Ron's Birthday

I didn't get around to recognizing Ron on his birthday last Saturday. We spent a happy day. I baked a yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and invited a couple of friends in to share. His sister, Evie, baked the most humongous batch of his favorite cookies, snickerdoodles, and sent them in a box - absolutely none were broken in the trip from Lake Stevens, Washington to Preston. And our neighbor, Carolyn, baked him six (yes, six) big cinnamon rolls! Her son, Lucas, 4 years old, made this portrait of Ron to include with his homemade birthday greetings. One leg has a more prominent knee than the other. That's probably because a little while ago, while he and his mother were looking at pictures of surfers in Hawaii, he announced that "Brother Gage is a surfer", a comment that caused a great deal of merriment to all. The world as seen through the eyes of a four-year-old is certainly different than the one that we "elders" live in. It is full of possibilities. Maybe we need to borrow a few? Late Happy Birthday.

The "Tale" of Bo, the Neighbor's Dog

Ron had to shovel a path through the deep snow, because Bo didn't have the energy to plow his way through on Sunday.

About 14 years ago, our neighbor, the orchardist and retired Boeing engineer, got this dog, which he named Bo. He acquired the dog because his old herd dog, Smokey, had become blind, and was not of any help herding the cattle on the farm. However, as a herd dog, Bo proved to be worthless - he was a very enthusiastic chaser of cows, sending them all over the place. So, Bo became the follower of the 4-wheeler, the constant companion of his owner, and a frequent visitor here (the path in the snow is similar to the one that is worn in the grass, through our back hard, across the basketball court, between the evergreens and to his warm garage bed.) Ron began going to the local grocery store (there is only 1 in town), and buying packages of soup bones, which he then bakes in the oven, and freezes, thawing one each morning for Bo. Sometimes Bo will exchange his dry bone treat (from a box) for the real thing, leaving his other bone discarded on the patio. The summer when Bo was about 3, our grandchildren were here. Bo always loved to come over and let them maul him. They discovered a heavy rubber band caught around his lower jaw, and digging into the flesh. In time, the jaw might have been amputated, had it not been discovered. Our neighbor, Don, took the dog to the vet, and he operated to dig out the rubber band. Ever after, when these grandchildren would come, they would look for the place on his jaw where the rubber band had been, feeling that their keen observation had saved his life. Over the years, Bo has become somewhat blind, so that he barks at us now when we go to our neighbor's home, but a scold reminds him that you shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you. He has also become very arthritic, and, although he sleeps on a heated pad, he has difficulty getting around some days. He is on a regimen of glucosamine-chondroitin-msm, which helps, just as it helps us. His time on this earth can't be very long. However, we received a real shock this morning, when a call came quite early, telling us that Bo's master had had a stroke last night after the Preston basketball victory in Pocatello. Don, his son, and three grandchildren, went to a restaurant to eat, and he quickly became ill, and died in the ambulance halfway to the hospital. We are constantly reminded that our time here is not ours to determine. Change can come very quickly. So, sometimes, as in the case of Bo, the dog, we live in expectation of death, and prepare for that eventuality. But, the shock of having a friend and neighbor unexpectedly pass from life so suddenly requires a great shift in thinking and being, and reminds us all of our mortality, and that things will not go on forever as they are today. Moral to be learned? Take care of each minute that you can. Enjoy the people in your family and around you. Mend fences where they need it. Be there for others. Follow the commandments, and say your prayers.

Still Snowing - A New Scene

Still snowing - we need a change of scenery!

Pictures from New Mexico

View from the top at Cedar Crest.

Great grandchildren, Dillon holding Mia. (This is an older picture - Mia is over a year and very mobile.)

Mandy and Mia - perhaps in Arkansas?

Mother and Daughter - Dorothy and Mandy.

Ken took pity on me, and sent some pictures last night. I'ts been forever since we've seen this part of the family. Too bad distance and difficulty of travel for some makes the miles too many to have more contact, but it's good to see the pictures. Thanks, Ken.

Still Frosty - And Cold

The blog seems to have grown into a weather report and pictures of the cold snap that goes on and on, with its accompanying foggy smog and bone-chilling temperatures. Four above this morning is almost a heat wave. I shudder to think of how many perennials might not make it through this winter, even though they are covered with snow.

January - Oh, goody!

The twisted branches of "Harry Lauder's Walking Stick" really make a wonderful snowy pattern.

We always measure winter snows by the height of the snow on the sundial. Can't tell the time today!

Winter in Idaho

Jenny took these first two pictures when she was here - they are at the ranch at Eight Mile.

And this picture is close to our front door. The snow is piling up, thank goodness - we've had a very dry December.