Friday, June 24, 2011

Top Finish & Fire

In between everything I've been sewing the mule/donkey quilt. Today it will get mailed to Millie in Texas for professional quilting.

Close up of block and sashing.
Backing for the top.

Didn't want to journal much about the AZ Monument fire, there has been enough info on news. FaceBook had so much info and pictures from people at the fire, it was like you were right there experiencing all that was happening. The predicted week-long 40-50 mph wind suddenly stopped after one day! That is what saved us. Fire has now burned to back side of mountains. Fire fighters hope the wind doesn't change direction and blow it back to our side. So much was burned up, people's homes and animal habitat, great losses.

I have to say, many local people in this community came forward to help. They opened and ran evac centers for animals and people. Here are two dogs we are fostering.
A breeder gave up ten small dogs when she had to evac her residence. Both of our fosters are cute but almost ferrel. I could not catch them yesterday. Hopefully they will come around and not fear people.
My neighbor went with me on Thursday last week to evac llama and alpaca from down by San Pedro River. It was a long tiring day, six hours total. We had to take back roads to get around roadblocks, so many trucks/trailers going into fire zone to rescue livestock. Once the animals were loaded into my horse trailer we were sent around a back route because fire was so close (the air was choking with smoke). At one point the fire had roared down so close we could see flames. We drove thru Bisbee and Tombstone to Sonoita where a breeder is keeping the evac'd animals. Sorry, no photos- it all happened so fast!

Hoping to get back to normal in the next week. Stress took it's toll on me, the danged fibro has flared up. I need to slow down but so much to do. Night sky is back to normal without so much smoke.
I'll be posting pics of working on garden and chick updates.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Monument Fire Evacuation

Quick posting to show the Pops top.I'm happy with how it turned out. Now it goes into the pile of "to be quilted".

The Monument fire in my area is still burning hot and fast (no longer called Ash Canyon fire). Ash Canyon is burned up and fire is moving on across the Huachuas. So many homes have been evacuated and are on stand-by to evac. Sheriff's Office has put out a call for help with evac of livestock. Lord help me but I called to offer help. The lady on phone said they need trucks and trailers to get horses out of the canyon areas today and she will call me back with info on where to go. Told her I am no longer able to load horses that don't want to load so she will have someone with me to do that part.
I'll be back to journal about my day. Anyone reading this please say a prayer for the safety of all concerned.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Dodger

Well, Dodger did not come home with us. There was nothing the vet could do. By last night he could barely stand, the back legs would not move for him. Now he lives in our hearts.
This was a favorite photo of Dodger. Silly boy blinked just like a kid would close his eyes when the camera flashes.Dodger was big, loveable and goofy.
Photos of Dodger last summer, he enjoyed being with the poodle mob.

I think Mattie was his favorite friend. This is how we want to remember Dodger, having his fun.

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Shocked this afternoon to go outside and see the smoke has grown so much.
This local fire is Ash Canyon, about 30 miles away. Not sure how it started because the area was closed from any legal visitors several days before fire broke out.Neighbor just let us know the fire is out of control and burning towards Ft Huachuca. I won't say much more until reports come from authorities.

Close up with zoom on my camera.Ash Canyon has beautiful old growth oak trees and is a populated area. Not much news about this fire is coming out, maybe more on tv tonight.

Diving into a new quilt project today. Mules & Burro focus fabric with western prints to frame. This will be a comfort quilt for a neighbor that is ill. The family has mules and burros, some abused rescue and a couple of saddle mules. Mule critters have always fascinated me. She loves them so very much.

This is the pattern I chose to show off the focus fabric - "One Patch Frame" from the book "Block Explosion" by Cindy Casiato's. Wanted a throw size quilt so the blocks will be smaller at 14 inches instead of 18. The project should finish quickly. Now I wish I had been practicing on my HandiQuilter so a nice panto could go on as a great finishing touch.
(((sigh)))
Almost forgot- one more chick hatched early this morning, tiny and brown, so small it must be one of Frizzies chicks. The other brown chick is lots bigger than bantam babies. Photos later.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Trying to Stay Sane Today

Old Dodger has gone down very quickly the last few days. His hind quarters are very weak, it was a slow process to get to this point. A vet warned us this would eventually happen, something to do with spinal degeneration. Same thing that happened to Macho several years ago.One day they cannot get up. I've been helping the old fellow get up and he could walk enough to go out and do his business. Today he stumbles and falls after a few steps.

It is killing me to see this happen because he still has a sharp mind and good appetite. I wonder what he thinks about what is going on with his failing body?We have a vet evaluation scheduled for tonight, I don't think Dodger will be coming home with us.
We knew eventually this would happen with the old adopted poodles. Dodger had almost two good years with us, wish it could be more.
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Life is still going on all around.
Eggs Frizzie had been sitting on started hatching Sunday Morning. Her bantam eggs are no larger than elongated ping-pong balls. Here are the first two chicks.

As of this Monday morning she has five healthy looking chicks. I snuck in a small egg from Speckled Sussex again, chick is colored like a chipmunk just like the last time.(Still three more eggs to open).The babies are already pecking at melon and scooting about. They are staying in big dog crate on back porch for now.

So awfully hot today. Mesquite trees are not tall enough to give much shade for big critters. I'll be taking Moose and Dreamer up to barn for real shade.

Mesquites are beaning and blooming.
Fire update- We are not close to the big AZ fires to be in danger. Thankfully the wind shifted and it has not been smokey for several days. But last night we could see a new fire burning in the Huachuca foothills just beyond the Fort (30 miles away). For now the wind blows the fire south and east of us.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Friday (again) Already?

Time is flying by! So much to do with hot weather moving in, should have started weeks ago. I've spent evening time on the Pops blocks. Those little double pops were very fiddly but turned out cute.I found background fabric close to the original quilt in magazine. Now I'm playing with piecing a border.

Sunday we had an unwanted visitor, a rattle snake near side porch. You can barely make him out on gravel rocks.
Closer look below- I was watering trumpet vines when he sounded off with a non-stop buzzzzzz. I ran away before trying to spot him. Good gravy, he was just a foot away on other side of chain link! Warm weather brings out hungry aggressive snakes. This was a reminder to watch for them now.

Our beautiful Palo Verde trees did not survive the hard freeze. Below zero was just too cold. One is replaced with a hardy Texas Ash, will plant another when the rainy season arrives.Birds are already visiting the new tree.

DH put up a temporary coop for the two fancy roosters. We need to lock them up at night or both come down to bedroom window and crow non stop at 5 every morning. Both roos like to hang out under Pomegranate tree during hot afternoons..That bushy tree survived the deep freeze but many branch tips froze and that's where fruit develops. Not sure if we will get a good crop this year. I only see two buds so far.

The Star Jasmine survived, perhaps because it was close to house.It's bloomed like crazy and smelled so good. Several other jasmine plants did not survive.

Some days we are smothered by smoke from AZ fires. It's almost impossible to see Huachuca Mountains when wind blows.Sunsets are more eery than beautiful. I won't complain because fires are not threatening us.