Spot the Veterans

 On this day let us not forget those whose lives were shortened by service related injuries.

Hint. Only four flags flying.

Spitting Into The Wind

A Letter to the Editor I recently submitted hasn’t  been published. The paper leans as far to the left as possible in a sold red county (Trump carried with 72% of the vote). I’m not holding my breath.

To The Editor:

In 2019 nationwide there were 2,112 more deaths from gunshots than traffic deaths (39,707 vs 37,595) per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics System.

10,142 of the traffic deaths involved alcohol, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Requiring a breath test interlock device on every vehicle in the USA could save those lives.

Ridiculous?  No more ridiculous than the myriad of proposed “gun laws.

A subscriber

Unfair

 

Gaia’s bounty is unfairly distributed. The above picture is in Western Nebraska off US 6 looking NNW. Five weeks ago I drove that road and everything was dull brown.

The area has had a very wet spring. Contrast that with the Western Slope of Colorado. My rancher friends are very worried.

Starting along the Front Range the snowpack on the North End that feeds the Platte Rivers is above average. The further South you go, the less the snowpack. Those mountains feeding the Rio Grande system are at 22% normal. Mid state, those mountains feed the Colorado system are at 60% normal.

There is faint hope for the Colorado River as the Green, out of Wyoming, is rapidly filling the Flaming Gorge reservoir from Wyoming’s harsh and heavy winter.

We need moisture. Not just for agriculture but hot and dry summers make for huge forest fires.

Eclipsed

 

Got up early this morning to witness the “Blood Moon” total eclipse. Mother Nature had her own plans.

Banner enjoyed his early morning walk and breakfast so all wasn’t lost. The cloud cover did make for a nice sunrise.

Alpacas

 

A cousin and her husband raise alpacas for themselves and others. Today was shearing and gathering of the fleece.

My old medical courier comrade, “Santa” and his crew came to observe as did DrJim along with SLW and TLG. TLG seemed a bit overwhelmed but did well for a four year old. Santa's pic at the bottom.

Waiting. Alpacas generally don’t bite but have a nasty spit. A sock helps.

The peacocks were penned next to the shearing and they were not pleased. Not pictured is the full sized Llama who acts as a guard. Llamas will take on and beat a coyote or stray dog.

There was a break for lunch which Sisty organized and then rain. One of the shearing crew, an Apache, started praying. Worked, the rain moved on.

Just to be clear, I am a total dude when it comes to the Camelidae. Contact my cousin with your questions.

https://www.openherd.com/farms/3884/hummin-and-grinnin-alpacas

Country Life

 Caption read, "Cheaper than lumber".

Piss, Moan and Complain

 

Getting old sucks! My two vehicles need some very minor work that, in my younger days, I would do without even sweating.

Now this 76 year old obese body just won’t twist and scoot. Oh, let us not discuss bending knees or getting up without something to pull against!

Not that my fine motor skills were ever that good, today I spend more time picking up things I’ve dropped or that have slipped out of my grasp, then turning wrenches.

The soonest the one mechanic I trust can work on the Buick is 6/7! He is that booked up.

The Mighty Max spare tire hoist is jammed. Without jacking it up, I can’t get under far enough to see the jamb. I don’t want to crawl under it without it being up on secure jack stands (which are in a storage shed).  I can do the work at the storage lot but prefer to have someone around when I crawl under a vehicle.

I loathe asking anyone for help and have always been that way. Like any life decisions, it comes with a cost. Upside? Hones your survival skills.

Most likely, the PMC isn’t warranted. I’m ambulatory, breathing air, taking nourishment, and have beaten the actuary tables.