Weather

This has been a very interesting spring for us, as I am sure it has for you as well. I was exchanging emails with a "fellow" flyer, Artie, and she mentioned that she was going flying. I told her that I would also like to do the same, but the weather was a bit too "western" to do so. She didn't understand the phrase and asked me to elaborate. I sent her a picture and then it became clear to her.

I have never seen so many "lenticular" clouds in my life, as I have this spring. It seems to be blowing storms by us almost every day. If they would dump some of their load on the way things might be just a little better, but they seem to hang on until they get to Idaho to drop their collection of moisture. We have had winds in the 30's for almost a week.

Jessie went back into her mews yesterday and seems content to stay out of the wind. I don't think she has left her mews at all since last evening.

Crooked Creek carvings

The weather is improving and during Connie's last trip here we were able to get a few things done  at the house and take some day trips as well, but first a Jessie up date!

After her "fly about" where-in she was gone for 6 days. She seems to have settled in a bit more. She did go back into her mews for a couple of nights and I went out to feed her just as I always had, through the wire at her window ledge.

Two days ago she was gone before I got up and I didn't see her all day long. Then in the evening she was sitting on top of Hope's weathering area roof. I got a glove and offered her some food. She played coy and flew around a bit before settling back on the roof, and came down to eat off the fist. She then came back in the evening and settled on the window ledge to the shop at the corner of Hope's weathering area. I think she wanted to go into the shop, but didn't want to walk to get there.

When I woke this morning she was still sitting on the window ledge. I went out and put her food on the rock jack at the end of the yard and she ate there.

I am going to put a board for feeding her on the Rock Jack today.

Connie likes to go for drives in the desert, and its one of my favorite activities as well. I had taken her for most of the major trips prior to her heart condition, but there were a few little "short" places of interest that we had not visited. 

In the late 1800's a Cavalry troop had camped where Crooked Creek now crosses Hwy 95 for a couple of weeks during the "Indian troubles" in this area. I had heard that one of the troopers carved his initials into the Rhyolite cliff face. I had been there once quite a while ago and didn't think that it was all that far away from the road.

As with most of the rock formations around here these are of Rhyolite

As you can see in these cross sections there were long periods of change

in the deposits laid down.

This dark deposit is small river worn rocks and pebbles.

Most seem to be Obsidian in nature. 

The water has shaped the Rhyolite to look like little

diarama's set on shelves in the rock faces.

There are little "wonders" to capture your eye and imagination every where you look.

Of course the Pack Rats take advantage of the cracks and crevices.

Perhaps there were other carvings, but if so they have fallen from the cliffs.

Nov 23 1864

Perhaps there were other "Taggers", but I didn't find them.

For what ever reason the Eagles have not nested here this year.

While we were trying to find out if any Eagles were home this Prairie

popped out of a hole about 50 yards from the Eagle nest.

The Prairie is using the hole with the "chalk" marks.

I was a bit surprised that she was here. I had not seen one 

hanging about the area before.

The trip turned out to be a bit tougher than I had thought, but Connie held up well. Both of our feet suffered due to the side hill walking and the small "rolling" pebbles underfoot.

We were both surprised at the lack of bugs, and wildlife. I think we only saw two beetles, One had been captured and eaten by a Say's Phoebe. We only saw some Ducks, Ravens, Northern Harrier and the Prairie Falcons.