW has cleared the family of all blame - after all the reporting on it, the bear had been classified as a "nuisance bear" and was to be either transported to the Western Slope or killed, depending upon the circumstances of the next encounter. - Life out here is never dull!

Only in Colorado...

It's a beautiful morning - the sun is shining and there are a few clouds up high. Today is supposed to be very pleasant, with highs in the mid-70s and with clouds building up this afternoon ahead of the cold front. Once again, I was able to keep the window wide open all night. (I usually turn down the heat at night and crack the window for some fresh air at night, unless it's below 20 degrees out...) I had wild and crazy dreams last night, and at one time both of the kits pounced on me... I have no idea what I was doing to invite that! Squirrels and birds continue to visit the patio, looking for a meal - and one squirrel continues to come inside, so I feed him peanuts in the living room.

Yesterday, in Colorado Springs, a young pregnant woman was out taking her daily walk on a popular hiking trail just northwest of the town. About halfway through her walk, she saw a cinnamon-colored black bear alongside the creek. She paused, but continued walking, deciding to ignore the bear. The bear followed her, first at a walk, and then at a run; when the bear started running at her, the lady started jogging... She feels that the bear was just curious, and that if it had wanted to catch her, it could have done so easily, but it stayed about 10 feet behind her for about a half mile. As the trail passed by a road, the lady climbed the embankment, and stumbled out in front of a slow-moving car. The car struck her; the bear turned and left the vicinity; the driver stopped to check on the lady, but then left the scene before the police arrived. The woman and her child are fine; police are still looking for the driver who hit the lady; DoW trapped the bear, and having ascertained that it had also approached three other people in the past few days, the bear was killed. The woman who ran from the bear is very upset. She doesn't know whether her child will be a son or daughter, but the child's middle name will be Bear, in acknowledgement of the one who lost its life.

While talking on the phone with my friend Kathryn last night, I discovered that when the PC was infected earlier this week, one of my genealogy files disappeared. So I will be attempting to find and restore my son's family tree... I can find the tree on-line, on its web page, but my file with names, dates, etc has gone. Hopefully I will be able to recover it easily. - Have a good weekend, my friends!!

Hygiene, CO

It could only happen somewhere in or near Boulder... in the nice little community of Hygiene, CO, to the north-northeast of Boulder, a cow... oh, heck, just look a the story and photos at: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/aug/18/cow-chases-bear-her-apple-tree-near-boulder/

Wildlife vs. Citizens & Wild Weather

Wildlife in and around Boulder are having problems. People move to Boulder and the nearby Rocky Mountain areas for the beauty of nature and the wildlife. Then they do something stupid and blame everything on the wildlife, which is so beautiful from a distance and which is very frightening and disturbing up close. - In case you can't tell yet where this is leading, I'm very much in favor of letting wildlife be wildlife - and not killing it because it is wild. Due to the drought in this area, making the usual berry patches and foraging unvailable to bears and deer, they are both invading local neighborhoods for sustenance. And, of course, where the deer go, our mountain lions follow. There have been two killings of wildlife by the Department of Wildlife (DoW) in the past week in and around Boulder.

The first was the killing of a young black bear - she was less than two years old, and was sighted twice in the same neighborhood, raiding trash. The people who live in the area are supposed to have bear-proof garbage containers, but do not. The first time, she was tranquilized, tagged and moved back into the mountains. The second time, she was shot dead. Yes, she could have become a "nuisance bear" - one that is not afraid of humans and might end up harming someone because they were stupid enough to challenge her space. In this time of drought and loss of feeding habitat, I think the people should have just ignored her as much as possible and made sure their children and pets were secure. And they should have purchased the bear-proof trash containers they were required by law to have done - were they cited for that lack? No. And the bear lost it's life.

The second incident was due to a couple who moved to the mountains to enjoy the beauty and wildlife. These people regularly sleep with their patio and French doors open at night - no screen doors, no barriers whatsoever to keep wildlife out of their home. Now, I admit this was bold (but the house was wide open): a mountain lion entered their bedroom and unfortunately killed their Golden Lab, who was sleeping on the floor near the bed. Had it been my dog, I would have been terribly heart-broken and upset, and I do feel for these folks in their loss - but this was their own fault because they left the doors to their house open in a wildlife area. This mountain lion, who was an opportunistic feeder (and what cat isn't?), was shot dead by the DoW. Had these people closed their doors when they went to bed, the cat would not have had easy access to their home and their dog. They were stupid.

Yesterday, a couple in North Boulder heard a terrible crying coming from the bushes in their yard. They investigated and found a mountain lion in the process of killing a fawn. They immediately backed off, yelling, and went inside their house. Yesterday evening, they decided to look closely at the kill, and suddenly found themselves within 2 feet of the mountain lion, who was sleeping under the bush next to his meal. They again quickly retreated and called DoW. This time the story has a happier ending: the young male cat was wearing a tracking collar and was identified as one of five young males being tracked in a government-funded study - so he was tranquilized and turned loose up in the mountains.

As humans crowd into the habitat of wildlife, some pressures will be felt, and some leeway must be accorded on both sides. Humans have the choice in the matter. I feel that if you move into an area "for the wildlife," then you should take all precautions recommended by experts on wildlife. Respect the animals' space, respect it's need to forage for food and drink, keep things that are important to you safe from the animal (i.e.: keep cats and dogs indoors, or in completely fenced runs), do NOT leave your doors open to your home, inviting wildlife inside. Well... I guess I've blown off enough steam for this morning....

Last night we had wild weather: a Flash Flood Warning, a Tornado Warning, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. We didn't flood; a tornado did touch down, but it was quite a distance from here; and we got 7/10ths of an inch of rain in an hour. We've had sprinkles and light rain all morning. Our low this morning was 57; dependent upon cloud-cover, our high might be 78 today. Yeah! We deserve a break in this dry, hot weather - and so does the wildlife!!

Pigeons Ahoy!

Lovey has always had her sights set at a higher level. She has captured baby bunnies, snakes, mice, and birds (mostly alive and released soon after). She has been chased by grackles and crows and ravens. But her hearts greatest desire, I think, is a large light-colored pigeon that visits the yard every afternoon. As soon as a pigeon coos, Lovey is in super-huntress mode and peering out the window. I don't know what she'd do if she actually caught one - she probably doesn't know, either - and her favorite bird is almost her own size.

Recent wildlife incidents here in Boulder include a bicyclist running into a bear on Old Stage Road, female mule deer aggressively defending their sleeping areas (chasing property owners and hikers), and a young black bear was tranquilized, tagged and removed from a yard in south Boulder. A little higher up in the mountains, a mother was surprised when she glanced out of her sliding glass door and saw two mountain lions having a refreshing drink of water from her toddler's swimming pool.

This morning, the cloud cover made the colors of sunrise absolutely glorious; the clouds are slowly dispersing and we're expecting a high temperature in the mid-90s, with a slightly higher than usual level of humidity. I will be off to the library and playing with the family tree today. Hope you have an enjoyable day!