Author: Elaine

Seen Any Flying Pigs?

People who know me well know that I really don’t care much for television. Jack likes video, and has a big screen television in his office / media room.  For years, I didn’t even know how to turn it on but had to learn how when my mother stayed with us for a few weeks a month ago.

During her stay, he upgraded his Dish receiver and had it set up so it could drive two separate TVs.  We moved the TV in my mother’s apartment here to take advantage of the second feed, but that TV left when she did.

With the non-stop Black Canyon Fire coverage, I wanted Jack to leave KKTV on full-time.  He was a good sport about it, but non-stop becomes fatiguing even with the mute button on.  Yesterday, he picked up this Vizio Smart TV for me.  It is setting on the dresser, and I can leave it on mute and glance in occasionally.

I figure as long as KKTV is playing its normal schedule, we are safe.  For now.

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This is Rich Harvey’s farewell at the final Black Forest media briefing.  Rich Harvey was the Incident Commander for both the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012 and  Black Forest Fire that started last week. Gosh, I hope he never comes back.

Refuge Chickens

 

We couldn’t figure out where we could safely put the chickens, until I remembered the old stock trailer parked by our driveway.  This made an adequate summer chicken coop, since it provided both shade and ventilation, as well as protection from predators.  After their initial bewilderment, the three chickens relaxed enough to lay three eggs while they were here.  They certainly had  a lot more room than if we had kept them in the crate in the garage, which was our backup plan.

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Rain, Sweet Rain

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Quite a difference from the photo I took from the same spot six days ago.  The Black Forest Fire is 75% contained as I post this.  Our house guests have returned home.

Unfortunately, the area is still considered under severe drought, and it will take more than a couple of days of occasional showers to fix.  We are supposed to be getting hotter and drier weather again in a day or so.

Black Forest Fire

Black Forest Fire

We are approximately due west of the fire, which is moving in a northeasterly direction. Three times I’ve evacuated horses to my friend’s place in South Black Forest.  This afternoon we moved two of her horses here.  Three went to another friend.  We are also playing host to three refugee cats.

This is the fire we have dreaded for years in this area.

Unshaggy

Unshaggy

Rion went to the Bad Place (aka the groomer’s) on Friday.  What with one thing and another, this is the longest he had gone without grooming since he was a puppy. (The downside of a dog that doesn’t shed is that they have to be groomed regularly.)  I had forgotten what a trim dog was underneath all the fluff.  He looked like a 1970’s shag carpet.  Oddly enough, although he was shaking when I parked the car at the Bad Place, he followed quite readily into the anteroom.  Then he planted his butt looking dreadfully pathetic until the groomer scooped him up and carried him off.

Pikes Peak Library District – New Hours

In these days of cutbacks to so many library services, I was surprised to see a notice on the Monument Library door announcing they were opening an hour earlier most days, at 9:00 am.  When I mentioned it to the librarian, she said that most of the Pikes Peak Library District libraries were following suit, due to “popular demand.”  We have a fabulous local library system, and it will nice to have another place to get wireless access when I don’t feel like getting breakfast at Starbucks or Panera’s.