A walk in the forest

My Little Buddy has been here before I took my walk. He’s still here hanging out here. He’s just like his father very mellow. I walked up the creek checking out what the water did from the last few storms. It really cut into the ground and washed a lot of stick and rock down. Looks like it’s afternoon feeding time the turkeys have returned and they are a lot mellower. Guess they worked off all that energy this morning. When I got to the end of the property I made a west and went up the hill through the black berries. There’s sort of a path but it’s rather over grown. It’s a real trick to walk through the vines with those nasty thorns. After getting up about 600 feet the area started open up into a meadow. I haven’t been hiking here before since it’s rather hard to get here. When I looked down I could see thousands of little mushrooms. A whole forest on the forest floor, so small you need to get on your hands and knees.

There were other mushrooms along with lots of little plants. As I walked south I could see a lot of oak and manzaneta I almost forget the pines there since they are all over. The ponderosa’s are almost everywhere. There were some ferns, which I don’t know the type.

It always amazes me at the simple things I find every time I walk around here. I used to go to the desert a lot and found there that if you want to see anything you need to look at the ground. Then taking science classes in college I started looking for rock as I walked. These days I look for life.

Just heard something interesting on the radio. A guy was arrested for dealing medical marijuana. He faces forty years for each count. They say he made money doing the medical marijuana thing. He should have made a billion then he would only face a couple years in jail and get some sort of deal. The more you make, steel, con, from people the less time you spend in jail. If you look at Abermoff or Keating they spent a few years in jail and got to keep the money. If we apply the same standard to Abermoff then he’d be spending life in jail. Just shows that, “justice for those who can afford it.”

The Goggle addon

The Goggle add-on works, and now for something serious.

Woke up late today, it was light out when I got out of bed. Didn’t see any critters as I put out the feed. Then again it was just getting light out and it was in the 30’s outside. As I was having my first cup of coffee the squirrels and turkey arrived. As the sun came over the hills and through the trees the turkey became more playful. Don’t know where they are right now but I can’t see them from where I’m sitting. They were chasing each other around almost flying. Even birds just standing around are jumping and practicing their turkey skills. I’ve been watching these guys for a few years no and couldn’t figure out what all they were doing. At first I thought they were just picking on the younger birds but it looks like it’s more like a boot camp for turkey. Soon they will master their turkey skills to become “Turkey Master.”

I was watching the deer last night. Buddy was here and did something real funny. Never thought I’d see the playfulness of these deer. Buddy walked real slowly behind a young female when he turned to me and gave me a wink. He goosed the young female with his nose and she jump. Buddy looked over at me with a smile and gave me another wink.

I noticed that one of mothers adopted a young female deer. She has her own two girls and they all seem to get along together. I watched them grooming each other the other day. Mom was concerned with a scream that came across the hills. The kids heard it too but continued eating and grooming. I could hear a dog barking in the same area. I don’t think it was coyotes they wouldn’t bark on an attack.

It’s sad to see how people take car of dogs and cats. They really don’t know the behaviors of these animals. They don’t under stand the concept of a pack animal. Just because you feed an animal doesn’t make it yours. What gets me is people who let their dogs back for hours without checking why they are backing. Some people get little dogs with don’t have the ability to stay warm in the area that they live. Some dogs are a reflection of their owners and look just like them. If the owner of a pet is fat then the dog or cat is fat. I don’t mean a little over weight but get diabetes and have a heart attack while walking.

Time to get outside and get some things done before it rains again. The local weather people say it’s going to rain for a couple days with snow up top. Right now it couldn’t be a better day. The suns out the birds are flying around. There’s a lot of bright green out.

Goggle Word Add-on

Well, Goggle has a new toy to Blog with using Microsoft’s Word. Maybe I can get my grammar right. Well here’s my first test to see if this add-on program works.

Springs coming, sort of

All the critters are here this sunny cold morning. Eleven male turkeys and a herd of hens and young males still with mom. Looks like I need another salt block a little squirrel is licking the picnic table where the block was before it melted in the last rain. Been trying to get a picture of this nuthatch, he has an orange breast. Sort of cute the way the squirrels look in the house at me looking at them. Spring is coming and it's making me feel more alive as more light warms the earth. Still cold outside but it really gives you the feeling of change.

 

It was cute last night when the turkeys all left, the doves came walking in. It was a herd of them all sneaking in to get the last eats before it gets dark.

 

They say it's going to rain today but you couldn't tell by the way it looks right now. No telling what's blowing this way. The clouds hang on the side of the foothills below me. Going to try to put the porch tarp back up today. Need a spring to take up the slack when the tree moves that hold the cable. Last storm it snapped a 1/2 inch cable like it was nothing.

 

I only see a dove puffed up eating now. The morning rush for food is over time to pick feathers in the sun. I'm ready for my next cup of coffee, some dark, rich, dark French roast. I want to go outside and dance in the sun like I saw the turkeys doing. If I have time I might go into town to see about some grass seed. Not sure what will grow here. Maybe something sort of natural.

 

I noticed while the sun light was slipping away for winter, I started eating a lot of junk foods. In fact I was craving foods I never eat the rest of the year. Maybe it has something to do with hibernating in out historical past. Or that it helps get us through the cold time when we need more calories.

Cooper

Cooper doesn't like the gray squirrels which amazed me. Thought only the pigeons only had yellow feet. Still he's a good looking bird.

Sort of have a phone again

Got the phone back 01-03-2006 but it went out friday when it raine. It started working later saturday when the sun came out. The only time I might need a phone I can't use it.

Think I'll get out the pan and look for some gold after all this rain. Something should have washed down the hills. Just walking anywhere there's dirt it's mud. Even the rock have mud or moss. Things are so green. Mushrooms poppping up everywhere.

Haven't seen the raccoon family in weeks. Stinkers and George Clinton with the P-Funk were here last night. Haven't seen the girls and the babies in a few days.

Put in George's Backyard.

Where should we get rid of the solid waste? How about in George Bush's backyard. He seems to think that heavy metals and such seem to be safe and air pollution is something the left wing liberals are making up. Then send George to Bakersfield and let him breath that air for a few days and let him suck in that black air. Seem he might what to have beach front property in a few years but I think in his mind it more that make money now a screw the rest. They care worry about their future while the Republicans drove the earth into a irreparable mess.

 

I know spring is here

 

I was surprised yesterday while folding up the laundry when I saw the jackrabbit out by the telescope. It was creeping up eating a little here and a little there when something spooked it. It took off running north down the old road, more a path but never used for cars.

 

Then today I've seen my first robin. I like watching them on the hunt standing tall to get a good view of things moving. Then running over and snatch up what ever it saw moving, usually bugs.

 

I found some sort of wild Lilly yesterday. It's not the regular show piece that you'd get in a flower shop. The slim white pedals and it delicate features look like it could fall apart with just a touch. I'm going to that area to take some pictures of them today. Along with that, do some tree trimming. The area has a  lot of dead under branches. Call me anal-retentive in forest care but I think that's what mans design was. To take care of the forest so that all life could live. It's okay that we learned to learn but when it gets into the area of destroying the planet for profit is more important then being able to breath, then there's something wrong.

 

 

Christmas Out at Bob's

I got a surprise Christmas night, my friend Big Buddy came by for a bite. I had been so worried that something had happened to my big forest friend. His rake has four antlers with little splits at the tips of them making then look like can openers. It was Christmas so I gave my friend a large apple which I put at the edge of the porch. Buddy had a bit of a hard time biting the apple so I cut it up for him. He was about two when I first met him four years ago. Big Buddy, Mr. Fuzzy Antlers and Stumpy are my oldest deer here with a large group of offspring. I can see each of the fathers features in the offspring by the markings and antlers. Mr. Fuzzy Antlers was my first friend. We would go out foraging together. I would help him out by getting the things he couldn't reach. Our friendship started by me getting a arm full of apples and offering them to him. He saw that I wasn't a threat. He started hanging out after that letting me work outside without running off with the load noises I was making. I could use the chain saw and it didn't seem to bother him as long as he saw me making the noise. Big Buddy and Stumpy were a couple years younger when I met them. When I was sick Buddy used to walk up the stairs and look in the front door window to see where I was. I don't know if he could sense how sick I was but it help me get outside even though I didn't feel like getting out of bed. Some of the most interesting things I never would have imagined was one deer would control the herd and look out for them. I saw all the deer in the thick forest eating and there was Buddy in the creek looking up the hill seeing where everyone was. This year Buddy broke his rear leg. That really troubled me. I tried getting help for him but no one wanted to help not without money. His leg was just hanging and it scared me. He limped around for months. I put out more bird seed and picked up a bale of alfalfa to help him eat so he wouldn't have to travel so far. It seem to work and he never was far from the property. After a few months he started putting weight on his leg but still limping. Soon after his antlers were full he was pushing other large deer around. What I thought was cute was watching him as a young deer came up to him slowly trying to challenge him but not to make him angry. Buddy was good, he gentle pressed up against his head and started pushing. The young deer didn't stand a chance. Buddy just pushed the little deer around like he wasn't even there. Buddy didn't want to hurt the little deer and if I didn't know better through the challenge and let the little deer win. The little deer started strutting like he was king of the roost. I never thought I'd see deer being affectionate to each other. One young deer who's mother died in a car accident was all along one night. It was raining and the little guy seemed to be so afraid without his mother. That's when Buddy came up next to him and started licking him on the neck. The little deer leaned into Buddy to keep him warm. Buddy pulled the little guy closer. He set his head over the little deer and pull him closer.

A day of rain and criiters

Rain looks like it's going  to let up if not stop. It has been raining a lot over the past few days. The creek started running. Well, I spoke to soon. Weather people just said there will be a couple more storms blowing in. I guess I won't be doing any outdoor stuff for a while. Still don't have the phone working yet. Phone guys should be coming out while it's raining. Couldn't happen to nicer people. It's been a day with the turkey, deer and squirrels. Lots of little bird here for the winter. I watched a wood pecker work on the oak tree for about a half hour. The wood pecker has been working on the same part of the tree for a few weeks.

 

Took a break to get dinner started. Got the pork chops cooking. Oh, I forgot the Fresno peppers. The sun is setting, time to watch the BBC News. I forgot to pick up food for the skunks and raccoons.

 

I was listening to the radio and noticed this load pecking sounds. It was the turkeys on the porch eating the seeds that have fallen of the railing and on to the bins. I didn't think to much about it because they do that often. Then there was a loud squeak and the sight of a turkey flying the door's window. Some one scared the hen and she took off. Must have been a squirrel sneaking up behind her. The rest of the turkeys just looked at her and continued eating the cracked corn. There had to be at least thirty big birds here today. It sure looks good seeing them looking for bugs on the side of the hill.

 

I hope I see Big Buddy again tonight. I really missed him through the fall season.

 

Christmas commercials are coming to an end. The amount of commercial this year have gone to new limits. "Oh honey thanks for the car for Christmas." It wasn't just the cheap cars but almost all the car manufactures. Now it's going to be the end of year shows telling me all the things that happened this last year. Wish people paid more attention in what's going on. The other day a reporter was giving his prospective on the ruling from Dover, Pennsylvania. When he said that 50% of Americans didn't know that the earth goes around the sun and that 30% of them didn't know how many days there were in a year. That they believe that the earth was 6,000 to 10,000 year old. That most of the people that didn't know these things were deeply religious. With Bush and his evangelical buddies pushing this kind of teachings it's going to dumb down the people of America. Looking at it from a history prospective, going this way is a good way of making followers with no thought of their own. This is a good way of making an army of blind followers and only keeping education to the rich. They could make up a good slogan and the people will follow the policy you set whether it's right or wrong. Sort of like what Bush and this administration has been doing for the last five years and how we got into a war we can't win. I really think that the Neo-Cons started this war by not telling Bush what was going on in the world. They let the terrorist commit the crime on 9/11 so they could get into a war. I never understood why the people that kept telling the administration about the terrorist but the only thing they did was demote or fire anyone who knew what was going on. Anyone in the FBI that talked about terrorist were pushed out because they were making to many waves. O'Neal wrote in his book about how this administration wanted to invade Iraq as soon as they took office. Richard Clarke was demoted from his job of head of counter terrorism. Frank Clark the man that knew the most about Alquada but was demoted and stuck off in some remote office. It's almost like they wanted the terrorist attacks to happen. This was a theme in one episodes of the "X-Files." The whole story deals with the CIA's budget being cut after the end of the cold war. They put a plan together to get some terrorist group to take blame for something the CIA did. They were thinking that some group would take credit for the attack and we could start a war with that country.

 

Well, time to recline and watch the news.

 

 

flooding and more rain.

Just amazing listening to the news people describe the water and rain. One woman news reader compared the river to Lake Michigan. They obviously never been to Michigan before. Wind has been rather bad here, my antennas turned 90 degrees. The creek is a river. There's a creek going through the yard. The tarp over the porch is down. I was going to cover my telescope but the rain kicked up. I saw a woman picking up sand bags on TV. She said there is three inches of water in her house. I have to say, getting sand bags now is to late. You need to prepare for a storm in the summer. That's what I do every year. I spend most of all summer cleaning the forest, moving dirt so water would run off the place. The news people just crack me up with there descriptions. A pond is an inland sea. A creek is a river. A couple of inches of water on a road is a flood. You can always tell a person that never gets out by what they say. I'm going to have to take some picture of the water here as soon as I fix a few things. Need to wrap the camera in a plastic bag.

 

Went outside. Rain slowed a bit but there is gusts with heavy rain. Walked to the park. My ears are still ringing from the sound of water. The creek is doing some serious white water. Even the creek by the house is flowing with white water.

 

Had to tighten up the u-bolt on the antenna. So far it's staying in place. Saw one of my little Buddy's and a squirrel. Nice almost break in the storm. Looks like a large cell coming this way according to the weather map on TV.At least I haven't heard anyone ask the dumbest question I ever heard when I was down south. That was, "Why is there water in the flood basin?"

 

Looks like we got about 10 to 12 inches of rain in Placerville in the last 24 hours. It amazes me how much the news people fabricate the news. There might be a foot of water and they will say it's waste deep.

 

A little squirrel is on the railing eating seeds. She's really packing in the seeds as fast as she can. There's a couple more squirrels eating. Taking advantage of the break in the rain.

 

They say there is another storm still coming. Up in Truckee there is a land slide. What gets me is the news people say, "look there's no traffic" right after they say both lanes are closed.

 

Glad I'm not riding my bike like I used to. Never let a little rain stop me from going anywhere in the rain or snow. Riding a 650 pound bike in the snow is a real challenge. Sure taught me to be water proofed. I think the worst thing was the snow that would gather between my legs and the seat.

 

Not much traffic in town. Still people drive like there has been no rain.

 

Have a leak in the roof. The texture on the ceiling is falling down in the corner of my bedroom. It's the same area that I patched a couple years ago. I went into the attack to see what was leaking, it looked like the valley where the two roofs meet. I check the roof when I went outside but didn't see anything when it was raining.

 

Just saw the stupidest sand bagging job on TV. These people put a line of sand bags in front of their house. Straight across, with no idea that when the water would go around the line of sand bags when it got to them.

 

One reporter said the water was 5 feet deep in his house. When you see the water mark is only a foot high. The reporter only got a few inches inside his place. In the same complex a woman could understand why the water came into here place blaming the county for not warning her.

 

No national news tonight. My antenna turned again so I can't get channel 10 to see what's on it..

 

When you live in a flood plane you should expect your going to get flooded.

Flood plane Living

Watching the aftermath of the last storms on the news. Seeing the people living in flood plane areas and wondering why it flooded in their neighborhoods just has to make me laugh. Not that I like to see people misery but to see the shallow thoughts of the people living in an undesirable area reclamation area. Just like the person driving like they are invincible, living below sea level isn't a good idea. When people think that insurance is going to protect their lives and not just their property they must have something wrong with their thinking. Looking at a map should tell you that where your living isn't the best place if a river is above your house. Since most of the levees were built in the 1800's should give you an idea that they went built to well.

 

I wrote a paper about people living on unsafe grounds several years ago that was published right after the Big Bear Landers earthquakes. I also included people living out in the Palm Springs area. Out there they live in dry river beds, parts of a bahada. I equated the people living there as people living on a train track, a train will be by sooner or later.

 

I was also amazed at people that bought houses on mud flows. They are all marked on USGS, State and county maps. When houses start sliding of creeping down the hill they wonder why. They always say, "buyer beware." I guess you have to add to that carry a lot of stupid people insurance. That will protects people for things they do that a normal thinking persons wouldn't do. Some people are just so oblivious to the world. When I heard that 50% of the people in the United States didn't know the earth went around the sun or how many days it took. I have to say anyone living in a flood zone need to have a large note pinned to their shirts telling then that where they are living could flood and their responsibility for their stuff if it floods. That they will have to pay for their new stuff unless the insurance companies don't.

Still raining

The rain doesn't seem to bother the little birds. I was just watching a sparrow bathing. The little guy looked like he was having a great time swimming. I thought he would have just splashed around a little but he was diving and swimming. There was a few turkeys here this morning. Saw a few squirrels too. Oh hell, I'm going to have to go out in the rain to cover my work table, the plastic has blown off. I was hoping I wouldn't have to get dressed up and go outdoors but I don't want my table to warp.

 

There's a few downed branches by an oak tree on the road. Not to worry, I'm not going anywhere. It's almost like the clouds are on the ground. I was only out there for a couple minutes and rain gear is soaking wet.

 

It bothers me that Bush is looking into the phone tapping of people. It's more like data mining as I understand. The outing of Valerie Plain still drags on since it was this administration that came up with the idea of leaking a CIA agents identity. Well, Poncho Bush don't need no stinking badges.

 

Yesterday I found out the conservative republican philosophy was. They say they are conservative but when it come to the environment it's anything goes. The world can be used for anything without and consequences. I guess my idea of strip mining the desert is a good idea. Making a mile wide several miles long ditch seems okay in their eyes.

 

Still no phone. Damn phone company.

 

 

 

Rain and politics

Lots of rain and some interesting things in politics. Deer seem to be having a fun day while it's not raining right now. One small deer was sort of motivated by another deer and he jumped on the picnic table. The table was wet so he went sliding across the table. As he was going to fall off he jumped and landed on all fours. Male turkeys are hiding under the trees with leaves to get out of the rain. I had to get out in the rain to make some channels to direct the water draining through the yard. Water is boiling out of gopher holes. I put out sunflower seeds for the turkey but the deer found them and they look like they like them.

 

Looks like some heavy rain going to come down in the next few minutes. I did see some blue sky but that's being covered up by the black clouds. Not much snow in this storm and there are several more coming. There's a lot of run off and the rivers are full and the dams are letting out water. What I don't get about people up here is they live at the bottom of a river and put a dike around them and feel safe. Let's get this straight, they are living on the bottom of a flood plain and don't think anything about flooding. I guess like W.C. Fields said, "there's a sucker born every minute." Sure the flood plain has fertile land but putting a house on it is just stupid.

 

There's a guy who shot is son and ex-wife running around. Sheriffs haven't caught him yet. There was a sheriffs helicopter that flew over. Don't know if they were looking for him or all the accidents happening on the roads.

 

In the Enron scandal, the government made a deal with one person. Instead of him going on trial for thirty counts he's pleading guilty to one count of fraud. He has to testify against others in his ex-company. What a deal, steal billions screw over states with high electric prices and destroy people saving and stock holdings and only go to jail for five years. He will be fined 1.5 million though. He does gets to keep the millions he walked away with though. Seems like he did make a good deal. If you rob a bank and get a few thousand dollars and get caught, you go to jail for at least 20 years. These guys steal billions and get a slap on the wrist. Just proves that crime pays when you know the President. Pay off the republicans and you can do anything you want. Stock market made big donations to the republican party and walked away with trillions.

 

Bush is stacking the deck just in case he has to go before the supreme court for all the crimes he pulled off over the past five years. I'd like to see the administration end up in the Hague getting prosecuted for war crimes.

Cut This

Listening to the republicans bull droppings, I can see they are only looking out for the rich and themselves. They are looking out for companies that pollute and make the world a worse place in the pursuit of money. Corporate farmers giving them large subsidies to not grow or compensate their ability to compete with other countries. They don't cut those programs but cut programs that help the poor and almost poor people. If congress and the senate wanted to do something that shows leadership they should cut there retirement programs. They should pay for their own health care just like anyone else or a large portion of it. Out of anyone working in America congress and the senate get the best benefits while everyone else's is being cut. People in congress and the senate are rich to start with. They don't need any help or all the perks they get. With all the things the republicans are doing to labor they are going to produce people that aren't going to be able to make anything. They keep cutting school support. They cut aid to people to go to college. They keep pushing the bible on people so no real science will be done in the future. All the promises our government made has changed their minds saying it's going to cost to much. It looks like they want to take the country back to the 1800's where there wasn't any health care and people died young. People back then were disposable at least that's what the rich people thought. It was the unions that made this country strong and gave use the middle class. If the republicans could they would make savory legal again. They are doing everything they can to destroy the unions. They are working on cutting peoples standard of living. Right now Bush keeps saying that the economy is doing so great, the best ever. Then why do they need to cut social programs.

 

Bush has got this anti-missile program going when he first took office. Nothing to do with terrorism. After 9/11 he kept bringing up the fact of rouge states. So far this program doesn't work. They started making installation in Alaska saying that they will work out the bugs as they go. Out of all the test shots, not one missile was shot down even when it was told where the incoming missile was coming from. The total cost of this project is going to be over a trillion dollars. If one project need to be cut back this is one that need it. If they could start proving the program works then they should go ahead with funding but not before. From working with the Department of Defense I found that there is a lot of things done to help out areas or people in developing these projects. I bet you anything that is it was looked into many officials are getting some sort of kick back in some manor.

 

Looking at it from the prospective that not cutting social programs would cut crime because people wouldn't have to steal or sell drugs to make ends meet. When people can go to school to make a decent living they wouldn't have to turn to crime. When it comes to crime our government is such a bad example for people. They are always getting caught in some scandal where they were cheating on some on. The idea that some corporation can go into bankruptcy and not take responsibility for it is just outrageous. If an airlines in going down the tubes there shouldn't be anyway the government should be bailing them out. Sell a few of those airplanes to pay off the debts you owe.

Lots of rain

Here comes the forty day and forty night. Looks like a lot of run off in the valley. The rivers are at there tops. Not much snow in all of this. My creek is doing it's thing. At least the rain isn't flowing through the yard.

 

Big Buddy stopped by earlier. One of the younger deer challenged him the other night. Buddy being a good father pushed the little guy and let him win the contest.

 

Still without a phone. Been playing card games without the internet. What a bunch of crap but there's nothing you can do with a monopoly.

Tree movement

Oak tree pulled the cable and broke it. Half inch wire snapped like a twig. Wind is really going at it. Can't see to much outside right now. They say most of the rain is going to start tomorrow. Rivers are at flood stage. Lucky I'm in the hills and not in the delta.

Another Tribe of Big Birds

It's been a long time since I've seen Tom and Jerry my oldest turkeys who stuck off last spring with a bunch of their sons. Was good seeing them again. I could see that they remembered me since I could walk among them. It's mating season so all the birds should be coming around again. Last year there was some 50 birds. So far there has only been about 20 birds of various ages. Some rather young, less then a year old, a chicken on stilts. I could see that Tom and Jerry were the big birds and were getting more of the red bumps on their face and neck. I was worried that some animal had eaten them. It still looks like rain. I think we had a couple inches this last storm. I heard today that another storm might be coming also. Whether it will bring rain is another question. This last storm really dumped rain in a short period of time. The rainy season has started late and has met the average rain fall. I hope this winter won't have large dumping storms like the past couple years. Then again, I hear that the amount of rain and snow have lightened up. The snow levels have gone higher in the mountain. Before it used to snow at this elevation and the snow used to stay all winter. So much has changed in these mountains over the last hundred years. I'm sure man has a hand in the change in the weather. In the 60's people discounted pollution in the oceans and water ways. I remember Lake Erie used to catch fire. Most people forget that happened. I think these matters needs to be in our history books to prevent the damage of the future of our environment. We can't trust big business to police themselves.

Bush plans to kill poor people

Bush plans to keep cutting services to the poor saying that they would die off with out medical aid and food. This would help pay for the tax cuts and the hand outs to corperate friends. Since there is no way they can figure out how to exploit the poor anymore it's time to remove them from the food chain. Since the republicans can't cook the books anymore when they claim the economy is great they need more tax cuts to pay for the war. Cheney said, "Hallaburton hasn't made enough money to give him the big kick back he wants." Other corperation stated they didn't have enough free money like Hallaburton's getting.

Critters in the rain

Raccoon stopped by for dinner. Stinkers didn't know what to do with those two large guys eating kitty food with him. No odderoma just a couple threatening jumps at them. Since they didn't move he ate a little and came back later to finish eating. He was here right after sunset and chowed down then so I think he was just topping off for the night. I got closer to the window in the door to watch the raccoons. I can get right up to the skunks so seeing them still is fascinating but these are new critters. I have to spend some time letting them get to know me. The first raccoon I seen up here took several month for me to get close enough to feed him by hand. He would eat the corn from the grain mix and leave everything else. It looks like there are four raccoons in this family, mom, dad and the kids. When they saw me at first, when they came around, they would run off. Now they tolerate me looking at them through the door window. To bad it's so cold at night the first one used to come around in summer so it was easier to sit outside with him. After seeing me several night he saw that I wasn't threatening, disregarding me sitting there. Mom with her kids is a different matter. She would be more protective of the kids then by herself.

 

Raining again, not hard but constant. I like this better then the last couple years where it came down all at once in a few days. I had creeks running through the yard. The creek was really flowing and washing anything loose down river. I need to rake up the leave and get a burn pile going. I'd put the leaves some where but there is only so much space in the forest to keep the place clean. The leaves would make good mulch but where to put it.

 

Those paint fumes are getting to me. Think I'll have to paint outside from now on. Well I might sleep good at least.

Bob the Cat came by

The Bobcat came through but the turkeys chased him off. Nothing like attack turkeys. Bob the cat must weight about 75 to a 100 pound. I grabbed the closest camera which was a film camera with an 85 mm lens. I was hoping to get a closer shot but o'well. Still it was rather exciting to see the bobcat since he only comes around about once a year. He was most likely looking for something to eat and following the sound of the dogs yelling out, "dinner here." People don't get it, they think that a dog barking doesn't attract carnivores. It's like putting up a sign saying, "eat me." or a sign that says, "easy food here." Then when their pet gets eaten they don't understand you can't leave a pet outside in the mountains.

 

I could hear coyotes tonight off in the distance. The deer were apprehensive like usual. Any time they can hear something that can eat them the are very alert.

 

House smells of The Stinkers. George Clinton and Pooh-butt got into it on the porch. I turned on the light so they could see and it seems to calm them down. Now my front room has that aromatic smell. Such a trip watching the little guys. I can look out the door at them for hours. During the summer I can lay on the floor with the door open. The skunks walk by me, sniff and keep looking for food. I do like it when they look up at me with those little eyes.

 

The raccoons were here at least one of them which I saw. Little guy liked the cat food but not the pork scraps. Something will eat them before the nights over.

Herd of birds

The turkeys are here, about twenty two of them. Don't know where the group of males are. One of the young females has something wrong with her foot because she's limping. She won't put any weight on her foot. She's doing okay as far as getting around. The birds headed down to the creek to get bugs. They left the one limping bird behind.

 

Need to get a burn pile going and get rid of some of these leaves.

 

The bandits were here last night. I seen four of the fur balls scooting around. There could have been more but they don't like me looking at them even if I'm inside. Three skunks showed up also a little later. Marty was here again last night. Nothing like a good seven point deer as a friend. Still haven't Seen Big Buddy in weeks. I hope he's okay. I had to nurse him back to health after he broke his leg. Haven't seen Grumpy the stumpy deer. He's full size but with short legs so he looks smaller. Think that gives him his attitude.

 

I need to get outside but the limping hen is still eating. The other birds tend to push her out of the way when they want to eat. Well she moved to the road side of the house to eat some grass. I'll have to put out some seed and corn on the north side of the house so I can do some work on the sprinklers, not that I want to right now, it's a bit cold out. Well, I better get moving before the sun sets.

Forest Friends

How cute, the jack rabbit and the young female deer are out eating together. It's really cold out tonight only 31 degrees out. The stars are out, real good. The rabbit is rather shy and the deer wants to see how it is. She doesn't want to hurt the rabbit but it scares the little rabbit, the deer is so much bigger then the rabbit. Just like me going outside, the deer, skunks and squirrels see me standing up and they think, "Oh Bear." Then they run off. As long as the deer can see me wave to them or hear my whistle they won't run off. The squirrels will run up the trees and hide on the other side of it. Then poke their little heads out to see where I am. Saw Marty and Mr. B tonight which I haven't seen since the rut started. Was getting worried about the big deer being gone for so long. Alright, Stinkers is here. Was getting worried about the skunks not doing so well in the rain. I left some pork scrapes out for him. Hi tail is dragging on the ground so I can't tell which one it is but I think it's Stinkers. Going to have to check the weather to see if it's going to be dry for a while or not. One thing good about the cold, you can walk outside in your slippers ant the turkey dropping don't stick. Took a couple nice pictures of the squirrels today. Have to get a remote control for the camera. Not just for taking steady shot but to set the camera with a power supply to take remote shots from inside. Looks like I need another salt block. Have to bring in the speakers before they get wet, so far they are covered but they still could get wet the way the rain was blowing.

 

Just checked the USGS site and there was a quake near Big Bear. It was a 4.1 and 2.5 miles deep. Shallow. Going to have to keep an eye on things. There was a 4.1 near Mammoth and a few after shocks. I felt that one here. Thought it was the drugs or being tired. There was a lot of activity a few months ago but is went quiet for a while. Now it looks like it's picking up again.

 

Time to turn in the drugs are kicking in.

Was Feeling Down but....

Rainy funky cold day. Not very light out. Was thinking I'd watch Dave on the Tube but started listening to some Jungle on Netscape Radio. Just got the groove on. Didn't realize how much I missed the rave scene. Forget how it is to dance jungle. I have been listening to some house and trance. Even put on some hardcore for a day or two. Didn't have much jungle. This internet radio is good. Good throw down. Was listening to Cream earlier on PBS. Felt like I needed to do some heroine to get into the groove of the music. This jungle has got me going. It got the funk out and I can dance till morning.

Break it up, the skunks are fighting again.

Little guys really went at it tonight. One skunk was eating while the other guy climbed up the stairs. Soon as he got to the top and saw his rival they just went at each other falling down the stairs in the process. They continued out in the front yard rolling in the wet grass. Guess the rain puts everyone in a sort of bad mood. The guy's look like "punkers" with their spiked wet hair. Never saw them fight like they did tonight. Usually they nip at each other or nip and chase each other. This one was a roll on the ground and bite fight. Of course there was the aromatic aroma of the skunks that goes with them fighting. At least it was cold out and the door was closed. During the summer it gets a little funk at night with the guys running around. The babies were real cute growing up but they don't have a lot of control of "the Gland." They are little scrapers when their young. Mom and Dad stay with them until they can be on their own. It was very interesting with three families of skunks here all competing for food. Skunks as far as I can see are like a combination of a dog, cat and raccoon. They live under ground or in anything they can get into that's warm. They have some nice claws in their front paws for digging mostly it looks like for getting food. They have nice k-9's for ripping food apart. What has really got me is they left beef fat and bones until they finished off the dog or cat food. If there is black oil sunflower seeds they will eat those first.

Had a male deer, "Little Buddy" stop by.  He went at the apples for a hour or so. I could see he was a bit spooked by some noise off in the distance which kept him on alert. I never get tired of seeing the wild life. They always amaze me at the new things I see them do.

Cold day, colder night

I don't think it got over 48 degrees today. Too cold to be working outside. I had a hard time staying warm even in the house. Had to resort to working inside the house. When I did go outside there was to much moisture in the air which cut right through the clothing. It's 26 degrees outside right now and the poor deer are freezing. Stinkers my skunk came out for a bit earlier but he's under the house for the night trying to stay warm. He really didn't eat much. Maybe the hair wasn't keeping him so warm. The ground is frozen stiff so nothings wet. I was thinking of putting a tarp out for the deer to lay on. Maybe some old grain bags or something. I'm to attached to the wild life here. The stars are out real good. I could see Orion without any added optics. Then again there isn't a lot of light pollution here so viewing is good. The other night I was laying in bed looking out the sky light when I saw a shooting star, was rather nice. This rain for the last couple days put a damper on doing anything outside. Leaves are all over the place. I cleaned them up before the rain and now it looks like a leaf pile. Good thing I got the tools picked up. I'm doing the usual winter tool thing of sharpening of all the tools. I do that ever winter, sit watching TV sharpening tools for the spring. Get out the burnt linseed oil and coat the wood handle. Sand off any ruff splinters. I need to see how my telescope is. I know it's not totally aligned but it's close. It's going to have some distortion. I wonder how cold it will be in the morning.

Let them go bankrupt

Seems a lot of companies are falling apart these days while the republicans keep saying, "things are great and getting better." Northwest is playing a game to get rid of their workers pensions along with Delta. Seem they should put their money where their mouth is and sell a few plane to pay for the defaulting of the pension plans. Same with GM, sell off those car plants. Better yet make a car that some one would want. You see the cars GM is making, I've seen ugly but their cars take that cake on that one. If they didn't make ugly gas gosling cars maybe people would buy them. I just don't think that companies should get away with promising people money for their retirement and them tell them sorry, we can't do that because our profits aren't high enough for the stock holders. Maybe if they stop paying CEO's such outrages salary packages the companies would turn a profit.

 

I guess if you want to do the same things that others do you need to throw out your morals like a good republican and screw over as many people as you can. When steeling money it's better to go for billions or more because the fines and jail time will leave you so rich you could buy a country.

 

I still believe that any elected official being found guilty of a crime need to go to jail for at least 20 years just because they knew better. Then after that they would go to jail for their crimes plus would have to pay back all the money they took plus a fine of three times the value of what they Stoll. So what if it leaves them penniless. That's what their plan was in the first place to some one else. They didn't care what they did or who they hurt. The only thing they regret is getting caught. The only thing that they will understand is if they loose everything then others would watch their step and do what right for this country and not what right for their pocket book.

 

Show me a republican and I'll show you some one that take bribes.

Fw: Sorry, George, I'm In the Majority ...from Michael Moore

Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 8:56 PM

Subject: Sorry, George, I'm In the Majority ...from Michael Moore

11/19/05

Dear Mr. Bush:

I would like to extend my hand and invite you to join us, the mainstream American majority. We, the people -- that's the majority of the people -- share these majority opinions:

1. Going to war was a mistake -- a big mistake. (link)

2. You and your administration misled us into this war. (link)

3. We want the war ended and our troops brought home. (link)

4. We don't trust you. (link)

Now, I know this is a bitter pill to swallow. Iraq was going to be your great legacy. Now, it's just your legacy. It didn't have to end up this way.

This week, when Republicans and conservative Democrats started jumping ship, you lashed out at them. You thought the most damning thing you could say to them was that they were "endorsing the policy positions of Michael Moore and the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic party." I mean, is that the best you can do to persuade them to stick with you -- compare them to me? You gotta come up with a better villain. For heaven's sakes, you had a hundred-plus million other Americans who think the same way I do -- and you could have picked on any one of them!

But hey, why not cut out the name-calling and the smearing and just do the obvious thing: Come join the majority! Be one of us, your fellow Americans! Is it really that hard? Is there really any other choice? George, take a walk on the wild side!

Your loyal representative from the majority,

Michael Moore
www.michaelmoore.com
mmflint@aol.com

Chaney defends his lies

Ever meet some one that is criminally insane? Just look at the Republican party and you can see people who are sociopaths. People with out emotion. People only for themselves. This week was an interesting one in politics where the republicans cut help to the poor while giving themselves and their rich friends tax breaks. Wouldn't be nice if you could give yourself a pay raise. I'd do it if I could but I'm not sucking the dix of the corporations and other politicians.

 

Bush is a boob with no social skills. Seeing him on TV over seas he was like a child visiting with his parents but they went there to keep him inline.

 

This administration remind me of Pinky and the Brain where every night they try to take over the world but fail every night. The only problem with this scenario is it's like the movie like "ground hogs day" and the store repeats every day with the same thing happening. The war is turning into an endless pet project of Bush's that didn't go right from the start. If he only didn't want to one up his dad.

 

Chaney on the other hand who really runs the country and is the most evil person other then Karl Rove. Chaney's plan to get the oil of Iraq backfire and the people he was sucking are taking it out on the people of the world with higher prices. Things won't let up there until they get  to drill in Alaska and get the oil fields. This war was planned out in 1993 by these Neo-Cons and when I say Con I mean cons in the way like confidence men ripping off the country.

 

Over all, Bush, Chaney and the rest of the Republicans are destroying this country and the world and were sitting back unable to do any thing. One thing I think the people need to get to be law is that any politician caught in any criminal act, automatically gets 20 years in jail. People have forgot the 7 trillion dollars that the stock market walk away with. Not bad for immoral acts and only get fined 1.2 billion for the theft. Now we legalized theft by using the companies like Halliburton. Here's a corporation that isn't based in the United State but if doing contracts with the United States. Why can I open a bank account in the Caribbean and not pay taxes.

Raccoons were here

First time I got to see the raccoon family tonight. They didn't know what to make of me. They didn't know where they should run off or stay there and look at me. Mom's a real big raccoon where the kids are a lot smaller. Just the cutest faces. They came on the porch to eat the skunks food. I've been seeing signs of the raccoons stopping by over night but haven't seen them until tonight. I'll need to get some COB for them. They pick out the corn kernels with the sweet malaises. The kids are about half the size of mom and see looks to be a good 20 pounds if not more but then there is a lot of hair, a real lot. Skunks have been fighting, the smell is sneaking through the door. I hope they aren't under the house fighting, it takes weeks to get the smell out in summer. This might be one of those things where I just have to put up with it. Once you get a good blast of skunk smell your nose gets used to it. It wasn't like that when they went off under my bedroom but then they were just born and there was 8 of them there. Two adults and 6 babies. I guess  I just have a soft spot for baby anything's. Think I'll have a couple smokes to deaden the smell. It's those two big guys that were fight too. They always pick on the little guy that lives under the house these days. I think that's why he's smaller too. Since he spends less time trying to stay warm under the house, he has to eat less. I just can get over seeing the raccoons tonight, it was great.

 

Saw Big Buddy last night. He's been chasing a female for several weeks now. I was standing on the porch when I heard some little feet crossing the creek. Then a bulldozer plowing through the woods. I saw the female scoot up by the apple trees. Then the skunks came running out of the field and Big Buddy popped out. He didn't care to do any greetings. He didn't even stop for anything to eat. It was that gowning sound with his nose in the air. Since Buddy was gone for so many weeks I was getting worried about him. After the first of the year he's going to come back as a skinny hungry deer. Seems while the mating season is going on they don't get to eat much.

 

Well George Clinton is on Jay tonight. Go to get my P-Funked

65 degree day

Nice fall weather. Not enough sun in the day but the weathers good. Male turkeys are here. Why one of them is by himself is a question. He seems to follow the group but stays by himself. Looks like some moisture moving in. No more good star viewing.

 

Moons up and bright again tonight. It should be a full moon tonight. So far I've just seen the light coming through the branches. Maybe if I feel like it I'll stick my head outside to see what the sky looks like.

Bright Moon

It's almost like day light, bright moon light with a light blue tinge. Skunks ate good tonight. Eggs and dog food. I can hear dogs off in the distance talking to the moon. Almost swear that you can feel heat from the moon. Well should I see how close the mirror is lined up or end up curing myself because I bought a spherical mirror. Might be fun but the back really doesn't want to.

Evening time

Baby deer gets chased off as he started sniffing big brothers butt. Older deer is just a little touchy with mating season going on. Turkeys hung out most of the day here. Squirrels had the run of the place this morning and after noon.  Leaves are getting to be a real problem. Moon's almost full. Jupiter is just below the moon. The forest and surrounding lands are going through a drying out period. Air is getting to be under pressure as it evaporates and examined with the direct sun light we've been getting. Kind of nice, little rain then a drying out period. Skunks ate well last night. It was the pan with all the turkey drippings. I sliced some bread and soak up the juices. The little guys were having a blast going at the bread. One of the guys was in the roaster pan and not paying much to the other guy walking up behind him. The skunk sneaking up gave him a nose in the butt. He kept eating ignoring the skunk behind him. The skunk just lunged forward and snipped him in the butt. The guy in the pan jumped straight up and over. He just wanted to eat and not have anyone bother him. They are having chicken eggs tonight. I should try doing some time laps photography. I need to get the remote for the camera. I didn't realize it was so cheap. I thought it was going to be about $70 dollars. Time to roll me a after dinner smoke.

To nice a day

Sunday. Suns out and the squirrels are playing in the freshly fallen leaves. Looks like everything in the forest wants to be in the sun, including me. I'll let the squirrels play longer and have another cup of coffee, take a few pictures of the kids playing chase. Listen to a little Sunday radio theater and reflect a little. Take a good look at the forest and see if I can find something new about it. Want to keep trying to make some sort of natural material check dams and organics holders which also doubles as water reservoirs. Something to keep the moisture in and from evaporating. A gust of wind sets the forest in motion. The squirrels jump and grab in at the sudden movement claws gripping like they were upside down holding on for dear life The hens are here. I'm getting a few shot off. Good color and light. Interesting brown tinge to the light. Looks like I'll have a lot of turkey until spring when the food source is returned. Maybe this year I can get a few to eat out of my hand. Got close last year but they stopped about a foot away. Seems the seven sisters turned out to be the Amazon hen army. The seven are this one mothers kids from last year. This year she had three kids. The momma bird had some sisters which took off in the spring to raise their young. So there's a few mothers here with there young and the grand kids. One of the mothers with the kids and grand kids has a terrible limp. I also found a arrow razor blade for the arrowhead. That could be one reason they are coming around too, hunters. Well they are going to the side of the hill to pick feathers. Little later it will be  a lap around the place to look for bugs and other strange things. Couple more hours and the males will be showing up. Set you watch by them. Always the last place before they fly up into the trees for the night.

California Spoke

Yes, Californians spoke today in the special election. They said, "yes" to higher power cost.  I guess they like what Enron did to California. They said, "yes" to high drug costs. And yes, they said they are a bunch of morons and idiots. They have to be to afraid to read the voter pamphlet. They believe propaganda on TV. Maybe it was because they couldn't read or something. I know it wasn't an informed decision. Maybe if the teachers were better they could read and not rely on TV ads to scare them. I swear people would kill them self if you told them it would be good for them. How soon they forget how good things were when power was regulated. People! that was 4 years ago. When things were deregulated the power cost sky rocketed. I believe half the state are on crack and the other half are followers. I guess when you don't understand you just vote no. IDIOTS!!!! STUPID, STUPID, STUPID.

Fascism, Republicans and the Religious Right

Fascism, Republicans and the Religious Right something about other people telling me how to live just doesn't sound like freedom to me. As the Bible said, God gave you free chouse but the Religious Right takes that free chouse away. The Republicans are only using the Christian movement for the votes and don't really care about what the Christians have to say since they are into big business. They have always been into big business at the cost of any one that gets in the way. When it comes to workers rights you have none , you are a disposable cog in the machine. When you get broken by the machine you are cast a side. Regan showed the unions what for when the Air Traffic controllers went on strike. Whether it would even make flying safer it didn't matter. The controllers were going to have to use out dated equipment and face mental burn out. Every one that is in the union that votes republican is like shooting yourself in the foot over and over, you going to have less and less. The American dream is just that a dream. It's easier to get out of poverty in Canada and Europe then the United States. Your twice as likely to get out of poverty not in the United States. What really gets me is the way the religious right reads a page in the bible and take every word as fact. There are writers putting out books which are fiction and they are reading these books as they are fact. The idea of teaching theology in science is truly the dumbing down of America. The republicans talk about morals saying that abortion is murder but making war is okay as long as they aren't Christians. There was a song I really liked that came out some twenty years ago by the "Call," "When the walls came down." Not the John Cougar Melon head or what ever he's calling himself these days either. It has to say, "There are no countries, just corporate criminals, playing with tanks." The oil companies are in the Whitehouse and they are going for all the oil and they do not care how many cogs in the machine get toast out. It's perfect to see ho the republicans took in the religious right in that they make good solders, blind obedience without question. I don't think these people really know what is happening to them as they get brain washed in to thinking like what some one else wants you to think. It's sort of like becoming an alcoholic. At first it's fun and you think there is no harm. Slowly it takes over until you have to drink and you don't know how to behave with out it. You have to drink it's your life now and there is nothing that anyone can say to stop you. When I hear a Christian say, "I'm ready to die for the lord," I'm wondering if he really hears what he's saying. It's just like the suicide bomber who gets to go to Ala for being a matter. That promise of the after life where they promise you everything and you need to take it on faith. Just as long as you reach deep in you pocket to show God how much you love him. It doesn't matter that the guy saying that has a dozen mansions and a couple dozen car, with his heavenly bank account. For some reason, call it ignorance they can't see the similarities of the different religions. Every one thinks there's is right and the others is wrong. The Christian religion remember is Jewish light. The same old stories but if you pay some money you don't have to do the eating thing. For a few more bucks you don't have to be circumcised. There was even a time that you do all sorts of bad things but then the church needed money so they made you a deal, give them money and they will for give you sins. The church over the years did some really bad things like killing off millions of people. What a deal, "take Jesus or we will kill you." Let see what other good things were done in the name of God. We burned witch's. The Nazi party were all Christians. The KKK were all Christian. The church said slavery was okay. It's amazing how people make laws to make injustices okay. I guess it makes them sleep better at night. People around the world think "Bush" is delusional when God talks to him. Before I thought we locked up people like that in hospitals. That's right we need to stop abortion because we need a next generation of tax payers. The churches want them to donate the big buck and follower there every word. When it comes down to it slavery is sort of still here when you take into the fact inflation keeps taking and making you money worth less. Unless you not making a million a month the republican party isn't for you. If you are making the big bucks and have those millions and don't care about anyone but yourself then the republican party is for you. From what I hear you can live rather comfortably if you have 400 million or more. Below that you might still have to work. Rather funny how rich people get to vote themselves raises because they make the laws and poor people get what they can. If people didn't have to worry about money we would generate some outstanding people. It's amazing how much people believe in propaganda. It spreads like wildfire. Fear is a big factor in controlling the masses.

I just had to vent about people that say one thing and do another. It just gets me.

Stinkers having turkey

Stinkers having some turkey. Yes, I was that close. Funny how sometimes they prefer sunflower seeds over animal parts but they never turn down turkey of chicken. Still, they are very shy creatures.

My turkeys all stopped by including the hens. The males were showing off and the hens didn't want anything to do with them. The hens except the mothers are to young for breading and will stick with mom until next year learning how to be a turkey. Looks like three young males too.

Beaned Stinkers

Was feeling a bit sorry for the skunks last night since it's getting close to raining. I cooked a store bought turkey yesterday and not one of the wild ones here. I pulled off a wing and tossed it out the door towards the skunk. I didn't mean to hit him but I did. The wing landed right one him. He was a little dazed at first and sort of walked in a circle to get his bearings. He found the wing and picked it up. He looked like he was in fat city strutting off with the wing. It was like he was saying, "Look at me with the big bone." Usually they keep their heads down sniffing everything. Not this guy, he had his head high as he walked to the under brush to take part in his feast.

 

Looking like rain today. The squirrels were eating but took off. They must know something I don't. Usually they will continue eating even if it's raining, well sprinkling. The foods out there for them. Don't even see the turkeys so it must be a good storm coming up. The place looks void of life, not even a little bird or anything. I guess this is the calm before the storm.

Stinkers

I sure get a kick out of watching Stinkers the skunk. I find myself watching the little guys for hours eating and looking for food. They really rely on their nose to find things. To make them so brave "the Gland." Still the are very shy. Haven't feed them by hand in a while. I can do that when I cook up some chicken.

 

They are just little eating machines sniffing and eating. Now that there are only two skunks here they haven't been fighting. During the summer it gets a little funky when they start fighting and emitting the "odder." Seemed like my house smelled like skunks for a couple month. The worst time was when they were fighting under my bedroom. I couldn't sleep in my bedroom for a week.

 

Still they are very fascinating. They seem so gentle as the move about.

 

Was eating an apple tonight. It was tasting so good until I bit into the moldy section. I've tried rinsing my mouth out but the taste is still there. With my lucky it'll be some sort of ergot.

 

Only four turkeys today. I hope the rest of the girls are okay. No deer tonight either. What gets me, is the yards full of apple and no deer. I just might have to spend a few days walking around the property.

What a night, cool, clear, and you can see for light years

It's so clear I can see andromeda without anything. Tried to take a digital photo but I was blinded by the led's inside the view finder window. Couldn't focus on anything. Jupiter is out too. Didn't uncover the telescope just a little cool to be outside in my sweats, tee shirt and slippers. It was my quest that brings me outside on cold evening like this. Was having a problem with my right legs standing. Sort of a lot of pain. That'll keep you from doing things. I can feel my lower spine trying to come out of my back.

 

Got a treat for Mr. Stinkers today, got him some dog food. He seems to like it too. Missing one skunk though. Heard coyotes last night. The dogs were backing off in the distance. I saw Big Buddy and his son Ear' along with momma girl and the two young boys. Was rather strange not seeing more than that. Didn't see one turkey today either. I heard gun shots north of the house. Sounded like several guns. Maybe a couple small calibers and one larger. Still it sounded like a bit of a war a few times. I just might have to take a walk with my cameras to see what's going on and document it. They were shooting a couple years ago up that way and a round came over my head and hit a tree. I could hear them shooting in a half circle with the bangs getting louder as they pointed my way. That's when the one round hit the trees above me. What's bad about that is if it missed my farm and the park it would have traveled into a group closely spaced homes. Hearing the coyote last night and watching the deer I could see it was bothering them. Didn't seem to bother the skunks. Loud sound need to be almost on top of them. I know if they see me they hide so I can't see them but they never run to far away. I seem to worry a lot about the critters that come around. I know they are wild but they really have hard life's. When Buddy broke his leg, every rescue group told me to shot him. I couldn't get any help from even a college that did veterinary work. Seeing my deer family and how they are as a group they truly are a family unlike what people think. There is some independence but for the most part they have their running friends. The older deer teaches the younger deer. I seen the mother teach their young what to eat how to hide and where to go get food. Here, it's a safety zone for all the critters. I discourage them from fighting. I know it sound weird but I swear they know what I'm saying as I talk to them. My hand greeting seems to be being past to the young or they might pick it up. I know if I come upon then in the forest and they can't see me, they will take off running until I give them a whistle. Soon as they know it's me they stop and continue grazing or what ever. I've been finding arrows and arrow heads, a cross bow arrow here. I hate to find anyone killing my forest friends.

 

I've notice since I've moved here my hearing has improve in that I can tell what is around me. When I first moved here I walked outside at night and it started bothering me. Now, not at all, I know the sounds of my friends. My second skunk just showed up. He's the one living under the house. It's 43 degree outside. I've noticed that I can tell how far things are from me too. It's amazing walking by star light too. Funny how little light you need to see. I have notice that the deer can see in the dark but not as good as people think. They do trip over thing and run it to things.

 

Well if I feel more motivated I might get dressed and go back outside to view some stars. Right now that back is aching and the pain pill is making me woozy. Seeing the galaxy is a motivating factor.

Scooter takes the sword

Libby goes down for the President and his Vulcan's. The cover up continues in the reasons to go to war but Scooter was caught. Watch for the spin to come because it's coming. Then Libby will be the leper and be distanced from the Whitehouse.

It turns out the war was really for oil.

Rove develops an emergancy brain tumer and can't be questioned anymore.

The whitewash is coming.

Fornicators from Space

Isn't it amazing that there is "fornicators from space" that can hook up when they come from the other part of the galaxy. At least in the Sci-fi movies people always seem to find something to getting rid of some stress. Call it cosmic collisions or the planetary pelvic thrust it's always in a Sci-Fi movie. Chances are that life in other parts of the galaxy are completely different then us on earth are very high. That all thing on earth look a like are no great mystery but that doesn't mean that it's spread through the galaxy. I wonder if aliens use condoms? Just think if they were like the Spanish conquering the New World raping their way across the galaxy. Taking what they want and leaving their seeds. What happens if they are "Asexual" and go after every orifice they find that is warm and fuzzy. If they were like a cell they might suck the juices right out of you and divide into two cells. Say one human and it makes two cells or something like that. Then again they could be like a virus which seems to be rather common here on earth. Say they come down here on a rock or something because I don't think they have legs and arms to control a space ship. They could come as spores get stuck in your nasal cavity and make your head explode when you sneeze spreading the spores all over. Did you ever notice that aliens always have stand up poke you in the eye breasts. Seems the aliens have the same fashions as we have on earth. I like Star Trek in the sixties where all the women wear mini-skirts and high puffy hair. When you see a Sci-Fi program or movie these days they have some great prosthetics which they add to peoples faces but they forget to blend the colors past their neck. They might go from a green face to a nice tan neck with some good cleavage none of which matches the face. I also love that the good guys have light weapons of one color and the bad guys have another. What's the chances of that?

Still Summer Outside

Was a rather nice morning watching the squirrels and turkey have breakfast and play. Saw a little squirrel that I haven't see in a while. Little Sparky, he's got more hair and getting bigger.
It was a lazy morning for me. I spent most of it listening to the radio and drinking coffee. Been getting ready for winter and the rainy season. Still need to trim up some dead or dying branchs. Still need to do some painting. Got the TV antenna fixed. There are still some late bloomers out which I find very interesting even if they are called weeds.

What ever you want to call this little flower I think it looks rather nice.

Think I've got raccoons again. That's not a bad thing because they are rather cool. I had a guy last year that I almost started feeding by hand. At least I could get an arms distance away. It takes some time for them to get to know you just like the skunks did. Still the skunks run off as soon as they hear any noise. Even a board creeking will scare them off. Me standing up will scare them off. If I squat down then they don't see me as threatening and will come right up to me. Some of the larger ones look to be about 20 pounds. The guy living under the house is a lot smaller. Not to sure what sex they are because of how hairy they are. I know when one of them fell into the water bowl and came out he was mostly hair. Enough playing inside today, time to get out in this nice sun shine.

Fake TV

Ever notice how fake TV can get. It's the little things that add up. Like the cop that can't shoot and hit a car from 10 feet away. Or the bullets that bounce off a car and don't leave a dent. What about the bullets that can't go through a plaster wall. In the CSI the one in Los Vegas they use digital Nikon cameras. Did you notice the film winder sound every time they take a picture? What about those flashlights they run around with, ever notice them using them in bright sunlight.

From Thunder to Hot Summer Day

The hens are making the rounds. There's a nice warm breeze blowing in the house. Rather different from a couple days ago. Today I can wear shorts again but I won't since I'm cleaning brush. The squirrels are running around playing chase. What a life but there is the down side of hunting for food in the cold winter. One of the guys found the peanut butter container I cut open and left outside. I see the little guy has a dab of peanut butter on his nose as he looks over the top of the jar. With the moisture in the air there is a variety of fresh smells of the forest.

Republican back peddle as Tom Delay is indicted for campaign fraud matters. White House says, " Tom's a good guy, we will watch him swing when he's hung out to dry." Soon the deck of card will fall as the people see through the rose colored world the republicans have painted.

I need to fix my TV antenna before winter comes. The antennas are pointing into the sky and the mast is leaning. I'm going to have to make the whole thing stronger and make sure it's grounded.

What a light show

The thunder turned into thunder and lightning for most of the night. I set up the video camera to take pictures of the flashes. I caught on bolt hitting the ground which was rather close. When I was looking at the seconds on the monitor it clicked over just one second before the sound and the sound was house shaking load. It seem to ran most of the night but the lightning tapered off after about 10 PM but for four hours it was a great light show. Listening to emergency services there was a lot of strikes that hit things from trees to telephone poles. I thought that the thunder didn't bother the deer or the skunks but I was wrong. When the lightning and thunder got right over head that's when they went off to hide.

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Bush ask the country not to use gas or take unnecessary trips. Then he got on his jumbo jet and flew to Texas and New Orleans. There goes an extra 70,000 gallons of fuel each way. Just follow the "Fearless Leader" and set a great example.

Lightning Storm and some rain

Big Buddy is here eating apples I cut up for him. The lightning doesn't seem to bother Big Buddy or Little Stinkers. Me moving around bothers Little Stinkers more then anything else. The deer and the skunks seem to get along and not bother each other. Big Buddy still only lets me get about ten feet from him. While I was getting apples and trimming the apple tree it started raining, not much just enough to get the ground wet. It felt good because it cooled things off but then it got real steamy. It was suppose to cool off and get hotter later this week but it doesn't feel like it. TV had a warning for a sever thunder storm in Butte County. Maybe that's why I can see the light from the lightning but can't hear the sound. Did earlier, it sounded like a plane was flying right over the house but it wasn't. The babies are here along with Momma deer. The baby deer can't even see over the top of the picnic table, it's so cute.

Well got a head ache starting so I think I'll turn down the lights and watch some TV. See if I can find an aspirin or some thing.

The deer are pushing each other again

Looks like it's going to rain, that's what the weatherman said too. The moisture is coming from the south. This place could use some water. The rainy season should be stating soon and will stop six months from now. Here comes the hens the weather doesn't seem to bother them. Last night big Buddy and another deer got into a pushing match. For an old deer Big Buddy came up on top. I was worried that his broken leg wouldn't heal but it seems to be working just fine. I picked about a shopping bag size of apples. Big Buddy had a time trying to eat them so I had to cut them up for him.

 

I need to fix my TV antenna. Since I put it up the wind has bent it back pointing the elements off of horizontal. It worked rather well until the storms of last year. Wonder how the storms are going to be this year. Are they going to be more intense. Last year they seem to come in groups or waves. Hot for a while then massive down pours. That reminds me to dig the drainage trench.

 

I've been hearing the geese flying south. I haven't seen them just heard them. I want to get a picture of them flying in formation. Last Wednesday was the mid point of our journey around the sun it's down hill form here on till next spring. I noticed Orion and Pegasus in the sky. I'm going to have to look for Andromeda before it set weather permitting.

 

Well better pick up my tools before it rains. The days of leaving them where you finished off one day and picked up the next are over.

What is America coming too

Sunny day with thunder off in the distance

Had a good nightmare this morning. Dreamed that my ex-wife came to pick up things. That woke me up. I remember asking where she's been and she said Brazil. For some one that didn't like to leave the state that was a stretch. I know she's off some where in New York but that's all. I guess it's good that I don't see her or know where she is. I guess listening to the radio while I was sleeping wasn't a good idea. Seems when I do I wake up to something in the news. What this dream has to do I don't know. It seems that I was in peace until I saw her. Seems I had everything I wanted and was living where I wanted but seeing her tended to shatter my dreams.

 

Well I feel better now that I'm awake and had my coffee. The hens are out doing their hen things and my little furry squirrels are playing in the yard. Thought it was a jet going off to Tahoe but it was some thunder off to the south.

 

Watched another show last night about H5N1 virus. Then this morning I heard that there was an outbreak in the Philippians. Something that our country isn't doing to much to get ready for. Today's topic on Talk of the Nation was that baby boomer that are retiring. I wouldn't put it past Bush to let the supplies of anti-viral medication and vaccines to run low so that the government wouldn't have to pay out retirements. It the republican way. Seems that the republicans want to skate by and not prepare for any disaster. Manly they cover their rich butts and let the rest of us fend for ourselves. It's going to take years to undo the things Bush has done. Maybe these hurricanes and other disasters will let the public see how the republicans really are, blaming everyone but themselves.

 

When Lindy England was first putting in her plea the judge ended up throwing it out. Now she is on trial again facing even longer jail time even though one of the solders cleared her of what she was involved in. I don't see why that bottom of the chain is getting prosecuted when the people that came up this the plans to get rid of the Geneva Convention treaty. That's not the way Bush team works though. Now that the team Able Danger has appeared and had identified four of the terrorist a full year if not longer before the 9/11 event the pentagon wants to cover that information up. Almost seems like what I posed to my dentist a retired military officer that the Neo-Cons planned the terrorist even or let it happen. I don't think it will come out in my life time and if it does come out it will be like the Kennedy assassination and the one man theory. At least those sealed papers will be coming unsealed soon.

Concerns about FEMA and Homeland Security, (a must read, please)

You guest had said that FEMA ask for 20 computers and phone lines which surprised me but not really.

Seems the last four years homeland security has turned into a money pit.

We keep spending money and for what?

We really don't have more first responders.

Cities are going out and buying stuff that they don't need like a mobile lab.

They have these wimpy decon outfits able to decontaminate only a few people an hour.

There is no plans set up for any kind of large scale hazard.

So a city has a lab that can tell you what kind of radiation you are dealing with this doesn't save people.

So a few cities have those cool space suits to go into a biological area or some space suits to get close to a radioactive area, they don't have enough suits.

What about mobile hospitals?

We have those in Iraq and they take days or weeks to set up.

 

Seems FEMA and Homeland Security should have a way of communicating with itself and to the effected communities.

The FBI still doesn't have a workable software program to talk to each other when that is a standard off the shelf product.

We have the best software companies in the world seems like a good idea that we use them.

FEMA should have had laptop computers with hookups to satellite communication.

The directors of FEMA and Homeland Security need to have experience in the fields and not be political appointments.

From what I see the first responders are set up to handle matters like a car accident and not a large scale event.

The idea that the White House said we should use the military over the National Guard is wrong when The Guard was designed just for that.

Seeing the military in New Orleans walking around doing nothing since they were not trained in emergency services was another waste of money.

 

We were warned from Alquida that Los Angeles will be a target.

When the Los Angeles police chief was asked about it he said, "We don't have any credible threats" and discounted the Alquiada threat.

From every thing I've learned over the past four years it seems that people should be connecting the dots and not discounting them.

Our homeland security needs to be set up like the Civil Defense that we had in the 50's.

A lot of small groups of first responders and small groups shelters across the United States.

When it comes to the leaders of this country that all have a place to hide in the case of attack.

If the tables were turned and they had to wait outside while something was happening the story would be changed.

You could be assured that they would be jumping into action and making the people safe.

 

This war on terror seems to me a way of scaring the public into spending money on matters that aren't really there.

It reminds me of the witch hunts done in the 50' looking under ever rock for a communist

 

 

Bob Sakall

Placerville, California

Snot hand George

Did anyone see George Bush wipe snot from his nose on his hand. Then wiped his hand onto the butt of his pants?

"Crap from Space"

Could it be ABC is clueless about sensitivity when disasters when they show a disaster movie right after a disaster. Sure it's about a group of misfits doing something that no one else could. Even though I like the movie and it does have the effect of choking me up in parts I still see mistakes. It just might be a bit dangerous to launch to shuttles next to each other.

 

I don't know if this is Disney's way of getting the countries spirits up or to make them patriotic. You can't compare it to Bush and company because that would be like the keystone cops or three stooges after the disaster in the South. Looking back at New York it was the people of New York that took care of the people of New York. The US Government really didn't get involve. Bush didn't even want a commission to look into the failures. Then when the commission finished it was a pansy white wash. I'm sure when the republicans get done again it's going to look like the people living in the South will be their faults. Just face it, Bush isn't one to do any real job he's just giving breaks to his friends and the hell with anyone else.  

Squirrels in the sun having fun

Another nice sunny day. The squirrels are out feeding and playing. So neat to watch the little one play. One squirrel a real young on is jumping and hanging on branches and the base of this tree. He jumps from the plant trellis to the tree and back then on to a little branch. Not a care in the world but doing all the squirrel things he would do later in life.

 

Turkeys are lounging under the trees. Some are walking around but for the most part they are taking it easy. It's so interesting watching the turkeys eat apples pecking at them, getting a little bite out of the apples. They don't eat as much as the as the deer but it's the number of them that suck up the bird food. The deer really like the apples. I like watching the babies eat apple trying to look like they are big deer taking on a large apple like a big buck. In a bit I'll go to town to get some bird food again. I must go through at least 300 pound of grain a month. That's not including the sunflower seeds I buy also.

Must be winter

The weather warned that snow maybe at 8500 feet, that is if it rains or snows. Been cool every morning for the past few days, about 49 degrees. Closed up the house tonight because it was feeling chilly. Haven't turned on the heat yet but am baking something in the oven. Was a great day in the 70's. Picked more apples today, got four bags full. It was a real enjoyable day out.  woke up early but feel back to sleep listening to the radio watching the forest come to life. Maybe I should sleep in longer so I don't have to fall a sleep later. Well it was worth it to see the light moister layer in the forest. Don't get to see that if you sleep in.

Could the Oil companies be giving Bush some payback

In O'Neil's book he pointed out Chaney had divvied up Iraq for the oil companies. Since things didn't go as the administration promised. As Paul explained in his book and on talk shows Chaney was laying out plots of land for many oil companies to lease. Could the high prices of today reflect the broken promises. Would drilling in Alaska change the price of oil like it did in the late 70's? Also what's up with Bush filling the oil reserve salt mines? Is this a way of giving back to all of Bush's friends by paying top dollar for a barrel of oil?

Tiny birds

Look out, I'm comen' in

Bob

Fruit picking

Picked two bags of apples and plums. Filed two 50 pound grain bags. The one bag had about 30 pounds of plums which I toped off with apples. When I got home I was so tired I slept for two hours. Tempted to make up some apple sauce or plum preserves. Not sure but I have a good idea on how to do it.

Body isn't even cold

Chief Justice Rehnquist isn't even cold yet and Bush is pushing his buddy into the supreme court. Mean while the south is a disaster area. Bush just doesn't have his priorities set right. I guess being rich makes you un in touch with common people. Michael Chertoff looked like a jerkoff on meet the press patting himself on the back all the way for what he has done so far. As far as protecting the Homeland like he's suppose to do, it looks like the country is on it's own. I don't know about you, but some one that looks like they are homeless doesn't instill confidents in me. I've never put one's facial just to much at credence but looking at the Bush administration most of his buddies and himself tend to talk out of the sides of their mouth when the are telling a lie. I know it's a little defect but people need to pay attention to these details. Seems all the republican are all real works. From what I get from listening to them is they wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire.

6AM and still dark out

Winter is coming, the days of getting up with day light are going. Not to reappear until next year. As I watch the forest come to life my first little buddy to come from the trees was a little female squirrel. Then there was a couple doves. Next was momma turkey and her two kids. Seems one bird is missing. Then the girls showed up, my 7 hens. Watching them enjoy an apple.

 

Went to bed at 12 midnight last night. I check outside before I turned in and saw three deer laying in the chaff of the alfalfa. They looked so relaxed and comfortable.

 

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Bush gets blasted by the news this morning, how he dropped the ball. Homeland security is also on the firing line. If homeland security can't figure out hat to do for some thing like this then they are not ready for any other large scale event. Most of what was done in New York was provided by the city and state. Bush will go down in history as a lame duck and idiot. When the word gets out that he cut 95% of the funding to repair the levies and cannels of Louisiana and along the Mississippi water way people are going to really look at the republican party as a bunch of greedy bastards. Every thing the Bush administration has done over the past 5 years is for his friends and not the good of his country. When it comes to Bush the buck never stops there it's always some one else's fault. He and homeland security are already blaming the states for their poor response. When the state is devastated and their national guard if off fighting a endless war then how can it be their fault. Telling the states that they need to ask for specific aid is a cop out. When a governor ask please send help that should be good enough. The idea that Washington couldn't figure out what kind of needs they have is a hopeless state that this Bush administration has put us in. Lets close more military bases. Lets give tax breaks to the rich. Lets loose 21 billion dollars of the Iraqis money. Maybe people will see what the republican party is all about, greed.

Bush Blows the Big One Again

Bush had the chance to prevent the problems of New Orleans but cut funding. Isn't just like a rich person to be tight with the purse strings. Have you ever seen you boss tell you is good enough when you know it's a safety issue. I've never seen a republican be ready for nothing except the pursuit of power. Frisk is in the battle zone but does he put on some rubber gloves? No, he talks a mean program and that the only things republicans know to do is talk. It's time for change and that change doesn't include the republican party. It's clear they are only in it for themselves. When it comes to innovations we are going backwards compared to the rest of the world. I don't see any real loyalty in the republican party as far as this country goes. If the republicans could send all the poor over seas they would.

Decentralization: Security First

Decentralization:

It seems that if you want to make a place safe for an event where one point of service is a crucial. Either you fortify it or decentralize it. The internet was designed to solve this problem from attack of a nuclear exchange. Seems like having all the oil works in one area is a national security risk. I understand that 1/4 of all the oil comes through that area of the country. Since the wetlands have been lost at a rate of 40 square miles a year and that all the oil pipelines that were buried. Seems that a revamp of the oil pipelines and power distribution is a national security problem.

To me decentralization is a problem that needs to be over come. Maybe in the interest of this nation nationalizing the oil fields would be one step in making this country safe. Also if the power companies were owned by the government then there wouldn't be price spikes and gouging. It seems that a few oil companies really want to be drilling in Alaska driving up the price of oil similar to the oil shortage in that late 70's. Once that papers were signed the price of oil stabilized and most likely will do the same now.

It's terrible that international companies can and do push countries around. Maybe it's time to change that. Bush has been using companies like Halliburton. A company based in the Caribbean to evade taxes. Seems a loop hole as big as a country could be plugged but if your the international company plugging the holes they will never get plugged. What is good for a company may not be in the best interest of the country.

Maybe having all the eggs in one basket in one place isn't the way to go. Maybe having a lot of little oil refineries and power generation plants is the way to go. Bigger isn't always better.

BUSH Knew but cut the funding

According to Now on PBS last night they brought the point that Bush cut funding for the repair of the levies and water ways. He also cut the restoration of the wet lands. The funds were requested back in 2002 but were cut up to 95%. The years after the first cuts were added to by his "War on Terror." If it wasn't for his tax cuts giving his buddies a big break, we the United States would have had the money to do the repairs on the water ways along the Mississippi. All this was predicted by the leaders of the area. It was also predicted by the Army corp. of Engineers. Bush's idea was that we have got by so long and we could skate a few more years. His ideas that the local people should take care of everything and people will volunteer is wrong. If we can't take care of an event like this then we couldn't handle any event that might be man made from terrorist.