A "new" table

As I have mentioned before, I love to collect stuff that I find in nature. Some of it gets pitched outside again after awhile, but some items are special enough to hang around the living room. I thought it would be nice to have a better way to display some of these: a shed rattlesnake skin, some skulls and bones, some beautiful rocks, and a couple of arrow heads. All of it I collected while we have been living here.


We talked about making a new coffee table and using it as a display case, but our current coffee table is really just made for it because it is a box with a lid. I explained my design to the resident woodworker (Dan), and the plan was beautifully executed.


We are both happy with the result and it is fun to see my special stuff so close up and dust free.

Sunset

During monsoon season we get some beautiful sunsets. Usually there are storms around, causing the setting sun to light up different parts of the valley. It is like a lightshow, highlighting various features that otherwise you might not have paid attention to. Tonight the western sky was just ablaze.


We are fortunate to take in some of these views because we take off the horses' flymasks when the sun is down and the flies have decided to go to bed too.

When we were in the barn, one of the nesting boxes caught my eye. I thought that a bird had finally decided to build a nest there. Dan made these nesting shelves this winter to help the birds as the barn nests are prone to being blown down. But we hung them too low and although there is a nest 3 feet away, these shelves have remained empty. Guess who was roosting there?


A roadrunner!

Rescue attempt

I was putzing out in the yard this morning when I heard a horse whinny far off, and when I looked up I saw some white horses close to the National Forest fence. Viewed with binoculars no riders appeared present, so Dan set off on foot with a halter. I gathered up more halters, some water, and went after him on my mountain bike.


I caught up at the Forest Boundary and stayed well behind while Dan tried to get close to one of them. There were four horses in all: all of them Paints. It looked like 2 adults, a two or three year old, and a yearling or colt. Gorgeous horses. Dan had no problem getting the gelding haltered while I disconnected the fence. The other adult, the mare, was haltered too, but the 2 younger horses stayed away and did not follow the older ones when I tried to lead them away.


So, sadly, we had to let them all go again, but not after closing one of the gates that would keep them confined on about 1000 acres, and accessible for whomever lost them. I reported all this to the sheriff and hope that the owner will retrieve them soon: there is no water in the Forest anywhere. Never a dull moment here.


On a happier note, here is a picture of the young Hooded Orioles. They were born on July 27 and they are growing fast.