COUNTING MY BLESSINGS

Whilst Colorado and other western states are literally burning up, in northwest Montana we are having a particularly wet monsoon. I have already had over thirty inches here at the ranch.

Yesterday, I drove down to the Flathead to run errands. I knew it was going to rain but I had no idea how hard. By the time I arrived home the Forest Service road was washed out in several spots. I could only cross my fingers in the hopes my driveway had not washed out too. My rain gauge showed an inch and a quarter had been deposited in my absence. A huge amount in a such a short time on ground already saturated. I've spent considerable time and effort re-engineering the driveway and that work has paid off. My drive came through in perfect shape.

As I look out the window at all the lush green grass and the lush new growth on the forest trees I can't help but count my blessings that here in northwest Montana we have water in abundance. In fact we have much more than we need. Too bad there isn't some way to share it with those western states that are so very dry. It's not fair but then so little in life is.

Whitetail in Tall Grass 06-27-12

Colorado Fires Burning Out of Control

 


©Kinsey Barnard

Raggedy Ann Scarecrow

One of the things I truly get a kick out of whilst photographing on the road are the many creative things I see literally on the road. People in rural areas seem to be particularly creative. Maybe when you don't have so many distractions, as city folk do, ones mind provides its own entertainment?

I think this Raggedy Ann (I just made that up) Scarecrow is just adorable. It looks like a Raggedy Ann doll to me. But, someone told me they thought it was scary.  Which only goes to show we all see things very differently. I think that's the reason we have so many misunderstandings in life. One person clearly sees one thing and another sees it entirely differently. Then each acts on his own perception and all heck breaks loose.

Scarecrow

To me this is real Americana.

©Kinsey Barnard

Down For The Count

No photography this week. No nothing this week except hiding in the house. After a nearly ten year run without getting sick I caught some bug and it flattened me. It wasn’t the flu. I think it was bronchitis. It came on me last Sunday starting with a scratchy cough, took off with a vengeance and ended with a lost voice and chest rattles.

I’m guessing it’s been ten years by the expiration dates on my remedies. Most had expired in 2003. Assuming I bot them at least a couple of years before they expired that puts me near ten years. And yes, I used them and they worked fine. I will toss them now that they have been opened and replenish with fresh. I am not recommending using expired medicines just saying I did and they worked fine.

Meantime a snowstorm comes rolling in and I’m out trying to keep the snow plowed when the rocker switch on the snowplow ceases to function. I am able to raise the blade one last time to get it in the shed. No rest for the wicked or sick. You don’t just call the repairman when you live in the woods. I was in no condition to try and repair it. A fix would require parts and a drive down the mountain was out of the question. I figured if I got stuck for the rest of the winter so be it. I returned to the house and conk out.

Later in the week I am feeling a little better and try working at the computer. I notice that the keyboard has gotten pretty icky so without turning the Bluetooth off I carry it to the kitchen to clean. I think I hear a voice but dismiss it as some kind of hallucination. When I get back to my desk with the clean board and start working the voice returns and begins to describe what I am doing and where I am going. It was beyond annoying. I couldn’t figure out what was going on so I gave up and put the computer to sleep. Not long after the fan comes on and it does not sound at all good. I end up having to do a very hard turn off. Now I think the computer is tap city too. But will have to be dealt with next day.

Next morning, with a clearer head, I switch on my Apple G5 and pray. She boots up perfectly. I once again bless the day I drop kicked my PC out the window and said goodbye to Windows forever. After hunting around in the help section I found what I was looking for. The computer has Voice Assist for people with vision problems. Apparently, when I removed the keyboard I had pressed just the right combination to activate it. Repressing the combination turned it right off. If you have an Apple and it happens to you just press Command and F5 and you will be back to beautiful silence.

By yesterday, Saturday, I was feeling a lot better and we had had a little more snow overnight so I went out to shovel. The cold air actually felt good. My neighbor has a drag blade he uses and I asked him if he would mind dragging my driveway when he was next out as my plow was on the out and injured along with me. I’ve got great neighbors and they were down here in no time. Joan Ann took Koty for a walk and Doug and I dismantled the plow switch. Doug drove us into to town to the Napa store and we got a new switch. The new switch is in, operating and works better than the original.

I’d pretty much worn myself out for one day and hoped that HBO might have a good Saturday night flick. Lately, the movies have been repeats from other movie channels and yawners. But, last night was a true winner. It was the story of Temple Gardin an autistic woman who overcame her challenges to become an incredible force of nature. I don’t remember the last movie I enjoyed as much and Clare Danes did a masterful job of playing the part. If you have access to HBO you do not want to miss this wonderful and inspirational movie. It’s a five star on my critics list.

Now it’s Sunday and I’m still coughing and wheezing a little but definitely on the mend. As I do most mornings I checked in on the net to see what’s been going on over night and I ran into a really scary video clip that was posted on a thread that I follow. It’s about these little robots the Air Force has invented. You should take a look at it just to inform yourself that this technology exists and is out there. Air Force Bug Bots

Well, that's it for this week. Photography or no, never a dull moment at Dancing Deer.



©Kinsey Barnard Photography