How To Water Corn

 Walk up ditch, get the tubes, walk back down the ditch.

 Repeat repeatedly.

 Make sure the yellow dog stays out of your way.  Teach her to just jump in the ditch so you don't trip on her trying to walk on the narrow bank.

 Don't forget to toss a shovel over your shoulder.

 Check level of water in canal on your way to the field.  Make sure there is just enough water to keep the tubes running, but not so much that you flood over the ditch bank.

 Be glad that the cooler weather got rid of the moss problem for the most part.

 Keep carrying the tubes until you see your fancy, glow in the dark dike marker.

 Drop off a couple of tubes at each cut out/pit.

 Go back for more.

 Once you have moved all of the tubes, it's time to start them.

 Hold on to the fabric end while dunking the open end in the ditch.

 Pull quickly.

 And drop the fabric end lower than the end in the ditch.  Waa laa  siphoning happens!

 Repeat repeatedly.

 Make sure the tubes stay running.

 Check for whirlpools on the ditch end.   Calm water is steady flowing water.

 Smile because at least this change is in the daylight.

 Give your wife a look that says, "I wish you would put down that camera!".

How Does My Garden Grow?

Horribly, actually!

It's been a rough year.  I worked so hard to get things planted before my surgery.  Then everything was deformed, like it had a fungus or was stunted or something. 

Good thing we had some rain and cooler weather lately.  It has helped immensely and we finally have a decent looking garden.  I have yet to get a ripe tomato, not counting cherries. 

Finally got the zucchini to grow.

And, the flowers finally bloomed.

 Poor Black-Eyed Susan has bugs eating it.

 This should be a giant sunflower, but it has only reached about 3 ft in height.

Aaaah, some bonus Jasmine shots.

 And a big puffy cloud!

Serene

Last night I took the canoe out for the first time in more than two years.   Between my surgeries and my job, I haven't made the time.  

I just decided that I wanted to.   And, that minute was the time to do it.   

The dogs helped me get the canoe out of storage.  They really did help.  I knew there was a good chance that mice or snakes or squirrels or something else might have taken up residence in it over the time it was wrapped in a tarp and I wanted them to save me :)

Lucky for all of us, they only thing we uncovered was stray stalks of straw. 

I got the canoe tied, even if haphazardly, on to my tractor and down to the river I went. 

Gotta love the high quality photos.  It was dark (9:15 or so when I started) and I only had my phone for a camera.

I wish I would have been able to capture what I saw.  The stars were out and reflecting off the water, but no moon. The trees were dark silhouettes back lit by the stars. The water was glass, perfectly still.  The mosquitoes were only a problem if I turned on the flashlight.  Insects were singing and an occasional fish would jump.   I thought I might find some birds on the water, maybe a beaver, but no.  I was truly the only thing on the water.

I did have to pay attention to the occasional dead limb, but other than that, it was easy sailing.

It was amazing to me how easy it was to forget I was on the disgustingly dirty Bear River.   I rowed around the bend until I was almost at the bridge that heads in to Corinne.  

I got home just as my husband was returning from his water change. 

I am going to be doing this again.   Anyone want to join me? 

Just In Time

I made it home from a sisters shopping trip just in time to see this beautiful sunset.

I only had my phone for a camera.

These are straight out of the camera/phone.  No edit of any kind.

Stunning!

Well, There Goes My Motivation

It seems that I have been lacking in motivation lately, motivation for many things.  

I get home from work and try to do something productive, maybe weed the garden, clean something in the house, etc. I tell myself that later on in the evening when things cool off, I should walk.  It's good for me, good for the dogs, yada yada.

Mostly, though, by the time it is cool enough to not melt me, I am exhausted.  My back muscles are still not as strong as they could be and it is hard to walk at the end of a long day. 

Last night, I kicked myself for being so lazy, convinced myself I could do it and the dogs and I headed off for a long over due walk.

Boyd made a comment as I walked by, something about how sad it is that my sisters don't come walking any more.  It sure is SISTERS!   I could have used your help last night.

We almost made it to Duck, No Duck and I was telling myself that I would not only make it once, but that I would turn around and go as far as I could for a second round and I could turn back if I couldn't make two full times up and back.   

Next thing I know I am startled out of my positive self talk by the sound of growling, hissing, and who knows how to describe it but a horrendous trauma noise.   I look up to see my Golden Retriever jumping back from something in the tall weeds.  I can't tell what it is and I have to admit I was starting to prepare to dial 911 (aka Boyd).   After a few seconds, I see a black and white tail appear above the weeds and I realize it is only a skunk.  Immediately, my dog starts wiping her face with her paws and then rolls in the dirt.  

All of this commotion attracts the attention of the Border Collie who had been behind us sniffing out something at Frog Pond.  He comes on a full run.   I am imploring him to stop as he speeds by me to go save the day.   He manages to grab the skunk and administer his death shake.  He has killed more than one skunk in his day using this method.  This time, however, either the skunk was too larger or he was too overcome with the green spray on his face, because he dropped the skunk.   The skunk did seem dazed and it took it a minute to leave the scene, but leave it did.   At this point, Buddy is frantically looking for a way to get the stuff off his face.  He rolls in the weeds and then does something that he never does, he went under the fence and jumped into Duck, No Duck.  Duck, No Duck is nothing more than a stagnant cesspool of water that sometimes does and sometimes doesn't have duck sitting on it.  Buddy never crosses the fence boundary, but he did this time.  He eventually came back to our side and followed Jasmine and I who were already making tracks to the river.   Buddy would walk about 10 steps and drop suddenly in the dirt and roll.  He repeated this over and over until we were close enough to the river that he left us behind and high-tailed it in for a bath.

This is what he looked like after his swim and muddy roll in the dirt on the bank.

 Jasmine was basically clean and not too smelly.  It's the same story every time.  She finds and stirs up the skunk, Buddy comes in and gets the worse end of the deal.  His choice though.  Stinky dog!

So much for convincing myself that walking is good for my health.  

Sun Greeting Mountain

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!

John Muir

 Taken with my iPhone one amazingly beautiful evening.

Skunks and Squirrels

I have lost track of the total # of squirrels that have met their death at the hands of the dogs and Boyd.  I really don't want to know the total.   Another one was completely consumed after an extended chase and hunt on Sunday.  It always happens on Sunday.

To add to the fun, a skunk (or maybe skunks) has taken up residence in the culvert closest to the house.  It sprayed the dogs last night, but not too directly.  They only have a faint odor about them.

I did recently give them an actual bath with shampoo and everything.  This was because their heads and backs were covered in grease from trying to get the squirrel out from under the back hoe and tractor. 

My dogs are NOT used to getting bathed at all.  They did quite well considering.  Boyd was certain I was going to get bit at least once, but both dogs behaved.

And, to make this post worth the wait it has been since my last blogging moment, pictures of me. 
Definitely a rarity!  A shout out to Boyd for the great action shots.