Flood Stage

The snow melt and heavy rains upriver in the midwest have sent a huge bulge of water our way. Crest is expected on the 16th of April, and unless a spillway to our south is opened, it stands now to top the levee. I doubt that will be allowed to happen, but it’s dramatic to …

Read more

Domestic Post: Garden & Such

Spring! Especially nice after a long winter.. We had to really puppy- proof (read “Larissa- proof”) the garden this year. Though almost two, she still has been chewing like a pup. Recent casualties include hoses, our cell phone, and Paul Theroux’s Old Patagonian Express. So: It takes some figuring. Here Lib and Peculiar, who has …

Read more

Latter Day New Orleans

Reid sent a recent story from the NYT with this headline: Big Plans Are Slow to Bear Fruit in New Orleans. He asks, “Knowing the history of the city, is this surprising?” I quipped in reply, “No, nothing ever moved quickly in New Orleans except money from the pockets of tourists.” And that’s still true, …

Read more

Coursing with Sheepdogs?

Readers will remember writer, sheepherder, and guard dog breeder Cat Urbigkit of Wyoming. Her books can be found here. A recent note from her to Steve reminds us that flock guardian dogs, thoseancient custodians of sheep and other flocks, don’t just passively GUARD. Cat writes: I took the runt of the litter of guard dog …

Read more

Red Planet

Chas has a pic up he took while visiting what he call our “Operation Ocotillo terraforming demonstration project”. You can see Libby and me in the background. In this spirit, I thought I’d post pics of another Martian locus here, with the caption: “Though we hadn’t yet added water, the dry habitat game was abundant, …

Read more

Starting the Garden

Steve mentioned he and Lib are getting the garden started. Here several thousand feet lower in elevation and so many degrees lower in latitude, we’ve already started. We’ve got a small garden, just two plots, too-full with tomatoes, banana peppers and basil—the three edibles we four can agree on and eat often. This year I’ve …

Read more

Pornstars for PETA?

Patrick has been kicking PETA’s collective butt lately. In this post he savages the dim- witted celebrities who speak up for the animal- exterminating ‘rights’ organization. “Then we have porn star and PETA spokes-idiot Jenna Jameson. Now I am not a connoisseour of porn, so I have to ask: is this picture of her the …

Read more

Late (Navajo) Barbie

Reid chips in late on the NM Barbie meme, via email: “I have been so swamped I haven’t had a chance to post my contribution to New Mexico Barbies. “How about Shiprock Barbie, though her real name is Barbie Begay, and her boyfriend, Ken Yazzie. Options include Hosteen Begay’s Hogan with loom and sheep pen. …

Read more

Walk

Last week’s walk photos, as promised. Libby on the “Rio” Salado. It can be frightening in summer floods, believe it or not, but right now we can walk in it. Desert Bighorn tracks in the bottom of the box– rounder in front than mule deers’. The proprietors of Casa Q with desert tools– pack, Swaro …

Read more