Even though there are low-lying clouds now, the sunrise was magnificent, and if you looked to the west, you could still see the half moon peeking between clouds above the mountain peaks. We are expecting temperatures in the 60 s and 70 s all this week, with low humidity, which means high fire danger again. The kits have been in and out quite a bit so far, and Lovey is currently sitting directly in front of the monitor, so I can't see what I'm typing. Banichi is crouching immediately under the sunflower feeder in hopes of grabbing a bird. He hasn't yet learned that when he's that obvious, the birds won't come to feed. I'm in shorts and a T, having completed my 5 miles, and I have no plans to change into anything warmer or cooler.
This weekend saw the "Tom Selleck Classic", a moustache growing contest to benefit the fight against Huntington's Disease; and also 'the shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the World", which marched around the block containing the local Irish pub, Conan O'Neill's. This was the third annual moustache contest and the 50th annual parade here in Boulder. - And, if you're driving within the City of Boulder, beware! The police are in search of ticketing dollars - especially for those who don't have their proof of auto insurance on hand.
The robins have returned to Boulder en masse, raptors are being seen more frequently, and the mule deer are plentiful. If we continue this warm weather trend, then our bears will be out soon, too. I love the awakening of spring, but I'm afraid that with all this warmth, we'll get a huge snow storm or freeze that will end up damaging the new growth. Usually March and April combine to give Boulder over 3 feet of snow - so far we've had a half-inch, and no rain. Our snow pack, which we rely upon for water in the summer and fall is now 12% below the norm... which might indicate water rationing later. Me? I wouldn't mind having 4 feet of snow fall next week!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Eire Views
Unidentified Thoroughbred at the Irish National Stud Farm in Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland
The "Virgin Rock" along the Nuns' Strand near Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland.
Dirt Baths
It's nearly 40 outside, we're expecting highs in the mid-60s, the Chinook winds are due to start up later this morning, and we're under a Red Flag for high fire danger... The kits are having a ball this morning; and yesterday evening, when I returned home, as soon as I opened the back door, both Lovey and Banichi ran out and dove into the dirt - getting a glorious covering of dirt, dust, and dried grass (which they promptly rubbed all over me). The Colorado Horse Exposition is having its last day down at the Western Stock Show complex in Denver - and I am pooped. I haven't really done anything to become so tired - I just am.
I received a late night/early morning instant message this morning around 1 a.m.; a client was trying to make flight arrangements and suddenly realized that he hadn't made arrangements for the care of the rest of the family. Since I happened to be available that weekend, he was able to make secret get-away plans for their anniversary... A possible relative contacted me regarding a shared family name, and I did what I call a "quick and dirty fast look", and found that we are not related. The young lady seems to be fascinated and wants me to tell her how I found the information... once I start explaining it, she'll probably be bored to tears.
The smaller birds are flocking to the feeders this morning, and squirrels have been visiting since 7. Banichi is apparently getting a kick out of the weather, for he's been racing along the fence line frequently. (Yesterday evening, he and Lovey played chase for over an hour, and each trip involved each of them jumping onto, and then off of, me...) And on the 18th, I go back to any photo that takes my fancy - I still have a few of Ireland left. Enjoy your Sunday!!
I received a late night/early morning instant message this morning around 1 a.m.; a client was trying to make flight arrangements and suddenly realized that he hadn't made arrangements for the care of the rest of the family. Since I happened to be available that weekend, he was able to make secret get-away plans for their anniversary... A possible relative contacted me regarding a shared family name, and I did what I call a "quick and dirty fast look", and found that we are not related. The young lady seems to be fascinated and wants me to tell her how I found the information... once I start explaining it, she'll probably be bored to tears.
The smaller birds are flocking to the feeders this morning, and squirrels have been visiting since 7. Banichi is apparently getting a kick out of the weather, for he's been racing along the fence line frequently. (Yesterday evening, he and Lovey played chase for over an hour, and each trip involved each of them jumping onto, and then off of, me...) And on the 18th, I go back to any photo that takes my fancy - I still have a few of Ireland left. Enjoy your Sunday!!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Rock of Cashel
Cormac's Chapel and Saint Patrick's Castle on the Rock of Cashel, built by King Cormac mac Carthy between 1127 and 1135.
Another view of Cormac's buildings upon the Rock of Cashel.
Dreams of Mauda LuAnn
The two dogs that I'm caring for are both hard of hearing; the male can't climb stairs, but he can go down them, and the female doesn't want what's in her bowl - she wants human food. So she completely refused to eat her breakfast this morning, while waiting to see if she could get some of my waffle... Sammy, the cat, slept on top of me or beside me all night long, and has decided I'm his best buddy. While I am enjoying their company, they simply aren't my babies - and it's weird to realize how much I miss them; especially as I will have been gone for about 30 hours only when I return. Perhaps this is how they feel with me gone? (Yeah, right... I know....)
Rosie and Remy were delightful yesterday, but I set off the burglar alarm and was a captive in the house until a neighbor came over with the code. During that time, Rosie collected the ball I gave her from her toy basket, and we proceeded to have a game of toss and catch until Mary arrived with the magic numbers. I was embarrassed, but otherwise fine. So within two weeks, the house has had a fire alert and an intruder alert filed into the system... At least I was responsible for only one of those alerts, and got to talk to some interesting folks on the telephone about setting the system off....
Last night I dreamed I was riding Mauda LuAnn, 'my' old Quarter horse mare, through the woods near the house where I grew up. It was an extremely vivid dream, and she was looking beautiful, strong, and proud. In the dream we were heading for a ravine, because we were being followed and we wanted to lose the trackers... Other than that, I have no memories of what happened; but she was warm and had her summer coat, and I was riding bareback and, even though we were being followed, we weren't afraid... It was a very pleasant dream!
Rosie and Remy were delightful yesterday, but I set off the burglar alarm and was a captive in the house until a neighbor came over with the code. During that time, Rosie collected the ball I gave her from her toy basket, and we proceeded to have a game of toss and catch until Mary arrived with the magic numbers. I was embarrassed, but otherwise fine. So within two weeks, the house has had a fire alert and an intruder alert filed into the system... At least I was responsible for only one of those alerts, and got to talk to some interesting folks on the telephone about setting the system off....
Last night I dreamed I was riding Mauda LuAnn, 'my' old Quarter horse mare, through the woods near the house where I grew up. It was an extremely vivid dream, and she was looking beautiful, strong, and proud. In the dream we were heading for a ravine, because we were being followed and we wanted to lose the trackers... Other than that, I have no memories of what happened; but she was warm and had her summer coat, and I was riding bareback and, even though we were being followed, we weren't afraid... It was a very pleasant dream!
Friday, March 13, 2009
More Ireland...
The rolling green hills of County Cork, Ireland.
The Ennistymon Post Office in County Clare, Ireland.
A seaside rill near Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland.
House-sitting!
I will actually be pet-sitting tonight, in the very eastern part of Longmont; my charges are Sammy, a large black and white long-haired cat, and Max and Ginger, a brother-sister duo of Bichon Frieses. It's 22 outside with partly cloudy skies, and both kits are sitting here with me even though the patio door is open (I'll close it in a minute, if they're not going out again). The rain and snow that were predicted for last night and this morning stayed in the south and southeastern part of the state. So we're still dry.
If one can trust the genealogies that come to us through the histories of time, both my husband and myself were related through the daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford - Joan Beaufort. I am currently reading a new book by Alison Weir about the life and times of Katherine Swnford, and I find it fascinating. Besides the fact that she flouted convention, was intelligent, talented, took control of her own life, and was considered dangerous by her enemies, she was the mother of the Beaufort family, and through them the ancestress of the Yorkist kings, the Tudors, the Stuarts, and every British sovereign since. - Just call me "Your Ladyship" - I'm joking, of course. I read somewhere that thirty or forty years ago a study was done that showed more than 275 million people could trace their bloodlines back to John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford!
One of my regular clients is going to add some chickens to her menagerie, so I'll have two households with laying hens after April. After walking the Irish kids yesterday, I had a 10 minute wait at the bus stop, so I was idly standing there, watching the traffic go by... a dog barked to the east of me, and I immediately identified the dog as Gus, who lives on Topaz. Then a few other dogs joined in, and I realized that I have been in the neighborhood so much that I could recognize 10 dogs by their barks - and there's only one of those dogs whose name I don't know... Ah, the joys of dogdom!
If one can trust the genealogies that come to us through the histories of time, both my husband and myself were related through the daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford - Joan Beaufort. I am currently reading a new book by Alison Weir about the life and times of Katherine Swnford, and I find it fascinating. Besides the fact that she flouted convention, was intelligent, talented, took control of her own life, and was considered dangerous by her enemies, she was the mother of the Beaufort family, and through them the ancestress of the Yorkist kings, the Tudors, the Stuarts, and every British sovereign since. - Just call me "Your Ladyship" - I'm joking, of course. I read somewhere that thirty or forty years ago a study was done that showed more than 275 million people could trace their bloodlines back to John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford!
One of my regular clients is going to add some chickens to her menagerie, so I'll have two households with laying hens after April. After walking the Irish kids yesterday, I had a 10 minute wait at the bus stop, so I was idly standing there, watching the traffic go by... a dog barked to the east of me, and I immediately identified the dog as Gus, who lives on Topaz. Then a few other dogs joined in, and I realized that I have been in the neighborhood so much that I could recognize 10 dogs by their barks - and there's only one of those dogs whose name I don't know... Ah, the joys of dogdom!
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