Sunday, June 6, 2010

The sun popped over the mountains at exactly 6:20 this morning. I know because it hit me in the face! I sat here a few minutes, just enjoying the feel of it. Six thirty in the morning is the only time of day right now when you can actually enjoy the sun for any length of time. Later on it becomes uncomfortable in just a short while. For the rest of the day our house is shady and cool. Why anyone would build and live in a frame house in NM is beyond me. This house is about 15 degrees cooler than the one on Angelo. Stucco is definitely the only way to go!

About the time I decided to get up and go to the bathroom to get my day started Notah came out with Thain and Sadie. Chloe yipped to let him know she wanted out too! LOL she is so small and thinks she is so big. She’s still only about the size of Thain’s nose! Anyway, Notah picked her up and took her along to the eastern yard.

The door for that direction opens through Keva’s room. All I can say is that she is a very determined sleeper; she disregarded four dogs and a noisy puppy, a big man and a grandma all traipsing around her room this morning.

The dogs love the new surroundings. There are lots of things to see and sniff and lift their legs on. Notah had to make Huck come in last night. He’s old and it takes him longer to make his rounds. He wasn’t finished peeing on all the necessary spots.

Kerra got up soon after Notah and I. She made coffee while Notah strolled around outside for a few minutes and enjoyed the early morning sun.

After my shower, I took my breakfast outside in the western courtyard. Notah put the big cooler against the wall for me to sit on. Gable came too. The other dogs were confined to the other side of the house because there are so many things in the courtyard that Kerra doesn’t want peed on. Only Gable was allowed to truck around out there because he stayed close to me. I had the goodies.

There is a Bullock’s oriole nest in the one tree. Notah saw the bird but by the time I got to the window it was gone. I watched for it the whole time I was sitting outside, but no luck--! I did see a Says Phoebe in the locust tree and the dead tree beside it. There is a new in the corner that, I believe, it owns.

There is an abundance of birds all around the house. We’ve seen several mockingbirds (No, not one bird several times, but several birds at the same time in quick succession.) And also we’ve seen several western meadowlarks. ‘Meadow’ is not a word I apply the southwestern desert, but meadowlarks we have-bunches of them. I also believe I heard a catbird. There are no cats around here yet and this certainly sounded like one. This is a little far south for catbirds I think, but it is hard to tell from those little maps in the bird books. I mean, exactly where does that blue edge end? It is hard to tell. If it is a cat bird, I’m sure we will hear it again and probably see it. They aren’t usually too shy; at least not in Ohio.

I hope that sometime in the future Notah and Kerra will put some sort of water feature in their eastern yard. The birds already come to the only-slightly-damp well that has the faucet for the irrigation system. If there was a birdbath or little tiny fountain type arrangement I know the birds would flock to it.

Speaking of attracting the birds, I put several pieces of apple on the top of the wall this morning. I hope the orioles find them. I’ll go see in a few minutes.

Early this morning Notah and Kerra unloaded the snakes he moved last night and left on the truck. They’ve gone now to get the Big Mama Sulawesi python. She is huge and weighs a ton--well not literally, but you get the idea. Kerra is worried that she may not be able to carry her end of the cage as far as they have to move it. The cage itself is about nine feet long and holds several loops of big snake. Once she is over here the bulk of the moving will be done.

Of course, Peepers and Tiny Tiger still have to come. The dogs took the move pretty much in stride. I wonder what the cats will have to say about the new house. Tiny Tiger spent yesterday morning hiding somewhere in Kerra and Notah’s end of the house.

Seth and his friend, Zack, are playing in his room. Keva is still sleeping. Like I said, she is a very determined sleeper. I’m here in my recliner writing about our First Day in the House on Mallette Road.

All of the dogs have sacked out for the day. After two hours of running around outside (for everyone but Chloe) they are ready for their morning naps. Chloe ran around but most of her exercise was in the house. The fence has yet to be ‘Chloe-proofed’ There are no holes the big dogs can get through but Chloe can go through or under almost any place she decides to duck into. She is very small. Even Gable can get through the gates if he wants. As long as I’m around he stays in my general vicinity, but if he was out there unsupervised it wouldn’t be long until he found a spot that leads to the outside world.

There is one walk-way that is about three feet wide with no fence at all. I’m sure it was convenient when the other people lived here, but now it is no good at all. Kerra has been worrying about fencing it but I just thought of laying up several courses of cement blocks! There are bunches of them stacked around in various places. They could just be dry stacked to block that walkway. Then later when Notah has time, he can figure out a fence and use the blocks for whatever else he needs them. What a bright idea!

We have mountains on three sides of our new house. The Manzanos are directly east. The Ladrones Peak is to the west and I believe the Pinos are to the south. The Manzanos are just a quick jaunt away. If I had a horse I could ride around over there every day, but even by car you can drive over. It takes a bit longer that way because you have to stick to the established road.
The Pinos and the Ladrones are further away. It would take a half day trip to reach them. But still, they are there! I think most people from back east would not find our country beautiful. It is full of scrub and sagebrush and clumpy shaggy grasses, but we love it.

Rachael will be here in just a few days to get me, but I do get to enjoy it for a while