February 21, 2016

  • More Doggie News

    Sally, my regular riding companion, was feeling drained from a long and difficult hike she had done yesterday; so we went for a short, easy bike ride.

    When I got home, I still had plenty of energy to work in the garden. I trimmed back the bougainvillea vines that had frozen a couple of months ago, and weeded, fertilized and watered the fruit trees that are in bloom. We planted an apple tree last summer and the poor little thing is so confused by the warm weather that it never dropped its leaves. I had never heard of evergreen fruit trees but both the apple and one of the nectarine trees never lost their leaves.

    Then it was time to take the girls out for their daily walk.

    Today I taught them to run along with the bike on a leash and off leash. They took to it like ducks to water. They were better on the leash because they kept stopping in front of me when they were loose.

    We went down the abandoned, overgrown portion of Opal that’s almost invisible because of all the bushes growing up through the pavement. At the end of the pavement, I stashed the bike in the bushes and we walked in the wash bottom down below the bank that used to be the old dump back in the “olden days”. I discovered that Universal Rundle, the old toilet factory (long closed and probably moved to China) must have dumped their defectives there. The bank was maybe twenty feet high and several hundred feet long made up of layer upon layer of broken toilets. I also spied a couple of rusty cots that may have come from the old Cone Camp barracks. Back when the road was still intact, it was a mere half a mile or so away. Today one would have to drive about 15 miles to cross the wash on one of the bridges. It's kind of fun to piece together the local history.

    We won’t be able to walk down in the wash with careless abandon much longer as the days and nights are getting warm enough for the snakes to be active. I had both dogs vaccinated for snake bite but the vaccine only lessens the effect of a bite so snakes are still to be avoided. That coupled with the fact that I haven’t been vaccinated.

    My sister took this picture of us yesterday.

    Me & my girls

Comments (11)

  • Sounds like a great day of riding and hiking! But do be careful as those nasty snakes start to come out.

  • Tall boots are good for snakes? The toilet stacks? Interesting. They can cut if you fall or step on them. Would have loved to see a picture. :)

  • @mcbery: Your wish is my command. We walk out that way nearly every day; so I can easily snap some pictures of that drainage and commode flood control levy.
    I guess tall boots would be a good idea but when it's 90 degrees in the shade (and there's precious little shade) one tends to dress lightly. Where do you hail from?

  • @slmret: It's surprising how seldom we actually see snakes. I know they're there, and we frequently see tracks in the sand, but they are shy creatures and watch us pass by without comment.

  • @judyrutrider: Haha -- I think the snakes are as afraid of people as we are of them! Glad you don't see them often!

  • Nice doggies, but I think they're spoiled. You should put them to work. Make them sniff and dig around for snakes. Make them do something useful with their lives.

  • @we_deny_everything: You sound like my sister. She says they should at least carry their own water. I guess it sounds sappy but they carry my spirits when they go bounding over brush and cactus with such obvious delight. And the way they turn in mid flight when I call, and come tearing back to me makes me feel so adored. Everyone could use a little of that in their lives, I think.

  • I love the photo of you and the dogs! It is a frame worthy photo!! The thought of snakes is disconcerting but I imagine if you are careful it might not be so dangerous to make you avoid the area altogether.. So true about the adoration of a dog. Sparky really misses Ranger - Ranger (when he could hear) would hang on every utterance from my husband.

  • @murisopsis: As the snake season ramps up the dogs will need to stay out of the brushy areas. We will stick to the trail where we can see what we're stepping on. I know what they're going to say about that, "BORING!"
    Your loss of Ranger reminds me of the saying, "When we adopt a pet we sign a contract with sorrow". Somehow, we always manage to ignore that inevitability when we fall in love with them.

  • Hey Judy: nice Pic; That country looks like the country over the (east side) of the Rocky Mtn divide SE of Great Falls, MT where I grew up. 10 K acres, a horse and few fences. sigh.
    Hey Judy; Will you please tell me again how to pay my annual subscription payment to Xanga? 1 1/2 yrs ago you told me a way that worked. Now my Xanga space is close to my postings. If you will answer there and if it doesn't work, Please please send me an email to grey_farmer@yahoo.com I have more time to pay attention if if I can find a way to pay. Gee! Paying is made so easy in America for anything else! Why doesn't it work when I go to "my account?" I know it musty be me but but ...........

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