Fun Times - on the river - in the garden...

There's a reason this blog is called "not so daily. " Nuff said there.

Maria & Clint went tubing too

Yesterday turned out to be a warm, sunny Monday what with all the monsoon weather dumping rain on the four corners region, it was a nice change.  The Animas river is running high for August which is good for river riders and the businesses that rely on them and after a last minute phone call to my friend Dana, we met for a tube ride down the river.  It's relaxing.  It's fun.  When the sun goes behind the clouds, it's chilly. My tube starting losing air but it lasted the hour and a half bobbing, bumpy ride to the take out.  Fun times!

Back home after a ten day house and pet-sitting stay usually requires an adjustment.  Victor (my husband) has a "different" concept of landscaping - preferring to employ  "useful tings" (as he puts it), as decorations.  It's always a joy to pull up to the house to see what new items have been added to the landscape.  Upon my return home this time, there was a child's bike (no front wheel), an adult bike (it actually rides very nicely), a construction work zone partially blocking the parking area and a 1964 new/old step van that he is smartening up for his dream-of-a-lifetime specialty meals on wheels, hot tamale wagon food-to-go business.  He is excited!  I'm glad that he is excited...really.  The painting business has taken an extended dive off a cliff and perhaps this will be the parachute.

Sunny morning

So... my current contribution to the household has been my garden.  At first I thought it was doomed.  Everything seemed to be sampling the new plants before they even had a chance to take root. It was hot - and dry.  I'd been fending off chickens sneaking into the growing ground to scratch.  I was beginning to think that my green thumb had turned black and then - the rains came.  Every afternoon, or evening; or throughout the night...what a joy!  Such a welcome respite!  Not only does the water bill adjust...but the garden...oh the garden grew. 

Sunflowers and hollyhocks

Now I have some very large squash to enter at the La Plata County Fair this week.  Now I have flowers surrounding and concealing my garden fence.  Now there is hope that there will be some canning activity and fresh vegetables for the table... and to share.  This garden gives me a sense of accomplishment while I have no gainful employment.  Sure, I'm finding ways to take care of my financial obligations, but it's a day to day sort of a thing.  My garden has become a strong focus and it's success holds my self-worth in it's curling tendrils of snap peas, rigorously growing cucumbers and  fragrantly abundant herbs.  Since I've been back home, I've spent some hours plucking weeds from the beds; thinning the chard and spinach; tying up the tomatoes and cukes and harvesting.

Tomorrow is the day I take my entries to the fair... and because I didn't know if I'd have any produce to show, I decided to take some of my husband's useful stuff (and some of mine too) and assemble an entry for the scarecrow contest.  Using whatever I could find, it has come together to form a rather unconventional figure that is certain to ward off undesirables.  If it doesn't, then it's sure to make people scratch their heads and wonder "wha...?"  (I'll post a picture when it's fully assembled).

Little alarm clocks

Finally, I just have to mention the new chicken additions.  These cute little cochin batams were not my idea especially since all four are roosters. But... they really are too cute with their feathered feet and small statures.  They roam unruffled as one when scratching around the property, obediently returning to their enclosure early each afternoon.  They are, of course, one of Victor's acquisitions given to him eagerly and without cost - but what does one do with four small black roosters?  Because they are young and used to one another, they aren't aggressive and they don't eat much...but they have this habit of repeated vocalizations each morning close to 5am.  One starts a gurgling crow...and they politely take turns for just about an hour and then a sudden but welcome quiet.  What to do?  You tell me.  Would anyone like an adorable living alarm clock? 

Next up... a trip to Denver to see family and friends.

Home for a Day

I am home! Finally, after a three month stay in considerably warmer California with Mom I am home. Pulling up with trailer in tow on icy ground, I unhooked and prepared to unload the car contents. First though, I needed to check out the condition of the house. Let me just mention here that my husband Victor hasn't won any prizes for his housekeeping skills so my apprehension was I felt, justified.

I wasn't terribly surprised at the buildup of "stuff" on the front porch. There wasn't any place to put things since many feet of snow had covered everything but the path that Victor had kept clear to the rabbits and chickens. The shed was close to crumpling and access was limited by snow. The porch became storage for bundles of neatly folded feed bags which do come in handy so we store them and recycle them for various uses; it looked like he had an outdoor freezer going with many containers of milk for his cheese-making stacked on the benches; I could see that the recycling was piling up...

I opened the door slowly... The nights and days have been bitter cold in Hermosa, Colorado and mama bunnies with their babies really need better shelter than they have for this long of a cold snap (16 degrees below at lowest and currently it hovered around 30 degrees)...like to come inside since that is the only place they could have better shelter. So yes, that's where four mamas and twenty-four babies ended up, on the kitchen floor in their nesting/birthing/raising their young boxes, cute as can be, stinky butts and all (sigh).

So... home now smells like bunnies, no longer so cute, which hit me in the face like a slap from an abusive boyfriend... I look around and my heart just sinks... I decide right then and there, that I need to clean and organize before I bring in anything from the car, which I do. As my nose adjusts (only slightly) I notice that Victor's laundry is contained in the basket and most of the dishes are washed and I find just one coffee cup out of place by the computer. What deceived me is that every (yes - EVERY) horizontal surface was covered with alternating layers of paper, tools, fast food restaurant receipts and mentos candy wrappers and then... there are the rabbits on the kitchen floor... But, let me give him credit here, the bathroom was clean, the kitchen floor was clean, probably mopped that morning, the back bedroom/office was free! He had kept this space clear and clean our of consideration for me.

I know the horror of living with a man who somehow is able to ignore dirt and disorganization - he doesn't get caught up in the pettiness of perfection in his own home. Cleaning, when it comes to the interior of the house, is at the bottom of his "to do" list. I have often had meltdowns about this which are never an effective way to bring about change as neither are pleading, begging or crying. By now you are thinking that this must be grounds for divorce - and yes, yes it is, but the man has redeeming qualities I assure you. (I'll tell you about them another time - right now I'm venting).

So- I sucked it up, stayed put and when he anxiously stuck his head in the door upon returning from work, I had to laugh at his big hair and widened eyes. It really was awfully good to see him - and he apologized for the mess and the smell - he didn't like it either. Of course my anger and disgust melted clean away and we reunited like long lost lovers - well, kind of. I got out the scissors and gave him the haircut he had been begging for and then we held hands and cleaned!

I would end the fairytale here but for the title of this entry. I leave again in the morning for a week in Denver, delivering the trailer contents to Bryant, hugging grandchildren and yes, escaping the 4 and 24 bunnies and their oh-so-lovely stinky butts... and praying for warmer weather.