Category: SA Times

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Good grief, after last Friday night’s pleasant one inch rain, you can actually see the weeds growing.  It wasn’t long ago at dinner with the neighbors I commented on how I remembered fondly when the place was green, back in the day.  Well, it’s green now and looks very nice but it isn’t just the grass that’s growing.  Most of the rest of the neighborhood seems to be at peace with the weeds taking over.  Those that do seem to want to rein them in simply keep them mowed down.  That’s better than letting them go to seed, of course, but it isn’t very aesthetically appealing.  I spray a couple of gallons of Weed Be Gone mix most evenings knowing that if I do that while the weeds are small that will go a long way in helping me ultimately control them.  I say control, not eliminate.  That’s impossible. Continue reading “June the benign” →

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There I was stuck between a duck and a hard place, so to speak.  When I moseyed up to the water garden to do some raking one day this week I saw a mallard hen enjoying herself there.  The mallard pair had been there the evening before and even though the drake wasn’t around I assumed it was the hen of the pair that frequents our pond, especially since she didn’t seem disturbed by my presence.  Shortly, though, the mallard pair showed up and the drake sent the first hen packing.  She flew over the fence to the area on the south just outside the enclosure and stood their awhile apparently considering her options.  After a while she walked around to the north side of the enclosure and flew from there back into the pond.  Again the drake sent her packing and again she flew over the fence to the south side of the enclosure where I’d left the chili wagon.  It’s fun to have wild ducks visit the pond so I try not spook them when I’m in the area.  However, I’d finished raking in the enclosure and needed to go to another area, which meant I needed to pass where the new duck was.  I finally did and she moved out of my way without taking flight.  Later she departed, no doubt having decided she wasn’t going to be able to enjoy the pond as long as the other ducks were around.  Maybe she’ll be back when they are not.  There must be people around where she normally visits since she had so little fear of me. Continue reading “Duck politics” →

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First it was a small one last week.  Then it was a medium-sized one this week.  ¿Qué Pasa?  Maybe the mollies are dying of natural causes.  I keep the tank clean and I don’t see any signs of some pathology on the fish live or dead.  These are the first two fatalities since we set up the aquarium nearly a year ago so maybe we’ve just been lucky so far.  It isn’t as though the population can’t afford a couple of losses, given the rate of procreation. Continue reading “Something fishy” →

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Tuesday evening we had a nice get-together in the man-cave.  Barbara Howard and her daughter Marsha joined us as we rode out the super cell that cruised through town.  My weather radio rousted me from bed about 11:00 with the news that the storm that had been in eastern New Mexico was now in Bushland and would arrive on our doorstep about 11:30.  Joyce called the neighbors and Barbara.  Kari and the girls were already at the shop by the time we got there and I went across the street to collect Barbara and Marsha.  The storm arrived on schedule and the civil defense sirens began to wail.  Even Chris, who generally prefers to ride out storms in the rigging, joined us bringing Tino with him.  I can tell you, it was nice to be in the man-cave and not fear for life and limb.  That of course didn’t stop us from worrying about damage but there is a difference, a matter of priorities. Continue reading “Aw, hail” →

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Monday the painters started the prep work for painting the house but were interrupted Tuesday by a lovely gentle rain in the morning that gave way to a sunny afternoon.  Unlike the poor folks in Granbury and Moore, we’ve enjoyed a pleasant May, this week especially.  It got a little warm last week but cooled off nicely this week and the rain, though just a half inch, made everyone feel better.  Why, pulling weeds is just so much more pleasant when the ground doesn’t have the consistency of concrete. Continue reading “May is a good ol’ gal” →