About 2:30 this morning, I heard hoofbeats on the pavement heading down the road.
"$#!T. Okay, you call Compass and tell her her horses are out again, and I'll get some halters."
By 3:00 a.m., the 30 or so wayward neighbors were back in their pen, and I was staring at the ceiling.
By 4:00 a.m., I gave up.
So let's talk about the weather, as long as I'm up.
This has been a very dry year here in Colorado. The snowpack was about a third of normal, and we may have had 2 inches of moisture all year up to July. Fires were making headlines nationwide, as most of them were within spitting distance of large cities here along the "front range" of the Rocky Mountains.
Nothing like a backdrop of smoke and flames behind your skyline to really ramp up the popular media.
Then came July. Fireworks Bans. No outside fires. No outdoor BBQs. One thousand dollar fines for smoking outdoors. Dry, dry, dry.
The first couple days of July we got two, 1/4 inch rains. Halleluiah and hot dog! Maybe the end is in sight!
Then-
On the 5th of July, here in Allenspark we got 1 and 1/2 inches of rain.
On the 6th of July, here in Allenspark we got 2 and 3/4 inches of rain.
On the 7th of July, here in Allenspark we got 1 inch of rain.
On the 8th of July, here in Allenspark we got 1 inch of rain.
Our normal for all of July is about 2 and 1/4 inches of rain.
Our parking lot has washed away to bedrock in spots.
The horses are spending more time in their shed than at their feeder.
The trails in the national forest need some serious "shovel time" to mitigate the washouts.
The rivers are running black with mud and soot from the previously burned areas.
The fires are out, which is WONDERFUL, but really, a full summer's worth of rain in four days?
At least it wasn't raining this morning while we were chasing horses.
Bill
You know, You would think the neighbor would fix the fence, hobble the horses, or something. In the alternative' there's always tying them off to the bumper of the state trooper's cruiser with a note questioning parentage signed in your neighbor's name.
ReplyDeleteNow there's a thought...
DeleteI have to say you did a pretty good job of finding the bright side, considering your lack of sleep ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering though... not many people have a platypus for a pet, where did you get yours?
(re the critter laying on the floor at the foot of the bed)
Hrumph. You don't recognize a sleeping dog, that had been erased and redrawn FOUR TIMES before giving it up as a lost cause? I'm surprised. Or not.
DeleteBill
Well, poo. At least you are kind enough to put the horses back in. I would have slept past it. And I have no problem sleeping again after waking up. LOL
ReplyDeleteWas glad to hear you got the rains, but not the floods.
Praying for a little more (and less) rain in YOUR life...
DeleteBill
Sophie is a platypus? Fooled me.
ReplyDeleteAnd why DO the livery horses keep getting out?
Loving any excuse for you to bust out your famous drawings... I really am working on printing the one you graciously drew of me getting POO flung on me - and framing it for the living room.
And I'd empathize with you on the rain... but I'm just happy you're taking some of ours! :)
Rach - Beel has it as a .jpg, tell him to email it to you, then you can print it out easily :)
Delete