One for a lucky dog!

I just saw this on Yahoo and had to share. This poor pup is Husky and Shepherd (I assume German variety from his looks) which are two of my favorite breeds and he seems like one tough little guy as well as lucky. He's recovering from a near tragic and fatal  accident and they've got most of his vet bills covered but I agree that those rescue folks who went way out of their way to get him out of a bad spot and to safety definitely deserve a reward. Check this article out and kick in a little bit if you can. It will be good karma for sure. And hang on hard to those leashes when you go out walking with a canine friend. I know I do.

Here's the link to the article: http://news.yahoo.com/dog-cliff-oregon-rescue-save-kenny-171144105.html

The treasure of Friends

A week ago this evening I arrived in Tucson and spent a day and two nights with a dear friend who is currently in remission and maybe--hope and pray--cured of lymphoma. Hearing, while I was in Alaska, about her illness, I had vowed I would get over to Tucson where she now lives to visit, and that came about last week.

I first met Melinda (Melinda Rucker Haynes who is an author, a licensed and trained hypnotist and a multi-talented lady indeed) at an RWA conference many years ago. If memory serves it was probably the one in Anaheim, CA in 1998 but I could be wrong. When I found out she was originally also an Arizona girl, an instant bond began. We both cringe at the modern term "monsoon" for the desert summer rainy season and even know some people in common. From then on, we met at various RWA and RT events but it was always just to grab a few minutes to chat before we had to run off to this workshop or that panel or whatever. It was such a treat to be able to sit and talk non-stop for hours! We came away from this feeling we knew each other much better and just had a marvelous time!

She has lived in Seattle and in Arlington, VA the years we have been acquainted so I am glad she's back in Arizona and thus only about a six hour drive for me. I met her husband, also, and he was as much fun to talk with as she! I do enjoy people who can converse about almost anything with verve, reasonable knowledge and an open mind! So that made for a great visit. Here's a shot I took the morning I was leaving of them at their lovely Oro Valley home.

I also got to see my granddaughter and her two young kids, who are growing so fast I can barely keep up. I've very proud of Julie who is a single mom but handles it with grace and courage and so far is doing a fine job with her two youngsters. She's a credit to the family as are they and it is really neat to feel you can be friends with kinfolk that way!

I also saw another friend from my Cochise County days. Mary Frances Clinton, with whom I enjoyed lunch as I heard about her adventures with a kind of elder hostel group that operates out of Cochise College. She's met some interesting folks, even a couple of gentlemen who have caught her eye and ear. Never married, she has gone through a great deal over the years and struggled with bad baggage from the past, just as many of us seem to. She'd become almost agoraphobic so it is great to see her getting out and enjoying activities with others. I'm so happy for her. We met through the Sierra Vista "Sisters in Crime" chapter that we both attended for a time.

In between my visits I got in some train watching since the UP mainline parallels the highway most of the way from west of Las Cruces clear to Tucson. I did not get a shot to rival my old Stein's Pass one from two years back but did snap a "meet" at the Mescal, AZ crossing. In railroader terms that is a sighting of two trains passing on parallel tracks and hopefully having a chance to get a photo of it. In mine you can see the 'pusher' or following locomotive of one train and the leading two units or locos of the other. Pure luck, that.  Many modern trains now use what is called distributed power with lead locomotives and others in the middle or the end of the train. It seems to work better in most freight applications.

In a way trains are 'friends' too since I have been a railroad fan for many years and still enjoy watching them. A chance to take a few photos is a bonus. All in all, it was a great trip. I got home Monday afternoon, tired but well pleased with the trip. An added bonus, I found that my old house in Whetstone (Huachuca City mail address) has been bought and is getting fixed up and clearly loved by some new owners. Hurrah! I hated to see it empty and abandoned. Cherry on the sundae that!

Summer storms and me

I've neglected the ongoing chats about my life and the desert southwest lately but I'll see if I cannot do better now. Life is settling back to a routine after the summer's adventure and while I am working on the next chapter of that epic, there is much else to recall, think about and share. So today, the topic is summer storms--with pictures!

I think I have had a love-hate relationship with water all my life. To this day I cannot swim and although I treasure water since I'm a denizen of a very arid land, I also fear it, especially in large amounts and violent motion! As I have said, my memories begin in the old mining town of Jerome, Arizona which perched on rusty-dusty hills above the Verde Valley on the west side. I really do not recall much about storms there but vaguely that it did snow in the winter, that leaking water from the large tanks adjacent to our home froze on the fence at times and that the last summer we lived there, 1953, a summer downpour and resulting flood devastated a good part of the town.

Where we lived on Sunshine Hill, a separate ridge and peal north and east of the main town, we were above all that. It was on the main red hill where old Jerome was built, Cleopatra Mountain, that torrents of water poured down over and into the town. The damage was pretty frightful. Here is one shot Dad took of me looking at the mess. As I recall this was near the main street, a switchback or two above the Post Office and the service station which still exist on the squiggly main street, also Highway 89A, which goes from Flagstaff to Prescott through the Verde.

That and the decline of the town's infrastructure after Phelps Dodge ceased their mining operation there in 1951-52 resulted in our move down to Clarkdale which took place that fall. Not long after that, the first equines joined the family and I gradually assumed more and more of their care and maintenance. We lived in the lower town area and south of that ran an arroyo which drained some of the hills below Jerome and also received water once or twice a week when they drained the town swimming pool up behind the Clark Memorial Clubhouse which then housed the library, meeting rooms, an auditorium etc. So, when you had corrals to clean and animals to feed, rain was both welcome and a dratted nuisance!

I began to pay a lot more attention to the weather, especially the summer rains and the resulting flash floods that came surging down through the canyons. Here is a picture of brother Charlie in the bottom of that arroyo, only a matter of yards from the corrals housing some of our animals. That huge hole had been created where a rough dirt road had crossed this small canyon and exemplifies what rushing water can do.

In the summer of 1964, which was especially wet with some very heavy downpour type rains, a railroad bridge across Bitter Creek Canyon which ran between the main part of Clarkdale and the then-idle PD smelter facility to the north, was washed out twice. The large cement bases for the timber pillars supporting the bridge were washed out or so badly eroded on their foundations that they collapsed. And a major impact on my life was the indirect result for a Santa Fe B&B (Bridge and Building) Crew came to town to repair that bridge and we--brother and I--made the acquaintance of some of its members. But that is another story for another time. Here is another photo of some of the damage--not sure whether the first or second washout, probably the second since the heaped dirt and gravel was probably meant to provide protection for the first repair.

To be continued!!

October's Bright Blue Weather

That phrase has always resonated with me because it is so evocative and fits the best time of year in the southwest so well. If I ever knew who coined it, I had forgotten so I checked. It's wonderful what you can find on the internet. I learned it is the title and a refrain of sorts in a poem written by Helen Hunt Jackson, best know as the author of the novel Ramona. She lived in southern California many decades ago before smog and cities and crowds so I expect the weather was much like I now enjoy in Arizona and New Mexico. Here is the first stanza:

“October’s Bright Blue Weather”

SUNS and skies and clouds of June,

And flowers of June together,

Ye cannot rival for one hour

October’s bright blue weather;

And that is now upon us here at last. The latter part of the summer was very, very wet. One might even say soggy! July was the wettest month in central New Mexico up around Albuquerque but it rained the weekend I left for Alaska and quite a bit while I was gone and was much gray and damp after I got home. Hurricane Odile laid a swath of moisture heavily across much of the southwest and we got our share. Roof leaks and so on.... Too much of a good thing. But the weather can change literally overnight and change it did, on Tuesday to be exact and now it is clear and dry, the sky again that proverbial bright blue and the autumn flowers decorating the desert after all that rain. Not always good for allergies but lovely to behold if your eyes are working. Mine are back to fairly normal today; I think my ocular allergies may be due to molds. 

Anyway I took the red dogs walking and enjoyed the 'sneeze weeds' as well as the white, magenta and purple flowers, many of which I shared photos of last year. Maybe I will take a camera along the next day or two butt there is not much new to share, really. But it is nice to see even the cactus leaves plump and green, well watered for now.

The next few weeks should be wonderful to get out and enjoy. I'm hoping to make a trip to Arizona in a week or two and see some dear friends there that I miss greatly and I expect it will be very green there until the first frost and flowery as well. And on that trip perhaps I will take pictures. 

My skin already feels the absence of moisture and its back to the lotions and potions to forestall the lizard hide effect as much as I can! But I will tolerate that for the cooler evenings and daybreaks and the glow and beauty of my favorite early fall time. It's a good time to be alive and living where I do!

Here are a couple of rather iconic fall scenes; Alamogordo's balloon festival is earlier than Albuquerque's internationally famed one which begins this Friday and is supped to be terrific weather for it. The other is a few miles to the north and the grass will be green now not gray as this was in the late winter but the blue sky is the same!

Rabies Awareness Day

I know a lot of you who read my blog are dog lovers just as I am. Most of us are responsible and make sure our pets are up to date on their vaccinations but this terrible disease can impact not only pets but wild animals. An then  through them all of us. I'm sharing this article as a reminder to keep your pets, kids and everyone safe since in some areas this illness is running rampant. Bats and many rodents as well as coyotes. foxes and skunks especially may be carriers. GMW

Rabies Awareness Day, 28 September
     (Article from a farm magazine)

Although the rabies virus is commonly known for causing a life-threatening disease, many people are unaware of what exactly it entails and how to prevent its transmission. In honor of World Rabies Day on September 28th, here is some information to help further raise awareness about rabies and how to help protect your family and pets from this deadly disease.

Rabies is an infection affecting the central nervous system, or brain and spinal cord, of humans and animals. This infection is caused by a virus that is transmitted primarily from bites wounds, scratches, or tissue from an infected animal. It is nearly always deadly if not treated before the beginning of symptoms.

“Symptoms include fever, lethargy, seizures, and ultimately paralysis,” said Dr. Stacy Eckman, lecturer at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “This paralysis can include paralysis of the muscles that control swallowing, leading to a ‘fear of water’ or ‘hydrophobia’ that is often described with rabies.” Behavior changes leading to abnormally aggressive behavior may also occur.

Since humans and animals alike usually become infected through a bite by a rabid animal, many believe that it will be easy to tell when or if the disease has been spread to them. However, it is entirely possible for rabies to be transmitted to you or your pet unknowingly. Bat bites or scratches, for example, may be so miniscule that they go unnoticed.

“Bats are the most common carriers of rabies in the United States,” said Dr. Eckman.  “It is important to always avoid any contact with them. If you have come into contact with a bat, inform animal control officers in your area so they can submit the bat for testing, if possible, and contact your doctor.”

Although bats are the biggest threat to humans, household dogs can easily contract the disease if bitten by another infected dog or animal.

“Worldwide, dogs are a common transmitter of the disease via bite wounds,” said Dr. Eckman. “But it can also affect humans, cats, farm animals, raccoons, and many other warm-blooded animals.”

The time from exposure to the virus until symptoms appear is usually only a few months, and unfortunately, once symptoms begin, there is little hope in humans for survival.

“There are treatments that can be given after a bite and before symptoms begin (post-exposure) that are useful,” said Dr. Eckman. “They include human rabies immunoglobulin, followed by a series of rabies vaccines given over a two-week period.”  These shots help the body's immune system destroy the disease in its early stages, and getting them before symptoms appear is usually helpful in preventing infection.

However, prevention is always said to be the best treatment, and that couldn’t be truer when it comes to the rabies virus. The easiest method of prevention is to always steer clear of unknown or aggressive animals. This includes avoiding contact with stray dogs, bats, or any wild animals, as well as avoiding the handling of a dead animal.

Depending on the situation, preventative rabies vaccinations may also be a recommended method.

“Vaccination can greatly reduce the risk of infection for people who have a high risk of exposure, such as those who work with animals, including veterinarians,” said Dr. Eckman. “Companion animals and farm animals should be appropriately vaccinated by a veterinarian.”

If you think that you or someone in your family has been exposed to the rabies virus, wash the affected area with soap and water for five minutes after potential exposure and seek immediate medical attention. Rabies is more common than you might think, and preventing its transmission to you or your loved ones is the most effective form of treatment. 

September-- Memories, Time and Too Much Rain

At midnight, September will be half over. For many years September and October have been my favorite months with September having a slight edge. A lot of key events in my life have happened in this month going way back to the time when the school year began right after Labor Day. Fall in the high desert it a great time and there were lots of adventures in my earlier years--camping and hunting and expeditions into the mountains that I loved. Even a big mule deer that fell in the bushes...

Next, I went off to college in September which was almost like being born again into a new life. Then I was married in September a few years later and started yet another and very different chapter in my existence. So even now, I still enjoy this month and cherish the memories that were made over the years. The daughter who became mine when I married in September 1971 turned fifty yesterday! I still remember her as she was in about 1972 when we were celebrating our first anniversary as a family. Happy Birthday, Jenna!  It's hard to believe how much time has passed--it runs like water, years flowing together into a stream.

The other day I spoke of water--and unfortunately, it was way too much in many places last week and it looks like a repeat performance is coming our way. My heart goes out to the folks who live in Baja California and those who were vacationing there when Hurricane Odile hit last night.

I cannot even begin to imagine how terrifying it is to experience one of these fierce storms. I saw on weather.com where some places received eleven inches of rain in an hour??!! Yikes, that is beyond imagining. So I pray all can survive and live to build new homes and tell children and grandchildren about their adventures. During the balance of this week, moisture from that storm will spread north and slowly east so it is likely that Arizona and New Mexico will get hit with some heavy rain. While we need it to break the drought, too much at once can wreak havoc. So I'm saying a few prayers for all in the path of this weather.

Water in a thirsty land

I cannot claim credit for that phrase although it has stuck in my mind for decades. It was originally written by the late Raymond Carlson, for many years the esteemed and seemingly eternal editor of Arizona Highways magazine. There can be no doubt he knew and loved the southwestern desert for he had many such phrases that captured the essence.

At any rate, that is what I experienced yesterday. I had driven up to Capitan, a small community north of Ruidoso at the edge of the mountains and the eastern NM prairie where a dear friend lives. Someday I will have to tell you about her amazing house but that is another tale. Anyway I took my laptop computer--the one that was too big and heavy for my recent trip--and a flash drive full of pictures. We spent several hours looking at them while I answered Kathleen's questions and kept up a running travelogue. All at once we were jolted by the sound of thunder. It was way past lunch time so we drove down to the town and feasted on a yummy salad at a neat little cafe. By then rain was falling but mostly just a gentle drizzle with a few booms and flashes some distance away.

I realized I had better head home and decided to go by way of Carizozo instead of back up and over a shoulder of Mount Blanca to Ruidoso and then  through Apache Pass, some 7000 elevation feet or so. I had to use the wipers most of the way down the hill but it did not seem bad. I got to Carizozo which hovers between the juniper hills and the edge of the desert and the sun came out.

Ah, I thought, I'm almost home free. It is roughly sixty miles from there to Alamogordo. I had to go up and over a final ridge south of town that separates distinct zones of climate and vegetation. And then on the south side, I ran into a virtual wall of water!

A storm had come spilling down off 12,000 foot Baldie or Blanca and it was a wild one. All at once I could hardly see the hood of my little Focus wagon to say nothing of the road. Winds buffeted me back and forth across the water slide that passed for a highway. I did not dare pull off as I could not see the edge and did not want to end up in wheel deep mud or even worse, a running arroyo so I plowed on at a slow pace.

Now and then a semi would suddenly appear, about three car lengths away. I would scroonch over as far as I dared and it would roar past, adding to the rain with a huge wave from the drenched road. I got through one of those rain bands to enjoy a drizzle for maybe half a mile but soon hit another and then two more before I finally got out of that zone.

Yikes! I don't think I ever drove in harder rain. There was water everywhere as it was one of those frog strangler flash flood making sort of rains. The only worse time I could recall was when I was going back to Colorado after my first trip to look at property here in August of 2011. Just short of one of the little towns between Trinidad and Pueblo, I got into a fierce hail storm. It was crazy. The noise was deafening and it soon felt like driving on a road paved with ball bearings. I didn't get into a wreck or even see one but it was scary!!

At any rate, I finally got out of the storm yesterday and the last thirty miles or so were calm. It didn't begin to rain here until after supper time, about eight. We got a tremendous light show for an hour or more and then it rained. not hard though. It was just a moderate, gentle rain all night long. This morning there was 1.1" in the rain gauge! We had low clouds and fog for awhile but then it became mostly clear and there was no rain close to us today although some dark clouds billowed up over the mountains to the east. So, we welcomed water in a thirsty land and I did not hear of any serious flooding or damage. When you score both of those, it is a good day in the desert! This evening there was even a rainbow that lasted a long time and moved along south above the rugged hills. It was much like this one and we saw some clouds like the classic thunderhead but also some very black and ominous looking ones but they drifted away.