The weekend has been really quite normal, apart from the winds. We did regular tasks yesterday, and some good things accomplished. The winds came up in the afternoon and all through the night, they are still here and we’re watching them tear through the property from all directions, creating little tornadoes, knowing things over and blowing trash from all over. It whistles through the drain holes in the window sills, it sounds low sonorous moans as it blows over the hollow fencing posts. It drives the chickens and the goats inside; only the ducks and the geese try to brave the buffeting. Continue reading
weekend
27 Sunday Oct 2019
Autumn arrived in the Sky Islands today! I know the Autumnal Equinox was yesterday, but we had our first Fall day today. I saw somewhere that we had 2.6 inches of rain! That was a good rain for us. We had/have a flash flood warning for today, until 8pm, but it looks like most of the rain is over for tonight. This photo was taken during dusk this evening looking to the South East, what I usually term “down Mexico way”. You can see the remnants of our storm, but it is starting to clear up for the evening. 
We have been waiting for weeks and weeks! Yes, we’ve had smatterings of rain here and there, but not the all out downpour that we’re used to getting on a regular basis during Monsoon. Last night, we finally had our first downpour on the property. Not sure when it started, but by the time I arrived home around 5:30 it was in full swing and it may have been going for a bit of time. Lasted about an hour I’d guess. Stopped raining for a couple of hours and then started again around 9pm. Always nice to lie in bed and listen to the rain. 
How are you all doing in your corner of the world? Summer is here in full swing. Today we may even have entered into the monsoon season at last. There are showers all around us, but never really quite reaching us here. Lots of virga… the heat keeping the moisture in the air. The extremes have taken a toll on all of us here – seeking relief from the heat has been our pastime of late. We’ve already talked about a few things we have doing to help the chickens beat the heat, there are other issues – though – that we have to think about due to weather. 
When I postponed writing until today, I didn’t even think about it being Father’s Day; however, it is only fitting to wish all the fathers out there (especially mine!) a very happy day to you! Nothing about the rest of this post has anything to do with Fathers’ Day… shall we get to it? 
So, hey – we’ve got things going on. We’ve got a freezer full of veggie-sicles for the chickens. We’ve got watering going on because the trees are hot and dry. We’ve got a clean house because the keeper was here today (yay!). We’ve got the old cabbages cleared out and fed to the chickens making room for some new plantings. We’ve got chicken pies in the oven getting cooked for dinner. What’s next on our list of happenings? 
Even though summer doesn’t begin until June 21st, we are heatin’ up all the same. Monday we had our first peek at monsoonal type moisture; accompanied by a rather destructive micro burst in Bisbee. Today we have rather high clouds and are a bit muggy; hopefully this is a good portend for our monsoonal season. This is a photo from the National Park Service… but it is a good example of what we will be seeing in just a matter of weeks. 
I never really got into theoretical math, although I am drawn toward theoretical physics (string theory, quantum mechanics, and dark energy), because it just blows my mind – I would never have succeeded in pursuing this as a career path because… I just really don’t like math. But, we all have heard something about chaos theory and “the butterfly effect,” right? Here’s an easy definition from “
OK, yes – I skipped a day. It’s always difficult for me to get back on track when I’ve been traveling for a while. We’re on our way to being normal again. I came back home and the landscape was completely changed. Pollen is everywhere! On the wind, on the ground, in the house… everywhere. Rather takes its toll after a while. This cartoon rather sums it up for me. 
I find it interesting that sometimes a thought will be running round and round in my head and then a friend or family member will bring up the exact same thing. Happens with Sue and I a lot – probably because we live together, happens with Mom a great deal too, and often with my admin at work. Now, I find the connection is still there with friends back home. Case in point: when I was growing up, we had a retired Navy Chaplain in our church, Rev. Ted Herman, who never needed a microphone when he took the pulpit. I guess all those years preaching on the deck of ships at sea just gave his voice resonance. At the end of his services, as his pastoral blessing, he would intone a special prayer, the tenor of which had been rattling round in my head a great deal lately, but I could only recall a few specific words, “this troublous life…” and then vague ideas surrounding that sentiment. I think it had been in my mind so much lately because of – you guessed it – the horrendous winds we’ve been struck with. THEN, today I had a message from our friend Tracy, back home, asking about this exact same prayer. She was trying to remember it, but could only think of “grant us safe lodging… and peace at last”. So I just gave in and finally googled the few words I remembered with the addition of “Prayer” and found it. It’s called the “Prayer of Blessed John Henry Newman”. I’ve put a photo of it above. It also came to mind today because of some lodging issues we have of our own right now. Well, chicken lodging anyway. 