Saturday Slightly Lovely

 

They called it right on today's "brilliant sunshine" forecast, so it's a wonderful Saturday here at the Lovestead.

I joked to Bill that there must have been a blizzard out there somewhere because the papers have not yet arrived.

Of course, this time of year, it's not the blizzards that cause driving problems.  It's the mud heaves dotting all the dirt roads. 

We seem to have a good helping of them this spring.

Here at the Lovestead, we keep thinking there's company coming because virtually every vehicle slows down to almost a stop at the end of our driveway.  

That's so they can navigate around the frost bumps just north of us and without breaking an axle.  

Yesterday, I witnessed a deviation from the driving routine of the past couple of weeks.

 First, all I could hear was the revved up engine of something coming from the south.  Then, a young man on a 4-wheeler appeared coming at a good speed.

Behind him was a Jeep station wagon.  When he reached our row of cedar trees, he motioned for the driver behind him to slow down.

He made his way through the mud heaves as did the buddy.

Then, both engines roared.  I think they may have been racing, but I'm betting their competition lasted only briefly.  

The road has a series of obstacles clear to the end.

I've learned not to take North Center Valley Road to the Colburn Transfer station, and I'm hoping all the folks who use this as the back road to drop off their garbage have done the same.

It's nip and tuck in a couple of places on that stretch, even with 4-wheel drive.

Still, I'm thinking the paper folks should have been here by now. 

Yesterday was a fantastic day for starting off several projects and finishing off a few already in motion.

Pulling weeds from garden spots is always in motion except for winter.  I yanked out several piles yesterday, and I know many many more little buggers are hiding under the soil, waiting to pop up.  

The scab marks on one section of fence are covered up, and just two sets of boards on that side need their 2011 coat of paint.  

Two horses also got some good rubdowns and more piles of hair formed almost a carpet in the gravel where they were tied. 

Both Heather and Lefty loved their attention.  Lily was noticeably jealous.

One dog got in trouble yesterday.  Within 15 minutes of her freedom, Brooke sneaked off to Wes and Alicia's.  I hurried over, opened the car door, yelled, Load Up," and she eventually jumped in.

On our short trip home, I emphatically told Miss Brooke she had been a "BAD DOG . . . BAD DOG . . . BAD DOG."  

She went straight to the kennel with a few more reminders of "BAD DOG."  

Later, after finishing a few chores, I let her an the others out.

Now, Border Collies are known to be smart, but it truly amazes me that they have a conscience, capable of even bad-Catholic-imposed guilt. 

I am now aware that Brooke has a well polished one from the treatment I received upon her second freedom moment of the day.

She glued herself to me.  She looked longlingly into my eyes.  If I took a step, Brooke took a step.  I had a new best friend all through the grass-burning project.  This is NOT the usual Brooke.

So, it was obvious she was truly repentant of her wandering ways.

The big question remains.  Will she sneak off to Wes and Alicia's today?

If not, maybe I won't ever have to impose three "Hail Mary's" and several "Our Father's" on her.  

That will certainly be the next step should she choose to escape again.

Bill said the fishing was good yesterday, but the fish weren't hungry.  Normally he doesn't fish that stream until late May, so maybe he needs to wait a while.

Well, I'm glad to see the government is still running today.  We certainly had a lot of theater over the past couple of days, and I know the 24-hour news stations loved it.

What are they going to do to replace the never-ending "What if" stories.  

Maybe O.J. will escape prison and find himself a white Bronco.  

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It's outside to the sunshine.  Have a wonderful Saturday.