Day Off?

Appointments and meetings filled the day off.  I did get about an hour nap to help recharge..and then was interrupted by a phone call..bummer.

I have another busy week, appointments, tours for first grade students and a pile of “stuff” sitting on my desk at work.

My other day off was filled with doing the necessities, laundry, cleaning bathrooms, grocery shopping, cooking a decent meal and having a long nap.

This would be a great shot if that darned Forsythia would bloom.  I swear it has only bloomed one year out of twelve.  I should rip it out by it’s roots and compost the darn thing.  I know I have said that before..but this time I could be serious.

Our first Historical Museum program is now behind us…we had 45 guests..quite a group!  It was an interesting program..at least I thought so.  We had 1953 film footage of a celebration in nearby Ponsford.  That was the year that a local resident and first Trading  Post owner was inducted into the Chippewa Tribe along with the Park Rapids High School Marching Band.  It all happened sixty years ago…some of the band members were there..it was a fun evening.  Many of the people that showed up were Ponsford residents..or former Ponsford residents so I knew many of them personally.

When I have long board meetings and a program on my day off it really doesn’t seem like a day off:(

Sunday Drive

We went for a drive yesterday to see the area burned in the wildfire last week.   Quite by accident we happened upon the spot where it might have started.  I am not a Fire Investigator..but if I was I would check this area out.

Some spots were still smoldering even though we got rain overnight.

The first area burned fast, just burning the underbrush.  There was a house back in here about a quarter of a mile that escaped..how I am not sure.

That was the case all along as we drove on..especially further into the fire area..at times it was well over a mile wide.   Houses with steel roofs survived..I don’t know if that is a coincidence or if by that time enough fire departments had been called in to protect structures.  The Cedar Shake roofs didn’t fare so well.

In the pines the fire crowned ..some people said that the wind carried flames over a half a mile.

It smelled terrible.  Well.. just  like a forest fire.

I took this out the window, over on Twin Lakes Road where it goes from green to black where the fire raged through.

We went into town and did some errands.  In the stores you could tell lots of fire people/firefighters had been through..they left the smell of soot in the stores.  More than 50 fire departments mostly Volunteer Fire Depts. fought the blaze.  It was 80 % contained on Saturday..some hot spots were still in the area..a peat bog was burning and piles of timber..but we got rain yesterday afternoon a good soaking rain.

Some people still have those burn containers..they use old barrels to burn papers and their household garbage.  To cheap to use the county dumps and too lazy to recycle.  To stupid not to burn or weld on a windy day in dry spring weather.

Just for the record, I have no idea how this fire started.  I have seen fires start in crazy ways..the catalytic converters in cars parked in tall grass, cars that start mysteriously on fire after they have been stolen, flaming rolls of toilet paper thrown from vehicles, little kids with matches, burn barrel fires that sent sparks elsewhere and unattended campfires, oh and one time I saw a dock start on fire during a fireworks display:(

Some Blues

It was a long week. 

Last night I spent some time sitting outside in the yard listening to the thunder up north.  It was almost a constant rumble..Chance even deserted me.

Yes the Burr Oaks are still skeletal looking.  They have tiny buds…they take forever to leaf out.

I love how the light plays on the thunderhead..it was going north of us.

The woods was alive with bird song, the Loons down on the lake were calling to each other.  The Gold Finches were singing like there will be no tomorrow.  Robins flitted in and out of the yard, the Chickadees were dee dee deeing, and then there was a squawk.

This guy was being a flirt…he strutted his stuff…

Finally the lure of the suet was just too much…

See how tiny the buds are on the oaks?

The Blue Jays don’t come into the yard too often..this is the first time I have gotten decent photographs of them!  I would say it was patience..but I know better..I was just too tired to get out of the chair.

I hope to get caught up on some rest today!

Far Guy is feeling a bit better..not perfect..but better:)

Dakota RIP

The grand girls dog died on Wednesday May 15th. 

Dakota was a Sheltie and they got her when they lived in Illinois.

She must have been about twelve years old.  She didn’t do “old age” well, she suffered many strokes and had a problem with her thyroid.  We saw her several weeks ago, she looked terrible, her eyes were as dull as her coat, she looked miserable.  She nuzzled my hand and wagged her tail..I wished her a pain free journey and hoped she would go to the Rainbow Bridge soon.

When Trica and her family lived with us..Dakota would come and lay her head in my lap and stare up at me when she had to go out.  Sometimes I would holler at Maddie to take her out..Maddie would say “How do you know she has to go out Grandma?” I would answer  “Cause she told me.”  We kept track of her thyroid medication on the calendar, and would usually hide the pill it in a small slice of cheese. Some dogs do fine on that medication..Dakota just seemed to get more cranky.

Dakota tolerated Chance..but she didn’t like him very much.  She didn’t like other dogs. Sometimes she would growl and snarl at them..so you would have to tell her to “Knock it off.”  She snapped at a few children in her younger years..and would bite the bottom of the girls pants trying to herd them. I never trusted her around small children that she didn’t know..sometimes she was very protective over her girls.  She loved to be brushed and petted, and would always nuzzle your hand to get your attention to pet her.

Savannah and Dakota in 2009

Here she is behind all the Grands in 2004 ( Their Grandpa made them all walking sticks.)

The grand girls grew up with Dakota or “Kota” as they called her, they loved her…she will be missed:)

Chance: What a week

Far Guy dropped me off at the groomer one morning..I stayed all day because Far Side was home napping and getting over her virus. Far Guy worked for her at the museum.  She said she missed me..but I am not so sure about that. She said “Look at what a pretty boy you are and you smell better too!”

Then Far Guy got really sick, there was lots of commotion..and hollering ( Yes were are going to the ER or I am calling the rescue squad..No you aren’t..that kinda yelling..it made me run in circles between them) finally Far Side got everything under control, she made me a bowl of food, plopped it down on the floor and said “Stay home and eat.”   Four hours I laid there at that dish. There was no one to throw my ball for me or say “Good Boy Good Boy” while I ate. They finally returned and I ate all gone.

Far Guy was feeling much better..he said he would live, and he was glad Far Side did not drop him off in the ditch on the way to the hospital like he requested.   They gave him all kinds of Meds in the ER because he got a secondary infection trying to fight off that nasty virus.

I went to the Vet and got my yearly shots, I have one small problem..I have a stye in my eye so I get “stuff” in my eye a couple times a day…other than that I am good to go.

Far Guy has some problems too.  Far Guy has to call Far Side at work and report how he is feeling and if he took his medication and if he is drinking fluids..and she tells him when to lay down and rest and when exactly to call her again.  So far it is working..he is cooperating and getting better. 

Far Side however is exhausted…that why I am blogging :)