Setting Up for the Festival

We're planning on a busy weekend. This morning Desert Boy went over to help set up tables for the silent auction that will be held tomorrow--there are so many neat items.

We also set up chairs. We had to roll out the carts with chairs.

A closeup shows that Desert Boy is intent on helping!

All of this is for the Snake Valley Festival, which begins tonight with a potluck dinner (the yummiest Dutch oven fried chicken and potatoes in the world are provided) and then a music and cowboy poetry program.

Tomorrow we're going to get up early to drop off items at the community-wide yard sale at 7 am and at the silent auction, then go to the pancake breakfast and visit booths. Then comes the parade at 10 am--it should be a hoot, with the length of three blocks and an odd assortment of entries. After that, food booths, the silent auction, entertainment, film festival, and kids' games all begin and last for several hours. The entertainment includes a variety of musical and cowboy poetry acts that go all afternoon. Desert Boy might be able to sneak in a nap before we head out to a barbeque, dance and live auction beginning at 6 pm. If we still have some energy left, we'll go to the star program.

Sunday there's a mountain bike ride bright and early, a pancake breakfast, church services, film festival, and another star program. 

There's lots more detailed info at ProtectSnakeValley.com. We will be taking lots of photos--it might take a little while to get them posted because all the activities will keep us busy!

If you're close by, we hope you can make it, otherwise have a great weekend whereever you are!

Summer Fun: Cooling Off

It's July in the desert, and even though we live in the high desert, the temperatures have been creeping into the high 90s and even over 100. So we've been looking for ways to cool off and beat the heat. One way was an obstacle course with a water trap. Th goal was to swing over the pool without falling in.

The kids quickly learned how to get wet if they wanted to.

Then it was on to the boogie-woogie on the unstable spool.

Desert Boy met up with his little friend, Ava, and they decided to go for a walk with Ruby.

Desert Boy sure looks like he's enjoying life!

Of course, he's happy in most any situation, and will ham it up for the camera. 

Squirting Mama is always a great past time. I don't even mind when it's so hot.

But all things lead back to the swimming pool. It was easy enough to swing one person across, but what about two?

Too Good to Pass up

I was sent the following article, and even though it has nothing to do with the desert, I couldn't resist posting this bit of Americana. Be sure to check out the original posting, because the comments are very interesting.

No tall tale

Click image to enlarge

Teens find alligator in Iroquois River

Published: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 10:53 AM CDT

When Zach Ramsey, 17, and Casey Sonaty, 14, both of rural Newton County went fishing on Sunday they had no idea they were going to bring home a real trophy.

While fishing and frog spearing along the Iroquois River in Jasper County, near Rensselaer the two young men saw an alligator in the water.

They first shot the alligator with a fishing arrow from a bow, but the arrow broke and the alligator went under. The reptile soon re-appeared and the two then tried to spear it with a frog spear but could not penetrate the animal’s hide. The two realized they needed more firepower, so they left and returned with a twelve-gauge shotgun and were able to dispatch the reptile.

The alligator was six feet long and weighed approximately 150 pounds.

"It is pretty sure to say that this animal was raised by someone and got too big and was released" said Indiana Conservation Officer Allan Clark. "Being a cold-blooded animal, it is very unlikely an alligator could survive an Indiana winter in the wild," said Clark.

Since alligators are not listed as a game specie in Indiana there were no violations in taking the animal.

This summer there have been several reports of alligator sightings in other lakes in the area, but no reports of this animal were received prior to it being taken.

Original News Article with Comments

Relay for Life

On Saturday night I participated in a Relay for Life event. It was the first time I had ever been to one, and in fact, the first time it was held in Ely.

I was part of the team Great Basin Millipedes-We've Got Legs! We also had some hungry bellies, but fortunately Brian and Meg brought burgers and hot dogs and everyone else brought side dishes so we could get energy to go walking.

Andy, Roberta, and Carol are building their strength. Notice the tent in the background? Some people were planning on staying the night. I couldn't do that this year, but I imagine it would be fun--like a giant sleepover.

The bleachers and the track were lined with luminaries.

As you can see, our track wasn't an official track, but just a path in the grass. Participants of all ages walked around it.

Travis even took Dixie around a few times.

Here are three of my teammates walking. We had antennae to symbolize our millipede status. They also made it very easy to spot other teammates.

With most of the team present, it was decided it was time to put on the big millipede costume.

We shuffled along like a long millipede, our antennae bobbing in the wind.

We got lots of attention as people tried to figure out what we were.

"Great Basin Millipede Legs" (one sheet with the "We've Got" was misplaced, but everyone got the idea)

As I was leaving the luminaries were being lit and looked really beautiful. The money raised for this event will go towards trying to find cures for cancer. We more than double passed the fundraising goal, so I'd say it was a huge success!

Should I be worried?

Escaping the Heat

Yesterday it got to 99 degrees in the valley. So we headed high up on the mountain to find some cooler air, and sure enough, at the trailhead at about 10,000 feet it was 70 degrees. Yeah! We started out on a hike towards the bristlecones with eight kids and two moms. 

Desert Boy hiked some on the way up, and two of his cousins were really helpful, guiding him over the rocky terrain.

We stopped to smell the flowers. They all learned that these Polemonium flowers smell like skunks!

The flower is pretty, but stinky.

The real excitement came when we reached a patch of snow.

The girls made snow angels,

while Desert Boy threw snow balls at them.

Up ahead, some of the older cousins had found a wonderful snow-covered hillside and were busy sliding down it.

You could get some good speed on the slippery slope.

They did it over and over again, enjoying the speed and the cold.

Amazingly, no one even got hurt!

Eventually we had to leave, and one of my nieces helped carry my camera back to the trail. I enjoyed looking at the photos she took on the way.

Happy cousins.

"I'll make a face because I want to."

Peace, rock glacier.

"I just ate something really tart."

The end of the hike ended with a snack--animal crackers dipped in Nutella. Everyone agreed that was the best snack ever in the entire universe.

Especially Desert Boy. He slept the whole way down, but he woke up for the snack. He wouldn't miss that for anything.

Second Crop

Life is hectic out here. The crews are busy putting up second crop of hay, which is looking much better than the first crop (which got rained on a lot).

Some cousins are visiting and we're spending lots of time swimming, hiking, and of course, the most important part of visiting: eating!!! In fact, I think I better get back to the kitchen. 

Desert Boy Counts

Desert Boy in the River

I was going through my photos and realized I had a set from our trip to Indiana that I still needed to post. On our last afternoon, we went to a park and after a picnic and playing, some of us decided to go on a hike. It didn't take Desert Boy to get a couple of his uncles and his aunt initiated to how he likes to hike.

The clothes came off and he was in the water! Not ever being in a river this big, Desert Boy was fascinated by the way the water moved, the sticks and rocks on the bottom, the deep and shallow places, and all the green vegetation.

It was a really hot day, so the uncles and aunt didn't seem to mind the detour down the river.

Some parts were a little deep, but the water wasn't moving fast.

We reached a good area to get out and get back on the trail, but everyone decided it would be a good idea to just stay in the river for awhile longer.

And a good thing we did, because Uncle Matt got to try out his talents as Tarzan.

The strong vine held his weight as he whished through the water...

...and gave his mighty jungle roar. All the animals quieted to listen to their king. 

Okay, not really, but we all had a fun time watching.

When we did head back, the muddy trail seemed like a real piece of cake compared to the adventure we had just had. Hiking with Desert Boy can certainly be an out-of-the-ordinary experience.

Enough to totally wear out an uncle.