Look Who Stopped By...

Last night I deep fried fish for supper. First, I sliced up some potatoes to make french fries in the oven. I turned the stove on to gradually get the oil hot in my pan. After a while, I looked at Steve, wrinkled my nose and said, "It stinks in here from the oil, don't you think?" We had all the windows closed due to the humidity, but opened them all up to air this house out. I proceeded to fry the fish, we ate supper, and then hunkered down to watch one of our Netflix shows.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of black. I thought nothing of it, thinking it was one of our two black dogs. Then suddenly I whispered out to Steve, "There's a bear."

He jumped up. "Where?"

"In the front yard!" I was still whispering as I hurried off to find my camera which is always in the same place, but we went four-wheeling yesterday and I had placed it somewhere else. But where?

Steve hurried off to whisper the dogs into the house without scaring the bear.

I finally found my little camera and shot off about 8 pictures. Not one came out clear. Frustration!!!

Anyhow, there he is above, stopping by to inspect my gardens. Steve is sure the frying fish and oil were what lured the bear into our yard. As the bear leaned on the fence, my garden sprinkler, which is on a timer, started up, spitting and spattering until finally becoming a nice spray. The bear had nothing of it and he took off running into the woods across the street.

Here's some blurry photos...

He looks so much bigger here because I zoomed in.

Kind of like pictures of Big Foot, huh?

Lessons from Nature

Here's a photo that makes me smile. 

(Then again, any photo of one of my dogs makes me smile.)

Bear was playing and facing the wind when a gust lifted her ears straight up and she squinted her eyes against the force. She stopped sniffing around as she tried to figure out who was pushing against her.

What I learn from this photo is that sometimes the pressure I feel I'm under but can't see is only the unseen whirlwind of thoughts of things to do. I need to remind myself  that sometimes it is just the playful wind urging me to go outdoors and play.

This photo reminds me that sometimes I try too hard...

...to get things organized. (Unpacking is not my thang.)

...to keep things clean. (Cobwebs are not my thang.)

...to declutter. (Clutter is not my thang.)

...to finish that book. (Unpacking and cobwebs and clutter are not my thangs and are on my mind to do.)

...to make my internet faster. (Steve rearranged all the wiring and I can't say things are going any faster, but hey, it is a cloudy day in the UP. Surrounded by wires and wires and wires are not my thang.)

But the woodchuck above had no worries when he decided where to build a house for him and the missus. A hole in the middle of a country gravel road will do just fine.

In the event a vehicle comes along, he'll just pop into his house instead of screaming hysterically as he runs for the brush...

No worries.

"What Laundry? I think this makes a fine place to perch my feet after a spring shower."

In the past two weeks I have finally managed to get totally unpacked (organized), get to the grocery store to build up our food supply in the pantry (organized), get my teeth cleaned (cobwebs), start spring cleaning (cobwebs), get a haircut (just because), organize the upstairs in the garage (declutter), plant my gardens (organize), and weed my flower beds (declutter, organize, clean).

This photo reminds me I need to take the time to slow down and talk with a friend...

Even if the friend is a rooster. And imaginary.

"So, what do you think about the price of corn?"

Chuck Wagon Venison Chili

It has a little kick to it!

And spicy sausage.

And a little bacon

And Jalapeno sauce.

I will soon post this recipe with pictures on my food blog Cabin Cleaver. 

I was hoping this post would end on a good nature note seeings how I was pondering over the lessons  I can learn when I take the time to look out my window. But I just looked out the window and saw my dog Bear carrying a limp Chippy, our resident chipmunk, into the woods.

I'm sure Chippy had some worries towards the end of that chase. I think Chippy learned a valuable lesson he will no longer be able to use.

Bear better have some worries about the mess she made around the house while digging for Chippy. Or Steve is gonna teach her a lesson or two.

I won't look out the window for that.

RIP Chippy

Wrapping Up Wyoming...

Peace

One last photo of the Trophy Pond where we spent so much time trying to get that 20" keeper...

I wish I could say in all honesty that it's great to be back home, but that wouldn't be the truth. The mosquitoes are so bad...they are obviously outdoors, hovering on the other side of the screens in buzzing clouds, they are in our vehicles, they are in the house. They whisper in our ear during the night. They are evident by the welts on my arms and legs and neck and hairline. They are the reason the dogs skedaddle to the garage and find solace in a back corner, only emerging swiftly to chase Chippy, our resident chipmunk, then returning to their hiding place from the bugs.

So as I unpack and try to find places for everything to go, I try to avoid the inevitable meltdown that looms over me and look at pictures...

...of mamma cows and their babies...

...being moved to a lush new pasture.

It was a pleasant surprise to find a couple of purple martins had moved into this birdhouse. We had been so busy fishing we hadn't noticed. It was unfortunate we couldn't watch their babies grow.

They picked some prime real estate with a view!

Beautiful Skies...

We sure did our fill of fishing and I loved every minute of it...

Sometimes getting up at the crack of dawn to get one of our favorite spots, especially during the three day tournament over Memorial Weekend.

Which paid off because I caught the longest Cutthroat the Sunday of Memorial Weekend!

19 inches

2.5 pounds

On another beautiful day, we took a ride west through Ten Sleep Canyon.

We stopped at the Ten Sleep Saloon where we admired these rattlesnake skins from afar.

We headed east back through the Ten Sleep Canyon then took our little canyon down to our road.

Gonna miss this view over morning coffee.

The drive home went fine except we blew a belt in the car. But the dogs didn't mind...

They got to spend the night in a motel.

I'll tell you a secret...Ike snores.