My Favorite Holiday

Mike and I sit in Ohare waiting to board a plane.  The plane will land in Detroit and we will board another which will deliver us to Rochester.  Using our GPS, we will navigate the hour drive to Brother Scott and Stephanie's house in Naples, NY.

Thanksgiving is a holiday to reflect on oh, so many blessings!  I am thankful to be sitting next to my partner, my husband.  A man who can fix anything, helps others, understands how to put up with me, and so many other really great traits.  I am thankful to have good health. I am thankful to have such a great family.  I am thankful to live in a country where you can drive down an interstate, drop off your rental car, check into an airport, and feel safe.  I am thankful to have enough money to be able to travel and visit with family and friends.

Take time to reflect on your blessings this Thanksgiving.  Take at least one day of the year to pause; you have much to be thankful for.

We arrived Monday in time to enjoy a delicious dinner - complete with farm sweet corn! - with Dad and Linda.  The next day, a fine lunch at Soft Tails in Ladd.

Gary and Diana were wonderful hosts and set us up with a fantastic bed for sleeping.  We woke up at 9:30am - in disbelief!- the first morning!!  Mom arrived later that afternoon, safe and sound, from Mattoon and settled in to her "salt cave" bedroom upstairs.  A fine dinner was prepared by the Carlson's and savored by all!! 

The next day Mom, Mike, and myself traveled to ooh and ahhh over the lovely fabric at the quilt shop in Morris.  There are a couple of new projects on the horizon!!  The Morris Fire Department has a beautiful fire truck with a great story. 

This lovely brass truck was purchased in the late 1800s for over $7000.  That's a pile of money back then.  When the town decided to sell the truck to a scrap metal shop, the truck suddenly disappeared.  It would spend the next ten years in hiding.  Thank goodness some firefighters had the sense to do the right thing.  If you ever get to Morris, it's worth a look.

We enjoyed lunch and a beer at the new brew pub in Ottawa, Brew Pub in Ottawa  Good beer, not too great of a ceasar salad. 

The pretzel and wings looked really good.  I love what they did to the old store.  Very neat inside.

Dinner on Wednesday night with the Carlson's and Mom at the Pink Chihuahua check out the menu at Pink Yippie Dog!, Raynette's restaurant in Ottawa.  Drinks and orders and soon the table was filled with food.  My favorite, the blackened duck breast!  MMMMMmmmm!!  All dishes were really delicious.  We left full and satisfied, but without a photo - I regret that.

Diana's business, Salt Tree Yoga, continues to prosper.  I admire Diana's commitment to grow her business, adding new treatments and filling the store with the beautiful salt lamps for the holiday shopping season.  What a beautiful space she has created!  A great gift (or two), consider adding a salt lamp to your gift list.  The lamps glow a beautiful golden color and emit negative ions into the air space - good for you in so many ways! 

I finish this posting sitting in Scott and Stephanie's kitchen in Naples, NY.  We got in safe and sound, had a wonderful farm-egg breakfast, and treated ourselves to a brisk day-after-Thanksgiving walk down the water front of a finger lake side - complete with a heart-pounding hill.  After that - mimosas in the new hot tub, of course!!  This is what vacation is all about.  Turkey #2 is in the oven, brother Steven is headed north, and a giant magnum of Schug Pinot Noir 2009 is in our very near future!  So many things to be thankful for!! 

Let Vacation Begin!

This is Evan and Dani.  Aren't they a handsome pair?!  Evan is Mike's nephew.  Standing over six feet tall, he sports a "Tom Hanks" look with the long beard and hair.  Evan is a wildland firefighter.  Dani spends summer doing the same.  We are so proud of these two!  Such a great pair.  Dani, an omnipresent optimist, smiles and laughs and keeps all around her upbeat and happy.  Evan, sweet and thoughtful, carries on Trumbower traditions keeping eating and drinking top priorities.  They came to visit this last weekend and made their way to Dani's family's home on Sunday - while the weather was still good.  As we lifted off the runway this morning in Jackson, the gray ominous clouds backdropped the horizon behind the snow capped Teton range.  The weather is about to get lousy.  I'm glad they "got out of town".  We look forward to their return during a spring break visit!

Staged now in the Salt Lake City airport waiting to make the jump to Ohare.  Dad's house for dinner, Diana is housing us during our Illinois stay.  Inspired by Stephanie's disciplined blog posts with awesome images from Africa, I commit to make postings often on this Thanksgiving jaunt.  It already feels good to be taking a break.  Check out her blog site at Stephanie's Blog .  You can sign up at the bottom of the blog and get her blog postings.  Talk about going out of your comfort zone!!  I love watching her posts and seeing the amazing pictures!

Thanks to friend Russchelle who is keeping the house, dogs, cat, chickens, and fish.  She drove all the way over from Kaycee, Wyoming and got up early to deliver us to the airport front door!  Now that's service!!  

Travel Adventure

Ah the holidays!  After a long dark and gloomy day of rain yesterday, I must admit, I am looking forward to "getting out of town" for a break.  Had it snowed, we would be buried today!  Instead, things are wet and cold and muddy. 

Mike's nephew Evan and his gal Dani are here for a visit.  As they will not be back east for the holiday gathering, it will be good to hook up and see them a bit.  They spent the night in Freedom last night; it's great to have some room to put visitors up!  I'll get some pictures and post on this site soon.

It's time to start thinking about holiday gifts.  Need you ask what my number one choice for this year would be?

My Favorite Appliance

If you are going to get one and click on this link, I actually get $$ from Amazon for you doing it!!  Crazy, right.  Well, thought I'd give it a try.  You'll see more links to come.  And really, if you are not a Prime member yet, what are you waiting for?  For those of us in the NE corner of Wyoming, Prime is awesome.  No shipping charges.  Order and it's here in two or three days.  Easy peazy.  Shopping opportunities are somewhat limited.  This is a great resource for us here! 

Safe travels.  Warm and happy holidays!  Stand by for more posts; I'll actually have time now!!

Hunting 2017

Day 2.

I arrive to the parking lot at the furthest most place in the elk refuge.  There is one vehicle parked, a pickup, the hunter already gone.  Shooting light is 15 minutes away and things are lighting up.  To the east, I see Jupiter and Venus rising above the sun and in very close proximity of each other.  Check it out - this morning was a special day to see these two planets!  Rising Planets  It is still and quiet.  Only the sound of Flat Creek, down below, can be heard. 

The half mile flat land hike takes me to a straight-up hill.  Over the course of the years, a path has been stomped out by wildlife and predators up the hill just north of a slight drainage.  The ground is frozen but bare so traction is good.  I step, step, step up the steep path, pushing to get my heart rate up.  I pause and pull up binoculars, glassing the hillsides beyond. 

There are tracks up top.  Elk tracks, deer tracks, and a couple of big dog tracks - wolf.  They were here and now they are not!  The landscape continues to light up.  I hear a shot off in the distance on forest service land.  Then a few to the north off the hay fields.  Someone is seeing elk.

My climb culminates on a prominent knob in the refuge.  The north slope is thick in dark evergreens.  This is a great place to see acres and acres of the elk refuge.  And to see the sun light up the magnificent Teton Range.  I catch a glimpse of a lone bull elk below running.  This bull is all the wildlife I will see today.

It is a short morning.  No need to hang around.  The elk are not moving yet.  I got a good walk in, saw two planets gracing Sleeping Indian Mountain, and watched an amazing sunrise. 

They should be charging me a fee for this!! 

So, 2017 hunting for me scores a big, round zero!  It's not the first year I have been skunked and I'm sure it won't be the last!  Mike still has a tag for the refuge for when we return.  There is still hope. 

Hunting 2017

The fall has been busy.  Topics re-prioritize our lives in various degrees of importance.  We finally went hunting today.  I have an elk refuge tag.  We saw 32 bulls (they tend to come first to the refuge in large guy-group herds), 9 wolves (really, not kidding), and 68 pronghorn antelope (they need to get out of here!!).  A couple of herds waaaaayyyyy off in the distance were too far to do anything more than watch them through binoculars.  The morning temperature was 17 degrees, but I would guess 12 to 15 up at the refuge.  A mid morning walk was needed to warm our cold toes. 

Cosmo and Gus did the work today, both mules fat from standing around doing nothing and eating Mike's hay.  I have one more day tomorrow and will go for an early morning walk before I head to work. 

The week before vacation.....much to do!

Musings and Photos

Carpe diem.  I keep thinking about this Latin phrase.  The definition, as defined online, is "used to urge someone to make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future."   I feel like we have been succeeding quite well at this phrase running around like crazy, doing this and that and getting ready for the big weather event this weekend. 

We will be travelling.  We'll see how that goes!  Pretty good storm coming our way this weekend.  Check it out!

Here are some photographic musings from the last couple of weeks. 

1.  We drained and cleaned the hot tub, preparing for the winter soakings ahead!

2. Hibiscus margarita with straw, needed for full lip surgery recovery!!  It is a beautiful thing, you have to agree!!

3. Mike's new barn door!  This is so beautiful!  He used some old barn wood found in the barn and made this AND put it up by himself.  What a great addition to the beautiful barn!   

Quick Update

My sincere apologies.

Thinking there would be any time to do anything other than drive, look, hunt, sleep, drive - well, that was unrealistic. 

No pronghorn for the freezer, but a very good hunt was had!  More to come.  Phew!  That was a fast weekend!

72 Hours. In the Life Of.....

As we prepare to take a kind-of long weekend break (both of us need to work the morning hours tomorrow), I will photo and word document our eastern excursion.  As I watch friend Stephanie discover all the fascinations of her new digs (Bamenda Africa) there are places as remote and strange just across the Teton County Line!  Stand by to see and learn more as we venture to the rough and tumble wilds of Kayce, Wyoming where we will meet up with Antelope Guide, Russchelle Jones and seek the elusive, yet lovely pronghorn antelope. 

Peaceful Sunday Afternoon

Michael is puttering in his shop.  I have the mess of lunch cleaned up - fed eight today here in Freedom.  Benni moved cattle, Mike helped, and the whole gang feasted to beef stew and smoke sausage white bean soup.  Yes, there is an Insta Pot at this location now too! 

The horses and mules are full and bored.  Playing "bite me" across the fence from each other, they enjoy the warmth of this afternoon.  The skies are dark and ominous.  A storm is moving in from the west.

I scored some great planters while Mike was visiting his mom.  Check out this monster culvert!!  There are two smaller ones stuffed inside too.

The story on how I scored these culverts is rather laborious.  Let's just say it started with a grass fire, a doctor tried to sway my influence by giving them to me, and I ended up hauling them away after giving him a check for $200.  My influence is not for sale. 

You might note the snow plow parts and pieces as well.  As the doctor and his friend helped me load the trailer, he offered these up as well.  Keeping in mind that Mike was looking for a plow, I hesitantly accepted.  "I bet it's not the first dog you've brought home," the helper exclaimed.  Never heard that said before, but yeah, it's not!!  Since then, Mike has bought another snow plow - a pretty good deal, except just as worthy of being called a Project as these shown above. 

I woke up today with a feeling of nerves jangling in my fresh cut lip.  Turns out, the stitches, dis- solvable, are starting to dissolve.  Strange and somewhat disturbing feeling.  I've kept a serious lip all day.  

Yesterday, we helped work cows at the Walton Ranch.  There was absolutely nothing for me to do expect jab an unsuspecting cow with a hot shot every now and then.  I grabbed my camera, taking pity on the old black girls. 

"Where's my calf???!!""

The chute.

This is a picture of Ken preg testing.  He checks each cow (well, unless it's a steer - a couple came through yesterday - oppos).  It's a nasty, thankless job.  With plastic glove sleeved up to his armpit, he reaches way up the stinky hole to feel for the swelling of a fetus.  I hope he gets paid alot for the chore. 

Walton Ranch Crew getting 'er done.

We pointed our noses south later yesterday afternoon.  After a fine meal and bottle of wine, a bit of reading was had while the gas stove flickered its warming flames.  We hit the sack at 8pm!  With such a early night, getting up at 6 am was easy.  No elk in the meadows this morning.

All summer, I have a fountain in Hoback at the front door.  After last summer, the fish that made it through the season were transplanted to the inside aquarium.  This year, I had a problem.  All the fish survived and grew in their summer quarters.  As the fountain got drained for the season, the fish got netted up and transported to Freedom where they now reside in the (heated) horse tank.  They are doing great in their new digs. 

As the weekend comes to a close, the peace and solace of this place surrounds me as I write this blog, Bach's piano music sounding out its rhythmic orderly measures.  We begin to pack up and think about heading north for the week ahead.  

May your week be productive and a good week.  

The Sun is not Your Friend

I love the feeling of the warm sun on my face.  Eyes closed, feeling the heat warm my skin; I recall so many places and times I have soaked up the sun.    In Illinois, laying on the fresh spring grass, my head on my old dog Precious belly, looking up at the clouds and forming animals out of their white floating shapes.  In Tucson under the desert sky, pulling soil samples from the hot, dry Indian reservation - dead cattle lay under most of the scraggly desert bushes.  In the high mountain wilderness, sitting in a low hunting camp fabric chair, soaking up s the morning warmth from the sun which has made its way to the southern side of the horizon. 

Sunshine, on my shoulders, makes me happy.  John Denver said it so well.  I've used Carmex with no sunscreen protection, on my lips most of my life. 

On Wednesday, I spent the majority of the day having a squamous cell carcinoma growth removed from the bottom lip on the left side of my face.  Using a procedure called the Moh's procedure, the cancer is cut out (I was given copious amounts of lidocane throughout the day; lidocane is our friend!) and examined under a microscope to ensure the margins are clear of cancer.  After the third time round of getting margins clean, I listened to some options from the doc on closing the gaping hole in my lip up.  He ended up making an incision starting at the middle of my chin and up to pull the two sides of lip together.  Here is what it looks like.

Did it make you wince when you saw this picture?  Don't worry, the whole thing was really quite painless.  Even today, >36 hours later, I am only taking Advil when needed (none yet today). 

From what I've read, there is a 94-99% chance that this cancer will not reoccur.  I'm hoping to be in that percentile, but will remain vigilante to sores that do not heal or nodes that start to hurt and/or whatever else freaks me out. 

I'm now a member of the Cancer Club.  The day I went in for this procedure, a friend of mine, ten years my junior, went in for a mastectomy.  I thought of her all day.  She put my procedure into a different dimension.  What happened to me is pretty minor; however, like her, I am aware a cancer is a significant threat. All of us in this club feel the change in life.  The brush up next to mortality.  The longing for the joys of living and the desire to continue living; sharing one's life with the amazing partner I call husband, friend, and love of my life.  More now than ever, these things are so precious and important.

Cancer can kill.  So can a car crash, a horse wreck, a structure fire, and an avalanche.  Be careful out there, my friends.  And wear sunscreen on your face and on your lips. 

Dear Joe

Dear Joe:

I went to your auction yesterday.  It was a fine day for an auction!  I went to your auction so I could give you a big hug - you are one of my favorite people in the fire family.  But you weren't there.  Once we started going with the auction, I understood why.

Many of your friends were there.  We crowded into the dining room/living room space, speculating on where you were going.  Dave, the auctioneer, started promptly at 10am, standing over the lovely kitchen table made just for your home. Around the room Dave went and soon, we were all moved outside to a trailer.  As I watched snow shovels, chaps, bridles and bits, tank heaters, and electric shears being sorted out and held up, I thought, this is what my estate auction will be like!  I am glad you are still amongst the living and moving south to join your family.

I heard the last of your sheep all died this spring.  My step-dad Raymond used to say sheep are just looking for a way to die.  I don't think his thought is original, just the first time I had ever heard this about sheep.  Later, your sheep shelter would sell, be loaded up, and hauled away for another's try at this furry creature.

Of course, that beautiful serious-looking snow plow was the main attraction.  In seasoned auctioneer style, Dave took us through the entire course before we got to the plow.  I stood next to the young man who won the bid on your New York City police belt; holster, cuff holder, baton, key to the cuffs but no cuffs present.  He was fascinated by the thing.  Admired it and pondered your wearing it on duty.  You would have enjoyed that moment.

We ambled on, item by item.  Wooden duck decoys, a cast iron tea pot, enormous wrenches and sockets, feed bins, salt feeders, a chicken coop, white tail deer hides.  I believe it was one of your neighbor's who won the book collection off your book shelf.  My favorite title, as I gazed through your books, "Practical Farm Shelters".  Those kind of books never go out of date.  Her son, here visiting from California, helped her load her wins.  She bid on much and took home much.  Your stuff isn't going far from your mountain home. 

I should have bid more on your banding irons.  That's a nice brand, M lower J.  I bet you would have transferred it to me.  But I have a brand and owning two seems more than somewhat silly.  I hope the person Carey got them for carries on that brand and thinks of you every time he pushes the red hot iron onto the hide of a critter.  It's a nice brand.

I did get your bed.  It will be a wonderful guest room bed in our Freedom house.  My husband is out of town right now, but I managed to wrangle bed frame, box spring, and mattress out of the horse trailer, into the house, up and around two flights of stairs, and got it all set up.  For a bit there, it was a battle and the bed frames was winning.  The frame fought me and I cut my ear.  Blood dripped down the battle wound and I became more determine to win.  When I left this morning, the bed was fully set up, made with your clean linens, and I walked away from the battle ground a real winner. 

I also won the bid for that beautiful piece of cabinetry in the kitchen the other women there were calling a "side board".  I'm pretty sure I paid too much for it, but I was determined to out-bid the gal across the room (dammit!) and I figure this is kind of like a donation to Joe's moving fund.  Use it well, my friend!

I also bought your boot scraper.  Right?!!  I love that thing.  It's like the industrial-type boot scraper.  No excuses for muddy feet now!!  That thing is awesome!  The country you lived in there isn't very wet and you can tell - that boot scraper is practically untouched. 

Driving south, I thought about how sad you were going to be to return to your spot on the hill looking east to the glorious Wind River Mountains, wind in the grasses and sage, and know you will be leaving this place.  The people around here are going to miss you Chief Joe.  You are kind and big-hearted.  You are serious and sincere.  You were someone they could count on.  I heard that in the eleven years you were around, there have been two structure fires.  Finding volunteers is really tough  up in that wind-blown retirement community.  You will be missed.

At Daniel Junction, I stopped to eat dinner.  Why not.  Here's to you, Joe.  I raise my gin and tonic (only one, still a long drive ahead) and wish you safe travels to be surrounded by your family soon in balmy Florida.  I celebrate the chance to have met you and known you - albeit, our relationship was brief, I got a glimpse of the kind of man I know you are.  May you find warmth in your new surroundings, less wind, no wolves, and certainly, no sheep.  You, Sir, are a hero of mine, indeed. 

Wednesday Post

Mike gives me an update this afternoon.  He spent the day at his mother's bedside.  Exactly the reason he made the trip.  Janet is tired.  And who wouldn't be?  She made it through a round of dialysis today, as Mike observed.  He washed her hair and combed it, urged her to eat some lunch, and sat with her.  The entire day. 

Okay, I know I am biased, but that, folks, is a good, good man. 

Have I ever told you the story when I knew I was totally in love with Michael?  We were on a pack trip.  It was the first day and Lucy, his loyal red heeler, chased squirrels the entire way in to our first night's camp.  That night she had a stroke and we ended up putting her down the next day (which is why I will do anything veterinarian Ken Griggs ever asks of me - or his wife, Cyndie, for that matter). 

Lucy lay there next to the grave site Mike began to dig.  She looked so peaceful.  I stroked her fur as he began digging.  Tears rolled down both of our cheeks.  Lucy was a good, good dog.

He dug and he dug.  We were in grizzly country.  The hole got deeper and deeper.  I asked him how deep he was going to go (might have said something about China....) and he assured me it was important to get deep enough that the coyotes and bears couldn't get her.  That was the moment.  That was the moment I knew this was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. 

The sun slipped over the horizon.  We laid Lucy in her deep, deep grave, said goodbye and covered her with rocks and earth.  Goodbye Old Girl.  You were a good, good dog. 

With tear stained cheeks and reddened eyes, we walked back to our group, hand in hand, and joined them for a dinner of fried chicken.

And now he sits by his mother's side with that kind of love and care.  You are a good man, Michael Earl Trumbower.  And I love you deeply.  I am glad you can spend time with your mother.  Please let her know from me - she did an excellent job!!

5 Reasons Why

Mike is east-bound.  Made it on time to Chicago.  Safe travels, my love.

I was just thinking, in case any of you might be thinking about coming this way, here are 5 reasons why you should (you know who you are!):

1. Fall colors are turning.

 

 

2. Reds and yellows below the clear blue sky.

 

 

 

3.  Smoke and Ruby like walks!

 

 

4.  Hot tub is set to 104 degrees!

 

5.  Need I say any more?

Only In Wyoming

A snippet from today's event report from Grand Teton National Park.  

Do you know what a mother bison tells her little baby boy when it comes time to leave home??

Bi-son!!!

Save $$ Today

Did I get you thinking about an Insta Pot?  On sale - just today - at Amazon.  You'll save $30!  Check it out at IP On Sale  If you want to support a great online IP site, go to Check out this IP Site and buy through their site. 

Mike is packing to head home and be with his mother.  It will be good for the whole family to be together during this health-challenging time.  I'm sure having family surrounding her bedside will be uplifting for Janet.  He leaves tomorrow.  The dogs, cat, fish, chickens, and horses will be under my watch for the next week. 

Cameras Back Up!

For those of you watching, Foscams are back up - you can view the cold, wet and somewhat miserable day we are having.  Tomorrow's high - 44 degrees.  Lovely.

For those of you not in on the cameras yet, let me know.  I'll get you in to look at our Freedom backyard.

Janet, On Our Minds

Mike's mom, Janet, landed in the hospital this week with a life threatening infection.  She spent some time in ICU, but is now out of this intensive care.  Scott and Stephanie and Steven sit by her side, work with the doctors, and keep us updated on her condition.  What a great team of advocates and support!

It's so hard to be so far away.  My mother reminds me there is nothing more a mother wants than to see her children happy.  Michael flourishes in Wyoming, especially now with the new farm.

We are relieved to hear of improvements and are keeping Janet in our thoughts, knowing the difficult health challenges she has faced and is facing.

Stay strong, get well face.  We miss you.

Long, quiet stretch

Greetings All!  My apologies for the long, quiet stretch on this blog site.  I keep thinking things will slow down.  Hah!  Silly me!  Last week just kept throwing things at me and I just couldn't make time for a post.

As I think of last weekend, it seems so far away, looking now outside to a snow-covered landscape.  The last several days have been gloomy, cold, wet, and a bit dreary.  To begin, here is a great picture of Todd and Janet as they began their float down the Salt River.  We enjoyed a wonderful evening in Freedom, sharing Janet's meatballs and pasta and consuming a enthusiastic SIX bottles of wine.  Oh my, oh my!!  What a fun evening!  They learned to play Pitch - one of our favorite card games.

I think I will make Todd & Janet a large print for their wall - love this picture!!  Their float got them some great fish and a memorable ride down the river.  Fortunately, no damage was done to their ship!!

This weekend - a view from our back door, dawn.  The top of the hot tub (bottom right) is snow-free because we enjoyed our morning soak!!

And here, a little friend.  All puffed up and close to his food source.  Yup.  The hummingbirds are still around.  This week's forecast looks a little better....we'll see.  There is plenty of sugar if they are sticking around.

Here it is.....the Winter Weather Warning!!

Right now, blue sky and white puffy innocent clouds light up my south facing window at work.  It is a late summer day.  The wind wafts about, not certain about what it is to do.  My phone dings.  A weather alert.  Check it out.   Time for long sleeves and fleece jackets!!

The full report reads:

The End of Summer 2017

Poof.  Just like that!  The weather is coming, the long sleeves and layers need to come out, the summer clothes go away.  Grass got cut last night.  Probably the last time for the season.  Here is what is coming.

Busy Saturday

While Michael was storing hay in the hay shed, we had the fire we were all worried about - and I was on duty.  Ironically, the fire started when some folks were trying to start an old fire engine!  Here is the story.  Click here to read Fire on the Mountain

We awoke a to a wet walk and drops of water hanging from the fence line.  Perfect!  The forest service crews (most of the fire occurred on forest service land) will have an easy job of securing the fire and wrapping it up. 

Today, another fire department event (keeps me from going south!).  The Moran Fundraiser is today.  I have an apricot vanilla bean pie in the oven for auction.......

Tomorrow is the anniversary of 9-11.  We will solemnly remember that day tomorrow on the Jackson Town Square, starting at 0800 Mountain Time.  You might get a glimpse of the event at Live Video Jackson Hole Town Square if you tune in then.  A quick walk to our Station 1 bay and we swear in the new Chief of Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Brady Hansen from Logan, Utah.  It will be a very full day - and added to my list is an investigation report and multiple incident reports that must be completed.

Living life to the fullest is exhausting! 

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes!

And your lungs!  It's been smoky around the west.  We have been lucky - thus far, and there are no big fires close by.  That does not mean there isn't smoke in the air, however.  The sun sets and rises in a hue of fluorescent orange/rose color.  The closest color I can come up with is raw wild caught salmon meat. That is the color.  The moon too is smoked color.  Tough year for the west.  We hold our breath and look to storms on the horizon.

This is, incidentally, the first year I am not all stressed out about dry weather and no rain.  Why?  Because Mike is currently putting up green, lovely alfalfa hay.  I wish I had a picture. 

Here is a cool link to show you the smoke moving from all of these western fires.  You will see the corner of Wyoming in the bottom right of the image. 

Check it out by clicking on this link Smoke in the West

Sauce from the Insta Pot!

Along with many other neat things (okay, some not-so-neat things too), there is a pretty apple tree at the Freedom place.   Step one:  fill the insta pot three quarters full with apples.  Wash right in the container, drain the water and seal up.  Put on high pressure for 6 minutes.  Do not quick release or you will have sweet apple water all over (trust me on this one!!).  When the 6 minutes are up, just turn the thing off and let it release pressure naturally (this is a good time to paint a utility room or cut the grass - just sayin'!).  Here are the pretty little apples ready to be cooked!

Turns out, not everyone knows what a food mill is!!  Here is a picture of one working.  There are many selections at Amazon!  Check it out at Amazon Food Mill Selection  Squishing out the sauce and holding back things like skin, stems, and seeds.  Wishing there were chickens in Freedom, this is great chicken fodder!  

Once processed, I added some sugar and cinnamon and heated up a bit.  Careful not to burn the applesauce (trust me - again! - on this).  There are a zillion apples on this tree!  I'm hoping neighbor Pam (new blog follower) comes and gets some!  Anyone else?  

House Warming

Warmed by a gathering of friends, we had a great party last night!  The earth moved, it was such a great event!  About 15 miles from here, these was a 5.3 earthquake.  See the news report here at Earthquake  Neighbor Pam and I were in the kitchen and absolutely felt the house move.  I was worried we had put too many people in the house! We both wondered what had actually just happened, but shortly after, cell phones began buzzing and indeed, there had been a quake.  Certainly, a memorable addition to the wonderful evening!

Here is who came.  First to arrive, Ken and Cyndie Griggs, pack trip friends.  Then Todd and Janet arrived in their pop up camper where they spent the night.  Next to arrive, Johnny and Coralia Robinson with their little ones, Clara and June.  Neighbor Mary arrived with a plate of Benni's elk jerky - Benni to arrive later, he was out cutting hay.  Then neighbors Pam and Lou buzzed over on their 4 wheeler.  Finally Jim and Jess found the place and arrived with their little ones Maisy and Jimmy and their two dogs.  It was a full house!!  We ate, drank, listened to music, told stories, and our friends now understand where we are going for the weekends.

Mike made his first bale of hay yesterday - a very momentous event!  I walked around the field helping him get the accumulator adjusted.  Now a neat eight pack of hay sits in the field to be picked up and loaded.  Baling hay is somewhat of a miracle to me!  Just the tieing of the bale strings amazes me!  That, folks, is technology!!

Jimmy and Maisy got to go for a ride on old Bishop.

The horses were amused with the party and hung around to get apple handouts.  Turns out, there is a nice apple tree on the place.  The apples, although small, are just the right mix of sweet and tart and the tree is loaded.  Six minutes in the Insta Pot and they are ready to go through the food mill in making great applesauce.

All are off in different directions today.  Mike is raking hay, getting it turned up to dry out for later afternoon baling.  I am cleaning the house.  Funny, you clean before company comes and then need to clean even more once they are gone!!  It's all good, it's all very good!!

We have a barley field just to the west.  A departing image.  Thank you friends for your warm and wonderful house warming gift.  Yourselves.  Filling our house with your love.  We thank you for this gift!  

Getting to Work for Labor Day Weekend!

Done with work tomorrow at noon.  Heading south.  Improvements thus far to the Franch home include; a giant mirror (48 x 80"), a bed frame for the free king size bed mattress and springs, a dining room set with 3/4" round glass table. 

Saturday will be the apex of activities.  Jim and Jess  and kids are coming Saturday.  Coralia and her kids too.  Maybe Todd and Janet!  We'll have a pile of people.  For those of you not connected, if you want the user name and password to our camera viewing the scene out the front door, just let me know!  It is really cool to see the horses and mules walk by - live time!!  There should be plenty of activity come this weekend...

I may disc.  I may drive the tractor with the accumulator.  I may cook.  I will drink!  And I will celebrate this new and wonderful place!! 

First Crop!

As I write, Mike is running his swather back and forth, round and round, the field of first year alfalfa.  He sent me this shot from the cab.

 

 

This is a big day on the franch!  Yesterday, friend Tom made a visit and helped fix all the machinery.  Thank you Tom!!  With the acquisition of this farm equipment, farming is going to be 75% mechanic and 25% farming for a while!!

 

It is hot outside (the cab has no air conditioning....) and dry and perfect for cutting hay! 

 

He must be roasting in that cab! 

 

I am on duty and stuck in Teton County.  How I wish I was watching this show!! 

You Can't Make This Stuff Up!!

The title of this blog is a phrase we often use in emergency services when things happen that are just hard to believe!  This report, just read off the state-wide news, made me laugh.  I hope you will laugh too!  

Read this story by clicking on the text You Can't Make This Up!  I can totally imagine this happening!

Yesterday was wonderful.  The day ended with Brahm's Violin Concerto; sweet notes swirling around my tired head as I cooked another meal - you guessed it! - in my Insta Pot!  Cooking is "flow" for me.  All the worries of the day are chopped up in the onions, grated finely in the garlic, and sauteed to a crispy brown in the burger.  Prior to dinner, I got in a nice walk, albeit, a hot one.  Took off early from work and got fairly caught up with the work which had accumulated while we awaited Totality.  

From my greenhouse, pictures of pride!  This was a better-than-last-year for tomato growing.  I can smell the bacon cooking.....!!

Eclipse Diaries, The Day After

Magic.

This is the best word to describe how it was.  Totality was magic.  Watching the light change as the moon eased its way over the sun's path, seeing the sun whittle to a sliver, and then - totality.  There is nothing like it.  An eclipse is neat.  Totality is magic.

We got out lawn chairs and eclipse glasses.  A flock of four sandhill cranes flew over, squawking their gravely vibrato.  Minutes later, three elk - including a yearling from this year - crossed the highway just to our east viewing point.  The darkening of the sun had just begun.

Yellows changed to silvers as time ticked on.  Shadows became sharp-edged and the dried flowers standing a foot off the ground looked 3-D.  The radios and pagers were hushed as everyone had settled in for the show.  Cars and people were everywhere they could be under this umbrella of totality.  The park was packed.

An early morning kidney stoned called one ambulance into service.  They were able to return in plenty of time.  There would be no county-wide calls for fire or ems until far after the 11:36 totality.  Thank you everyone.  Thank you all so very much.

A firefighter gave up looking through his telescope to make some pictures happen.  I wanted to get an image showing how emergency services were ready during this magical event.  Three firefighters jumped into their gear, rolled the engine up into the parking lot, and charged the master stream for this unique image.  The photo went viral, locally at least.  I spent most of totality (we had a bit less than 2 minutes in our north location) adjusting shutter speed and f-stops in hopes to get one good image.

Mercury popped up in the darkened sky.  The light was very similar to that just at dawn, although the horizon was bright all the way around - north, south, east, and west.  Despite being completely blocked by the moon, the amount of light from the sun was surprising.  As I worked through various shutter speeds, to expose for the engine and firefighters, my lens accumulated the sun's light.  The dark pin hole shows the eclipse.  It is hard to be prepared for photographing an eclipse!!

Here, a series of images from the brief two minutes of totality.  Two minutes and a memory of a lifetime!!

Interesting image, but not what I was looking for!! 

Thank you Lieutenant Preuss and Lamoureux and Firefighter Schweitzer for giving up your Totality Time so we could have this image! 

Here, a local news reporter mixes up his fire stations!!  This was not taken in Hoback and the firefighters from Station 4, I am sure, are not pleased.  Still, nice to give a shout-out to many who were ready to answer the call the day the moon passed the sun's path.

Standing By article, click on words to read.

Eclipse at Station 4!!!!

Very Cool!!

Eclipse Diaries, The Big Day

Stationed up north and briefed up for the morning.  We standby and hope there are no emergencies to distract us from the event!!  Here is a webcam of the sun as seen here in the Tetons.  Watch the Eclipse!

Eclipse Diaries, Day Five

We prepared for a lion.  So far, kittens are all that have shown up.

Another quiet stretch of time with minimal events leads all of our organizations to consider ramping down.  A tough decision for leaders.  We all know the switch could still get switched on.  There is risk to sending folks home.

This morning's pre-briefing starts at 0630.  Ugh.  In order to get in some hot tub time, shower, and coffee, the alarm clock breaks into my deep sleep at 0500.  The hot tub lid flops open, breaking the morning's hushed silence.  Orion sits on the eastern horizon and Pleiaides bunches its triangle formation just above.  Clouds creep across the darkened sky.  A hummingbird zips by on its way to the feeder; early riser too.  Mike and I soak and quietly talk about the day ahead.  Shared moments are few for this couple during these long days of summer.

My crew today is on the west bank of the valley.  I load up their breakfast and lunch bags and journey over the Snake River; the official dividing line of the valley floor.  Somewhat like the Mason-Dixon line, crossing the river takes one to the high-end side of the valley.  The line's divider is well-known amongst locals.  The crew's briefing format is relaxed.  They chatter, all over the place on topic selection; I let them wander about in their conversation before directing a more formal overview.  An hour later we finish and I head out to get a glimpse of Teton Village.  Driving through the residential areas, every driveway has a car.  Cars are parked along roads.  This place is filled up.  There are bikers, runners, walkers, and para-gliders dropping from the sky.  Orange cones are every where; fluorescent predictors of a road to be closed tomorrow.

Traffic on the main road is not bad and I easily enter my lane without delay.  A drive south to the town of Wilson.  There are people out the door and lined up for breakfast at the famous Nora's Fish Creek Inn.  Their huevos rancheros dish, topped in homemade green chili sauce, is the best.  I want to tell them their wait is well spent.  Roll up that warm flour tortilla, dip it in that hot sauce and grab a mouth full of over-easy eggs and you will understand why the wait was worth the time!

Settled in at the desk at Fire Station 2, I join a conference call arranged by the Incident Commander.  We are briefed on the weather for today - low humidity and stronger winds will contribute to wildland fire behaviors, should we get a fire.  Grand Teton Park is opening a section of road from the main highway to the town of Kelly at 0500.  One way traffic with parking adjacent could be a very popular ticket for Eclipse watchers.  A traffic jam is anticipated.  The road is directly below the path of totality.  Had I not taken my oath years ago and be free to do what I wanted to do for the day, I think I'd get in line.  It will be a great place to be and a 5 mile tailgate party!! I'd throw the grill in the back of the pickup and pack the fixings for bloody mary's with eggs and bacon!  Or maybe I'd be in the hills on my mule....

Instead, I will leave Hoback at 0430 to try to make the 47 mile drive north and get to Moran Fire Station 4 by 0700.

Here is what we are hoping for tomorrow.  It is going to be an amazing experience.  I love how the weather station got this pre-view made for us!  Check it out at What It Is Like To Watch a Total Eclipse 

We wait.  We wonder.  The anticipation of the thing has us collectively holding our breath.  Worry, concern, some fear, and a whole lot of excitement continues to build!

Eclipse Diaries, Day Four

Today, on duty as a second Deputy Branch Director, personal life keeps brushing into the Eclipse work.  Nothing is happening.  There have been no calls, no fires, no nothing.  Being somewhat down the chain of command in this position, it is easy to run off to get a battery in my watch changed, take the 13 ears of sweet corn grabbed from the Farmer's Market down to the fridg in Hoback, and set down at my work desk and make this entry.  Too bad the Re-Store is closed today!  Nothing is happening.

We have pretty much planned for the end of the world on this one!  The Emergency Operations Center is running full force with key positions occupied.  There are easily a thousand people working to ensure this is a safe event across the county.  The forest service ordered crews in from Grand Canyon.  The local police have officers from all over the state.  We have super-staffed for when all hell breaks out.

And nothing is happening.

Of course, we all wish for a Y2K event.  This would certainly be the best outcome.

So, since nothing is happening, I will show you my blue ribbon garlic crop of 2017.  I am very pleased!  The addition of a thick layer of horse manure might have just been what turned this crop into the big clove harvest.  Every one of the 48 heads is beautiful!  Looking forward to doubling my crop next year given a farm to plant them on.....

Eclipse Diaries, Day Three

How does the man on the moon cut his hair?  E-clipse-it!!!

I took the day off from the eclipse yesterday.  Mike and I made out way down south to celebrate a special day.  Almost to the day, three months ago, we bought the place and yesterday, we sat on the font porch of the big house for the first time.

A whole mess of things have happened in the last three months. Four tons of garbage have been hauled to the dump (with at least another ton or so to go),  a new septic tank installed, a field of alfalfa planted, irrigation pipe stepping its way down the field watering the hungry plants (with Mike's help, of course), new floors on the main floor of white house along with cove heat, Nest alarms, new paint, new light fixtures, upgrades on the dishwasher and refrigerator, new windows where old had lost their seal, new bathroom sink top, and all the while, working on weed mitigation, lawn maintenance, and brush removal.  The congratulations go out to Mike.  He has been working like crazy and although there is still much to do, about a year's worth of work got done in 3 months!  Next up - the hay needs cut and the utility room needs a new floor.  No rest for the weary.


We brushed up to the topic on a back road drive to Thayne.  Marked in glowing yellow signs was the word - painted in hot pink paint - ECLIPSE CAMPING.  The signs directed campers to a large field for eastern viewing.  Everyone is trying to make a buck off the event.

The evening ended in Hoback with a Insta Pot of chili.  Turned out very good, if I might say so myself!  Followed this recipe at Darn Good Chili  The recipe says you can put non-soaked beans in and cook, but they were a bit crunchy so I'll soak them next time.

The  humming birds are making their last visits to the feeders.  We make the mix strong with sugar as they prepare for their southern migration.  Sandhill cranes are heard sqaulking in the surrounding fields getting ready for their flights south.  It was, indeed, a ten minute summer this year.

Eclipse Diaries, Day Two

Driving home from the Moran Station 4 training last night (Moran sits at the north end of the valley, Hoback sits at the south end; the drive is about 47 miles through Grand Teton National Park and the Town of Jackson), I pondered the black dark sky.  Days are getting shorter, the mornings are cool, and fall is in the air.

The stars pinned light holes through the black velour skyscape.  How will the two minutes of darkness on Monday differ from the darkness of the night?  This morning, I looked up to the sun's position at 10:30 after a morning briefing with the Forest Service.  Brightly shining in a clear, blue sky, I tried to attach the sun's position on my internal compass for Monday bearings.  

This once-in-a-lifetime event brings up all kinds of deep emotions.  A once-in-a-lifetime event stirs up thoughts of mortality and brings a layer of depth and real meaning to the event.  Looking up to the sky rustles up the wonder of the universe and how stupidly small we ego-bound, self righteous humans can be under a galaxy of planets, stars, comets, and this eclipse.  Like our concerns mean anything!  We are mere molecules in the vastness of it all!

Today is a day of agency briefings for me.  Finishing up one, preparing for the next.  The Forest Service facilitator noted 100,000 people are expected to descend upon our mountain town.  Everyone is planning.  Patience is the key word as we watch our streets and highways condense their lanes with traffic.  A gas station ran out of fuel yesterday.  The grocery stores are a mess.  I have heard that gas, ice and booze will be the commodity items as this continues to intensify.  I have a bet with a friend about grid lock.  She doesn't think we will grid lock.  I say we will.  We are not sure how to put rules on this bet, but we both are sure we will know who the winner is by next Tuesday.  I win a eggplant Parmesan meal.  She gets to pick the meal of her choice, should I lose.  Both meals will be graced with ample bottles of big, red wine and we will look back on the Great American Eclipse.

You can watch in live time how busy the downtown intersection is getting and how many people are walking around the square by checking out Jackson's Web Cam (just click on the words and it will take you right to the web cam).

Tomorrow will be one day closer.  Close to the eclipse, closer to the eclipse being over, and closer to the things we don't yet know of what is coming.

May the Universe be With Us!!

Eclipse Diaries

I do not have time for this.  But I will make time.

For the last two years, many of us in this county have been planning for this Monday's event, the total eclipse of the sun.  There have been meetings and more meetings to the point of ad nauseum.  Rooms filled with overstuffed people and inflated egos, passing out paper and chewing on chocolate covered donuts.

Unlike most events, no one can predict what will happen.  Take a car crash.  You expect highway blockage, the need for one or two medic units, bleeding and stressed out patients, the possible need for extrication.  But this event.  This event is unpredictable.

Rumors abound.  300 people climbing Sleeping Indian Mountain to watch the shadow race across the valley floor.  Masses of people driving into the valley from the three ways in Monday morning.  Cell phones are anticipated to fail.  Radio repeaters are already down with frenzied repair technicians repairing lightning damage from last week; just discovered.  I have packed 4 walkie talkies and three packages of AAA batteries to feed them, just in case.

It has been personally verified that the grocery stores and their associated parking lots are a war zone.  Produce is wiped clean from display cabinets.  Customers are surly in their angst to make sure they get their goods.  A sense of anxiety it thick through the barren aisles.

Also verified, the increase of traffic on all streets.  Grid lock is expected.  There are air resources ready for responder and patient transportation.  Civil Air Patrol will fly the darkening sky the day of the eclipse to provide updates for highway congestion.

I am sad Mike and I will be separated in distance during this remarkable event.  He will be in Hoback ready to respond for calls out of his station and I will be in Moran, acting as a North Division Deputy Chief.  I wish we could share this together.  Our commitment to this community pulls us apart.  We swore the oath years ago.

Baring the lack of internet, I will make a daily entry into this blog, noting my observations on The Great American Eclipse event about to happen here in Teton County, Wyoming, the Path of Totality going right through the airport.

It won't be something we forget.  It will challenge us and push us to work together.  And it just might be so amazingly awesome that we sit back and say, wow, that was really something!

Here are two great articles - if you have time for reading - that are worth the reading. Join The Crowd!  and a bit longer, but exceptional piece Annie Dillard's Writing   Enjoy.