Notes From The Canyon

Canyon mornings are turning cold now with temperatures around 40 F. We bought some heavy duty plastic and hubby made a little green house for the tomato and pepper plants he is growing in containers. Faith had the not so great idea to tear down one side of it and chew on the plastic. After an initial upset and many "BAD DOG" exclamations, hubby fixed it and put a wire all around, so now both puppy and plastic are safe. He hooked up a heater too and the first morning after it was on, most of the plants had new flowers. So far it's working great and we have lots of ripening tomatoes. 

Black bears are on everyone's mind. One wandered into town and was shot and killed by local police after being considered a threat to children in the vicinity. My friend who hosted the knitting group last week, showed us a large gash in her screen door, made by a bear. After two attacks on our trash cans, the bears have left us alone. 

My husband is doing better. He's gained back just the right amount of weight and he now seems to realize that he has to do less and rest more. This helps to maintain his nice old self, without outbursts of anger, which makes everything around here a lot easier. 

We celebrated his 68th birthday last Thursday and he said while in that emergency room last July, he didn't think he was going to live to see it. We did nothing special, just some cake, ice cream, and gratitude. 

Faith went to the vet, where she's very popular, and got her rattlesnake booster vaccine. Why a snake vaccine now, you may wonder. Well, she had her first shot a month ago and it is a good idea since we see most snakes in late spring and early fall, when the days are cooler. They come out at night during the hot summer months. The above picture is from a week or two ago. She is now five months old and weighs 39.2 lbs.

The canyon is covered in the yellow flowers of the rabbit brush bush. Native peoples of the canyon used these bushes for tea and medicinal purposes. Talk about teas, I have dried a lot of mint for tea, and also sweet basil, rosemary, and dill. We plan to pick the rest of the vegetables this week and make a seafood/vegetable soup. Large pots of it. Hubby will cook, I will clean veggies. 

Blackbirds usually stop by here for a night or two while on their way somewhere else. This year, they have been here most of the summer, enjoying the water and bugs in our vegetable garden. They gather their flock together on the wires every morning. It is so interesting to watch and I wonder what goes through their minds or their instincts ~ this need to gather, as if to plan their day. 

Little Faith has been so good for all of us, but most of all for Samson. He is so happy to take care of her, teach her, play with her, and love her. We keep saying that he looks 10 years younger, which is impossible since he's only five. 

I feel terrible for the animals, so hungry and thirsty. Bears, elk, and deer are coming down from the higher altitudes, where they normally live, in search of food and water. One woman in the knitting group and her husband has set up a water station by a creek that is now so dry that no digging will provide any water. It's located in the wilder part of the canyon, with no houses around. These are very kind people, who also rescued a donkey baby in the middle of winter, bottle fed it, and raised it. Now she's like a dog and follows them everywhere. I am so happy that in the midst of all that's going on, I am getting to know some very good people here in the canyon.

I'm finally reading Middlemarch, known as one of the best books in English literature, and a book I have wanted to read for the past 50 years. It is all it is said to be and more. I love this book and will miss it once I finish it. 

I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to read all of your blogs, but I will. I have to go to town tomorrow morning, but then I should be home for a while. Thanks for stopping by ~ I enjoy your visits so very much. 

Samson Says: Good night everyone and thanks for stopping by. Maybe soon, I get to tell you what's going on in my world, hint, hint, like in a blog post, right here, on mommy's and my blog.........

Love you Gracie, my feisty little sweetheart! Sorry I haven't been able to stop by, but mommy, you know.....busy, busy.....love you. XOXOXOXO, your Samson.