Friday, May 29, 2020

Misery Loves Company......

Miserable, absolutely miserable. That is how we have been finding ourselves this week. Those that know us know how much we love hot weather. Not! For us the perfect weather would be 60 during the day and cool, even frosty at night. This week started out fine with highs in the mid to upper 60’s. Then one day it got hot. I don’t remember what we were doing but I remember telling Barb it was getting too hot. I looked at the temperature on the truck….72. The following several days were in the mid to upper 80’s! Ugh! I see some of our Arizona friends are dealing with 100’s, even 110’s .  We would just melt into the pavement. There would be a pool of goo on the ground and you would walk by and say something like “Hey, that pool of goo looks like Jim and Barb”

We tried to limit our outdoor activities to the morning and evenings. I have been shooting my bow a lot in the hopes that we get up to Alaska and can go moose hunting this fall.

We also tried to escape the heat by going kayaking and nature hikes. I have been continuing to refine my nature photography skills. 



Forrest trying to hook the big one!
On another outing everyone got their kayaks and we headed to Spring Creek just outside of Klamath Falls. The water was so clear that you could see the bottom even at its deepest point. And cold, just what the doctor ordered on a hot day! Lily has her own mini-kayak and is quite the paddler. Until she gets tired then she just tied herself to the back of her dad's kayak and gets towed around. 

See how clear that water is?

Papa mallard

Mama mallard

This mama merganser has a hitchhiker!
 I got some other cool and unique shots over the past week as well.
Hen sitting on a nest

Snake in the brush!
Of all the pictures I took this is my favorite of the week....
Mount Shasta
I also received a couple of tips on how to take pictures of flying birds from my last North Dakota post. (Thanks Dianne and Ingrid!) Both were very helpful and improved my shots. Here are a few example of ones I got this week. 



They actually turned out a little better than they appear here for some reason when I attached them to the blog they were a little distorted. 

Forrest was fishing while I paddled around and took pictures. He caught a pretty nice Rainbow trout the other day, he wanted his picture taken with it so I paddled over there just in time to get this shot as the fish jumped out of his hand and back into the water!
During the heat of the day we have been working inside on a remodeling project. It is a rather big one that will take several weeks to complete. I am not going to take pictures of our progress but will share before and after pictures when (and if) we get done. One smaller project we got done this week was the installation of a new exterior door downstairs. 
Things are starting to open up around Klamath Falls. Hair salons opened with week so Somer and Lily went in for a cut and whatever else women get done with their hair. 
Lily's new hair cut
Daisy gave us a little scare the other day. She had not been eating all her food so we started to get concerned. She is 12 ½ years old (like 87 in people years). She is also slowing down a little but still pretty active. We found two things that might be the cause of her not eating all her food. She has a broken tooth that is just kinda hanging there. I tried pulling it out but it is pretty tight and I did not want to yank too hard. We have a vet appointment this Saturday to get that taken care of. We also did a little experiment and she will eat steak, bacon and other people food with great excitement and the tooth does not seem to be bothering her so we ruled that out as the cause of her not eating.

Then one day I saw her out in the yard eating something. Forrest and Somer have about 5 acres fenced in to keep the sheep in which is also nice as we can let the dogs wander outside all day too. So I wandered over to see what she was eating and she was going to town on a pile of sheep sh#t like it was a filet mignon! No wonder she is not eating, she is eating Sheep Snacks all day long! I laugh now thinking of all the times she has licked Barb’s face over the past week!

I too have a health issue I have been dealing with. Now, I don’t typically talk about my aches and pains but this one is particularly annoying. For the past two weeks I have had shooting pains from my elbow to the tips of my fingers and there is a spot on my elbow that hurts like hell when I touch it. I am sure it is just a tendon issue that will go away with time but I went onto the Google and see if I could figure out what caused it. After extensive research I was able to find this flow chart which I think pretty much nails down what I have……
I guess there is only one thing left to do, go have a beer!

40 comments:

  1. Gee, 80's sounds positively roasting!! Haha! After four days over 100, we "cool" off tomorrow to 98!! Wahoo!! Boy, we sure are missing our two month trip to Oregon and Washington for some cooler weather. But we'll struggle here in the heat with our pool while we wait out this virus. Glad Daisy is doing all right now that you know she is treating herself. Your photos are great!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, I have been watching your weather and don't know how you can do it. At least you have the pool to keep you cool!

      Delete
  2. Cool kayak, Lily!

    With Daisy’s newfound love of sheep snacks, she would surely love a trip to the UK and/or Ireland. It was impossible to take a countryside photo over there without a white fluff ball in it.

    Facebook and Google have planted microchips in our brains while we sleep so they can process our thoughts into relevant web information for us. Glad to see they processed your thoughts in flow chart form. I am surprised that they didn’t specify the brand of beer though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are probably right about the microchip! Hard to get my favorite beer in Oregon so they just went generic.

      Delete
  3. Nice you're able to help with the renovations.
    We've had a few days near the Century Mark already which is off the wall for Spring.
    Glad to see you've solved not only Daisy's but your medical issues as well.
    Be Safe and Enjoy that beer.

    It's about time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is just crazy for this time of year! July, August maybe but not May!

      Delete
  4. Great images of the ducks!! I've been thinking kayak lately, but I'm hoping it comes with a man attached that can lift it up on my Jeep. Otherwise I'm going to be in trouble. My dogs used to eat horse manure .... vet said it was something they were missing in their diet. Hope you find out what's going on before you get too many more face licks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have an inflatable kayak maybe not as convenient but easier to store and does not take up a lot of room. You just need to watch out for those sharp sticks and rocks!

      Delete
  5. The pictures are very cool with the ducks. Nice job. I don't know what I can say about Daisy. If she isn't eating it, shes rubbing it all over the floor. How was Barb's breath when you kissed her?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love all the wildlife pics! Sheep snacks - eewww gross!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great job on the wildlife pictures! You definitely know somethings wrong when Daisy who’s all about food isn’t eating. Love your flow chart! 🤣

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really makes you wonder, how much did she eat to actually get full? She never gets full!

      Delete
  8. Great bird pictures. Especially the ones in flight. I don't like too much heat either but I can always stay inside with our A/C or jump in the lake. It is always cooler on the dock to sit as well. US/Can border won't open at the earliest June 21st but I suspect that it will be longer than that. Our Federal Government just made the announcement that no cruise ships are allowed until after October 31st in Canada ... just a hint of what will come next.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are pretty much expecting that the border will not open and have "Plan B" all set and ready for implementation! It won't be as fun as Alaska but it will make for a great summer nonetheless.

      Delete
  9. Great job at helping me to visualize your (and Daisy's) current state of health! Keep the blogs coming, its a highlight of my FB scrolls....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad we could put a smile on your morning. It is just what we need right now!

      Delete
  10. Love the pictures. I thought is was supposed to rain in Oregon most of the time. It is in the upper 50s in Ninilchick. Hope you can make it up... Bring a jacket...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forrest said it rained for almost two weeks prior to our arrival, I guess we chased the rain away. Upper 50's would be perfect, hope to see you guys soon!

      Delete
  11. Great pics Jim! I live the Invisible Trout your son caught. I hope you guys don’t melt up there. Looks like your elbow won’t be a problem anymore with that diagnosis!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been trying to medicate it as much as possible! Now I am trying to see if certain brands of beer make it feel any different.

      Delete
  12. That Daisy goes from poop to steak--what a foodie! 🤣 Great wildlife photos! It's to be 94F with 55% humidity today in our neck of the woods in Idaho, so I share your thoughts on preferred temperatures! Hope that beer cured your ailment!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If things don't pan out for us on our Alaska trip we were planning on spending some time in Idaho and doing some fishing. Maybe will be in your neck of the woods!

      Delete
  13. Quite the entertaining post. I do love your nature shots and especially your flying birds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As much as we like working on our house, it is really nice to get out and take some photography walks.

      Delete
  14. Growing up in New England, I used to always say "I'd rather be uncomfortable cold than uncomfortably hot," but I have definitely lost my winter skin over the years. Now I feel the exact opposite. It's funny how you just get used to what you get used to.

    Great photos of the birds. There are definitely some tricks to it, and it's a skill I'd love to develop. Looks like you landed in a beautiful place to practice those skills! Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't imagine ever saying that I would rather be too hot than too cold but who knows, that might change over time.

      Delete
  15. If you guys are around in the Fall, check out Waldo Lake. Amazing clear water. Just wait until after a couple freezes though or the mosquitoes will carry you away.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We will have to check it out. We were hoping to stop by Deschutes Brewery on our way through Bend but it was closed. Maybe next time.

      Delete
  16. I've got to say Lily is adorable and her new hair cut certainly makes her look older :) Loved your kayak ride until the snake. Oh Daisy!! You did take some beautiful pictures! Hoping the beer helps your elbow, it always seems to help Ken's aches and pains!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She is a cutie isn't she? We got the tooth taken care today so that is one problem taken care of.

      Delete
  17. Great pictures of your time there. Lily is growing up so fast! Dakota must just shake her head about Daisy's antics. Time to change up the beer quality for the elbow issue - try some of Barb's, higher alcohol content. Enjoy the family time.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great bird pics. You gotta quit practicing or I'm going to quit posting my pictures!
    I think by changing some of the text that flow chart could solve a lot of my problems. Ha!
    Enjoy your family time. You guys are sure having fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beer does make the world a better place, it has been proven time and time again!

      Delete
  19. Great flying bird pictures. We're about to go into a hot humid stretch, sure enjoyed the 70's and low humidity. Nice flow chart, think you've found the cause of your problem and a good way to remedy it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hot and humid days in the Midwest can be miserable, make sure you stay hydrated!

      Delete