A little bit of rain

Greetings from the forest

Its been a sad week with all the fires and especially those in Colorado Springs.  Just a year after the Waldo Canyon fire the Black Forest fire occurred.  I believe many are back home now, if they have homes.  Some 510+ houses burned.  Isn't that just sad.  Whats scary is the new fire that is about 30 miles from me.  The important papers are packed, a few clothes and toiletries.  If the wind changes direction or another fire pops up we are as ready as we could be.

We have had a couple of days of rain in the forecast.  Last week we got a bit of rain.  We'll take it, even one drop at a time.  The days nice in the 80-90's and the evenings are cool, windy and there is a storm rolling in as I hear thunder.  Hate that part - the lightening for obvious fire reasons and the thunder, which means there was lightening.

I talked with a friend the other day who was commenting on all the changes in my life over the last few years and my accomplishments.  I don't look at accomplishments really but I do look at the blessings.  I have to say that when I wake up every morning and look out my window I am grateful to be here.  I remember a year or so ago when I would be here visiting the forest, I would wake up, look out and wish (and pray) that I could do it every day.  And here I am.  Living that dream and feeling very blessed and very grateful.

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Ok this weeks animal sightings included a few deer, turkey and this beautiful cow elk.  Can't beat the daily animal adventures.  I saw another Momma bear and two cubs but they scurried up the mountain before I could get a picture.  Sorry.

There is one more bit of news and its pretty darned big.  I took the state real estate test last Thursday and passed!  Yup passed.  Praise the Lord.  I'm going to be working part time at Scenic West Properties with Rick and Carolynn Johnson and I must say I am very excited.  The market here is not good and I'm not going to make millions, just I am hoping help people find a new home and make a few bucks.  I will happily be continuing to work part time for the companies in Arizona.

So thats it from the forest-

Love and blessings,
Lanae

Its springtime in the forest

Greetings from the Forest -

The grass is green, the trees and brush are green and its so pretty right now.  Of course some of that green is weeds, which seem to need constant pulling.  Ah well, I needed a hobby. lol.  We still have extreme fire danger but the brown has turned to green and the animals are out in abundance.  That is, after all, why we live here in the forest isn't it?  For the animal sightings that make you just smile when you're coming home after a long day or even after a quick trip to the grocery.  Whether it's the deer, the squirrels, the bunnies, the turkey, or the elk, it is a grin every time I see one.

   

Of late the bears have been out.  Its mating season.  The other day I had the opportunity to watch two bears, Big Red and Meadow, no - not doing that (!), but they took a walk down the road to the windmill pond, had a drink, then Big Red had a cold bath (cold shower not available) and then he dried himself off scratching against a telephone pole then they were off again down the road.  I think he'd won her over as they were side by side eating and munching on grass and whatever else they could find.  I was so close to them in my car, window down, camera out, that I could hear them chewing.  It was a spectacular hour!!  The photos are not the best as I took them with my phone, but here you go..... my apologies if the video doesn't work...

Big Red in front and Meadow following

Sometimes you must scratch that itch.  Big Red is a big bear!

When a cold shower isn't available a bath will have to do

And after a good bath, no towel available, a telephone pole will suffice

Now hopefully I haven't bored you too much with bear pictures and I want to talk about traffic jams on the ranch roads.  Silly though that may sound, here are a couple of pictures.  Thank goodness for my iphone camera.

One of my neighbors

The garden is flourishing, except the loss of one one red pepper plant.  So far, knock on wood, no one has bothered with the rest of the garden.  But, although I'm optimistic that the fence will work, we'll see when those strawberry plants produce fruit.  They have blooms now so we can only hope they'll be safe.  There are also blooms on the tomato plants.  Oh I'm so excited!! Pictures next time.

One other tidbit that I have been forgetting to tell you - we need to add another animal to the list.  Beavers.  Yes you read that right.  There is a stream that you cross when coming onto the ranch and there are beavers in it.  They build their dams all along it.  Here is a picture of just one of the dams, but as you go downstream there are many.  One day I'll get out of the car, hike down to the steam  and take some up close pictures.

In other news, most of you know I found out after 100+ hours of real estate videos that I don't need to take the national portion of the exam.  Yea, I was given bad information about a year ago.  So I just need to finish the Colorado law portion and take that exam.  Why yes I was annoyed.  Hell I admit it, I was just flat pissed off.  I'd like to have those hours back but its not to be so I'm moving on.  This Saturday I am going to Pueblo to get fingerprinted as the background check here in Colorado takes 6 weeks.  Slowly but surely I'll get to that goal of getting my license!

The hospital board meeting was good.  Lots to learn but I think I'll like it.  There is a seminar in August in Nashville that the hospital will pay to send new board members to so I'm thinking about going to that.  We'll see what happens over the next couple of months.

So I hope all of you are doing well.  I hope you're not melting in horrible heat.  If you are, you know you're always welcome to visit the forest!!

You know it isn't Lanae's blog without a picture of the boys!

Love and weed pulling,
Lanae