Such a Wonderful Flower!

It happens once a year.

When I was a kid, it happened right around Memorial Day.  The apple trees had just finished their spring time bloom and we would walk out to cut the beautiful pink and white peony flowers from the bushes planted nearby.

When Mike and I bought the Freedom Farm we acquired many things.  A shop, an old barn, an old house with its garage, a hay shed, the big house, and an airplane hanger.  A swather, a baler, two tractors, and a hay trailer.  We also bought a very old peony bush.

Although many people might not find a peony bush to be a valuable asset on a piece of property, this old annual flower swayed me that we were buying the right piece of property.  It’s value is such that anyone keeping the yard is lectured on broadleaf herbicides and other general destructive actions.

The flowers are fragile, starting out as a round, golf ball size bud.  Ants find these buds, eager to profit from the nectar oozing from the edges of the green protective layer around the exploding flower inside.   Folklore says the ants must be present for the flower to open, but this is just that – folklore.  The flowers will open without the ants. 

I picked my flowers on Saturday (note: almost a month after Memorial Day!), enjoyed them with company Saturday night, and brought them home to sit atop the counter.  By Wednesday, the tissue-like magenta petals will begin to litter the top of the island.  By Thursday, most petals will have dropped and my floral arrangement will find its way to the compost heap.  I would feel badly about this pillage of flowering mass if it was not an annual plant.  No matter how many flowers I greedily pick, that plant will be back next year in its blooming splendor for our enjoyment.

That is, assuming no one decides to put a weed killer on its leaves.

Way Cool RV

Mike and I are hosts for a neat RV program called "Harvest Hosts".  Check them out at Harvest Host Site  Since the first of June, we have hosted 10 RVs.  The RV folks call ahead, get directions, pull into our driveway late afternoon/evening, and spend the night at the K Lazy M Ranch.  I have tricked out my little Garden Shed where they can look and potentially buy Copper Pot jams, Galen's maple syrup, a silk scarf, or Mom's sewing creations.  There is a container to leave money.  If electricity is  used, I ask the RV folks to throw in what they think is fair.  There is no charge to stay, but they are urged, as a member of Harvest Host, to support the businesses of the places they stay. 

Here is the unit that arrived last night.  This is the coolest rig ever!!  The tires themselves weigh 400 pounds.  The rig weighs in at 18K pounds.  Inside, custom cabinets hold custom shelving that holds the dishes and cups; designed with clever cushioning to eliminate rattling.  There are solar panels on the roof.  Everything is electric.  Here is a site to learn more about these custom, one of a kind rigs.  Earthroamer Info  They are rumored to cost $250,000!  Mary & Terry, you need one!!

Bees Adore Allium Flowers

The catalog says it - "Bees adore allium flowers." 

As I walked around my yard, one sunny afternoon after work, it proved to be true.  The bees were visiting the beautiful globe allium flowers.

A Day NOT at Freedom

Mike pulled me off the farm.  He wanted to go fishing.  It's not easy to give that place up, I only get Saturday and Sunday and to sacrifice an entire day - a day away from my bees, the gardens, the flowers, and the weeds....well, it is a sacrifice.

The day was fine on the lake.  Warm turning to hot.  Recall, last Saturday, it snowed quite a bit here.  We were hot.  The dogs panted.

Fishing was slow down south and we finally reeled 'em in and headed north.  Luck changed and I hooked into this beautiful 15# lake trout.  Mike did an excellent job of netting (one of the easiest ways to lose a fish is right at the boat; that moment when they get close to the surface and they really don't like it that much).  We weighed the fish, snapped a quick picture and watched it swim away, gills fanned open, tail swishing in the green water.  Back to deeper waters. 

A bit later, Mike landed a 4 pounder which is happily swimming around Jackson Lake as well.  We had burgers for dinner.

It was a good day.  The weeds grew a bit taller yesterday in the heat of a summer Sunday!

Wise Brene

Brene Brown is one of my favorites.  Her book, "The Power of Vulnerability" Buy It Here! is my number one top book pick.  She has a weekly email which I just opened.  Her is a quote from Brene that resonates....

Seems timely after my week of fire investigation training.

Sharing a picture from the Wednesday night fire training.  Our folks are awesome!!

Brief Moments of Nasal Bliss

It does not happen every day.  It does not happen every hour.  It does not happen very often.  But, every once in awhile, I can smell again!

The first time it happened was at the Walton Ranch branding.  Positioned downwind from the red hot branding iron, the head holder – a strong man, willing to anchor calf heads and legs – held the braying calf’s head while I injected a large needle’s worth of growth hormones into that calf’s ear.  If it was a steer calf, he was going through as well the ordeal of being castrated during this life changing moment.  The white smoke surrounded us as we tried to time it just right, sucking in the clean air, before the brand hit the hair and hide, holding our breath until either our job was completed or the smoke cloud moved by.  That was when I smelled the acrid smell of singed hair and burning flesh.

Weird, right?  How strange that this should be my first recognizable smell after the polyps were removed out of my over clogged sinuses.  I was in disbelief all morning until we walked up to the lunch area and there – I smelled a smell again.  The smell of hot vegetable oil, which I was certain was vegetable oil, heated and cooking potatoes for our lunch.  Mmmmmm, that was a good smell.

Since then, I’ve had a most memorable day of smelling last Sunday.  Odors of cut dandelions, oozing with sap as I chopped down their yellow bobbing heads, smelling their dandelion smell wafting up to my position on the lawnmower.  I took a few of my bees with them, sadly.  Dirt.  The sweet earthen smell of dirt as I dug one more hole to plant the asparagus roots which I over-ordered this year in my zeal to have asparagus.  I am certain I now have over 200 asparagus crowns in the ground.  That is the strangest word to spell.  Asparagus.  The dirt smelled fine.

That night, I peeled garlic cloves and drug them across my fine rasp, shearing off paper thin wafers of the aromatic herb. Garlic.  I smell garlic, I swooned to the garlic, as I inhaled deeply.  “Garlic, you smell so good!”

And then the wine.  I could smell the wine.  The rich smell of an inky Petite Sarah.  Will I have a “nose” now when I go wine tasting?!  What a concept!  Someone else can start driving!! 

One can live without one’s sense of smell.  You won’t lose weight, you will still eat enough to keep you “substantial” (as I was once called by a loving friend).  It is one of the senses, but really, if you had to lose a sense, this is the one to lose.  I have been just fine without my sense of smell.  But now that it is back – even if just for ever so brief moments – I have come to appreciate my sense of smell like never before. 

Mmmmm, everything smells so good when I can smell!!

BEE HEAVEN

Ya Gotta Be Tough

The sky cleared, the wind set down, and the cold blanketed the landscape.  The temperature dropped to a frigid 25 degrees around 1:30 am this morning and held until about 4. Sunrise registered in at 28. Apple blossoms, tulips, the purple allium globes and humming birds shivered. Not all will be tough enough. Shadows creep and the heavy frost turns to dew.  The day ahead promises to be stunning. With another below freezing night ahead.

 Sad little dead hummingbird. Not quite tough enough.

It’s not all Sunshine and Flowers

Spending the week in Laramie getting my fire investigation skills honed. I am reminded, there are some really bad people in the world. I mean really bad. Mothers who abuse their children, put them in a plastic bag, wrap them in a sheet, and set them on fire. I am deeply disturbed.

This is just one example. There are others. My cop friend sitting to the right tells me if I keep believing people are good, I will be a victim sooner or later.  I’m not sure how I feel about this.

Here is the afternoon storm building up above my rig.  I wish people were all good.

100 Miles Per Hour

It's been a bit of a fast-track lately.  Since my birthday, Mike and I have both been going one hundred miles an hour.  One must prioritize when plates start spinning.  I'm sure a few have dropped; I have just not found them yet!! 

I was delighted to be back in Freedom after a long day of driving from Casper Saturday night when this amazing storm blew by the place.  The wind was incredible and I doubt we will ever find the lid to the compost bin that I watched take off like a scene from Somewhere Over the Rainbow!

And speaking of rainbows, check out this full double rainbow!  Rain on the crops, rainbow on the horizon! 

Mom noted some amazing things I sure have never thought about with rainbows.  For example, have you ever noticed how the colors on the outside double rainbow are reversed??  Who knew?!!  Notice how the rainbow touches down in the manure pile on the second picture - a pot of gold!!

Here is an article that helps you understand how rainbows and double rainbows come to be seen Rainbow Science

Home Sweet Home

A bazillion bees and their Queen were moved into their new home this weekend.  Their hive sits on the southwest corner of our property.  Literally below the hive, a spring trickles by.  The hive looks south to the neighbor's property complete with a pond and wet lands.  If I were a bee, I would want to live here. 

The package of bees opened fairly easily and I dumped the bees into their new home.  Turning over the bee package, I gave it a hard shake.  A mass buzz occurred as the cluster fell to the bottom of the hive.  None got too upset.  I listen closely to the bees.  They have a sound when they are chill and a sound when they are not chill.  Chill is good with bees!  The queen came packaged in her own little container.  I pried the cork out of her little screened box and shoved a mini marshmallow into the hole.  This would give time for everyone to get used to each other before the sugary cork got eaten and she walks out of her tiny home and into her new giant home of vertical hanging frames. 

These bees are golden.  Much lighter colored than the 2018 colony.  Their queen is an Italian queen whom I have named Fiona, in honor of Janet's grandmother.  I hear that Italian bees are very good foragers.  We will see!

As this is in such a remote spot, Mike helped me get an electrical fence up around the hive.  The mules graze on the other side.  I can imagine them leaning over the fence, smelling the sweet smell of honey, and tipping the whole thing over.  There are most likely, bears up the hill to the west.  A field of some sort of agricultural crop is above our land (we are waiting to see what this will be) and then the land turns to heavy forest.  Of course the curious and hungry skunk or raccoon should be shocked (!) to find the encircled hive.  I have seen the picture of hives torn up by bears.  It is a very sad picture indeed.

More bees this weekend.  This will come in the form of a nuc.  Essentially, a small box with frames, bees, and a queen.  You take the frames out of the nuc and put them in your hive and just like that, your bees are in their new home.  A nuc costs a bit more but the bees are way ahead of where a package of bees are when they arrive. 

Yesterday was lovely.  Temperatures got into the 70s.  Mike and I got a ton of work done; seeds planted in gardens, brush hauled off to burn pile, grass cut, screens put into windows, trailers returned, trailers picked up to be delivered.  Summer is here.  We are busier than bees!!  Have a great week!

May 9, 2019

A picture and a video for your amusement.  Our back yard this morning.

I really hope the video works for you - it is a slow mo of some very cold hummers this morning! 

  

Slow Mo Bees

Check this out!  Watched the girls working for quite awhile this weekend.  Filmed this slow motion video for your enjoyment.  It cracks me up how some miss the opening and bounce off the door to try it again!  Check out the pods of yellow pollen on some of these girls' legs!  Things are finally starting to bloom!!   You will have to push the play key twice to make it go....

I will receive a package of bees next weekend and get them set up in a hive down in the corner of the field.  That hive will have an electric fence in an effort to shock off any sniffing bears!

The following week, a nuc (a package of bees with frames, brood, bees, and queen) arrives and it will go to Hoback.  The timing seems good.  Things are starting to turn.  Hummingbirds spotted in Freedom and in Hoback.

Big Week!

I think I will survive this week, but it has been a doozey! 

Monday wasn't bad.  I started duty on Tuesday and we had a structure fire at 8:30am.  Check out this amazing video to see how a single fire sprinkler head totally put out an unattended grease fire!!
 

On Tuesday, April 30, a young man walked away from his cooking. 

The event occurred in a two story, wood stick, mixed use structure 14,570 square feet.  Smith’s Liquor store on the grade level and housing for Smith’s employees above.  The housing is set up with rooms on one side of the corridor and shared kitchens and bathrooms on the other.  The value of the building is estimated to be $5-7 million dollars (this is, Jackson Hole!). 

The building is sprinklered per NFPA 13 and has a protected attic space.

Because this is a shared area, Smith’s installed surveillance cameras in the three shared kitchens.  Unfortunately, the camera time is not correct, however, it captured the event as it unfolded.

In approximately three minutes, the pan began to flame.  The fire became developed and deployed the 155 degree sprinkler head.  There was some good fire activity when the water hit the fire, but this video certainly dispels the concern of water and grease and fire.  The flowing sprinkler head completely suppressed the fire. 

Our crews arrived and stopped the water flow.  By 2pm that afternoon, I was informed the water was cleaned up, the life safety systems all restored, and operations were back to normal.

In a town suffering from a significant housing crisis, a town where property values are extremely high – this one sprinkler head saved lives, conserved valuable property, prevented firefighter injuries, and maintained some very valuable employee housing. 

We have it posted on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/JHFireEMS/ and I have attached the video for your use and review. 

PS  Jackson Hole and Teton County have had a fire sprinkler ordinance since 1998 for structures over 5000 square feet, residential and commercial!!  

So, big deal, right?  Pretty cool story.  I was flying high. 

And then the newspaper called.  Always a frightening thing to be interviewed by the paper.  Will they get my statements right?  Will they get the story right?  Here is the article for the paper.  Allie did a good job.  My stress level has dropped.  

A full, long weekend ahead in Freedom!  Phew.  Here are some spring images to enjoy. 

The Gun Does Not Fire

Mike and his mule, Cosmo, went to the vet yesterday.  An Xray was taken.  With glee, it was discovered Cosmo was suffering from a deep internal bruise in his hoof.  He is not out of danger yet.  The infection and swelling will need to drain and heal, and, as noted, the abscess is deep within his hoof.  But, the gun did not fire yesterday!  The two will be working together daily, soaking the foot, digging in, and trying to get the thing healed.  Here they are.  A man, his mule, and the string they pull along in the mountain wilderness. 

Meanwhile, spring is springing!  We were wakened by the sudden flash of lightning around 5am this morning.  Lots of rain and some warm weather has kicked the plants up a notch!  This is my pretty little pasque flower which blooms faithfully for me every year outside my office door.  I bet you could look back through this blog history and see its pretty flowers show up on an annual basis!!

Mike has promised to get out a very expensive bottle of wine to celebrate Cosmo's life!  I think I'll join him tonight in Freedom!!  Enjoy the weekend!

Weekend Results

I spent the weekend trying not to bend down (dripping blood from my nose would immediately commence if I did), lift heavy objects, and generally follow the rules set forth by my doc so that I might recover as soon as possible.  I broke a rule and planted some broccoli and cabbage just before a big storm blew through.  They got set well with the rain that followed.

I also baked an amazing - if I might say so myself - loaf of bread.  I've bake bread all my life.  I get bread.  I get how to knead it, how to let it rest so the yeast grows, how to shape it, and how to bake it.  But this loaf!  Well, I've hit my bread-baking high with this loaf!  It was inspired from my latest book, Cooked , which has been a wonderful wonderful read on cooking all kinds of things! 

I then set forth to taking the five yards of French fabric, which was scored at a second hand store for a whopping $8 investment, and turning into a table cloth.  This fabric has a cool coating which makes brushing off spills and food easy peasy on your table.  Done and not bad for an amateur!  Love those sunflowers!

Back to work today.  Maybe not for the entire day, but for a bit.  The headache has been my chief complaint - Advil to the rescue.  I spied some blooming daffodils today!!  Woot!  Woot!

30-Plus Procrastination

In my 20s, I had a doctor who smoked.  Although I did not know this when I first start seeing him, I did find it somewhat disturbing, although sincerely human, once I found out.  Anyway, he was the first one to tell me I had polyps in my nose.  And what caused these polyps, asked I.  Allergies, he replied.  We can surgically remove them, but they will just grow back until you manage your allergies.

So, after 3 bouts of bronchitis this year, two visits to the ENT doc and one visit to a pulmonologist, all concurred it was time to take care of the polyps.

The surgery was scheduled for two hours.  I showed up at the hospital yesterday morning at 0800 and began the prepping for this surgery.  A friend and a Jackson Hole Fire/EMS paramedic dropped my tube - which was nice. (I had to be put under for this surgery which requires a breathing tube).

Another friend described the pain I would feel when I awoke to be similar to a bunch of bee stings in my nose.  It wasn’t quite like that for me; more of a headache and raw feeling.  I accepted the Percoset from the nurse and enjoyed a nice afternoon nap after Mike delivered me home.

One no longer gets one’s nose packed in gauze, which I must confess, was one of the reasons for procrastination!  A gauze pad was placed beneath my nostrils to catch the draining liquids.  And drain they are draining

Earlier this spring, when I wrote about my ice hematoma, a dear friend - who will be very interested in this surgical procedure, wondered if I was “attention seeking” with all of my injury writing.  I kind of took this personally.  This blog is a place for me to write.  They say if you want to be a better writer, you should write.  I think my skills have improved.  One writes about the things one knows.  I am just telling my story.  Up close and personal sometimes.  Very human - like the doctor from Illinois.

After my long nap, Mike and I delivered ourselves to our place of refuge in Freedom.  The snow is off the fields!  We watched a pair of sandhill cranes amble across the alfalfa field as we at dinner late last night.  Slowly, ever so slowly, the season is changing.

Mike’s mule Cosmo is lame.  After a long session with Doc Griggs, he will get an X-ray next week to determine his fate.  We are hoping for the best, but it could be bad.  Leg issues are rarely something that can be fixed.  He is our youngest mule.  He is Mike’s mule.  It will be a very big and sad loss to have to say goodbye to Cosmo.  More on this as we learn his issue.

When I was a new fire inspector, my boss - the then-Fire Marshal - told me I should look into some writing classes.  I took that personally too.  Funny how some things just stab a bit deep.  I enjoy writing and thank you Readers for your time and attention.  Your interest, your kind words, and your critiques.  Often, we are inspired by others, even when it stings a bit.

Now. What to do about the allergies......

Seriously????!!!

I do not believe anyone can jinx themselves. 

But......the day after the article came up, the tones dropped for a confirmed structure fire this morning around 3:30am.  Crap.  Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!! 

It was an exterior fire.  I investigated and have a cause, but if you want to know the cause, you will need to call me direct.

Here is a picture of the damage.  Did I jinx myself? 

Today's News

This has been a long and often frightening winter.  There have been many many things that could have gone terribly wrong; a crawl space filled with natural gas and firefighters walking around the first floor, a horrific car vs snowmobile touring company van filled with guests crash, etc, etc.  Many of us have really been on guard for the very real potential of a big event with the potential for injury or worse. 

So, I committed that should we make it to spring (which is hard to grasp this morning as the snow capes are muddy open spots into a white blanket covering, once again) without a significant incident, I would write a piece for the paper.  So, last week I did.  After it was written and submitted, there was one very bad crash and one more gas leak; the worry of jinxing myself was intense!!  But, today it is published and still rings true.  We did good, we got lucky this year.  Phew
. 

Thank you Jackson Hole News & Guide.  Thanks for getting the word out! 

Odious Spring

I know this is an across-the-nation complaint.  This has been a long winter and well, a miserable spring.  Some of you enjoyed 70 degree temperatures yesterday and have snow on the ground this morning.  Yuck.

We were wakened by a downpour on our little cabin's metal roof.  A gray and very wet day.  Two pictures; the view looking up from the lower house to our little cabin taken last Thursday and a view looking down from our little cabin taken this morning. 

Lows expected in the 20s for the next couple of nights. 

April 9, 2019

April 4, 2019

Pinterest Worthy

A couple of weeks ago, my staff member Butch, learned of a giant house that was to be torn down.  There were many valuable things left in the house; refrigerators, cabinetry, granite counters, huge solid wood doors.  It was really quite remarkable so many valuable items were left for the ripping ball.  Butch got permission to salvage things before the wrecking ball arrived.  I was lucky to be invited and spent a few Saturday hours salvaging a couple of  rusted iron window planters, garage vacuums, some wooden blinds, and thinking of my need for curtain rods, two pieces of copper pipe.  Butch salvaged pounds and pounds of copper; can't wait to hear how much he gets for his work!

Anyway, thinking about my copper pipe curtain rod made me ponder a curtain rod holder.  Ran across a brand new box of flexible copper tubing at our local Re-Store ($5), did some research on how to coil the stuff and came up with some pretty darn unique curtain rod/hanger assemblies!!  I think this is Pinterest stuff here!!  Just need to figure out how to get something posted on that site!!

The beautiful fabric is another great find!  Two panels of French fabric found at a local second hand store for $4.00 each.  This fabric goes for $58/yard.  I snagged it fast and the five yards of beautiful red print raw fabric.  I turned the edge over, added some grommets and now have the most perfect curtains for the sunflower room!! This fabric even has sunflowers on it!!  Woot!  Woot!!

And the bedroom project is complete!  Master Carpenter Mike is quite happy to be finished and pleased with the result, as am I.  The bedroom is beautiful!!  We just love how the corrugated metal wainscoting turned out!!

Isn't it wonderful?  The picture above the bed is a real find and a great story about a local program called "Art from the Heart".  The local Whole Foods and Re-Store have a program where you can donate your art and they put the money toward local affordable housing.  There were 3 of these pictures by Howard Behens (check this artist out at Info of Artist Behens ) hanging in the grocery store the other day.  I sought out my art adviser, Victoria Trumbower, who coached me to snag them, even if they were not originals!  They are limited edition giclee creations which have the 3-D oils effects he was famous for creating.  You'd never know the difference looking at them.  Troweled-on globs of oil create these beautiful images.  Quite lovely.  I like them, and I got them for a steal!  Thanks for your nudging Victoria.  Mike likes them too!! 

Now we wait for the snow to melt so we can get farming!!  There is still at least 18" of snow.  It did get warm enough for me to flip-flop my bee hive and I was thrilled to see how many bees remain after one of Wyoming's longest and coldest winters!!  There is hope for honey and comb this season!! The big bonus for me is the bees were calm and happy.  It was great to light up the smoker and crawl into the suit again; knowing so much more than I did a couple of weeks ago!!