The New American Digest

Time to take the flocks up to summer grazing and the highway is the best path. The state Rangeland Resources Commission helps coordinate the move which will be repeated in the fall when the flocks return to winter grazing. It’s just a short distance up and across the highway anyway.

I post this because just last night I was talking with an acquaintance from California and his Santa Fe girlfriend and they were disdaining “cow and sheep” country … yet they want to move here. So I sent them this news article.

Yes, I consider the guy a business friend – but stay where you are. At least keep your “I’m from Santa Fe” girlfriend away.

Eagle used to be a remote small town on an island far away from Boise city. It’s now a special (expensive) “place” within the metro area. But it also has the Old State Saloon that celebrates “Heterosexual Awesomeness Month” in June to the discomfort of those preferring “Gay Pride Month” so the Boise blue hasn’t fully infested the area.

Of course, any such happening has to turn into an “event” – I imagine sometime in the near future they will sell tickets in a park celebrating “our agricultural past” … while outlawing the actual movement of livestock. Someone will sue for blocking the highway.

But still … for now, we remain sheep and cow country once out of the metro area.

The peaks are a few hundred feet above 14,000 ft. These goats enjoy the altitude at just above 14,000ft.

Mt Evans is the highest of the range at 14,266 … but Governor Evans was involved with Sand Creek so the mountain had to be renamed to Mt Blue Sky in 2023. The highest paved road in North America, the parking lot is just above 14,000 ft. About a 50 mile drive up from Idaho Springs (at 7500ft) – 35 miles from Denver is a direct line.

Denver may be the “Mile High City” but few realize it’s in the South Platte River valley.

posted by Jean Dec 12, 2006

Living in Florida affords me the opportunity to witness some truly beautiful moments.
This past Saturday evening was one.

There was a NASA shuttle launched from the Cape at 8:47 p.m.

Watching a shuttle launch in the daytime is undoubtedly impressive.
Seeing it when your world is wrapped in darkness, under cover of a starlit sky, is breathtaking.

My vantage point this time was a long, wooden dock that extended several yards into the Halifax River.

Looking southeast that night, everything was a shadow or a silhouette.
Expansive oak trees shared the riverbank with tall palm trees. Condominiums were sentries, higher than the trees.

Cars were parked along the edge of the road and in the small picnic area beside the river. People came in droves, from those cars, to gather as close to the river as possible, looking for an unobstructed skyward view.
We were lemming-like in our march to the edge.

Keeping track of the time and listening to portable radios, several in the crowd loudly announced the take-off.
You could feel everyone holding their breath.
The tension… anticipation… waiting for the white glow to be visible from some sixty miles south of us.

It took two or three minutes before the light began to show.
The crowd pointed as one and announced to all,
“There! There it is!” Applauding. Cheering. Whistling.
The brilliant white light crawled across the horizon before it began its upward mushrooming spread. Slowly.

The clouds began to glow.
From the bottom center of the sky-horizon
a white beacon emerged. The giant candle struggled upward, then leaned slightly east, toward our left… higher.
Ever. Slowly. Higher.
Half-way up our window view of the sky… the shuttle seemed to shift to a higher gear… moving steadily faster. Moving higher and faster, leaving a long, bright streak behind it.

It outran the mushroom glow.
It slid into the black velvet cover over earth.
The yellow fire from the boosters marked its progress upward. Until, as star-tiny specs, they were released and fell softly.
Fading sparklers.

Some of us lingered.
Straining to see one more glimpse before turning away.
Wishing a safe journey to the brave souls travelling so far.

Wishing even harder, for a safe return home.

For those interested in the space program, the Silicon Graybeard usually posts everyday about space-related goings-on.
https://thesilicongraybeard.blogspot.com/

Me? I can’t really explain why, but I don’t seem to care too much about it anymore.
Once upon a time though … I still have my “Stars” book I got for Christmas in 1958.

Things have changed a bit since then.

Well – after about 4 days of heavy rain, a day of sunshine. It rained so much, so hard,. so fast that I-84 had to be closed down due to flood waters.

We don’t get rain like this … usually.

Not as heavy as hurricanes in Virginia but still.

There is more snow on the peaks I can see out my back door that we saw all winter .

The grass is growing so fast that by the time it dries out enough to cut, I’ll need to weed-whack it first or the mower will plug up.

Mrs DT finds gardening peaceful; she’ll sit out until dark pulling weeds as meditation.

She ought to be quite mellow here pretty soon.

I’m quite the opposite.

And that’s how my day’s going. With no complaints.

The grass won’t dry out soon; more rain predicted for tonight and tomorrow. And maybe Thursday.
I guess I have plans for the weekend.

Update: This evening’s short-term weather forecast just came out on the news. Winter at last!

a story to post from ghostsniper via comments

New Maff

We spent more money today than in the past 6 months.
(house was paid off last Dec)

First, the income tax, both fed and state, went out in certified mail.
20+ years ago we got slammed between the criminal IRS and the criminal USPS with the result being a $1300 penalty for not paying our taxes on time even though we did. We sent them in by the regular mail like we always did before. But the USPS dragged it’s feets and the IRS didn’t receive the payment until after the deadline. We tried, but found out, you simply cannot argue with the criminals. I’ll not disclose how much was sent today because the very though ignites all my fibers.

Next up.

The vehicle insurance for 2 rides. I pay by the year because it’s less expensive overall. Almost a thou. Then, about 2 months ago very high winds tore through here and knocked over 2 white pine trees about 100′ tall. One hit the ground but the other one got hung up on a 40 degree angle in a very large beech tree. Very dangerous, and our power pole was within the arc.

So:
1 cherry picker
2 trees
3 experienced doods
4 thousand of my favorite legal tenders
made the problem go away.

We’re not used to the idea of spending that kinda money, and not getting anything for it. We already owned the trees, and we still have them, but they are now cut up and no longer live and function like the did for all of their lives. So yeah, money for nuthin and the sticks for free. or sumfink like that…

Anyway, the doods did a good job, took only about 3 hours, and though we paid them with a check, I gave them a $100 cash tip.

Further, the owner asked what I do and I told him I’m an arky and he said he may have some work for me. So there’s that.