Postcards, From the Mountains

Sunday Stills, Fade To Black

This is an appropriate tile. 

I hope this isn't the last Sunday Stills challenge.

Ed, the creator and host of Sunday Stills is turning over the 

project to anyone else who would like it.

Ed is a long haul truck driver and I would imagine that time

 has a lot to do with his decision.

"It's been great Ed and Good Luck to You"

There are so many wonderful photographers, from all over

 the world that participate in the challenge each week.

I really hope one of them will take Ed's "challenge"

so Sunday Stills will carry on. 

The Summer Quiet

It's this time of the year, I call the summer quiet.

JS and the crew leave in the early morning and 

all day it's just me and the four legged kids, on the 18.

Me the dogs, one "old" horse , a bunch of turkeys, deer, 

a ratty jack rabbit and the quiet.

Spring is beautiful but noisy.

Tractors and mowers, chain saws and blowers,

hustle and bustle of everyone cleaning up after winter.

Finishing old projects and starting new before the summer heat.

I don't mine summer, now that I'm older.

It use to be that we worked out under the sun all day,

with the farmers tans to prove it.  Now it's out with the first light

 in the cool of the morning, coffee in hand.

  Love that moment just before the sun peeks over the ridge.
Mourning doves coming into water, quail scurrying along the edge
of the orchard.  Silhouettes of turkeys or deer under the olive trees.  


As the cool of morning becomes the mid day heat, I shade up in
 the house and head back out in the evening to tend garden or help JS.

Our farmers tans are not as dark as they use to be.

I've never minded being alone.

I'm easily entertained by what ever creature crosses my path.

Staying busy is no hard task, there is always things to do and 

by the time you get caught up they'll be ready to do all over again.

The majority of the summer is spent tending water, trying to keep
 orchard, garden and yard green or at least alive.

I like the quiet of summer, just not the heat.

July in Photos

Click on photos to enlarge 

Wordless Wednesday

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, In The Air

This should be tiled "Over the Water", instead of  "In the Air".

These two babies where all by themselves, no mama in sight.

They would take quick fights around in circles and come

 to the shore and stand awhile, never leaving each others side.

It bothered me that they were alone and so young.

Their is a pair of nesting Eagles at Little Grass Valley lake

and I know what happens to the baby geese.

Never the less, they where fun to watch.

If anyone knows what they are?  They stand about 14 inches high.

  I have never seen them before, or adults that look like them.

Rain ???

I wasn't going to post today, but it's raining ?!

Not hard, but steady and enough to make the roof

 outside my office window wet.

So I'm noting the date July 19 2012

Wordless Wednesday

Footings Poured

Last week the crew got the concrete poured for the footings.

The tall walls, are the forms for the concrete walls, not the cabin walls

and will come down after the concrete is poured.

Another set will be put up, facing the ones your see here.

The two sets of wall's, will be 10 inches apart, that will be the 

thickness of the wall downstairs.

Lots of Steel. The steel you see is bent 90 degree and the other half

 is in the footings.  More steel will be inserted vertical and 

horizontally every 12 inches and tied, with wirer.

This part of the job will take about two weeks.

This is the, "Not So Pretty" part of construction.

Pretty Picture Monday

Photo Play

Click on Photos to Enlarge 

Thursdays Thoughts, Fire Season

Every year Californians live with fire season and for the most part 

the majority of us are spared.  We've all heard about the Colorado fires and 

the many homes that have burned.   In the North stare we have the Tehama fire

and the Stonyfore and Sites fires in Glen and Colusa counties.  Two this week 

in our neighbor hood. But have you heard of the fires in Montana or the countless 

others.   All fire is bad, even when there is no lose of life or homes.

Today I would like you to go to "Go West Feral Woman" read her last three

post about the fire that went through their place and the miracle that happened there.

Also go to "Loves Ranch Life and More" where Judy talks about helping neighbors 

If you could, take a little time to pray for those devastated by the fires or who are still

 facing them and for the men and women who put theirs selves in harms why to fight them

"It Could Be Us"  

Running Strings

JS has a new love!  Last August I wrote about the logging on the 12 acres

we bought in the Plumas National Forest.  This year we are starting a new Cabin.

JS gets gitty when he has a new project.  He's been building custom homes  

for 36 year, building other's dreams and ideas.  He likes what he does, but from

 time to time needs to build something of his own.  I  think it rejuvenates him, 

to be able to have a project of his own ideas, where be can do what he wants.

In a funny way it acutely relaxes him.

"As relaxed as a man with his ass on fire can be"

With all the "High Tech" hoopla home building has become and of course "Green".

It still starts with the simplest of all skills,   "Running Strings"

This is the process of finding and marking the corners of the structure, making 
sure the walls are over the footing dug in the ground ( that always helps)

 and making sure it's "square". 

 This is maybe the single most important part of building.

The concrete foreman go's over the plans and calls out the
 measurements to the crew.

It is checked and rechecked several times.

The batter boards have to be strong and can't move.  That way when the 

strings are pulled tight, there is no give.  The strings are the actual 

outside wall measurements of the structure.

Everything has to be right.  Tearing out concrete after it's poured and hard

is no! option.  If your foundation isn't square, nothing else in the project

 is going to be square ether.

Making for very unhappy sub contractors and your finish man.

Make sure those strings are right.

Pretty Picture Monday

Sunday Stills, Winter Pics

"IT'S HOT"  Ed at Sunday Stills, challenged us to fine some old

winter pics from our archive, to cool off.

The first one is of our cabin and the second is looking at the lake,

 the winter before last.   We got 22 feet of snow that winter 

before it was all over.  Last year we maybe got 5 feet.

Don't forget to make the rounds over at Sunday Stills

 and see all the ......... COOL PICS !!!

I'm Farming and I Grow It

Holy Cow !!!!

"I fixed my flickr photostream !!!!!"  

Let me back up.

"I fixed my flickr photostream, with no help"

If you know me and computers, that's "Hug".

Redneck Fourth Of July

Saturday La Porte hosted it's annual July 4th celebration.

This little town of "26" had a population boom of about 2,400.

Every town resident , cabin owner and camper in a 30 mile 

radius came to enjoy the day.

There's something for everyone, bakes sales, crafts, dog show,

cold drinks and food.  Or stop in at Riley's Bar for a cold one,

standing room only.

The main event is the parade on main street.

It's a mix of rednecks, bikers, flatlanders and mountain folk, 

just having a good time.

And if you missed something, it will come back around.

The parade make three loops around town and I do 

mean around the town before it's done.

Friend Robin

Daughter Dawn

The Snowmobile Clubs Tri Tip dinner at the firehouse, 

finishes off  a great day.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA"