Poppies, Rain, and Hail

When Mike and I are ready to rent the white house, this will be the picture I use to advertise!  I recall a visit home and Dad's orange poppies in full bloom out by the mail box.  Always hoping for a patch of poppies, another bonus feature to our newly acquired property has presented itself!  

This week has been punctuated with black, ominous thunderstorms building up around 11am and looming overhead.  Rain and hail pour out of these angry clouds.  The hail has pummeled some places, covering the ground in white marbles.  So far, our new tender alfalfa plants have been spared. 

A tour of my Hoback garden after yesterday's morning rain storm and then shining sunlight.  You could almost hear the plants growing!  Clearly, I like poppies!!  It is a beautiful summer this year! 

A Full Saturday

National Cattledog Championship, Afton, Wyoming.

Afternoon of work on the old white house.

Alfalfa coming up through ground graced with .9 inch of rain in last night's storm.

Friends June, Clara, Coralia, and Mike.

This month's picture of the new place. 

It was a good day.

 

 

 

This month's picture of the new place.

 

 

 

 

 

And if the Weather Isn't Enough.....

Check this out!

Will Yellowstone Blow?

More Weather

The national weather map shows hot weather over the southwest.  Here in the mountains, the trees flap around in stormy weather, the air humid and cool.  Today's weather should offer the best kind of irrigation of all - rains from the heavens!  Bring it on!  

This picture taken this morning on Kathy McFarland's way south from Moran to her work in Grand Teton National Park.  Beautifully ominous morning scene!  

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Jackson, Wyoming sits right in the Path of Totality for the epic 2017 Eclipse event.  On Monday, August 21, 2017, the sun will be in total eclipse, a once-in-a-lifetime event for most.  Our tiny town is expected to overflow with the event.  Rumors of 40K, 400K, and today, I hear "one million" extra people are guessed to arrive here.  How can one even begin to guess?  We have been planning for over a year for the thing.  It is certain to be an epic occasion, one to be remembered - and for most likely, much more than just the sky going dark for a couple of minutes.

We have a local website, check it out at Teton 2017 Eclipse 

Just in case you had not heard!!

Western Tanagers Abound

Right now, these sherbet-flavored birds are everywhere!  Although the light was getting dim, under the wet low cloud sky day, I captured a few of these fine feathered specimens.  There have to be over a half dozen different variety of birds at the feeder right now.  Rusty capped finch birds, a bigger finch with a raccoon mask, buntings, grosbeaks, chickadees, and goldfinches.  Add that to a mass of buzzing hummingbirds - well, it's kind of like an outside aviary here right now.  Super cool!!

 

Amusing National Headline

Did you see Jackson made national news today?

Jackson Mayor Makes Bold Move

If this does not work, google "Jackson Mayor national news".

The Joys of Living in the High Mountains...

Official Cherry Tree Planting

There is at least one sour cherry tree planted at Jean Street, in Hoback, and now in Freedom.  It's kind of a Johnny Appleseed kind of thing for me.  My trees in Hoback bloomed like crazy, but sadly, there are very few cherries.  No bees?  Did they get frosted?  Who knows, but it is a huge bummer.  Anyway, the orchard starts at the new place!!

If I had time, and I just don't, I would stich these pictures together and show the view from the small house front yard.  Use your imagination!  Rain predicted up to the weekend - grow, baby seeds - grow!!

Farming

When you are farming, having good luck is not a bad thing.

Not having the right equipment, we hired our neighbor to help get the alfalfa in the ground.  The project started Thursday night.  Neighbor let Mike plant the next day.  He finished up as dark clouds roiled in from the west.  A strong front came through and a beautiful rain fell all night.

Let the seeds germinate!!  We head down there tomorrow to plant a new sour cherry tree and work on some of the zillion things that need to be worked on!

I just ordered Mike's birthday presents.  A weather station you can monitor on your iPhone and a webcam so he can watch the ranch from afar.  All that's needed is wifii for the place!!

The Rumor Proves True

The road is closed.

Indefinitely.  Addie, your drive just got longer.

Here is the release.  More to be found at GTNP's Facebook Page

Raging Rivers

The flood is supposed to crest on Thursday.  Warm temperatures have set this year's high water marks close to record-breaking.  The rivers roil with debris; logs, branches, entire trees go zipping down muddied rivers, tossing about manically.  Some folks are out there on the river.  So far, no river rescues.....  Reservoirs are filling up and water is getting released from dams; often, causing trouble downstream.  A road in Grand Teton Park is rumored close to being washed out.  Everyone is watching. 

Cool weather this weekend will slow the event to normal.  I will be off in Laramie training on Thursday and I will miss the crest.  Bummer.

You can find this interactive map at Click on various places to see flow . 

Discoveries

On the farm in Illinois, we had three peonies bushes.  Sprouting out of the ground, year after year, we would watch their golf ball size buds, covered in ants, split open in a dazzling ball of fluffy-looking flower.  These lovely flowers are old-fashioned, short-lived, elegant and sought after.

An old legend, passed on from generation to generation, is that a peony flower will not open without the help of ants.  Turns out this is simply legend.  The ants seek nectar found of the opening flowers; check out this article  Ants and Peonies 

I've planted at least a half dozen peony plants since I arrived in Jackson.  To date, not a one of them has bloomed.

Over the long holiday weekend, Mike and I got to spend quite a bit of time at the "Franch" - the name "Tin Cup Ranch" is in consideration.  We cleaned out some unbelievably gross couches out of the garage, cut a big yard's worth of grass, and found an amazing and most likely, very old peony plant.  It's dark red flowers are just beginning to open under the warm, western sky.  Here is a treasure!

Today, the weeds on the 60 tillable acres were sprayed.  Soon, half the acreage will be planted with an alfalfa grass mix.  What to do with the other 30 acres??  We don't have enough pipe to water the entire place.  I have been researching dry farm crops.  Sunflowers?  Millet?  Peas?  I don't know what there will be, but leaving ground bare and fallow is not this farm girl's idea of good farming!!

Annual Physical Work Capacity Test

No doubt, an annual physical test of a firefighter's health, stamina, and general physical ability is good practice.  The test, called the work capacity test, pushes the firefighter's heart to its capacity, stretches muscles to their maximum load, and requires significant lung work.  Most of us hack for a couple of days afterward! 

Geared up in bunker gear, air tank, helmet and gloves, the firefighter starts at the far end of the course, pulling an in-charged fire house 200 feet.  The hose is dropped and a hose pack picked up, thrown over a shoulder, as the firefighter commences a three story climb up the training tower.  Thighs screaming, lungs aching for air, the firefighter reaches the top of the tower, sets the hose pack down and pulls up a rolled fire house to the top of the tower, then hand over hand, lowers it to the ground.

Descending back down the training tower, the firefighter has a brief opportunity to recover.  As soon as ground is hit, the Keiser sled is next.  Climbing on the rails, the firefighter takes a sledge hammer and pounds a weight down the sled.  Once achieved, a walk across the course to a ladder which is picked up and carried to the tower, erected, and then replaced on the ground.

The last task is to pull a 185 pound tire down the course and return (uphill) to the finish line.  At this point, the firefighter is in a breathless state, tugging and pulling and putting out the maximum output. 

Finished!  For another year!!

Janet expresses her great joy for this test!!

To Be Human

She was pushing a wheel chair filled with the wrinkled and frail body of an incoherent old woman.  The old woman’s eyes closed shut in her white face of cascading wrinkles.  There were three, they traveled slowly, south down the wide, concrete sidewalk, out for a walk in the afternoon sun next the road which traveled next to the sea.  The streets were lined in over-pruned sycamore trees, their fingerless knotty fists punching at the blue Mediterranean sky overhead. 

I noticed the bird first.  Sitting on her left shoulder, its feathers gray like the woman’s hair who pushed the chair.  A red cloth lanyard draped from the bird’s foot to the woman’s wrist.  With delight, I looked into the woman’s eyes and she stopped our group with the warmth of a friend. White eyed, the bird peered at me as her owner commanded his tricks.  Drawing me in close to the bird, she ordered the handsome bird to kiss me.  A gentle peck on the check – we all shouted out in glee! The bird and I gave each other a high five.  Cheers from the group!  She handed me the fine feathered friend and it cradled in my arms like a baby, peering all the time with those white eyes above the black shining beak.  The bird, back on its owner’s hand, gave a squawk and we cheered again in delight.  What a priceless gift!

This connection of human beings.  Her world so far from mine.  We do not share languages, we do not share countries.  We share only the act of being human.  We connected through the delight of a parrot.  Her gift was priceless. To be held forever in my and our group’s memory. 

Thinking about this wonderful experience on this, my birthday.  

And the Flood Season Begins

Finally warmer weather.  This is the confluence of the Snake and Hoback River.  And so, flood season begins.

The view downstream....

What did you do last weekend?

We helped brand cows!  Saturday, up early to move cows at the Walton Ranch.  Beautiful morning.  First time on my trusty mule, Gus.  He was great and it was just one of those breath-takingly beautiful mornings.  Then, jump in the truck and head to Alpine to brand friend Benni's "herd".  Twelve moms and twelve babies.  More of a back yard setup, this work was a bit more complex.  Happily no one/no cow was hurt (beyond castration and branding) and we zoomed back to Hoback Junction to get in the shower so we could make the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet.  A nice fundraiser with oodles of people and prizes.  It went on a little long, ending at 10:30pm.  Home to sleep fast.

Up and at it on Sunday to be on our trusty steeds for the 8am move the cows at the Walton Ranch, which was again quite beautiful and fun.  Gus was a bit more wound up with 18 other riders working the cows, but we all did just fine.

Branding, castrating, shots, and ear growth hormones over and over again as we worked our way through close to 200 calves.  The cows get worked as well.  Finished up to an amazing lunch with BBQ ribs, giant dishes of beans, potatoes, salads, and wonderful desserts.  Put all that with a Mike's lemonade, and you are worthless the remainder of the afternoon.  We came home and passed out for about an hour!!

And just like that, the weekend is over!!

SOLD!

After 21 years, I have sold my beloved AFrames on Jean Street.  They have taken very good care of Mike and me.  Quite the process, this real-estate stuff.  The closing for the AFrames was on Wednesday.  Today, we bought 80 acres with 2 houses, one airplane hanger, one huge shop, two barns, and farm equipment and have enough money left to begin planting and growing alfalfa.  It is really quite remarkable, the whole thing.  I am sad and happy and astounded. 

This is Mike's place.  Not sure if to call it a farm or a ranch, we have named it our "franch".  First priority is to get a crop in the field.  Alfalfa, once established, is productive for about six years.  The objective is to produce some good hay. 

Just on the other side of the Wyoming border, the place sits at the base of Tin Cup Pass just inside the Idaho line.  The past owners will stay at the main house while they decide their next move.  The other house, a smaller 1000 square foot house needs some work.  Priority number two. 

Here is a view, looking north.  Mike's Franch.  I think we did pretty darn good!

  

Pictures, Pre-Launch

Once one starts fishing in the Derby, there is no time for picture taking.  Shoot, there is hardly time to eat lunch.  I went the entire derby without peeing!!  Always a proud accomplishment!!  Here are some pictures from before and after the 0700-1600 hours derby.

And The Winners Are.......

The Derby day is predictably not a nice day for weather.  Saturday was predictable.  The 0700 launch time had choppy water and a breeze from the north.  By noon, whitecaps tossed frustrated fishermen (and two women) about, trying to keep lines from tangling and boats from getting sideways to the gale.  Overcast and cold, some boats snugged into protected bays and coves while changing fishing strategies.  

Tanner caught a winning cutthroat (17") to earn our boat second place and take home a $1200 prize money check!  

Let the fishing season begin!!