Back in the Bitterroot

I promise I will start blogging in the traditional blogging way of the latest on the top. It just seems upside down somehow.


10 Apr 05: Spring is starting to really be seen here. There are buds on our lilac trees and some of the grass is green. CJ is talking about getting the lawn mower out and running it around the lawn. The blue birds are here and looking for a place to nest I guess. We had a little snow flurry go through yesterday. Sun – snow. You know the spring routine.

Brought in all the horses yesterday and gave them some grain, cleaned their feet, and brushed them. Saddled up the last two and went for a ride. First ride of the season. Got to get back in saddle shape and get the horses back in physical shape. Will be headed over to the ranch next month to help AI the yearling heifers. Spend long days in the saddle doing that. But it is only for a week and is really good for the young horses. Will take a four and a five year old over there this year. Of course CJ will take the buckskin wonder horse Baylee. She does like to ride that horse.

Spent a lot of the day inside doing bookwork. Got the taxes done!!! Will be paying more than one would like, but taxes are taxes. I don’t mind paying my share, but I don’t want to pay more than my share. Also got all the mail gone through paid a few bills that I can’t do over the Internet, and got the piles of paper on the desk down to just a few. One of the hardest things you have to do after being gone for a couple of months. And had time for a nice walk in the woods with the dog followed by a cup of good tea.



8 Apr 05: We are back in our barn/home in the Bitterroot. Good to be back, but I already miss the warm sun of the desert. And the spring things that need to be done around here are almost overwhelming. Makes one wish he could clone himself.

We had a good visit in Salt Lake City. Spent some great times with the nieces and nephews. What a bunch. They are all going in different directions and have grown up to be nice men and women. And Auntie Jane is doing well. In fact, she looks better now than she did the last time we saw her.

27 Mar 05: Still headed north. But not that far. We are camped tonight on some BLM land just south of Bouse. Did a little exploring to the north of that town today. That is another thing we really were able to get to do this year that we were not able to in the years past. Bringing the little jeep down here has made a big difference in our ability to get off the beaten path. We can then go hiking and exploring on foot in places we were never able to do before. We may not have the ideal set up, but for CJ and I the camper or as we call it the “hard shell” tent is great. We bought this camper in Anchorage about 15 years ago. It is still in very good shape and everything works well. We figure we spend about a fourth to a third of our lives in it every year. Some years before for we built our barn/apartment we actually lived in it for months at a time. Were on our boat for months then in the camper for months. But anyway, back to the jeep. We are so glad we got it.


28 Mar 05:

What do you do when one of your favorite places becomes too crowded? That is the dilemma we are facing when we stop at a place called Valley of the Fire north of Las Vegas. We started going there in 1992 and have been regulars there for years. It is a great place to stop and spend a few days hiking on slick rock, which is one of our passions. It meets our needs of potable water and a place to dump our camper. Years ago, they would have part of the campground closed because it was not needed with the number of campers using the place. Now, the campgrounds are usually full each night and there are lots and lots of day use people coming in for visuals and for picnics. It is a pretty place and I don’t begrudge people for wanting to enjoy it. But everywhere you go now days there are more and more people. And it is just going to get worse. The population is growing and growing. The baby boomers are going to be retiring and become snowbirds like their parents and aunt and uncles are doing now. The campgrounds like Valley of the Fire are going to get more and more crowded. Many people go there for the solitude and to get away from all the city noise and traffic. But are finding crowds out in the “wilderness”. One of these days we are going to have to address this problem of over population of our world. How many more people can we have? But with what quality of life? Questions, questions.