A couple of things... In cronological order

So, last night I go feed the horses as usual. It's getting dark and Susan calls the outdoor cats into the garage so they don't get eaten by the foxes trying to feed their young.... Almost EVERY night I "nag" Susan to get them in and close the door. Well July is the month the mama creatures teach their younguns the ways of the world. I'm getting, uhm... my "pajamas on" (scary huh?) and getting ready to crawl into the warm bed (it's about 50 and "cold").  Susan open the people door to the garage and SCREAMS running back inside doing the "woman hop" telling me there  are two HUGE ones out in the garage. "Ones?" .... uhhh raccoons.... DANG or the other word.... (this is a family friendly blog site). 

So I go  out to see one little  baby raccoon scooting to the door. I see a SECOND baby on the shelf, scared and looking for an escape route so I can kinda cleared a path and number two scoots out.  Well I stand there trying to see if any more are around, sure enough little cooing, whimpering under the wooden pallets holding all the expensive, boxed stuff from Ireland.... hmmm.... I could see the little eye peeking out and these desperate little noises. Well this one was much harder to clear a path for and I thought for SURE I'd get bitten and have to take the rabies series..... In any case it FINALLY decided to venture out and I kinda scooted it toward the door with a broom.... TONIGHT if Susie doesn't call the cats (they like her), I'm closing the overhead door and the fox family can have some tasty morsels for dinner.

So this morning I get a call from the mother of the young lady that Squirt went to live with. She's in tears telling me that their California home is being foreclosed and Squirt is coming back. While I'll be glad to see Squirt I am broken hearted for him, Carson (the girl) and the entire family. They've lived in the house for over 20 years. Scott, the dad, has been a landscaper for his entire working life, owns his own business and just can't make it in the California economy..... This is a real nice family who's entire  life is being upended and turn upside down by the liberal policies that have wrecked California and are wrecking THE REST OF AMERICA as we speak.... To me this is an more pathetic than I can possibly describe.... Please Pray for Scott, Georgan, Max and Carson.... I told them Squirt will be here for them if and when they can take him back....  PLEASE go out and vote conservative in November.... Help a family survive....

An Interesting Week in the Forest....

Well the BEST news is that Susie's (she WAS mine BUT SHE chose Susie), 22 year old mare, Kat, is STILL with us. She was scheduled for ah, "termination" last Wednesday. The vet arrived but the grave digger had a broken hose and couldn't make it till later.  In the mean time I started giving her extra large doses of pain meds and she seems to be MUCH better. the PROBLEM is that the pain meds are like aspirin and will eventually cause other issues that will kill her. BUT she's good for now..... I did take a few pictures Wednesday morning I'll post at the end.

Kats Eye

The mama doe that's been hanging around, I call her "Notch" because she has a rather large notch in her left ear, has FINALLY exposed her fawn.  I saw it once several weeks ago, just a fleeting glance.  Subsequently we've seen Notch all the way up into our "yard".  She's been acting very strange, we thought that perhaps the fawn had died, but Susan saw the fawn (Spot) out playing and eating with mom. Sorry no pictures, well Susie may have one or two but Spot's nearly impossible to find...  Pictures of "Notch" will follow.

Notch

So I get up this morning to 50 degrees. That's right, heater weather in July.  It's suppose to get up to a glorious 64 degrees with "flash flood" warnings from noon until Sunday Evening..... Hmmm more rain...... Well at least the grass will grow (if it warms up) to feed the equine. Guess I'll just have to stay indoors and watch NetFlix....

I'm a little concerned with our garden, because it's been so cool this "summer", all the plants are rather stunted. The Daisies are just starting to open, the Sunflowers are half as tall as they need to be before they bloom. We are getting plenty of Basil and Chives and ONE(1) of the tomatoes is starting to produce "licopene" (what makes them red).  None of the squash plants or melon plants has even produced a flower yet. The shiny garden spot is the Cherry tree we planted last year. No Cherries just yet but it's gotten MUCH larger and has a lot of new growth, I thought it froze to death last winter, all last years growth had been killed but the root system survived.... This year I'll use Solitares solution and put a plastic trash can over it, well her, I call her Virginia, she still has all her Cherries. lol.... (how stupid)!

Cats, six, yes six cats live in the house full time, one lives in the house when the weather is bad, but stays outside when it's nice.... I finally had to run them ALL out of the bedroom at night to get sleep.  If they stay, they play.... and play....and play, inevitably one of them offends another and they start a fight.... this went on night after night until I got the can of "air" (compressed air for cleaning the cameras and the computer), they simply haul ass out of the bedroom with one TINY squirt, then I close 'em out.... Hmmm.... a good nights sleep at last.

So we go to the farmers market in Monument and the sun comes out for a beautiful morning, still only 61 degrees, but sunny is always good.

When we get back, Susan decides to take some "slash" (branches and limbs) to the slash recycling center They grind it into mulch and essentially give it away.... Well you can load it yourself or pay a skip-loader dude $2.00 per bucket, BIG bucket....

In any case I'm working on other things and Susie is loading the truck with the slash.

Clearly one can see the slash pile BEHIND Susie. She's loading the truck from about 30 feet. Hmmmm....

NOW, I am NOT "making fun" of Susan, this is a serious matter. I'm wondering why it SEEMS like MOST  women would rather walk the 30 feet than take the 20 seconds it took me to back the truck up to the pile.  Personally I admit I'm way  to lazy to walk the 30 feet.

For further clarification, Susie cut the branches off the tree, made the pile and is OBVIOUSLY loading the truck while I'm taking pictures.... 

It just seems to me that in the name of efficiency backing the truck... well.......

 I did find a shot that Susie took of Notch and Spot. It's hard to tell from the full frame photo, BUT through the magic of photoshop and the really high pixel rate of Susan's camera, we could crop out all the extraneous stuff and zoom right in.

You can see more photos including Notch and Spot

Some days it just doesn't pay | and to our Military Heros

So this has been a VERY annoying month. (well June and so far July).  First the Red Dodge Ram finally died.  The fuel transfer pump was bad, several hundred dollars. and subsequently caused the injection pump to fail (diesel stuff), Over $1,700.. just for the pump.  One of the back windows is ALSO broken.

Then the White Dodge (Susie's truck) had the transmission rebuilt for $3,500.00+, BUT it runs real nice though.  NOW the brake caliber on the right front side hung and destroyed the rotor.  Figured may as well replace both calibers, at least the destroyed rotor (probably both as it'll be all new) and obviously the brake pads.

So what am I doing on our 4th of July holiday weekend, replacing the brake components on the white truck, a little over $400.00 so far, just in parts. 

GggggRrrrrrrrrrrrr....

Well I suppose the good news is the brakes on the white 3/4 ton are MUCH easier than on the red 1 ton....



On seconds thought, I suppose it could always be worse, think about and pray for the Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in afganistan, iraq and around the world.... Hmmmm Much much worse for them. I (and I hope you too) thank them  for thier service and sacrafice.....

His and Hers Riding Lawn Mowers.... | lol

So we've had two consecutive days of rain. It's really nice because it was getting rather dry here... BUT even better, my neighbors who have HIS and HER's riding lawns mowers, AREN'T out making a hell of a racket mowing the "lawn" (really it's pasture grass that looks like #$%& cut to 2 inches....).

Every single sunny day (most days in Colorado) he and his woman are out cutting 10+ acres with a puny little riding mower. If it wasn't so funny it would be pathetic.... You know move to the country and bring your lawn mowers... roflmao

NOT to be outdone, the Smith's (me and Susie) ran out and got our very own riding lawn mowers.... Not only are they RIDING mowers but they can be used in full AUTOMATIC mode (fairly reliable). In addition these are ALL weather mowers that double as snowmobiles in the winter.... The very best part however is the automatic fertalizer attachment, well come to think of it, it's actually always attached and operational. Some might say it's a rather #$%&ty design.

RedMan & Nic Supervised by "Fur B" the cat

This actually works out pretty good, while Susan is in cleaning the house, I'm cutting the grass!!! lol...

In reality Susan cuts the small amount of lawn (pasture grass cut to 2 inches) we have!!!! we DO turn the equine loose to eat down the growth around the driveway and cloths line....!

My 3rd annual "SURPRISE" Birthday Party

Well, it's been a week since the first of our family showed up, James and Solitare were closely followed by Edward, Rachel, Cordelia and Wyatt...

We started the celebration with baked corrned beef with carrots and cabbage.... hmmm... hmmm... good. Of course I wasn't expecting that many for dinner, I was truley and pleasantly surprised that Ed, Rachel and their kids were able to make the trip from Grand Junction.

As it usually happens when the family gets together, bedtime didn't come early.  I had to get up and put the "pork shoulder" (for pulled pork if you're from NC, carnitas if you're from the southwest) an 8lb roast cooks for up to 8 hours, until it's falling off the bone, getting turned every hour.

Saturday morning, got up late but already had the pork ready to go....

VERY shortly after the pork was in the oven, Gabriel came though the door. I had no idea Becky aka Becca knew that morning even existed.  That's not really true she goes to work pretty early some mornings.

Went to get ice and a couple of other things with James and Solitare.... Got back and was getting ready to start "peach margaritas" when I noticed the 10 Avacados waiting for me to make guacamole'. Decided that in the interest of accuracy, in makig the guac that I should do that BEFORE starting peach margaritas....

Minnesota Susie (not to be confused with MY Susie) came with a TURKEY she had cooked and de-boned. Mike and Cindy along with their oldest daughter, Gina and her two girls arrived. 

Of course by this time I had been working on the peach margaritas (and some beer) for a hour or so.

Robert(the horse whisperer/trainer) and Linda Hartford show up and it just happens to be their 10th wedding anniversary. Of course I tried to toast them and spilled TWO peach margaritas.... dang, waste of good liquor and better peaches....

In any case we had a lot of folks for quite a while. We eventually got around to "GAME TIME" just like we always do... We played the REALLY STUPID, but REALLY FUNNY game called "Quelf"...

As always happens, Sunday came and everyone headed home.... dang, another year older and a WHOLE LOT OF FUN....

Hmmm photos..........

Cordelia, Wyatt, Gabe(the big one), Connell and Molly

  

Becca playing the "air drums" with household items and Connells help (the game -Quelf) 

James & Solitare - Also playing "the game"

 

Rachel, ALSO playing "the game" - Note the dogs leash? hmmm....

 

Wyatt & Ed NOT playing "the game" - look like twins to me... check out them eyes

A REALLY "Old Man From Black Forest" OLD and tired.

and of course, not ONE single photo of my lovely wife, her camera!

Chapter 6 | Bed & Breakfasts + Global Warming Strikes Southern Colorado

I'll start with the "global warming" issues - It's the 11th of May, 2010 (last night). We're in bed watching the "thunder-snow",  Spring-time in the Rockys brings THUNDER-SNOW... woke up to two inches of WET, SLOPPY, SLUSHY, SLICK SNOW and we're expecting up to three more inches tonight and even more tomorrow night.... It may sound like I'm complaining, but it's really only an observation.

Back to Ireland.... As I had mentioned earlier in this "recollection", we stayed in Bed & Breakfasts through our entire Ireland visit.... So before you leave the U.S. you find a bed & breakfast in the vacinity you'd like to start your trek. These are the hardest to find, but not to hard if you start early.  The Bed & Breakfast "organization" that most belong to send you an inch thick listing with photos, directions, and descriptions of literally hundreds of possibilities. 

When we arrived for our evening stay we'd speak with the owners and get recommendations on the next days adventures and where they recommended we stay.  Make a phone call to the next days B&B and see if they can accomodate us, if not we simply tried another.  Both times we did this (it was VERY easy with just Susan and myself) we NEVER encountered any lodging issues.

Most also had "dinner" as well as breakfast so we did get a good deal of Irish home cooking. 

Usually the families were very talkative and seemed to enjoy our conversation. Of course me being me, my favorite topic was the Protestant vs. Catholic "conflict" that none of the Irish really cared about.

For those that haven't travelled outside the US I think the thing you'd find most perplexing is the plumbing, especially showers.

As we explored central Ireland, headed for Donegal we decided it was time to do laundry (yup, unlike in the movies, they do laundry, (and go to the bathroom) in Ireland too). and one of the highlights of the trip (for me anyway) Belleek, Northern Ireland, just outside Donegal....

Chapter 5 | Dublin, Republic of Ireland

Well I have a few minutes... So here I am, trying yet again.  I'm behind in my watercolor class, but I don't think I'm as far behind as Susan... Maybe, but I don't think so.... HOWEVER in terms of quality Susan is unsurpassed...


Well we FINISHED the watercolor class, Susan has some EXCELLENT examples of what watercolor should look like....

On to Dublin....

The Dublin airport hence the bed and brekfast we stayed at were on the East side of the city... We were headed West. In general we were headed to Donegal by way of bed and breakfasts along the way.... Dublin is a big city, just like other big cities, there are lots of people, lots of stores lots of traffic.... There's also a lot of history and of course Guiness (which we never got to, but drank our share, well, I drank our share....

We did visit Trinity College, Dublin with the beutiful old library and the "Book of Kells". for more information on the "Book of Kells" see http://www.bookofkells.ie/book-of-kells/ . Four gospels in very ornate "caligraphy" and in Latin (circa 800). 

On leaving Dublin heading toward Donegal, we just drove and stopped when we saw things of interest. Same thing we did on our Colorado vacations.

So what did we find?  Castles, castles and more castles. Big castles, OLD castles (and some forts).... I think we must have stopped and explored, I don't know, maybe twenty different castles.

This was one of the first, as you can see a real tourist mecca, the tourist buses actually swarm onto some of the better known castles like the Blarney Castle.... So this out of the way castle was great fun. No one showed up the entire time we were there, as was the case with MOST.

We parked the car and walked

The three "children" Ed is off in the distance

and NO, it didn't rain the entire time we were there, but it was clear why Ireland is so green....

REMINDER - Third annual "surprise" birthday party for ME.... Saturday, May 22nd noonish.... Pulled Pork, aka Carnitas um Guacamole, Peach Margaritas and we'll see what else..... Don't tell me, it's a surprise..... 719.499.7758 for directions....