Posts from the ‘Front Porch Musings’ category

Friday snippets

We’ve been enjoying some not too hot, beautiful days with cool nights so good for sleeping and crisp mornings that take us outside for several hours before my work day starts.

This morning, it was 42F to start out the morning.

I had a gorgeous Copper River Red Salmon filet thawed.

Braised salmon with fresh herbs. A bit of this was breakfast for Bear, Bob and I and the rest into the frig for salmon tacos and stir fry over the weekend.

The herbs!!

They continue to flourish gangbusters…

My baby cilantro grew up.

Two weeks ago, I gardened. Really!! I braved the hot sun for an entire 10 minutes to clear a patch of soil on Beardog hill.

And then…and THEN!!! – I PLANTED SEEDS. Yes!! Cilantro seeds.

And now there is baby cilantro on Beardog Hill.

If the resident Beardog stays off this little patch, I may have a summer’s worth of cilantro and more.

This is an experiment.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Beardog chose a softer place for naptime than yesteray’s concrete.

And so did Bob. And Bob’s ears are already improving again.

It was an excellent and productive work week which culminated in meeting a project deadline at high noon today. Hoo-rah!

A Friday pizza was in order.

Pizza on the grill.

Friday snippets.

Beating the heat, cont’d.

When it is hot, you need to drink plenty of water…

…and stay in the shade…

… tonic water is water, isn’t it ?? And does it count if there is a little gin in it ??

I bought a small bottle of gin several weeks ago as a gin and tonic sounded good, which is funny as I think it was over 10 years ago that I had my last…made for me by my mother when I met my folks in Utah to ski (on snow!). Anyway, my first G&T was very refreshing but a day later, the 2nd had a funny taste. Flat tonic water AND I looked at the label and was surprised to find the Schweppes Tonic water had high fructose corn syrup in it. A google search, some reading of Amazon reviews and I ordered the above Fever Tree sampler. I’m throwing my vote in with most of the Amazon reviewers – I like it! I haven’t compared it to Q Tonic which is the other brand without hfcs but don’t think I need to. The Amazon reviewers who compared voted for the Fever Tree and I really like that it comes in small glass bottles – 1 bottle makes 1 drink so no leftover to go flat.

*** A sad week. The loss of the 19 firefighters is heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers for their families, friends and fellow firefighters as well as for families of the firefighters in the midst of western fires. If it is difficult for me, I cannot imagine what it is like for those closer.

Canola

I use it as little as possible now, but it sure makes for a pretty picture.

***Canola is a GMO RoundUp ready plant and Monsanto holds a seed patent.

There’s no place like home!

YES!

Ok… yes! – the situation is still a bit dicey, no containment on the fire but there is a significant fireline and much in place for protection of South Fork, so residents were given an option to go home with the caveat that they were on pre-evacuation notice and should be ready to leave IMMEDIATELY if notified.

The weather looks somewhat better, the fire behavior has modified.

The Mineral County Miner ??? – it has been my go to news source. It is a Creede, CO paper but it has been the best at updating online. GO Creede!

My folks are going to stay in their home, not unpacking and in fact are getting some additional things loaded…just in case, but hopefully they will be able to stay and all will continue calming a bit.

Meanwhile, in my own home territory…

It did get to 84F today and we are forecast to continually get hotter through next mid-week.

BUT…One day at a time – today was warm-hot, but beautiful and it is Friday and we are all home!

Buckaroos

There were three bucks hanging together…

But the third never got in the picture.

Buckaroos.

***my folks are still out of their house, but also still at the ranch of their friends where 4 dogs, 4 cats, 2 horses and 4 humans are so far all getting along. They had the chance to go to their house briefly this morning to check their freezers and water plants and garden. The house and grounds were in good shape. The wind was blowing the smoke away. They will probably be prohibited from going home for several more days – much depends on the weather. But, so far, so good. No structures lost and some fire boundaries around structures and the ski area are holding.

Longest Day

This first full day of summer, the longest day – it has been a long day for me but even longer for my folks. My folks live in South Fork, CO. The entire town was evacuated this morning in front of the West Fork Complex fire.

It was a scary day yesterday (Thursday) as the smoke from the fire was thick, sometimes red and full of ash and burnt pine needles. My folks started organizing to leave late afternoon and kept at it through the night so when the order was given they were ready to go with their three dogs and cat. They were able to load some keepsakes, various supplies, a good amount of food, clothes and medications. After checking into a motel, a good friend that lives on a ranch called and offered accomodation so they are in a good and safe spot that is comfortable for all. I am relieved and grateful that they are where they are. The fire conditions in Colorado are fearsome – deadly dry, hot and windy and this fire blew up and appears to be making its own weather so is burning hotter, moving faster and not “sleeping at night” like a “normal” fire**.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of the firefighters and responders that put themselves in harm’s way to protect what they can.

On the good news front, Bob, Bear and I are all well and I had a good work week – YEA!

Bob has finished a round of the latest medication and although the photo below might look funny, it is an incredibly good sign – this is the first he’s been able to groom normally. He’s been doing some – the easy stuff, but this was a full out, full body bath – HOO-RAH!!! He is only slightly wobbly, a little bit of head shaking but no “sloshing” that I can hear and he is now hearing me. We are switching to a different med combo next week just to be on the safe side as the particular bugs he had have a reputation for developing resistance and we do NOT want any back sliding.

From all of us to all of you, a happy Friday and Summer Solstice and thank you to all who sent emails of concern for my folks.

**Wildfires typically drop down as temperatures fall and relative humidities rise overnight, i.e. they “sleep”/smolder.