Still No Rain
I was hoping there would be SOMETHING, despite NOAA's prediction. High pressure, big, dark clouds overhead... they passed us by like philanthropists on the way to a gala. I SHOULD be delighted. I should be taking full advantage of this glorious weather. I'm concerned about the well, and the chickens are running out of bugs to graze on.
We flouted the burn ban this weekend, though there was an iron fireplace involved. Mike & I went camping out past Greenwater with Jax, JC, Sue, Keith, Krystal, Sandie, Bob and three kids.
We arrived early evening, scouted, entertained the kids, JC and I climbed around the woods and he told me a little of what he knew about dendrology. Keith & Sue barely beat us there, Jax & JC had been hanging out since Thursday. I made some dinner and started to get concerned about the rest of our party, as there are a couple forks in the road and the directions could have been better. Keith & Sue headed out and either found everyone, or they all coincidentally showed up at the same time. I helped Sandie set up her tent, then Bob & I stood there talking, not realizing Sandie was trying to inflate a whole massive air mattress manually. Sue discovered this to our chagrin, and fetched a battery-powered blower for her. Everyone showed up to see where we'd disappeared to. We retired to the campfire, talked, sang, drank, and I retired about 1:30 AM.
Saturday Sue & I took the monsters on a hike, I brought the plant book I'd borrowed from JC and tried to identify species I found along the way, trying to read over Ryan whining he wanted to go back to camp and not knowing which way it was. Aryanna took him off our hands and escorted him home.
We did some target practice with non-lethal weapons, my slingshot and Krystal's sling, though she's getting to be a pretty good shot.
Saturday evening I cooked up the ever-popular potato glop to share with those who could eat it. Sandie graced me with a hardcore shoulder rub. She has amazingly strong hands. The kids were sent to bed, and the rest of us played with Jax's battery lit poi balls. I was fairly hopeless at it, and instead taped glow sticks to my nunchaku -not as cool looking as the Poi. Bob & Jax were magnificent. Krystal and Sue were starting to get the hang of them. I blew a couple fireballs. JC, Jax, Krystal & I took turns at Keith's Battleshots game. Note to self: If you're going to play Battleshots, let that be the ONLY drinking you do that night.
Keith & I had a round of aggression, I got tossed onto the ground twice, more from not wanting to cause injury or escalate it, though everyone was disappointed in me. I took two dips in the river, and stubbornly refused to put all my clothes back on despite mild but obvious hypothermia. Mike was appalled by my antics and called it a night. Bob kindly draped his coat over me. Jax got out the iPad, and we sang and danced. It was 3:30 when I retreated into the beastie and whipped up beans & bacon for three of us, then decanted into bed.
QOTN: "Humping a Grumpy"
Suddenly it's October. Like someone flipped a switch, the trees are turning, leaves are falling, but the rains still haven't come. The haze from the fires over the Mountains lurks on the edges of the local vistas. Still, the fire danger, compared to anywhere else I've been, could not be considered "high" despite the signs with the little arrow in the red. It's the equivalent of early June in Idaho. 80 days without significant rain I think beats the record by a month.
Headed to EWA with Sue & Keith on Friday to see Mom & G'. Hope to have a good couple of days and get some paddling in on the Snake River.
We flouted the burn ban this weekend, though there was an iron fireplace involved. Mike & I went camping out past Greenwater with Jax, JC, Sue, Keith, Krystal, Sandie, Bob and three kids.
We arrived early evening, scouted, entertained the kids, JC and I climbed around the woods and he told me a little of what he knew about dendrology. Keith & Sue barely beat us there, Jax & JC had been hanging out since Thursday. I made some dinner and started to get concerned about the rest of our party, as there are a couple forks in the road and the directions could have been better. Keith & Sue headed out and either found everyone, or they all coincidentally showed up at the same time. I helped Sandie set up her tent, then Bob & I stood there talking, not realizing Sandie was trying to inflate a whole massive air mattress manually. Sue discovered this to our chagrin, and fetched a battery-powered blower for her. Everyone showed up to see where we'd disappeared to. We retired to the campfire, talked, sang, drank, and I retired about 1:30 AM.
Saturday Sue & I took the monsters on a hike, I brought the plant book I'd borrowed from JC and tried to identify species I found along the way, trying to read over Ryan whining he wanted to go back to camp and not knowing which way it was. Aryanna took him off our hands and escorted him home.
We did some target practice with non-lethal weapons, my slingshot and Krystal's sling, though she's getting to be a pretty good shot.
Saturday evening I cooked up the ever-popular potato glop to share with those who could eat it. Sandie graced me with a hardcore shoulder rub. She has amazingly strong hands. The kids were sent to bed, and the rest of us played with Jax's battery lit poi balls. I was fairly hopeless at it, and instead taped glow sticks to my nunchaku -not as cool looking as the Poi. Bob & Jax were magnificent. Krystal and Sue were starting to get the hang of them. I blew a couple fireballs. JC, Jax, Krystal & I took turns at Keith's Battleshots game. Note to self: If you're going to play Battleshots, let that be the ONLY drinking you do that night.
Keith & I had a round of aggression, I got tossed onto the ground twice, more from not wanting to cause injury or escalate it, though everyone was disappointed in me. I took two dips in the river, and stubbornly refused to put all my clothes back on despite mild but obvious hypothermia. Mike was appalled by my antics and called it a night. Bob kindly draped his coat over me. Jax got out the iPad, and we sang and danced. It was 3:30 when I retreated into the beastie and whipped up beans & bacon for three of us, then decanted into bed.
QOTN: "Humping a Grumpy"
Suddenly it's October. Like someone flipped a switch, the trees are turning, leaves are falling, but the rains still haven't come. The haze from the fires over the Mountains lurks on the edges of the local vistas. Still, the fire danger, compared to anywhere else I've been, could not be considered "high" despite the signs with the little arrow in the red. It's the equivalent of early June in Idaho. 80 days without significant rain I think beats the record by a month.
Headed to EWA with Sue & Keith on Friday to see Mom & G'. Hope to have a good couple of days and get some paddling in on the Snake River.