Numbers don't lie

I did the math today [well...I looked at a calendar and counted] and the first day of Spring is in 6 weeks! March 20, a date which in the depths of dark winter seemed like it would never come, is a month and a half away! Hallelujah!

I hadn't even really thought about it, being too mired in my own despair over the darkness of winter, until the other day a friend posted on my Facebook wall. I now feel a relief that you can't imagine. Relief that I will have survived another winter. You see, I suffer horribly from SAD, Season Affective Disorder. I don't just get grouchy in the winter, I disappear into a black hole of depression and misery that only long days of sunshine can cure. This winter seemed particularly bad for me, in spite of the fact that we had little snow in eastern Washington [snow just compounds the problem--I hate more about winter than just the darkness].

I am seriously thinking of a winter vacation next year. I've never done such a thing, or even contemplated it. Well, once, years ago, my sisters and I went to Mexico in December, but it wasn't a fun trip for me so I don't count it. No, next year I've got Hawaii in my sights. I've never been, but an acquaintance who spends quite a bit of time there has already recommended a hotel. I don't know if I'll actually end up going, but it's sure something to look forward to. That, and an additional 3 minutes of light tomorrow!

Mooning

Now that fall has arrived, I'm already mooning over the end of summer and dreading the coming winter. One morning late this summer, I took this photo of the rising sun and a fresh pedicure (something that goes lacking in the fall and winter) and will come here to look at it in the dreads of winter to remind myself that it REALLY will end.

Recent goings-on at the ranch have included recovering from the sticker shock of the estimate to diagnose the problem with the driveway gate security light (almost $400 just to find out what's wrong, let alone fix it!), and re-arranging everything in the garage to accomodate both a humongo lawn tractor, a humongo snow blower, a Blazer, and 20 totes full of Christmas decorations (and that's after giving away a lot to Goodwill this summer!).

A friend, upon leaving the ranch the other night after dinner, looked in the window of the garage and said, "yup, you've lived here awhile." I knew exactly what she meant (you've accumulated too much stuff!), and wasn't at all offended because she's right. Only 4 years later and the garage keeps getting more full everyday.

Of course it doesn't help that I've started, in a manner of speaking, doing building projects so right now there are boards of all manner, a 4x8 sheet of plywood, and a [HEAVY] 4x8 sheet MDF. There's nothing you can do with sheets goods but lean them against something. They'll always be in the way. But here's what I've built so far.

This cute boot bench was meant for a very specific nook in my entryway. But when measuring said nook for said bench, I failed to take into account that the bench would have to slip past the door frame to get into the nook. So, for now, it's on the porch and is Peaches' favorite perch!

I built this bench with no idea what I was going to do with it, I was practicing my measuring and cutting "skills" (I use that term very loosely!). For now, it's in the entryway (but not in the nook) and works great for dropping purse and keys onto, or pulling on my rain boots.

And I built a storage center in my office but that's for another post.

Peaches ain't the pits

After Mama disappeared, I brought Daisy and Peaches to the ranch. They are 2 sisters who could not have been any different! Daisy was a pudgy, long-haired sweetheart with the softest fur. She was constantly underfoot when I was outside, waiting for a door, any door, to open so she could scoot in--she loved the garage--so many things to get into, or waiting for me to take a sit-down so she could hop into my lap.

Peaches, on the other hand, is skinny as a rail with the rattiest long hair you ever saw, full of weed seeds and goodness knows what all else. She is timid, you think, until I come through the gate and I see her racing towards me at top speed, paying no mind to the wheels of the truck! Then she plops into the gravel of the driveway and wiggles until I scratch her scrawny little belly.
Daisy and Peaches had a mild first winter with me, living in their kitty barn in cushy beds with heating pads (don't feel sorry for my barn cats!) and went about the business of killing mice, just as they were "hired" to do. However, this spring, Daisy started exhibiting extraordinary birding skills, and not the kind of birding that I do with binoculars and a digital camera! I am particularly fond of my bluebirds and so when Daisy started high jumping to reach the nest box, I knew it was just a matter of time before the inevitable happened. So, after careful consideration, I decided to find her a new home.

So, it's just been Peaches, Karen, and the girls--Daisy is happy in her new home.

M/M Bluebird fledged their first brood and 2 weeks later started building the nest for family #2. Then something odd happened-- Mrs. Bluebird lays eggs over a span of time, sometimes it takes 10 days for her to get them all laid. So I wasn't surprised to peek in the nest box 2 weeks ago to find only 2 eggs. About 4 days later, I peeked in and there was only 1. Hm-m-m. Not only was one egg missing, but so were M/M Bluebird. I never saw them again. Until last week. You see, Peaches (and Daisy and Mama before her) have what I call the mourge, the place where they take the critters they capture to do their "thing" with them. There you'll find mouse parts and, yes, bird parts. And last week, a bluebird. I couldn't tell if it was Mr. or Mrs. So now I know why they disappeared. The mate moved on when s/he lost a partner. These birds have returned to the nest box every year for the last 5 years that I've lived here. What will happen next Spring? I'll have to wait and see.

The WHAT days of summer?

Dog days of summer: Dog Days is the name for the most sultry period of summer, from about July 3 to Aug. 11

Here we are, sliding into August and we haven't really seen puppy days, let alone any dogs and I, for one, have been fine and dandy with that! Early summer was damp and green and cool, but perfect-cool, not cold-cool. Out here in the country, the wildflowers/weeds were in constant bloom until about just the last 10 days or so...it's been a gorgeous summer so far, unusual for eastern Washington. Usually, July is hotter than heck--brown and dry in rural areas.

Ninety degree temps for a few days this week and last, and then an overcast, beautifully cool, low 70's day sneaks in (today). Perfect!

The Family

What I've learned about the country

In the time I've lived in the country, I've come to learn a lot about it. For instance:

1. There are a lot more bugs. You see, in the city, and especially in my city where manicured and watered lawns are di regeur, they and the gardens that surround them, are also pest-controlled within an inch of their life. When you live in a neighborhood with city block after block after block of pesticide covered turf, there are also very few bugs.

2. There are a lot more critters. Since living here I've seen:

• deer
• moose
• coyotes
• porcupines
• lots of birds, bald eagles, turkeys, pheasants, and tons of songbirds.

3. There are sirens in the country, too. Don't get me wrong, most of the time it really is very peaceful. But, I've been amazed at how often the silence is broken by sirens.

4. Magpies can clean the carcass of a 150 pound white-tail deer in less than 72 hours. I mean C-L-E-A-N it.

5. Living on acreage is a lot of work. I mean a LOT. of. Work.

Protection

Oopsy Daisy

It was time for a new mouser at the ranch. Mama, the mouser-who-came-with-the-house disappeared this winter. I was very sad because she was a sweet, sweet kitty. I liked her so much that I took her to the shelter and had such a change of heart that I went back the next day and PAID to get her out.

Why did I take her in the first place? When I bought my property, it came with 2 adult cats and 2 toddlers. The toddlers didn't belong to Mama, so I'm not sure why I called her Mama, but I did. You could not get your hands on the toddlers; their mother was a little better but still it was difficult. Mama, on the other hand, was a sweetie-pie. The sellers told me that she had been a domestic cat at one time, which I find despicable. Taking a lovely inside cat and turning her out to be a barn cat. Nonetheless, I didn't want cats around, pooping in the grass (with 7 acres, they still managed to relieve themselves on the "lawn"), digging in the as-yet-to-be created flower beds. I didn't realize how having a mouser around is almost a necessity in the country.

I'm not exactly sure what it was, but I knew when I got home from dropping her at the shelter that I'd go back and get her. And I did.

Held Hostage!

Like last spring, this spring has been a bad one for mosquitoes. However, I can't remember being held hostage inside the house last year! They are bad day and night--at 8am this morning, I went out to turn on a lawn sprinkler and couldn't get the chore done fast enough...I was bit at least twice in the few minutes I was out.

To top it off, my home's air conditioner has chosen to blow only warm air--currently that's 74 degrees--in 80+ degree weather. So, I have all blinds on the sunny side of the house closed. That happens to be just about all of them, since my house faces east (pictured below are all 9 of the east-facing windows). I'll spend the day following the sun and closing blinds as the sun arcs overhead towards the west.

As anyone with a home knows, particularly if you have a country home, there isn't time to waste in the spring. There are simply too many chores to do to be sitting in the dark house waiting for mosquitoe season to pass and for Monday to come so you can call the a/c guy!

Later Saturday...

Well, it seems I've jumped the gun on the a/c issue; for some reason it seems to be cooling today, not well, but it's cooling. Laying a digital thermometer on several air vents this morning revealed that the blowing air was 55 degrees. Not sure what it's supposed to be, but it's cool-ish.

Also, went to WalMart and purchased an arsenal of mosquitoe control products, one being their new product that you wear, or keep near you, and it is supposed to repel mosquitoes. I've been wearing it while outside working, but it's windy, and so the problem isn't as noticeable. When the weather is calm, we'll see how it does.

Then the other thing I got was a yard repellant that applies via a hose-end sprayer. Can't wait to try it when the wind calms down! And, finally, some good old Off with Deet. This product I use for tick protection as much as mosquitoes. In the yard ticks aren't a problem, but I wear tall boots and plenty of Off when I'm out tending to my trees.

The green cabinet

The green cabinet above the toilet in my "new" guest bath is a treasure that my brother Rick made me for Christmas one year--I wish I could remember what year. He (as brother Tom also is) was a superb craftsman and for awhile years ago, we siblings decided to draw names for Christmas. Everyone wanted Rick to draw their name, assuming they'd get a great wood product gift, which they usually did. This cabinet was mine.

I hung the shelf in the living room of my previous home and one day it came crashing to the floor. For some reason, Rick made a very odd choice for the cabinet backing. You can't drill through it to hang the cabinet (hence the crash). I don't know what kind of wood it is, but I lovingly repaired the cracked shelf and tucked it away until I could figure out how to safely hang it. Well, one day I did find a way to very carefully hang it again. But there were long periods during which it was absent from view.

Rick didn't visit often--I lived in the city, he lived in the country 150 miles away and he hated coming to the city. But when he did visit, I'm sure he wondered why I didn't display his handiwork. Rick is gone now. He was killed in 2002 when his motorcycle crashed. Does he know how much I love my cabinet? I hope so.