Monday Heat

I went to bed last night re-reading The Last Camel Died At Noon, and, after I dropped the book on  my  face the third time, I decided to turn off the reading light and go to sleep.  It was after 10:30, and I sighed gratefully into the pillows and relaxed.  Then the bongos began, followed by my friend Nancy's voice laughing and chatting at full volume while finishing her move out with a friend assisting.  I had just fallen asleep when Nancy came to my patio window and started repeating my name... I asked what she wanted and said she had "just a few things" that she needed to leave on  my patio overnight - that she would move them tomorrow (that is, today).  I said OK and then tried to get back to sleep while she and her friend were giggling and moving items onto my patio.  It was a weird night.
   We are expecting a high of about 90 degrees today -  with gusty winds today and tomorrow.  I'm sitting here in jersey knit shorts and a T-shirt and already have my hair pinned up off my neck because it's so warm.  The kits, Lovey and Nedi, are running out and about this morning, and visiting with Harvey, the Belgian Giant rabbit, next door.  Erwin is curled up asleep on the sofa, and Bob is asleep in my clothes hamper in the closet.  I'm home for the rest of this week, and will only be walking Rosie these weekday mornings - a semi-vacation for me!  But on Saturday, I'll move into Lynn Thore's house for two weeks, and will be caring for her dog, cats, koi, and gardens...  At least I can read in her hammock in the back yard while Tess is outside with me - and I can bring Rosie and Boo over to visit Tess.  The big thing will be to keep the cats out of Rosie's sight - but she's (finally) getting calmer about seeing them through the windows and French doors.
   Speaking of Rosie, the top female jockey of our time, Rosie Napravnik, will be unable to ride horses on the track for the next 4 to 6 weeks.   She was riding a filly name Socialbug, who had a catastrophic breakdown, and Rosie was catapulted from the saddle.  She has a separation between her clavicle and shoulder that needs time to heal.  This happened after she rode Tapiture to victory in the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.

   You may have noticed the blogs of State Parks photos that have appeared on  my site.  I find the different views and topography of of 50 states fascinating, and I'm sharing a few of my favorite shots from each state with you...   Besides, pretty soon I'll be writing about almost nothing except Chincoteague and Assateague Islands in Virginia, and posting photos of the islands and the local wildlife; I thought a wide variety beforehand might be nice.

Ten Colorado Wildfires; Kudos to Jockey Mike Smith

I laughed myself silly last night - Bea and I watched The Return of the Pink Panther and Revenge of the Pink Panther.  Three and a half hours of almost non-stop comedy left me limp, but smiling.   Rosie was between us, on the sofa, and we were all laughing hysterically.  It was fun.  Rosie is definitely missing her family, and I'm missing spending time with my kits.  Right now, both Lovey and Nedi are out playing in the early morning sunshine.  And, I'll soon be heading back to spend the rest of the day with Rosie... she is very interested in Chocolate and Blackberry, Paulina's young rabbits, but so far she hasn't made any overt moves toward them.  And she and Boo are interacting a little more each day, which is good for both of them.
   Thank goodness for our professional jockeys!  During the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, jockey Mike Smith was riding Itsmyluckyday.  They were about to make a move on the leaders, when Mike felt there was something wrong with the colt's hind end - it just didn't feel right.  He pulled the colt up on the backstretch, and the horse seemed fine when he went back to his stall.  X-rays of the colt's pelvis, however, showed that the ilium had broken.  Because Mike Smith pulled the colt up, there is a very good chance that Itsmyluckyday will be able to return to racing within the next 6 months.  - And, it's official:  Animal Kingdom, winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, has been retired from racing.
   We have more wildfires burning in Colorado, and the Denver metropolitan area, which includes Boulder, is under an Air Quality warning.  Anyone who suffer from asthma, COPD, emphysema, or any types of breathing problems, are being warned to stay inside and not exert themselves.  This is due to the large amount of particulates from all of the wildfires burning throughout our state.  -  (1 & 2) The Big Elk Meadows fire is 95% contained and has burned 604 acres.  It is expected to burn until the first snow, as is the Fern Lake fire.  (3) The Royal Gorge fire is completely contained.  (4) The Black Forest fire is 95% contained, and has cost $8.5 million for fire-fighting so far.  Hot spots are still flaring up, and homes are still evacuated.  (5) The West Fork fire, near the Wolf Creek Ski Area, has burned 3,875 acres, and is less than one mile from the edges of the Rio Grande National Forest.  (6) The Ward Gulch-Rifle Mountain Park fire is 95% contained, and has burned 485 acres.  (7) The Lime Gulch fire, in Jefferson County, has burned 500 acres so far, is uncontained, and homes have been evacuated in a 3 mile radius from the initial report of the fire.  (8) The Wild Rose fire is burning in Rio Blanco County, and has burned 850 acres.  (9) The Bull Gulch fire is burning about one mile east of Table Mountain.  (10) The East Peak fire, near East Spanish Peak (and originally referred to as the Scout Camp fire), is burning in Huerfano County.  It has burned 350 acres, and was first reported by members at a Boy Scout Camp out.  The Camp has been evacuated, but there is no news as yet, as to whether the camping area burned over or not.