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.
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.
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.
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.
I swiped this photo from Jack, who took it last week. A small herd of elk has been hanging out near our house recently.
The person who downloads the 50 billionth app could win a $10,000 gift card to the app store in Apple – iTunes – 50 Billion Apps Countdown. I am trying to imagine being able to buy that many apps. It would be fun to try, though.
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.
My sister-in-law Cate is the third person in this photo from Airborne laboratory being used to measure California’s snowpack – latimes.com.
It’s pretty, but I really hope this was the last storm before next autumn.
