Meet the New Donated Chincoteague Ponies - Photos

Seven new Chincoteague bloodline ponies will be re-introduced to living wild on Assateague next week.  There are four adults and three weanlings, soon to be yearlings.  The three weanlings are Calendar Girl, Surfette and Winter.  The four adults are Summer Breeze, Sundance, Wildfire, and Winter Moon.  Sundance is the dam of Surfette...  I give many thanks to Nicole Menta, and, most especially, to DSC Photography for the use of their photos.  (The photos are for sale, at very competitive prices, on their respective web sites, without their copyrighted watermarks.)

Calendar Girl has white eye lashes and white "eye brows."

Surfette

A dirty Winter

Winter (cleaner) and Calendar Girl

Summer Breeze

Sundance, dam of Surfette

A dirty Wildfire

Winter Moon

Bits and Pieces

If you want, or need, a good laugh - and can stand to read a lot of incomplete sentences that were uttered by the current President - please read (and guffaw, as I did) the following new article, or interview, from Time magazine:   http://time.com/4710456/donald-trump-time-interview-truth-falsehood/
     There were six late additions to the Triple Crown nominations list, so the current list of contenders now registered is 425.  A horse must have a certain number of qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby, which is capped at 20 entries.  Other horses that are nominated, but do not have the points, may race in the Preakness Stakes and/or the Belmont Stakes.  The newest nominees are: Thunder Snow, Hollywood Handsome, More Than Words, Parlor, Rapid Dial, and Stretch's Stone.
   The wind is picking up again, here in Boulder - it's from the west and is expected to bring a rain-snow mix overnight and into Friday morning.  We really need the rain, snow, sleet - whatever precipitation we can get.  I just hope there's no hail - gardens are blooming and trees are budding and putting out fresh delicate leaves right now.  I'll pull our potted plants back in from the balcony this afternoon.
   It has been judged that the Sunshine Canyon fire was started by an illegal campfire by people trespassing on private property.  The fire investigators state that the camp appeared to have been used by "transients."
    And Joe Pelle (our Sheriff) announced that a body has been found on one of the local hiking trails... currently, no further information is available.
    I am still grieving the loss of Rosie, the Irish Setter, whom I cared for over a period of more than ten years.  We lost Remy, her brother four years ago...   And I'm preparing to say good-bye to a beautiful cat who has bone cancer in her jaw. She seems to be in quite a bit of pain and is no longer eating - but she will drink... so I've suggested that her owner give her chicken bone broth for some nutritional value.
   My two kitties are doing well.  Lovey is curled up in her little nest beside my bed, and Nedi has burrowed under the afghan on my reading chair.  Lovey is napping - Nedi is keeping an eye on the birds visiting the feeder and water bowl on the balcony...
   I hope you have a great day, wherever you are - and whenever you read this!

300 Acre Wildfire

I must admit that I read a book all afternoon, turned on the television to watch Jeopardy! and then checked my e-mails and news headlines.  It wasn't until half-way through tonight's episode of Gotham that any notice of the wildfire appeared.  When the news crawl at the bottom of the screen said it was on Green Mountain, I went out onto the balcony and looked at Green - no sign of fire, so I guessed it was on the southwest side.  Ten minutes later, the news crawl said the fire was on Green Mountain in Lakewood - not Boulder.  
   It's a brush fire and has burnt over 300 acres so far.  Evacuations are in effect, and evacuees are to report to the Creighton Middle School.  It's been windy all day, and is still quite breezy tonight...
   Even though we had snow on the 17th of November, and have had a few rain showers since, we are still in the midst of a drought.  We've been dry, and much warmer than normal, for several months.  It looks like the drought is making us pay attention to it, again....

Bits And Pieces

Well, let's see....  There is a 500 acre wildfire burning near Canon City that is 10% contained.
  And a great many streets in north-central Boulder are closed to traffic until noon today.  It was on Friday that I caught sight of a large traffic sign on Folsom Street near Iris Avenue that said the road would be closed from 7 to 12 noon on Sunday.I finally found a site that announced that the "Heart and Sole 10K and Half-Marathon" would be run today.  I pulled up a map of the race, and started figuring out how to get to and from the four houses I'm caring for, plus getting home to my kits this morning.  I was amazed when I tried to enter a large shopping center (a huge grocery store and 12 satellite businesses) at 5:45 this morning, and found all entrances blocked by traffic cones and signs reading "Road Closed."  I moved some cones and went to the bakery.  The manager was having fits because I was only his second customer; I told him about the blockages, he went and looked and then called the police - the shopping center was not supposed to be closed off from traffic.  After getting my bagel, I went to three other houses (having fed and walked Tess, Lily and Lyra) and then came home.  I had to drive a huge half-circle to get back to my apartment.  Grrrr.
   There was also a 5.2 earthquake at 10 p.m. local time last night... The epicenter was about 35 miles east of Safford, Arizona, near the New Mexico state line.  The quake was felt in both El Paso, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona, and more than 80 miles into Mexico.  - There was also a shooting in Denver yesterday afternoon.
   We voted in the Colorado primary this past Tuesday - somehow, sending your ballot through the mail just doesn't seem normal to me yet.  I'm used to going to a polling place and showing my identification... Mailing seems weird.  Anyway, for the Democratic ballot, there were 14 positions to vote for, but only two of the positions - Boulder County Coroner and Boulder County Surveyor - had two or more candidates.  The Republicans chose Bob Beauprez to run against John Hickenlooper for Governor.
  And, finally, Game On Dude finished fourth in yesterday's Santa Anita Gold Cup.  He got caught up in a sizzling speed duel at the very beginning of the race with Fury Kapcori, made his move at the top of the stretch, but just didn't have the strength to hold off the closing horses.  Fury Kapcori ended up in sixth place.  The race was run by Majestic Harbor, a six-year-old bay son of Rockpoint Harbor.  He won by 6 1/4 lengths over Clubhouse Ride, who was 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Imperative.  Imperative was 4 1/2 lengths in front of Game On Dude; Lideris was 3/4 of a length behind The Dude, and was 10 3/4 lengths ahead of Fury Kapcori.  Majestic Harbor paid $30.80 for a $2 win bet; Clubhouse Ride paid $5.60, and Imperative paid $4.  The $2 Exacta paid $137.60; the $2 Trifecta paid $680; and the Superfecta the first four places in correct order) paid $1,625.

Big Winds, Little Wildfire

Well, the high winds blew one of 12-foot-long panels of our 6-foot-high privacy fence down yesterday evening.  And there was a small wildfire on Flagstaff Mountain (on private property) yesterday afternoon, which the winds made difficult to douse.  For only a half-acre fire, it certainly put out enough smoke...  This is the view from the second story of my apartment building:

In the foreground one can see Folsom Field, our CU football stadium, as well as patches of snow on Flagstaff.  I am so happy that the ground was wet and muddy from the snow melt!

  My kits are a little apprehensive about the fallen fence panel - they can now see the tennis courts at the Millennium, as well as the sidewalk that runs on the other side of the fence.  There are lots of runners with their dogs these days, so the kits should be wary.  Not to mention that the sounds now carry much clearer on the air - and, from that direction, it's usually fire and/or police sirens.

  Had a great time with Rosie and Boo this morning - then went and visited with Lynn, getting paid, and checking up on her critters.  We've agreed to get together at 2 on 9 March to begin work on her family tree, which should be very interesting.  And, while typing this, I'm eating Cheerios and blueberries, and getting ready to go meet with a couple that might be new clients.  The new folks have cats and chickens, and were given my contact information by a current client - and they're only a block from the nearest bus stop! (Hooray!)

  Much more tomorrow....

No Snow...

The wind was bitterly cold last night just before 10; I watched the News to see what was holding up the arrival of the predicted snow, and heard that our "snow event" was over. Boulder got NO snow at all. Luckily several inches fell on the Fern Lake fire up in RMNP - the fire is now 45% contained, but is expected to smolder for at least another month. I had a great time with my friend Bea yesterday evening - we had an early dinner at Ted's and then sat and talked for a couple of hours. I think the most surprising thing was learning that Bea was the first black cheerleader for the Broncos - back when, as she says, "they wore clothes and actually cheered" not the teeny costumes and sexual gyrations the "cheerleaders" seem to do these days.... We decided late last night, that, with our shared interests, we need to incorporate ourselves as "The Bodacious Bs."

  It's all of 17 degrees outside, and, as usual, I have the patio door open so the kits can run in and out (but my legs and feet are getting cold, so the next time Nedi comes inside, the door gets closed). I fed and walked Aiko and Yoshi earlier this morning, and have been home catching up on my e-mail and the news for the past hour. Lovey is purring away, but is determinedly sitting between me and the keyboard - my attention should be hers, she feels. - OK, the patio door is now closed, so maybe the heat will begin to feel like it's kicking in...

  Today, The Denver Post published an article about the number of feral cats wandering in the city. It is estimated that more than 100,000 feral cats are living free in Denver. The bird folks don't like them, or the people who feed them. I'm going to urge all of you, who can afford to, to send a tax-free contribution to The Feline Fix, a program of the Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance. You can read about the program and what it does at http://www.thefelinefix.org/ This is a trap, neuter, and return program for feral cats. The captured wild cats are neutered or spayed at the low program cost of $20 apiece. Once the cats have been altered, and given their shots, they are released back into their original range. This way the cats cannot reproduce, are vaccinated, and are back in familiar territory. With the economy tanking and folks losing their jobs and their housing, most people seem to just turn their cats loose rather than take them to an adoption agency. It's a sad but true fact. Please help support and/or sponsor a TNR program, if you can. Thank you.

A Windy Monday

It's beautiful outside. At dawn there were a lot of clouds covering the sky, but now the only cloud to be seen is to the west behind the mountains. Nedi is outside watching the squirrels, while Lovey is sitting on the corner of my desk. It's currently snowing up at the Continental Divide, with about 6 inches already piled up. The winds are still whipping around in Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Fern Lake fire is now 20% contained; however, more than 600 houses are on the evacuation warning list for this morning. And TaRhonda Thomas is reporting live from the entrance to RMNP, and is being blown about by the wind gusts. One of the oddest news stories this morning was about a fire in Red Feather Lakes, northwest of Fort Collins. Sometime early this morning a fire started at an uninhabited cabin; it spread to a second cabin. The second cabin had a propane tank beside the building, and the fire caused the propane tank to shoot like a missile through the Red Feather Lakes Association clubhouse. Both cabins are total losses, while they are still inspecting the clubhouse that had the propane tank blast through it....

  I'll be heading out shortly to walk the Rs, then I'll hang around until it's time to walk and medicate Peach. After a short visit home, I have to head off again to meet my new psychiatrist. I know that I dread meeting her, as I kept dreaming that wild and crazy men and women were breaking into my apartment all last night and this morning. I'd wake up, scared to pieces, and check the doors and window... It was not a restful night.  I hope I like this new Doc....

  And I was so disgusted yesterday by the Jets and Cardinals game! The coach finally decided to bench Mark Sanchez - hooray! - but Tim Tebow was on the Injured Reserve list yesterday, and didn't even get to dress. So the third string QB, McElroy was called in. He ran the offense down the field and scored the only touchdown of the game - the Cards got two field goals. It was an ugly and extremely frustrating game for me. Then I was able to enjoy the Broncos game, but I had to grit my teeth over the phrasing at the end... "And the Broncos win their AFC division for the second time in a row, thanks to Peyton Manning." This second divisional win was due to Peyton Manning, but last year's win was due to Tim Tebow. I also saw the Cowboys - Eagles game and was disappointed by the lack of defense. So sad....

Fern Lake Wildfire Update

  Helicopter and tanker assitance for the Fern Lake fire has been grounded because of high winds and poor visibility, according to a Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson.  Support to fight the fire has increased from 61 firefighters Friday to 200 on Saturday. Two hot shot crews are on their way to the wildfire and numerous local fire engines are headed to the area, officials said.
   The arrival of two Type 1 heavy air tankers in Southern California will be delayed at least one day because of poor visibility in the area, said Kyle Patterson, a spokeswoman for the park.  The fire, caused by an illegal runaway campfire in Rocky Mountain National Park on Oct. 9, has forced evacuation of 583 homes after strong winds pushed the wildfire to jump established fire lines early Saturday morning.
  "The wind last night was very strong and fanned the flames," said John Schulz, spokesman for the Larimer County Sheriff's Department. "It jumped the lines."  One unoccupied, privately owned cabin was destroyed and many others are threatened, Schulz said.  "The fire was spotting a mile ahead of itself, which is an incredibly long distance," said Traci Weaver, spokeswoman for Rocky Mountain National Park. "What happened last night was a rather unexpected wind event."
   Officials working to fight the Fern Lake fire ordered the evacuation of Moraine Park Campground at 1:50 a.m. Saturday, Weaver said. A total of 1,100 home phones and cellular phones were called with warnings. Seven campers were notified in person early Saturday morning, Weaver added.
   The blaze fueled by winds gusting to 75 mph consumed all of Moraine Park overnight, a mostly grassy area of roughly 600 acres, she said. It spread through timber pockets and got into the upper canopy of some trees, but firefighters were able to "knock it down" out of the trees, Weaver said. She said the fire is not spreading as rapidly later Saturday morning after winds died down.  "We are cautiously optimistic," Weaver said. "What we really need now is snow."

Fern Lake Wildfire Causing Evacuations in Estes Park

The kits allowed me to sleep in this morning; I was awakened by the ravens, instead. The children and I had a huge love-fest yesterday afternoon and evening. We had light winds here in Boulder yesterday, but the winds really picked up in the Rocky Mountain National Park during the night hours. The Fern Lake wildfire is spreading like mad - 500 homes have been evacuated on the south-western outskirts of Estes Park due to the fire already this morning. More than 300 people are at the Estes park High School, and the fair grounds area is open for livestock that need to be evacuated. One structure has been "affected" by the fire, but there are no details. Winds are blowing in the 30 mph area, and are expected to gust into the 40s and 50s during the day. This area is extremely steep and the officials are hoping to be able to get slurry and water tankers up for drops; however, the winds may preclude this, as they just said winds might gust into the 60s and 70s. Not good for the wildlife; not good for people with breathing problems. I'll keep up-dating...

The Fern Lake Wildfire in RMNP as seen from Estes Park at 6 a.m. today.

Vote! - Pets - Wildfire - Horse Racing

Today you'll receive a deluge of bits and pieces: little things that I haven't included in the past few weeks. Today is my last day of vacation, and I'm going to watch the Redskins game, followed by the Jets game, and then I have to do laundry. I'll walk Rosie and Remy tomorrow morning, and tomorrow afternoon, I move in with Aiko and Yoshi. I sent a note to the boys' owner, asking her to have the boys' coats available, as the weather folks are calling for rain and snow Thursday and snow on Friday. The boys had a short clip last month, and I don't want them to catch cold while in my care. Our high yesterday was 78; they say the high Friday might be 35...

   Frankel is being retired, having raced 14 times and being undefeated (including 10 Grade I races), at the age of 4. His last start was Saturday, and he was left standing in the gate, but was in fourth position by the half-mile. He left a great and lasting impression at Ascot. Meanwhile, Camelot, the previously undefeated hopeful for the British Triple Crown, placed seventh in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and had colic surgery that night. Camelot's return to racing is questionable.

   With temperatures being warmer, and with the wind cropping up, the Fern Lake wildfire in Rocky Mountain National Park is producing a lot of smoke and haze along the Front Range. The fire is 30% contained, but is now at about 700 acres; sleet and rain last week had helped the fire die down. Today is the 13th day of the fire, and certain hiking trails and roads are closed because of it. One can easily see and smell the smoke here in Boulder. Trail Ridge Road, which crosses the Continental Divide, was closed last week due to snow blocking the road.

   I put my Presidential ballot in the out-going mail box this morning. I used to dread voting day because I hated standing in line and slowly inching forward... I have never missed casting my vote in any election, but I hated the waiting in line. With the mail-in ballots we have in Colorado, I'm very happy. You don't have to stand in line; you don't have to worry about the weather while you're standing in line; you can take your own sweet time in marking your ballot; you can verify that the Clerk of Court's office has received your ballot; and, somehow, I usually ended up having a nasty headache, verging on a migraine, on voting days - no worry about that now. ... And, now that I have actually voted, I wish the Presidential debate tomorrow night was over, and that all of the negative campaign ads (against every single candidate) were gone from TV, and no longer something that I have to watch through November 6th. I have to admit that I turn the volume off during all political ads right now, and make up my own very silly, and, sometimes, downright rude commentary.

   Lovey has been very vocal the last few days, while Nedi has not wanted to come back inside when I want him to. He used to come at a run when I called him, but I think that the fall air, the leaves, and the birds and squirrels have enchanted him. Once we have a couple of days of snow, he'll not want to go out, except to confirm that the white stuff is cold and wet... And I thoroughly enjoyed my two college games yesterday - the Gators did me proud!

Body Found, Not Yet ID'd; Is It Jessica Ridgeway?

Yesterday evening, police found a body in an open space area of Arvada, 10 miles from where the girl's backpack was found in Superior. The area has been identified as the Pattridge Park Open Space. Arvada police say that includes 82nd Avenue between SR Colorado 93 and Indiana Street. Federal and police investigators swarmed a grassy area north of West 82 Avenue and east of the BFI landfill on Wednesday. They were aided by lights and were using a fire truck's extended ladder to get a better view. Their work was focused near a building that appears to be a remnant of an old mining operation.

 Police say that the body has not been identified, and that it may take several weeks to do so. In the meantime, the search for Jessica Ridgeway goes on - she has now been missing for 170 hours.

The wildfire at Fern Lake Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park is still burning out of control. It is overcast here today, and one can still see pieces of ash in the air. .... Zoey Ripple, the CU co-ed who was shot in the bedroom of a stranger's house, while so intoxicated she could not verbally respond to the owners warnings, has made a plea deal. She pleaded guilty to felony breaking and entering and trespass; she received an 18 month suspended sentence. If she has no further run-ins with law enforcement, her felony conviction will be removed from her record. She still has the bullet she was shot with inside her body - it can't be removed at this time. She and her attorney are now saying that she must have been drugged with "the date rape drug" at one of the parties she attended that evening. I have a problem with that, as she was taken to the ER and had emergency surgery. When I worked in the hospital, each emergency surgery patient had an STD and drug test run upon admittance. I can't see that a dose of "rufy" would have gone undetected by the MDs during or after her surgery, along with the fact that her blood alcohol level was 4 times the legal amount. I think she was just completely sloshed. ....

High Park Fire; Nedi's Catch; Olympics Opening

It was a little hazy when I walked back and forth to the bakery this morning; but I could see Mount Audubon and the the Indian Peaks clearly, as well as the ridges and promontories between us.  Now, at 11 a.m., I can only make out the whiteness of the snow streaks on the Indian Peaks and Mount Audubon, most of the ridges can't be seen, and the Flatirons appear to glow eerily golden in the sun - all thanks to the smoke from the High Park fire.  The last I heard, the fire had consumed almost 46,000 acres, and was barely contained anywhere.  A 62-year-old woman lost her life in her mountainside cabin.  The loss of homes is over 120; and there are still more than 2,000 families evacuated...  Domestic animals are being rounded up and taken to a Good Will center that has veterinarians on site, as well as stalls, dogs runs, and kitty cages.  A lot of folks still don't know if they have a "home" to return to - and the fire is by no means over - it's hot and windy, and the fire is still spreading.  It's awful.
  Nedi caught a young female sparrow this morning - didn't kill it, or hurt it in any way, but brought it in for me and him to play with.  He thought it skittered into a cracker box, but I picked it up, checked it over, and released it out front, away from his and Lovey's sight.  Nedi is still looking everywhere he can think of, to see where the bird is hiding in the apartment.  I slept like a log last night.  My own bed, Lovey on my left side and Nedi on my right...  It was marvelous!  I've already taken care of Phoenix and Patches at Bret's and I've also walked Rosie and Remy.  I saw Joel as I was leaving the house, and he reconfirmed that they want me there at 7:30 tomorrow morning.
   The Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympics will take place on July 27.  The London Olympic Stadium will be transformed into the four countries that make up Great Britain: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The whole of the field of play in the stadium will be transformed into the rolling British countryside. Each of the four nations will be represented by their national flower: the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland, the daffodil of Wales and the flax from Northern Ireland. Real farmyard animals will graze on the set: 12 horses, 3 cows, 2 goats, 10 chickens, 8 geese, 70 sheep and 3 sheepdogs.  Says the director: “The Ceremony is an attempt to capture a picture of ourselves as a nation, where we have come from and where we want to be. The best part of telling that story has been working with our 10,000 volunteers. I’ve been astounded by the selfless dedication of the volunteers, they are the purest embodiment of the Olympic spirit and represent the best of who we are as a nation.”

Preakness Saturday

It's grey and overcast here - the clouds are hugging the foothills, and I can only see the bottom 50 feet of the first Flatiron.   Hopefully, the rain that is falling around the area will manage to help the fire fighters up in Poudre Canyon; that wildfire has spread to almost 8,000 acres, and is about 45% contained.  It turns out that a man was camping there in the Poudre Canyon, and the wind over-turned his alcohol-burning stove.  He tried to put the fire out, then fled.  He has been ticketed, which has a cost of $350.00, but as the state has had to declare an Emergency Disaster, there is talk of holding him responsible for damages done by the fire. 
  The forecast for Pimlico is sunshine, and officials are hoping for a good turnout of fans and revelers.  Coverage will begin at 2:30 on NBC Sports Channel, then switch to NBC at 4:30 (EDT).  I am still  sticking with my picks - I'll Have Another, Cozzetti, Tiger Walk, and Optimizer.  I still fear Bodemeister might shoot to the front and slow down, making it difficult for the closers to get into gear.  If Bodemeister can do that, he might be unbeatable today.  But I'm pulling for I'll Have Another.
  The Boulder History Museum opened a new exhibit yesterday - it's called Chief Niwot: Legend and Legacy.  There are no known photographs of our Chief Niwot (which means Left Hand in Arapaho); there are photos in existence that capture the images of his brother Neva, and his sister Snake Woman.  Niwot was an exceptional man - he spoke at least seven Native American languages, as well as English, and Coyote French.  He grew up near trading posts, and knew well the ways of the white settlers.  Niwot and his band of Southern Arapaho lived peacefully in this area, following the buffalo, which formed the basis of their subsistence and played a key role in their culture. When gold was discovered in the mid-19th Century, fortune seekers flooded the area, as did settlers. Niwot, who had learned English from his brother-in-law, a white trader, sought to make peace with the newcomers, hoping to share the land. He was mortally wounded in the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864. After that, the Southern Arapaho were sent to Oklahoma, and the Northern Arapaho were moved to the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.  If you are interested, I highly recommend going to the exhibit, and the perusal of two books:  Chief Left Hand by Margaret Coel, and Halfbreed: The Remarkable True Story of George Bent written by David F. Halaas and Andrew E. Masich.
   My kits and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Why Do I Smell Smoke?

Maybe I smell smoke for the same reason there were ashes drifting down out of the sky yesterday afternoon....  The wildfire near Evergreen is still out of control; it's burned over 6,000 acres, destroyed at least 23 homes, an elderly couple have lost their lives, and a woman is missing.  Fire retardant, slurry, and water drops are being made by small planes, helicopters and cargo-type planes.  Normally, Colorado gets almost 12 inches of snow in the month of March; this year, just enough to be measured as "trace," and no rain to speak of.  We are having the driest March ever, since the new citizens of the territory (us white folks) began to keep records, back in the late 1800s.  The current forecast says me might get a few rain showers on April 1 or 2....
   My kits definitely miss me, and I'm running around between houses like a maniac.  I'm trying to keep a close watch on Remy, and then there's Oly, with her cast...  I have to stop agreeing to watch so many houses - even though they are fairly close together (all but one on the same block).  I miss being able to sack out with my kits at any time I feel like doing so.  I've had someone inquiring about me walking a new set of dogs on a daily basis, but I'm going to have to turn them down...  I just don't have the time.
   Thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert had a heart attack earlier this week, while in Dubai.  He is expected to be released from the hospital there tomorrow, so that he can watch his horses work before the Dubai World Cup races on Saturday.  Good luck to him.

Maxwell Fire in Lefthand Canyon

Another wildfire started in Lefthand Canyon yesterday evening.  At 8 p.m., the US Forest Service said the blaze covered about 100 acres; evacuations are in effect.  Yesterday the temperature rose to 95 degrees, and the humidity was at 12%, with winds at 15 to 25 mph from the west.  A cold front came through last night, and it's currently 60 degrees, with 85% humidity.  Hopefully, this will help the firefighters contain and extinguish the Maxwell Fire.  -  All I can say is that the sky looks like whipped meringue in shades of pearl and grey, and we have a 50% chance of isolated rain showers this afternoon and evening.  As usual, the YMCA has been set up as the evacuation center.
With the front coming in, all I want to do is sleep - not go and walk Rosie and Remy, not go to the bank or the library - just stay in bed and sleep the day away.  I wish I could. - More news later!

Warm... But Windy

We have a wonderful Chinook blowing from the west. Or, rather, it would be wonderful if we had snow on the ground. Since we are dry, dry, dry, it is a problem. The Crystal Fire is only 15% contained, and we have a Red Flag warning through noon tomorrow, warning of winds with gusts up to 70 mph. Hoooo, boy.... Lovey and Nedi cuddled with me all night long as the wind blew, even though it was pretty warm outside - it was 50 degrees at 7 this morning. They are now having fun chasing blowing leaves in the back yard. Rosie and Remy were very excited to see me, and we had an excellent walk. Then I took Lucy out, and had a discussion about cutting back her walk days to just the two T-days with her owner. Since her Mom was at home, Lucy was happy to go out for a walk, but she didn't want a long one. ... The SWAT team got the young man at Boulder Community Hospital to surrender to them yesterday, and he gave them his .357 Magnum without a struggle. And the young man in the suitcase has been identified as a 17-year-old foster child - police are continuing their investigation. ... Clive Cussler, the best selling author, and his group (NUMA) helped discover an 1830s ship-wreck in the southern part of Lake Michigan. They were searching for the remains of Northwest Air Flight 2501, which crashed into the great lake in 1950. Photos and more information may be found at: http://news.discovery.com/history/shipwreck-lake-michigan-110331.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1 .... And, in Germany, a young lady named Regina Mayer has captured my heart. Two years ago her parents said, "No" to purchasing a horse or pony for her to ride. Regina then made her own plans. She began working with a new-born calf named Luna. Now 15, Regina may be seen daily riding Luna around the large family farm near the Austrian border. Luna has also been trained to jump obstacles. I salute Regina for coming up with a unique way to be able to ride!

Crystal Fire Update

The Crystal Fire is less than 5% contained. It has now burned over 4,500 acres, including one shed containing a motorcycle and an ATV; plus the fire spokesman said that they believe that at least 15 homes have been destroyed. The temperature has dropped to 30 degrees, and we've had intermittent rain and light snow since 11 a.m. - We need much more rain and snow, but this system is already moving well to the east of us. .... And Nick Zito-trained Dialed In won the Florida Derby (worth $1 million) by a head over 68-to-1 Shackleford. The betting favorite, Soldat, finished fifth.

Indian Gulch Fire Grows

Geez... The Indian Gulch fire has now burned over 1,200 acres and is only 15% contained; 100 homes have been evacuated; and the federal government is now in charge. They are expecting winds up to 75 mph today around Mount Galbraith, so the hopes of water drops and slurry from air tankers are just about nil. There was also a small wildfire along Soda Creek, near Evergreen, yesterday, but that has been totally contained. A third wildfire has also been extinguished. I can tell you that my cough is definitely not any better with all the smoke and particulates floating around in the air! If I look south-southwest from my apartment, I can see the smoke from Indian Gulch - and anyone can smell it. It made the dogs tense this morning while walking. It got up to 75 degrees here in Boulder yesterday, and police broke out a window in a parked car to save a puppy that had stopped moving and was barely breathing - it was 98 degrees inside the car. The puppy is at the vet clinic at the Humane Society and the owner has been ticketed and charged with animal cruelty. The local police also responded to two other instances of dogs locked inside cars yesterday. Those owners are idiots.
Nedi wanted to be picked up and made much of when I arrived home this morning - it was nice, but seemed odd: he's usually quite an independent little guy. Lovey has walked all over me and helped me unpack, and started purring when I put my alarm clock back on the bedside table. She is one smart little queen. I see Dr. P today and tomorrow afternoon I'll (finally) get DirecTV installed - I have kept moving the date back because of pet-sitting and the surgery.
The "Super Moon" that showed on Saturday, 19 March, was very beautiful. I can't really say that it looked any larger or brighter to me, but it was a glorious sight. Since I was small, I have always seen a rabbit on the moon and not a "man in the moon." I still see a rabbit in the moon and was interested to read that the ancient Maya also "saw" a rabbit in the shading on the moon. Does that make me any weirder than I usually am? Does it make the Maya weird? Actually, does anyone else see a rabbit up there? Or do you see something else? Let me know...

Miscellany

The Lefthand Canyon wildfire has spread to 600 acres and is now 60% contained. Thankfully, we had wet snow fall early this morning, and that has helped the fire fighters get a grip on the situation, as well as the use of a slurry air-tanker. It still smells like a wet campfire outside, though. ... The Tampa Bay Derby was run yesterday. The favorite was Brethren, at one to two. He finished third, behind Watch Me Too (a 43 to 1 shot) and Crimson Knight (86 to 1). It was the first time Brethren has failed to win his race; and the payouts were enormous. ... Ex-jockey and Paddock Guard John Spears, aged 90, earned the title of hero on Friday. A horse broke loose in the paddock and was running willy-nilly for the gap where Spears was standing - Mr. Spears threw himself in front of a small girl (estimated age of 3 or 4 years) and prevented the colt from trampling on her. The colt ran back to his barn and was not raced. The girl was unhurt. Spears spent the night in the hospital for observation, due to his age. He was back at work the next day. ... I let Dhisana, Lyra, Lilly and Tessa all run loose in the back yard yesterday - and they had a ball. Lilly and Dhisana chased one another all around, and under, the deck. Lyra was concentrating on hunting squirrels; and Tessa just dropped in the sunshine and watched the cats amuse themselves. It was a nice, relaxing time. ... I'm heading home soon and will spend the night with my kits. I'll walk the doggies tomorrow, then go home and do laundry and change the bed linens - if I'm going to lay there all of Tuesday afternoon and evening, the sheets may as well be clean and fresh.... Hope your weekend was super, and that your up-coming week is great!

Zenyatta's In Foal!

It has been confirmed that Zenyatta is in foal to Bernardini - there will be monthly ultrasounds to check on the foal's development. ... Life at Ten was the second favorite in betting for the the Breeders Cup Distaff this past fall; before the race began the jockey reported live to Jerry Bailey that the mare "did not feel right," and the news team sent that clip immediately to the Stewards' Room. Jockey Velasquez did not tell the gate master that the mare wasn't well, nor did he report it to the veterinarian on call at the gate that the mare wasn't well, nor did he ask anyone to contact the Stewards. Yesterday the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission released their findings in the Life at Ten incident. The KHRC found that there was probable cause to believe that both Velazquez and chief state steward John Veitch were in violation of racing regulations in connection with the Life At Ten situation. Life At Ten, owned by Candy DeBartolo and trained by Todd Pletcher, finished last in the Ladies’ Classic as the second choice at odds of 7-2. Life At Ten had no run when the field left the gate, and she was not persevered with throughout the 1 1/8-mile race. Before the race, Velazquez told retired jockey Jerry Bailey, who was assisting with the ESPN coverage of the Breeders’ Cup, that the filly did not look right, but did not relay those concerns to the stewards or any KHRC veterinarians. The day after the Ladies’ Classic, Pletcher said it appeared that Life At Ten had an allergic reaction to Salix, a bleeder medication she was treated with prior to the race. The lawyer representing Velasquez says that the findings would fail legal scrutiny, and that the jockey is being used as a scapegoat. - Now, I do not know the legal ins and outs, but I think that once the jockey made that comment to Jerry Bailey on a live, world-wide television broadcast, that he is in the clear. I do not think that he should be held in any way accountable. Of course, that is just my opinion.
The sun is shining and there is only a light breeze today. The Lefthand Canyon fire is under 25% containment, and the fire fighters hope to have 50% containment by this evening. Some folks who were evacuated from their homes have been allowed to return. But the fire is still burning, and the breeze reeks of wood smoke; and we're having a respiratory alert for those people suffering from COPD (me included).
Lovey and Nedi were ecstatic to see me this morning - and Lovey keeps running across my body and presenting her heinie to my nose every few minutes. She loves me, and wants me to know it. Nedi is having a blast rolling around on the cement patio and grinding dust into his coat - he's just like a little boy in that he is not happy unless he's dirty. I need to head back over to Lynn's - I left Lilly outside in the back yard, while Dhisana and Lyra are inside and Tessa is in her kennel. I'll let the kits out in the backyard under my supervision this afternoon - it will be their first authorized adventure. Lyra ran out on Lynn while I was at the house Thursday afternoon, before Lynn and Ed left for the mountains. Lynn sent Tessa out to "round up" Lyra, which meant Tessa chased Lyra around the yard several times before she gave up. I went out and sat on the studio porch and ignored Lyra (or acted as if I was ignoring her), and she came right up to me, so I was able to get her back inside the house without a problem. Those young grey girls are fast!