Getting back to "normal"

Things are gradually getting back to normal around here. The weather has been off and on - not much rain, but some cloudy days and a "breeze". Activities are picking up on the ranch - they have been chipping up at the limb dump to make room for more. The Lions operate the limb dump now because when it was free, people dumped just anything. The Lions charge a small amount and monitor it so that only vegetation is brought in. We burn most of our limbs, but when we were clearing the property, we would take loads to the dump. One day, I remember taking 9 trailer loads in one day. I posted this photo before, but this is when we were getting ready for house building and the fire dept was sending around a chipper/mulcher to encourage people to clear their property. This is our pile, which was reduced to a small pile of mulch........

So, we were out for a walk the other day and the phone rang. Why is this surprising? #1 - Dean actually had his phone with him, #2 - we had reception, #3 - Dean was out walking with Abby and I, and #4 - it was Trish! He stood admiring the view while he talked. I was taking photos of the little yellow flowers in the foreground. To prove that spring is just around the corner..... Jim and Janet stopped for a few days on their way back from snowbirding in the SW, We went on a couple of hikes - this is a "shortcut" that Bill told us about. He forgot to mention that there was one kinda tricky place. Janet and I slid down. I'm taking photos of Jim taking photos of Janet's big adventure.


We had a nice hike - Dean and Janet took Abby and the shorter route and Jim and I stretched it out by another mile or so. It was a perfect day for a hike.
Another day, we went over to the pinnacles and took a side trip to see "Earl". Joyce and I found this marker one day while doing a cross country - it's in the middle of nowhere, not on a trail or anything. Earl was only 24 years old when he died. Makes me curious. Google doesn't help.
It was nice having them here for a while. Janet and I did a shopping day in Bend and stopped at Deschutes for lunch and BEER. We shared a taster and also got a snifter of Coffee Double Black - amazing porter - almost 11% alcohol, so I let Janet have most of it, but we did get the growler filled with it. YUM!
They arrived the day after we got back from cleaning out Carol's apartment, so we just had time to move the bed into the guest room and set up the dining room table. I'm enjoying setting out Carol's things and cherishing memories. The house needs a good straightening, though, so I'm off to that project.