Hot Summer Daze

But first!

Not long ago, I got a surprise package delivered. Mary came to visit me and go on adventures. Immediately I had to follow her around to see what she would be up to.

She seems quite comfortable going on adventures and exploring. I even found her holding 'court' with my dinosaurs.

Mary doesn't look perturbed at all. She looks as though she has everything under control. It must be her sunny attitude they admire. One dino even brought her Forget-me-nots!

In 'other' non important news:

The heat has been exceptional. The dew point and humidity are some of the factors that make it feel so unbearable.

Of course the dogs wanted to be outside for a while. I was with them to make sure Charlie didn't overheat. He has a hard time with intense heat because of his Dachshund and Pekinese background.

Hannah isn't quite as bothered by the heat, she often goes out to lay on the gravel driveway in the sunshine.

I put my shallow stock tank out the day before and put water in it so it wouldn't be super cold for them. The water was actually warm, but it seems that they didn't mind. Hannah jumped in and out of the water while Charlie just stood there quietly.

I thought I'd do a little bit of 'work' with Hannah. She, like Charlie, is food driven. Unlike Charlie, she is extremely brave and curious. It took only a second for her to notice I put a dog treat in the Lego Robot's hand. 

We worked on 'wait' so I could try to get a photo of her taking the cookie from the Robot. Anything more than a two second 'wait' is a bit beyond her at this point, so I had to work fast.

Charlie wanted a treat too but he wasn't willing to push Hannah to the side to get it. He waited patiently. He was still soaking wet from his time in the stock tank.

I didn't know that Wednesday could get that much worse but it did. The humidity is worse and the breezes we had the past two days stopped. With that wonderful combination, the smoke from the Minnesota and  Canadian wildfires have descended on our area.

Just a couple of hours ago my son in Wausau sent me a photo looking down his street. It looked as if brown fog had descended down his street. It is about a 3 hr drive northeastward to where he lives. 

No wind. Smoke, humidity, and heat. Looks like another good day to read a book and work on crafty things. 

Sticks, glue, moss, and cardboard. Maybe a new 'forest house' for my Lego Minifigures. Hey the stuff is free out in the yard and forest, I just have to build it!

No night shots right now unless the mosquitoes let up a bit. Right after dark and just before dawn they are murderous. 

It isn't worth going out and trying to shoot stars when I'd get carried off by monster Skeeters.

Stay cool if you can. Doing chores this evening is going to be a soaker.

 

The Bike Trail

 was not glamourous today. In fact, the lack of snow, the lack of any wind, and the smoke from people's woodstoves combined with the smoke/steam from the corn dryers gave the valley a look that was unreal.

When Charlie and I got to the 2 mile mark we decided to turn around. One of the mega dairy farms had a guy out with machinery clearing land and piling up trees in a pile that was burning. The shot below is smoke, acrid, nasty smelling smoke.

I imagine they were clearing the edges of the fields for more area for their hay crops. I had planned to go just a bit further but Charlie was dragging his feet and I decided that the smoke was very unhealthy.

The things that did surprise me was the abundance of food for the birds along the trail. The edges of the bike trail were covered in grape vines, multiflora rose buds, dried wild grapes, old man's beard, and highbush cranberries.

When we got back to the long bridge over the Pine River, we took a break as the smoke was clearing. It was time for us to have a snack and water.

As we finished up, I looked to the southwest.

The sky was turning ominous. Charlie was still dragging his feet so we made our way slowly back towards the parking area.

Walking slowly was actually a bonus. The skies were turning ugly, the land looked dreary, but birds were everywhere.

I noticed something I hadn't seen before while bicycling. The busted up farms, dilapidated buildings, and a variety of old machinery hiding in the weeds.

Another thing I'd never noticed was the sewage treatment plant hiding behind trees and small hills. But that explained the strange looking sewer lids that one would normally see in cities. They resided in a pasture.

I could hear water running through them. 

Oddly enough when I stopped to look closer------

I found a mystery.

Shoes.

And more shoes. The Converse shoes looked actually pretty decent. But what on earth???

 

I had a sudden onset of the creepy shivers. You know, the kind of thing you feel when something awful is nearby.

I imagined a creepy clown climbing out of the sewer cover.

 

Sometimes my imagination tends to run away. Is this where Stephen King's clown, IT lives?

I needed to get out of the house and do some walking. Movement outdoors seems to help my attitude and brain and it seemed to be a good way to enjoy the January Thaw.

Rut Roh! Car malfunction!

My Subaru is 3 years old and not a lot of miles on it. Yet as we all know. Things can go wrong.

I gathered my list of items I had to get: Salt blocks, Tank Heater, Milk, Bread, Fruit, and so forth. On the way UP the drive the 'Ru acted like it was slippery which is strange with the new grippy tires.

I stopped to get the mail and as I walked around the front end it looked like exhaust curling up from under the hood. Huh. I grabbed the mail and put it in drive and pulled away. It felt like the 'Ru had the parking brake on, it spun its wheels and eased forward and then spun again. 

I checked the Parking Brake and no it was not on. I put it on. It would not release. Um. The exhaust was getting worse and I pulled the Parking Brake up and reversed which took it out of parking, then I pulled forward again and it wouldn't go. Um.

Next came a wafting burning smell. I looked up at my Starlink blue button and decided this was a time to use it. According to what it is supposed to do, if I am needed help a real human will call me through my car??? and send help or roadside assistance. I mean I paid for it because I haul my hubby around to appointments and to have that comfort is a good thing.

I got through but had to turn off the ignition, the smoke was worse and I told that to the lady. The system shut down after a few seconds. So I turned the ignition on again and when Starlink talked to me I told them I would have to shut off the car as it was smoking. 

"Give me your phone number so I can call you back. Shut off the vehicle and GET out. Are you in a safe place?" 

I stepped out when she called me back and popped the hood. Indeed smoke was coming up from underneath and it was a nasty smell but as the car cooled, it stopped.

Where I backed up there was some nasty smelling green fluid dissipating in the rain. More. Hum.

She said she was searching for a tow vehicle. Was I okay, did I need Fire and Rescue? Yes to okay, no to Fire and Rescue. And the Starlink part? She knew exactly where I was. She said my car was at: and she gave my neighbor's address. Say what we will about new fangled crap on cars, but had I been stuck in some other remote place ... this would have comforted me. If I was a person in panic mode, I may not have been able to tell her my location.

I called the Dealership to tell them that my car was going to be towed in. I admit, I was flustered. I worked nearly 10 years in Security and we HAD to always have a back up vehicle. I did not now. 

I got My Man Seth. Recall Seth? He and I did the round and round on the tire issue but all was resolved. I told him that my Subaru was going to be towed in. He suggested I get a ride to the dealership and get a loaner.

He was professional and kind. 

I also spoke with the Subaru Roadside Assistance. They arranged for the tow. The tow should be there in 2 hrs. So I called my neighbor for a cuppa coffee and visited with her a bit.

All this occurred at 10AM. I started getting texts that 'they' were still trying to find a tow vehicle. Um. Shit. Whattt? 

At noon I went back to the 'Ru and decided to just chill out. Seth told me to leave the key in the console and don't worry about it. Nah. Leave my newer car on the road with a known thief just up the road? Not happening. Besides I was blocking the mail boxes and boy would that piss OFF the mail carrier.

I called hubby and told him what was going on and he was fine with me sitting on the ridge waiting for the tow. 

I started pacing in the light rain. Up and down the gravel road. So I stopped and looked at trees. I may as well occupy my mind.

What was this bush I wonder? So I took a photo with my Smarty Phone and asked Google Lens to help me figure it out. Nah, Google Lens gave me a possible match of some shrub that grown in a 7 climate region. We are a 4.

Pfft.

So I wandered about my vehicle and the road staring at trees and shrubs in the mist. I saw the the ironwood tree also has catkins that stay on all winter.

Well, that was a flop. So in between heavy rains I walked back and forth. I sort of felt like Pooh Bear. Tut tut, looks like rain.

At 2pm I called the Roadside Service and went through Hell's Menu to find a real person because the update said that my tow truck should have arrived. The real person was apologetic and said that the truck would arrive in 120 minutes to 150 minutes from...now....

At this point I could have gotten all nasty and snippy. I decided that there is enough of that in this world. The driver was coming from a long distance in crappy weather to help me. Delays? Those are something that is real in all aspects of our lives right now.

The postal lady pulled up. I apologized for my car being in the way and explained it was dead. She offered to jump start it or lend me her cell phone or help me in some way. How kind of her. I took the mail and put them in the boxes. She wished me a better day and went on. 

I will never grip about that mail lady. She is not the one who refused to deliver mail a few years ago because there were chickens in the road. [Wow that is another story in itself]

I got a text from Starlink asking if I was okay. Had my car been picked up?

I can't say that I was really ticked or even bored. More annoyed that my faithful 'Ru had taken a crap on me. I kept trying to figure it out but I am no mechanic. 

At 3:30 my phone rang. It was the tow truck driver, he was 20 minutes away.

The view out my side window.

My good friends trying to help...

And yes, I take a small camera bag with me everywhere.

Finally!

I thanked the driver, Craig, and decided that telling him I had been waiting for 5 hours wasn't going to do any good for anyone. I'd just sound like a whiney woman. 

Starlink and Roadside Assistance texted me again to see if I was okay and had the car been picked up?

Well dang. 
The wait? Meh, it was a long time. But it happened at near home and not on some obscure highway. I busied myself with imagining projects and watching the rain as well as inspecting bushes and trees.

I'd talked to Rich a few times and he was fine. 
We had oatmeal for supper. I was in no way making a big dinner.

Today, Friday, I will get a ride to LaCrosse and be dropped off at the dealer. My Guy Seth said I could get a loaner. Good. I miss having my second beater car around to use in cases like this.

Anyway. The diagnosis will come today. 

Aside from the frustrations and angst of not knowing what happened to the vehicle and having my planned day tossed way out of whack. I think I did well. 

Everyone involved was kind to me. And that made my day bearable.

Maybe one last note. Starlink worked beautifully. I had my doubts about it when I renewed my subscription thinking I'd never need it. But it did what it was supposed to do and had I been in dire straits, Starlink would have sent me a Lyft or Uber to take me to a safe place. That lady actually seemed to be genuinely concerned for my safety. That counts for a LOT in my book.

Modern technology sucks sometimes, but in other ways? Awesome.

Strange times

So no yard mowing today due to heavy particles of smoke in the air. That put the kabash on the Big Plan for the day. 

I guess if the grass really got out of hand, I'd do what I did in 2008 and again in 2016. Put a hot wire around parts of the yard and let my critters do the mowing.

Instead I picked berries this morning then closed up the house for the A/C to hopefully keep hubby feeling healthier.

Cell phone shots of the berries. 

The top photo is from the top of the ridge and the unripe ones are midway down into the valley. There are micro climates in our woods and I am beginning to understand that certain areas will produce berries in different stages.

Since I couldn't mow due to how wet it was and how bad the air was, I collected some flowers to try 'pressing' and drying. I dyed some Queen Anne's Lace with food coloring and some Fleabane.

Here is my sample of flowers I am pressing between two boards:

There is also Chicory, wild Vervain, Cosmos, Bee Balm, and Marigold. This method is supposed to take about a week or more.
I have to change the paper every few days to draw the moisture out. I used some rocks from my garden as weight for the top board.

Now I have some ideas of trying to put some of the flowers on handmade greeting cards so I will watch some videos of that. Another option is to place the pressed flowers into a picture frame and use it as a decoration?

It all started because I wanted some Queen Anne's Lace to use for some Still Life photos and perhaps dry some for a bouquet in the winter. 

What strange times we live in, when the midday sun is but an orange orb in the sky.

I almost feel like I am living in a science fiction novel.

A secondary smoke plume will then be
transported southward across the state Saturday afternoon into early
Sunday morning. Elevated fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
concentrations are anticipated to result in air quality index (AQI)
values in the UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS level over this period.
Sensitive groups include children, elderly people, individuals with
respiratory and cardiac problems, and anyone engaged in strenuous
outdoor activities for a prolonged period of time.

So... I was out doing garden work and dead heading the petunias when something very odd happened. I noticed I had a splotch of brown paint or maybe bug goo on my glasses. It was in sharp focus and moved when I stood up. Totally freaky! 
So I grabbed my glassed off and it was still there.
I brushed my face because, just well, because.
It moved and then swirled. I dropped my crap right then and there and headed to the house. 
Visit to Urgent Care sent me to the ED. After some testing I was given the diagnosis.
Vitreous Hemmorrhage. 
Vitreous is the clear gel in the center of your eye. Mine had blood in it. 
I will see an Ophthalmologist on Monday.
No bending. No lifting. No straining. No exercise. Damn, they should have included NO cooking too.
I get to sleep sitting up.  
I am not in pain but apparently this needs to be figured out and I don't need more blood seeping around in my eye. It sort of looked like this, but brown:

I still see stuff floating about and coming into my visual field. Hmmm. Mmmm.
Strange Times indeed.
Have a great weekend. 

Storms and smoke

About midnight the storms that were supposed to go around us hit and hit hard. The lightening was so often that it looked like a weird SciFi daylight film. 

Charlie had a conniption fit. The nonstop thunder unnerved the poor fella. I got up and comforted him as best I could. Rich got up and Charlie decided he was his savior. 

We watched the storm as best we could and at times we couldn't see past the porch either from the rain or a fog. Or was it both? We had winds.

7 22 

garden

7 29
the garden :(

So the damage around our place was mostly to the trees. I'd moved Lil Richard and Sven out of one of the little paddocks I have for them to the Shed Pens. Sven can get into his little indoor area through a large 'goat'/doggy type door. And Lil Richard can maneuver around to get out of inclement weather. 

[He is the only equine that will behave inside a stall in the winter..the mules try to tear the indoor pen apart]

Seems the dead ash trees to the northeast threw their branches at Lil Richard. He showed me the tiny mess when I checked on him. Sven was still sleeping.

The pen that I moved them out of had a new tree top in it.

This was Thor's old pen and the tree to the right was the one that was struck by lightening a few years ago. 

I spent an hour or so just picking up branches and debri to toss over the fence to the mules and even to Sven. They all eat the leaves, so they do a pretty good clean up. I just have to pick up the branches later and toss them on my fall burn pile.

There was actually more than anyone could eat so I dragged them off the hot wire and just left them be.

I grabbed a hand saw, a machete, and the heavy duty loppers. Off to the woods I went to check on the rest of the fence. One nice thing about this rope hot wire is that it is a cinch to fix. It generally doesn't break, but will sag and just needs tightening. I usually have to replace the plastic insulators that will break before the wire.

This box elder and another locust split and fell in the forest pasture. I'll let the mules eat the leaves off of them if they want to and then this fall hand saw it up. No chain saw for me and I know my neighbor would help, but he has had a stressful year at his work. I won't ask for help.

It will be good for me to have a late fall project.

I went all the way around the whole fence and chopped weeds off from some places and stopped to eat black berries! It started to get 'close' and I could feel myself heating up. Long sleeves, long pants, boots, and gloves... phew...

I found cool fungi and wondered what these were. I will try to ID them at a later time.

Ohhhh! And next to the top of a split oak, I found this on a log. I can't wait to get back to the woods and explore instead of checking fences!

Who doesn't love the brilliant colors of slime mold!

I got back to the house just in time to have lunch. I got an alert on my phone regarding Air Quality. They were not kidding. Cell Phone photo of what we first thought was fog. I went back out and man...IT smelled like burning plastic and wood.

And...

It did get much worse.

This was at 2pm when I went out for a few moments to pick some Queen Anne's Lace and Fleabane for a wild white bouquet.

That air was bad and I stayed in until late evening.

I worked on a project of dying Queen Anne's Lace and trying to figure out how to dry them for this winter. 

The haze and smoke let up a bit before sunset so I spent a little time watching the birds.

This morning there was nothing but an orange haze that turned into a grey overcast sky with another Air Quality Alert.

I'm bummed. 

This weekend it looks like I will spend my hours mowing. According to the NOAA we are to experience times of heavy smoke. 

So I'll mow and stop and do something crafty? The garden is toast so I will let it be, the squash and cukes can grow without much more help from me.

My flower garden took a huge hit too. The rain decimated most of my petunias and the winds flattened my 4 o'clocks. Once it dries out [2.5 inches of rain] I'll see what I can do to revive it.

Pfft.

Onward.