Daily observations of my simple life.

Summer Days:

Wind and sun are the main menu of summer days here. Earlier this week it was windy and hot now it is just hot. This weekend I tolerated two days of having the mechanic here to fix my motorhome. A new clutch, $500. He seemed like a good mechanic but seemed like he was hiped up on something because he talked a blue streak. After the first day,. I was ready for some quiet again. The motorhome is running smoothly again, to my relief.

My days start early, yesterday by nine a.m. I had made 4 trips to the water station to bring home water for my trees. It made me feel good to get them all satiated and comfy for another hot day. I'm so pleased with my trees. I don't know how many I've planted , pomegranites, plums, figs, apples, pistachios, pecans, apricots, nectarines, cherries, pines, eucalypses, desert willow, mulberry, desert bird of paradise, palo verde, mesquite, fruiting olive and it goes on. One of these summers I'm going to be able to just go out and eat in my yard from my trees. Won't that be grand.  The spreading branches will make much shade and shelter.

My first early morning chore is to go out and see that all the animals are fed and have water. This is an early morning and evening chore. Fresh water and food. The chickens dash out of the house once I open the door and scatter around the grounds. Waterfall, my pet hen walks up to greet me. This morning at 5:30 Cheriki and Sage were still laying down in the corral so I went back in and got my coffee and sat on the porch for 20 minutes to watch the sunrise.

After all the animals and plants are checked out and cared for I usually sweep the porch and straighten up before I go in and do some early morning food prep for later in the day. Dishes done and kitchen clean , I'll run for one or two loads of water while a load of wash is chugging away. That's it, then I settle in to relax and stay cool until evening. Lazy , lazy, me.

I'm learning about cactus living in the desert. I have planted different kinds here and what surprises they give. A tiny little one I put in a pot by the front door just keeps making more and I keep putting more in pots. This past week it has looked like blossoms forming and then yesterday , "Oh my, what a gorgeous flower."  Like a huge shell pink water lily,enough to take your breath away. Earlier this month one I had planted out has grown so much and is making all kinds of new plants bloomed. And yes, it was gorgeous too. White and large and lily like. It's a night bloomer so you have to catch it early in the morning before it closes for the day. I can see, I'm going to like cactus a lot. When I went up to Burro Creek for my swim the suquaro's were blooming . They look like ladies in their easter hats. Crowns of flowers .

After such beauty I don't want to gross you out but here goes. Got roaches? I had been noticing roaches running past my back door at night. It isn't  pleasant to know they are around but I found an unpleasant remedy. Since I've been sleeping outside, I keep a pitcher by the door so that if I need to pee at night I don't have to trapes into the house. In the morning if there  is a pitcher of urine there are many roaches floating dead in the urine. Waterfall came strolling by early before I got it emptied, ( urine helps break down compost by adding nitrogin) and looked in . Well, she just picked out those urine soaked delicasies as fast as she could and downed them . Marinated roaches for breakfast, can't beat that.

Summer moves forward, leisurely warm days, leisurely cool nights, I look at books about Majorca with grottos, vineyards, olive trees and little tables set with oranges and lemons and cured olives with fresh cheeses. Off to far away quiet, simple lifestyles.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 17:58 | link | comments (15)

June:

The red moon, full and round slides down behind the west mountains as the red sun slides up over the east mountains. The day begins as bunnies play across the field and birds sing and scatter for food. I crawl out of my outdoor bed and head out to the corrals to feed and let the chickens out of their safe house. Beside my porch Luchia and her chicks fluff and flap their wings in early morning exercise in the pen I have set up for them. I'm hoping they will grow used to me again after a month out running loose.  It took a little cunning to catch them but now I feel secure knowing they are home, not at the neighbors. They are staying out of their house when I come out on the porch now and observing me. The chicks, one white and one speckled brown, I wonder what they are boys, girls or both.

The day promises to be another scorcher. Yesterday was sooo -- odd. It started hot and dry but by afternoon the wind came up and clouds gathered. In the morning I went for the mail at the post office and when I came out found I had a flat tire. I headed toward the air pump while some guy screamed at me over and over my tire was flat. Shhzzzz. annoying. I filled up with air and headed home hoping to make it before going flat again. I did. Staying indoors I waited for the waterman and the fed ex man . Once the fed ex man  came I had to fill out some papers and head out to either fax or fed ex. The fed ex office closed early, annoyed to be out in such smothering heat I headed for the truck stop to fax the papers. On the way my motorhome acted weird but I made it to the truck stop and went in to fax the papers. Well, after several tries they weren't able to reach the number so exasperated I went out in huge raindrops coming down in buckets. I was soaked by the time I got in my motorhome. I started up and headed out when my motorhome stalled. Don't stall in a truckstop exit!. I was able to pull to the side and turn on the flashing lights. On the cell phone I waited for 45 minutes listening to recordings telling me I was important to them please stay on the line. I finally reached a voice and she told me a number to call for road service. Once I got a voice after waiting a long time again, I was told they couldn't set me up with towing it had to be set up by the first person I talked to. Boy was I exasperated . This went on for hours. I left home at 3:30p.m. and reached home again having my motorhome towed home, at 8 that evening. That's what I call, "having a bad car day". 

It seemed that everytime I had to get out of the car it would begin to pour down rain. Finally, I went to bed in the storm , on the porch with lightning and thunder. The pine trees blowing in the wind gave me the sense of sleeping in the mountains. I love sleeping outdoors.

Earlier this week I planted two fruiting olive trees and an apricot and red plum. I bought a bunch of trees at half price so more trees will be planted. I felt proud when the tow truch driver drove in my drive. I could see he was pleasantly surprised at my little ranch. It's started to look respectable.

Early this month I had to go to California for graduations and a funeral. I was gone for 5 days. When I got home 29 of my little pullets were gone along with Mr Spice, Chili, Salty, and Pepper. Waterfall was still here and 9 little pullets left. Waterfall has made herself a pet , hanging out with me on the porch. I find it hard to believe that a critter got them as there were no feathers except a few in the hen house. I'm suspicious of a neighbor who knew I was away and knew the comings and goings of my daughter. She is vengeful when  I took in one of her people who she threw out on the street after she became jealous because he did some work for me. He and his girlfriend lived here in my camper for three weeks till  they could find a place. I also payed him for work he did. She called them her slaves and expected them to work for nothing dispite their paying her $600 a month.   She knows how much I love my chickens .  I was very sad for quit awhile. I gathered up all the fresh eggs and went to town and bought an incubator. Hopefully, I will have some of  Mr Spices chicks by the 4th -6th of July. Time will tell. What a mystery, what a sadness. Course it could be someone who drives by day after day and could observe that I was gone. Sigh. Now that I am home no more chickens have disapeared.

Sage and Cheriki are in their corral now as they were starting to eat my trees and do too much damage. Last week the back pasture fence got started so it is a work in progress. There is lots of feed back there and hopefully in a month or so it will be ready and they can be out there. I met a horsetrainer when I was at the feed store getting the incubator. He said he would come out and do an evaluation and t hen  train me and work with me on training Sage and Cheriki to lead and pack.  His price will be $25 an hour. I figure one hour every two weeks or so won't break me and I will make more progress.

Summer is here, early morning and evenings are my time of day, then I hole up to stay cool , sometimes napping in the afternoon.

Sorry to all of you I have not been on line much and have not answered your comments. Seems like I haven't had much time but now that it's hot I will be doing more computer time.

Posted by: cactusandquail at 14:53 | link | comments (4)

May:

Spring has marched forward into summer. Warming weather, long days, wonderful sunrises and sunsets. Events this month :

The back porch has made good progress and is almost finished. I have made a great outdoors room with dining, kitchen, lounging, sleeping areas. One Saturday this  month I went to a little town called Chloride to their town yardsale. What a funky little old mining town and I was pleasantly surprised at the both funky and beautiful homes there. It was a treat to drive around to different yards looking over the houses and and merchandise. I got a handmade entertainment center that is now part of my outside kitchen. There was a cute little old car, a model T all rusted and covered with cans and stuff, running around town.  At a  darling little antique store off the beaten path the lady gave me four genuae fowl eggs. I put them under Luchia. There was a wonderful taco stand that had the best tacos' I've had since California.

On the 17th I was surprised to find Luchia's nest empty with one dead chick and three genuae eggs left. After looking about I found her with two chicks, one white and one brown. I took the genuae eggs to a neighbor to try to get her hen to set on them. I cleaned the nest and she returned. She is a proud mama and I'm so happy to have two colors .

After Luchia had brought forth her young I longed to go to her home at Luchia's restaurant to see her kin. Luchia's restaurant is such a treat with the gardens and peacocks. From there I went to Burro Creek and had a wonderful swim under the red cliffs. I went back a few days later and did it again.

Mornings, my routine is to go let the chickens out of the pen at the first light. It is so cute the way they race out of the pen full speed ahead to find the bits and pieces of choice bites. Sage and Cheriki are let out of their night pen and roam the property. I go back to the porch and have my morning coffee where I find I'm often visited by Sage and Cheriki and the mature chickens, Mr Spice, Chili, Salty, Pepper and Waterfall. They love hanging out with me talking in their various voices. It can be hard to eat or drink with Sage and Cheriki as they insist on tasting or drinking whatever I have.

I had a firebreak put in around the property and just in time as two nights later in a wind a fire broke out down wind. There was some anxious times until it was finally under control. Sage stood beside me with my arm over her shoulder as we watched the fire. Cheriki was near by. They have both done a very good job of keeping weeds and brush away from the house. Life is good .

Posted by: cactusandquail at 00:39 | link | comments (4)