Desert life update

I hope everyone had a nice Fourth of July.  We had another hot day here in the desert – 103 – but we grilled hamburgers outside on the patio; however, we ate inside as we contemplated where we could live that it wasn’t too hot in the summer to eat outside.  Sigh…I don’t think such a place exists.  I think a person must endure the elements wherever they live. 

He has fat little cheeks

 

 All the comforts of home

We were visited by our squirrel that lives nearby.  He was making himself at home gathering nuts and seeds, taking in the shade of the patio and drinking water from the numerous water pans I have scattered all around the yard for the critters that happen by.

 I hope you can make out the two birds through this tree.  One is to the left and the other in the middle of this pic.

 

Around seven, I decided to venture to the lot next door to see what was new in the roadrunner nest.  It was still 101, but I have to do what I have to do.  As far as I can tell, no chicks have hatched yet, but I found both parents on the nest.  I hope you’ll be able to make them out in this picture.  As I stated before, I can’t get any closer because this tamarisk tree is very thick and thorny.

 Koki walking on top of the pots in the entryway

 

Koki was up to her tricks again.  She was trying to figure out how to get into the big pots in the entryway.  She hasn’t done anything like this in a while.  Raven was sleeping stretched out on the bed or he would have joined her I’m sure.  When he was little he got trapped in a pot.  I have it covered with a pizza pan now. 

I’m writing this on the Fourth, so if my fireworks shots turn out decent tonight I may post some of those later.

Happy Fourth of July

I hope everyone has a most enjoyable day with family and friends.  It’s far too hot to barbecue here.  After Memorial Day that’s usually out until fall rolls around.  No one hangs around outside much in the triple digit heat.  Who can blame them?

At least the store will be closed today so we’ll probably be cooking hamburgers indoors and watching fireworks later on once it cools off to the upper nineties.  We can see them from our patio all around the horizon.  I’m sure some crazy kids will climb the bluff out in the desert and set some off too like they do every year.  I may even practice getting some more fireworks shots with my camera.  I’m not good at it and the only other time to do it around here is for New Years and that’s way too cold for me.

Everyone knows how I delight in dressing up my cats for the holidays.  The Fourth is no exception.  Of course, Raven is the only one that tolerates me.  Sometimes Tootie will, but Koki wants to get as far from me as possible if I try to put a hat on her.

I made my trip to the dollar store a couple of weeks ago to see what I could find that would be suitable material for a cat hat.  How I wish they made something “cat size,” but since they don’t it’s always a challenge.  However, I’m not one to back away from a creative challenge, so I put my thinking cap on and dive in.

I’m glad Raven doesn’t mind being my guinea pig. 

Raven ready to celebrate the Fourth in style

Happy Fourth of July everyone.  Be safe out there and remember why we celebrate this holiday.

I’m not cut out to take pics of fireworks

Getting a good fireworks photo is harder than it looks.  I had a quiet day at home with the cats on the fourth and I was determined to try again to get a good pic of the fireworks I can see from my patio. 

I made sure my camera battery was charged and drug out my camera manual to see how to set it for fireworks.  I was almost ready to give it a whirl when one of my sisters called.  As we were talking, some older neighbor kids climbed the high bluff in the desert behind my house and began shooting off bottle rockets.  There are snakes back there, not to mention the brush is dry and there’s a lot of it.  Luckily, nothing went up in flames.  Kids do this every July 4 and New Years Eve. 

When we lived in California, we went to a friend’s house once for a cookout on the fourth.  This grown man decided to hike down the hill to set off fireworks he bought from the stand in town.  He lived on a bluff behind a shopping center.  Well you guessed it, he started a brush fire, which set all of us in motion rushing down the hill with buckets and a garden hose, which wasn’t quite long enough.  People never think things like this will happen to them.

This is pitiful, but better than nothing

I did go out on my patio later and stayed out there an hour experimenting and taking lots of pictures.  It was a balmy summer evening, but no mosquitoes here like in humid climates.  That’s one thing to feel blessed about when it comes to desert living. 

When I downloaded my photos the next day, it was no surprise to find most of them were duds and I only got two halfway okay pics out of the deal.  I think this takes practice, but where do you practice a thing like this when you only get one shot at it every six months?  It’s all in the timing of each shot because I had no idea what I was pointing the camera at, or when to snap the picture.  The viewfinder was pitch black.  I guess under the circumstances I did well.

One thing I did learn was that there is much more to using my camera than I usually use.  It’s a Canon point-and-shoot and I love it, but I’m always glad to learn new things.  It only took me about six or seven years to discover all this new info because I really don’t have the time to read the camera book. 

 This one isn't much better, but I tried

 

Since my husband’s been gone, I’ve been multitasking and doing some of this stuff while I eat a salad for dinner.  I may as well try to accomplish something while I stuff my face and it doesn’t matter if it takes me two hours to finish my meal.

He’s been gone a week already and that sure did fly by.  Today’s his birthday so he met up with some childhood friends and they had breakfast.  He’s overwhelmed with all the stuff on his “to do” list, but is making his way through it.

The water situation here is under control for now.  I keep my eye on it though.  The plumber said it’s possible the water heater could be cracked on the inside liner, but he recommended we wait, get a pressure gauge to put on it, and observe the situation for anything unusual.  So far, everything is fine, which is good because water heaters aren’t cheap.  He thinks the water heater got a burst of pressure and the emergency valve blew and flooded the mechanical room.  He can’t explain why water got into the closet because there’s a room between the two and that room was dry as a bone.  One of life’s mysteries yet unsolved.

I’ve been up to other things too and will save that for another post.

Fourth of July



We never did much in the way of activities that took place off the farm as kids.  Growing up on the farm was about farm chores and going to school.  The fourth of July was a highlight in our lives, along with hunting Easter eggs in the hay meadow.

Back then, they had a fireworks extravaganza at the fairgrounds.  There is no other word to describe this spectacle of color.  Daddy would buy bottle rockets and sparklers from the fireworks stand in town and we could enjoy them at home with his guidance, but once in awhile we’d talk him into taking us to the fairgrounds for the fourth of July show.

We would load up the old pink and white station wagon and head out for the fairgrounds, which was on the far side of the little town we lived three miles away from.

All of us kids would be chattering away all the way there, so excited to go.

Once we arrived, we had to jockey for a position with all the other vehicles that had already arrived.  From what I remember of the fairgrounds, the ground was very uneven, a lot of dirt with a few grass sprigs and clumps here and there.  People would park anywhere they could find a spot.

Once that car came to a stop, we couldn’t get out fast enough.  We would climb on the hood, or the top of the car, and get in position before the show started.  Usually the bickering over spots went on until the show was under way.

Then all you could hear was “oooh’s” and “aaah’s” as we all got quiet to watch the display.  This was like magic with a crackle and pop and then the explosion of colors in different shapes that seemed like they were materializing right over our heads.

Each one that went up was prettier than the last.  They would flicker and twinkle until they disappeared, only to have another take its place.

While this was going on, we would be sweating in the summer heat and the mosquitoes would be eating us alive.  However, we paid no never mind to this, slapped the mosquitoes away and went on with our comments to each other about how beautiful the fireworks overhead were.

We relished the finale when they would fill the sky with all the colors of the rainbow.  At the same time, we were sad the display was about over and wished it would go on forever.

Once back in the car, we would talk about it all the way home as well as scratch our mosquito bites and complain how bad the bites were.  Yet, when the fourth rolled around the next year, we couldn’t wait to get in the car to go and watch another fireworks display.

The fourth of July today, as adults, is bittersweet because it’s also a time to remember our daddy who died on this day in 1980, at the ripe old age of 55.  He had many health issues and definitely was gone too soon.

Sure, the fireworks are splendid with all the razzle-dazzle, but it’s also a time for reflection of those good times as innocent children.  I realize that Daddy was so tired all the time from the very long days of hard work he did in the fields, but he knew how certain things were so important to us that he didn’t want to disappoint us.  I know now that we probably couldn’t even afford the few fireworks he would bring home, but I think he wanted us to know that 4 July was something to celebrate.

When I look back on those times today, it also reminds me that life on Earth is too short sometimes and not to take anybody for granted because tomorrow is always a new day and things can change in an instant.