A Snowy Memorial Day Weekend

The traditional way to start the summer is to remember veterans past and present on Memorial Day. Generally the day is sunny. Not this year in the high country. This year, it's snowy. The snow is not sticking, but it's definitely put a chill in the air. I fear, lots of picnics were held indoors. 

A light coat of snow ...

... makes for a beautiful scene...

...but it's not picnic weather.

Jacob's Calf at 6 Weeks

I petted Jacob's calf yesterday. What a treat. He's a sturdy little guy and he's growing fast--he probably weighs about 150 pounds. He's full of P and V and according to Jacob not very smart. He gets his head caught in the fence and then he cannot get it out without help, so he bellows. Apparently, he has a loud bellow.

The calf is hiding between Jacob and his sister.

He was pure black when he was born, but now there's some brown in his coat. His fur is very soft.

Doing what a calf does best...eating grass. By fair time in August, he needs to be trained to follow a lead. Right now, Jacob can put a lead on him, but he does not follow very well. He's only 6 weeks old and he has a lot to learn.

Early Spring in Late May

It's springtime in the Rockies. The trees are starting to return to life. The aspens have tiny "baby green" leaves, the conifers have a slight fringe of light green new growth. The land is waking up from winter. There will still be some snow storms, but the snow will not stick at the lower elevations. The mountains will get dustings of snow that look like someone sprinkled them with powdered sugar. In the meantime, the does are wandering in my backyard nibbling at the young shoots. It's the first time that food has been plentiful in several months.

To that end, we put together the back porch. During the winter, the deck is empty. It's too cold. But, with the hint of spring in the air, it's time to use the deck. It's quiet and lovely. We can enjoy the critters as they meander in our backyard, yet they cannot see us. It's a perfect little world back here and one that we'll enjoy everyday for the next few months.

Horrible Day in Texas

Uvalde, TX had the worst day possible. A lone gunman entered an elementary school and killed 15 people, 14 children and a teacher. My heart and soul goes to all the people involved. They are lost and scared and have every right to be. As I listened to the report, I was crying and thinking of all the good times I've had in an elementary school as a student, a teacher, and a university professor. For me, school has always been a safe place. Today, that safety was shattered one more time. Sadly, Uvalde, TX is not the only scene of a school shooting. What causes people to commit this heinous crime against children? I don't know. As the news evolved, someone said security at the school was not tight. The fence around the school was only 4 feet tall, and the gates were open. Why was the fence so short? Why were the gates open? I have no answer. 

18 years ago, I supervised student teachers in several TX schools. Security was fairly tight. Every school had a tall fence and was gated. All back gates were locked during the school day and the front gate was generally open during school hours. Once in awhile, the front gate was closed but it was not locked and all I had to do was swing open the gate to enter the school grounds. Every time I entered a school, I followed a security routine. I had to  1) wear a name badge that clearly identified me and my reason for being at the school,  2)  sign in, at the main office, stating why I was at the school and how long I was going to be there, and  3)  sign out when I was finished. The routine was followed at every school I went to without exception. This leads me to wonder if there was a security protocol for visitors at the Uvalde school. Was there a back entrance to the school that was not guarded? With locked gates, tall fences and only one entrance to the school, it is harder to sneak in without collaboration. I know that does not solve the problem, but it's a start and I know that protocol was in place in the TX schools in which I an affiliation.

I'm deeply saddened by this horrible crime. Schools should be safe places filled with joy and learning, not places wrought with fear. 

The High Country

We finished a 3 day drive to the "high country" which is very different from the desert. Instead of 102 temps, it was 37; instead of sunshine, it was snowy. We wanted to cool off, so we are.

Our first big surprise was a fallen tree in the driveway. Not to be stopped by a mere tree, the other DrC put a rope around it and towed it away.

 We could now get into the house. All seems to be well. There's a lot of do, but there always is. It's great to be here.

FYI

I read the following quote today and wanted to share it with you.

"Located in a transitional zone between the southern Sonoran Desert and the northern Great Basin Desert, the area known as Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park in the Mojave Desert has the lowest elevation in North America at 279 feet below sea level. With some of the hottest air and surface temperatures in the world, it’s no wonder that the Mojave — covering 43,750 square miles across Nevada, California, Arizona, and Utah — is the driest desert in North America. When you visit, be sure to stock up on water!"

Yep...we live in the hottest desert in North America. The temps are cranking up to the low 100s now, and in July the average temperature will be 110. 

The red rock or coral desert is pretty as well as hot!

When....

When the mountains turn golden

And the temperature reaches 100 or more

Then it's time to hook up the RV and get out of "Dodge." As an aside the temp reached 102 about an hour later. 

Definitely time to leave the desert and head for the high country.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, aunties, sisters, and nieces who have mothered children. 

It's hard work and all women should be commended for the work they have done.

Jacob's Calf is 1 Month Old

The little calf is growing fast. He's getting training now so he can be shown at the fair in August.

Blanket Has a Home

A few weeks ago I finished a crib sized teddy bear blanket for a baby shower. Sadly, I could not attend the shower, but my blanket arrived in time. 

The mommy to be really liked it

Just look at the smile on her face! 

New Cabinets

Back in December we ordered some cabinets. They arrived on Tuesday. Since then we've been trying to unpack some of the boxes that have been sitting in my office. Soon, we'll be unpacked. In the meantime, take a look.

My office has a desk and hutch that goes from wall to wall

The "mud room" has 60 inches of storage

And there's a linen closet in the bathroom. These are welcome additions.