New Year,new dog,new projects.

[hank4elk]

67 and heading back to 90's.
Very little rain hitting the ground.
Smokey and hot.
New fire burning south of me in Turkey Creek area. 7,000+ acres, 0% containment.

House wide open with a breeze blowing. Natures ac.
Dotti at the window watching a chipmunk in the trees.
Heard her 1st elk this morning.
Will dump 2 more bales down in the bottom today.
Cheap this year,$7 for small weedy cow alfalfa. Good leaf.

Only grass growing is around my house and along road edges. Around my tanks.
Too many roadkills to count. Bummer.

Heavy rains pounding the east side of state, bone dry here.
3 dead in Ruidoso and 200+ homes hit by floodwater. Bummer.

Waiting for cooler temps to plant trees and seed.
Too hot for me to work. My choice for once.
2 dirt tanks full to brim and lots of activity around them. Green.

Been cleaning out one freezer to make room.
Dotti eats elk. Imagine that.
Filling out some. Good muscles building on her shoulders and legs.
Fast.
Spoiled rotten.

Me too. The spoiled part.
Might hit the Pie shop later.
Elk fajitas for dinner.

Moving a sprinkler around the house.
Happy birdies.

Home sweet home.

 

[hank4elk]

59 heading to mid 80's.
22 days of over 90 was brutal.
Very smokey this morning. Cannot see the Apache Mtns to the south,20 miles.
Turkeyfeather fire SE of Reserve is 18k acres and lightning started.

Many lightning fires this week.
North Rim Lodge gone. Stayed there once. Bummer.
Extreme drought is taking a toll.
.21 inches of rain so far this season at my little place.

200-400 homes with flood damage in Ruidoso. 14" of rain will do that.

Monsoonal flow over me today and for the week,finally. Hopefully.
East AZ & West NM needs it. Bad.
Pinions that had bumper crop last year are dying from IPPS beetles again.

News just now said T-storms over the Gila today flowing north over Pie Town & Quemado.
Possible heavy rains. All week.
Bring it on.
Still 2 1/2 months of monsoon season has me feeling positive.

Scored big time at the Pie-O-Neer Friday.
Mushroom keetch, Southern Peach and Strawberry Peach pie. New coffee mugs.

Dotti on patrol around the house .
Porch covered in bones.
Happy Dog!

The bone pile in front would make anyone hesitate to stop.
Old guy & Dobie gal.
In need of more Tillamook Peaches & Cream ice cream. Hardware store run.
I'll go down and check the momma feed on the way.

Look out world, No Fear.

 

[Dave N]

Good luck with the rain, Hank. I'll have a scoop of Peaches and Cream for you after my bike ride today!

 

[hank4elk]

Finally! The spigot is on.
Rained half the night. Wet ground in morning.
Clouded up early and 50-80% chances into next week.

Dotti seems ok with the cloud to cloud lightning.
We'll see with bolts hitting the ground.

Decided to give the bull tag to my big bro.
He did not draw,again, and outfitter in ID slow to except a 73 YO hunter it seems.
He can bring his bow and rifle. Any weapon tag.

We can raise some hell for a week.
Maybe fill a tag and explore.
Eat some pie

Grumbling now.
About to get going again.
Hoping some soaks in good.

Dotti hanging over the backrest with ears up.

Life is good.

 

[Wild Bill]

You and your brother will be killin time, if not elk. It should be a good time for you guys.
We got a bit of rain last night. Seems I left a door open a crack in my pickup. I found out the hard way when I hoped in. My boy told me not to worry about it because the plants got a drink. Hard to argue.

 

[hank4elk]

Water flowed and puddles formed. One hour doozy.
Then another...and steady.
Left a kitchen bay window open and had to find the mop. No worries.

Dotti with dirty feet and frisky this morning, sitting on the porch.
Dark overcast sky. Rain dripping off the roof.

Went to bed @ 10pm and I could hear someone trying to get over Graveyard road...recently regraded.
They walked home I'm sure. It will be a mess.
Welcome to NM and monsoons.

Called John and asked if momma gave the thumbs up or if he heard from outfitter.
He had called the guy and said he has a tag.
Karen yelled howdy and she will be home, so we're on.
He'll spend a week here then head up to Corralles and visit her sister.

I introduced them in HS and they have been together since. Dated the sister back in the day.
He asked what I wanted for the tag.
I said bring some Macanudos. That and some meat will do.

Have a guy lined up for Sept. bathroom gut and remodel. Stain the barn and porches.
Ground softened up for step footers and tree planting.

Dark damp morning.
Rain drops hitting.
The high plains will come back to life.
Food and water for critters.

Life is good.

 

[hank4elk]

Sunlight streaming in and the valley is alight.
Dark clouds heading in. Building.
Double rainbow.

6 cow elk bedded in the sun, 6 calves playing around them. Chewing cud.
SW corner of my place,1200 yards away.

Dotti in my grandma's old wicker chair on the porch. Watching them.
No barks. Good girl.

The new hunting boots fit perfect, even after adding heavier socks. Cool.

Blue birds singing in the pinion.
Flicker family screaming at each other on an old juniper. Nest hole right there.
Robins running around looking for worms.

Redworms. In SW NM.
LOL!

 

[Tradewind]

Hank, What's for lunch?

 

[Wild Bill]

Left a kitchen bay window open and had to find the mop. No worries.

Sheesh Hank, I just warned you the post before abiut leaving doors open.
At least the plants got a drink! Haha

 

[hank4elk]

2 good deluges yesterday. Truck windows closed...LOL.

Day started with me inhaling 1st coffee sip while reading a joke.
Coughing fit in wrong position and my lower back froze up...and the pain started.
Found the heating pad and tried to recover.
Most pain in 2 1/2 years.
Walking like my grandpa this morning.

Have Dotti worried. Not real playfull.
She has bones.
Covered porches and fairly clean feet.

More rain on way today before a couple days break.
Flash flood warnings up.
New lightning fire in the Gila,Goose fire is 3,000 acres already.

Broke out the NM purple, for pain relief.
Good day for naps on the heating pad and laundry.
New book to start.

Load of firewood coming and a few tips for my deer hunt...
Brandon is guiding in next door unit and said he'd help me out.

Wearing new "Hunt Like You Own It" tee.
Pink Floyd playing.
Clouds building.
Thunder in distance.

"Wish you were here".

Be here now.

 

[hank4elk]

28 days over 90, 6 over 100 this summer.
95 today and 18% humidity. Clouds trying. Spitting.

Some elk about and hitting the alfalfa and water heavy. A bull among them.
Extreme drought. Not much growing.

Feeling pretty good after a sort of long week. Got a lot done.
Guy lined up to help remove a tub and some other stuff next month.

Paid for my cremation and paperwork. Pick up and delivery of ashes.
My deputy buddy will be local contact and set up collage fund for local kids. $5k.

My buddy Jeff from WI is executor.
Picking up will at courthouse next week.
Told my older sibs.

Ahead of the game. Simple.
Video chat next week with palative nurse. Death nurse I call her...LOL.
Advance directives almost done.

Gotta be ahead of the game to be in the game.
Saw a nice buck and a plan. Remote area.

Dotti is on my bed,with a bone...LOL.
Cool as a cucumber.
Big load off.

Onward.
Not done yet.

 

[Dave N]

I understand getting things squared away but damn it, you aren't going anywhere soon!

 

[Wild Bill]

I envy your weather today, Hank. I’m visiting my parents on south central MN and it’s been mid to high 80s with 85% or so humidity.

 

[hank4elk]

I envy your weather today, Hank.

Yeah Tuesday it was 98 by 10am and 30%. One downpour produced one one hundreth of an inch.
By 11 it was 85 and 85%. WI weather.
The downdrafts did keep the breeze blowing.

Moon out and elk talking out there.
Dotti has them at bay.
Patrolling from our loop road.
Protecting the aspens and apples. Our band of green grass around the house.

65 and 22%.
Smokey haze.
Another chance this afternoon for a storm.
Hoping the high shifts.

Beans soaking and a tri-tip waiting for a fire.
I'll chance the firepit.
Open a truck window...

Come on monsoons.
And some green.

 

[hank4elk]

Hot. Smokey haze persists.
Dotti treed her 1st cat. Black.
Came when called and given a big bone.

Had a fire going and meat on Sun., of course it rained & hailed. 10 minutes of hail and had to pull the meat.
Then it went south.
01".

Extreme drought heading for exceptional if we get no rain this week. Spot fires from lightning popping up.
Elk in area hitting my water.
Many road kills along all hwys.
Driest year on record in 4 corners and south to me. AZ just as bad.

Got a call from bro.
Gifford fire is 120k+ acres and heading northwest.
Fire base now in his little town off 101 and roads closed at both lakes I worked at .
Plan is to lite off the Garcia wilderness with perimeter roads serving as lines around it. 15k acres, unburned in history. Brush mostly.
Narrow slot between Garcia and Santa Lucia wilderness' is High Mtn rd. Very rough dirt road and old hunting grounds of coast range.
10 fixed wing and 15 choppers working to cut off the head.
A bunch of friends evacuated in remote places. Both lake parks closed.
Tule elk heaven now, those mtns. Headwaters of the Salinas River.

Poor feed and slow antler growth will not stop him from coming and trying for a bull.
Got another lead on deer for my hunt.
Cool.

We need some rain. Chance maybe it returns this week. Today.
80's for highs is good sign.

Dotti chewing on a beef bone chunk. Digging the marrow.
Cats run free,why can't we.

Easy day with trip to Show Low manana.
Building materials for house projects.
Onward. Patrol speed.

 

[hank4elk]

56 heading to 83. 70% chance of rain. 70% humidity,big switch.
Hope I get more than .01...............
Drier than any record here. 50 days in 90's. 7 in the century mark.

Escudilla Mtn. in AZ finally has some green.
Only green here is where I have watered. To keep my trees alive.

Elk scattered still. Dead quiet still.
Some bulls here yesterday.
Someone trimmed my currant. And an apple.

Not planting the habitat project this year. Too hot and dry.
Busy with stuff at home. For me.

Heading to Alb. for bathroom parts manana.
Store run after the dump today.


Dotti on the porch, has the AM watch.
Barking at the cowboy neighbor heading to haul more cattle to the auction.
She is very fast and still never leaves the home loop.
Very smart. 65lbs.

Neighbor says most ranchers are selling off 1/3-1/2 of stock.
Most got elk tags cut again too.
I'll stay in the program and see what happens next year.

The G&F commish meeting was interesting. 1/2 ranchers and outfitters, the other wolf lovers.
I watched from home.
Old friend said, "10 years ago the Gila was the #1 spot for trophy bulls and hunting. Now it might make the top ten list." ..."If you bugle to call a bull, wolves come."..."Bulls get dead quiet."


Small & broken bulls will be the norm this year.
They have plenty of water here. Good wells.
I dumped another bale yesterday.
The few green grass spots have been hammered.

You see now how the Anisazi vanished.
They had no wells. Streams dried.

We have water and good food.
I have Dotti and a pill supply.
Another video chat next month with the Dr.

Watch your step.
Watch your back.
Check.

 

[hank4elk]

47,fall is here. High of 78, humid.
Maybe get some rain from the ex-himicane. Bounced off Baja and spinning.
Got almost half an inch last Sunday, which included a few 3/4 inch hailstones.

Heard a squeek this morning...Dotti was quiet on her early venture out. Barked at the cows when they came too close.
She's gotten very good when left alone, in the house and kennel door left open. She did chew a roll of tp last week.
Has never gotten in the garbage....amazing.

Some puddles and mud. A few blades of grass popped. One foot sunflowers.
Did see a decent bull with all points in a PU.

My help for the month booked jobs during the week...I am not opening my place to the elements just before winter with no help.
No one wants to work it seems.
So I am collecting building materials and will stash them in the shop. Get my shop in order and wait til spring.


Have a video visit at end of month after blood work with oncologist and can't be screwed up from over doing it.
Was pretty pissed off earlier in the week. Best be calm.

Onward. Lone wolf with a side kick.

 

[hank4elk]

58, with 80% humidity.
7 on the 1-10 monsoon scale, they say.
Overcast clouds lighting the dark morning. Thunder grumbling.
A shower for a few minutes....

Dotti woke me @ 0500.
I can sleep like a log and wake to any sound. Dog feet on carpet...
Turning into quite the watch dog. She knows when something is not right when she gets on the porch.
Will not run out until she knows.

Cowboy Jack said yesterday there is a pair of cats caught on game cams nearby, showed me the pair and the male is a punkin head...
She knew.
I thought wolves. Seen the tracks.
Cat tracks by the big tank were found after dropping a bale for the critters yesterday.

She is piling her bones on the porch...LOL.
I can leave her in the house, out of the kennel, with no damage.
Licky Icky. A kisser.

Had to go to the ER Mon. when the big splinter in my wrist would not come out, red and angry. Nurses discription.
Took 2 hrs for the jerk Doc. to pull it out. 3/4 inch long. Lumber.
The ER bed killed my hip and back. Tetnus shot.
The electric windows died in the F150 after shutting them at the market after ER visit.

The truck has a short somewhere and half the cab is open now....LOL
Got a ride home from my neighbor Dennis.
Dotti did not hear the truck and barked at me entering. Not normal.

Got good news from him. Grand daughter got married in San Diego last weekend. Rush trip.
She is a Chief Petty Officer now and married a guy trying to join the Seals.
I told her to try the Navy 6 years ago.
Dennis is very happy. He said his daughter, her mom, is kicking the deadbeat boyfriend out.
Happy days.

Her head on my lap as I type , decide to stay home today and do more material runs next week.
Big Black Dawg and kisses.
No grass growing. Storms will most likely blow by and hit Ruidoso again,again,again...poor town is bad off.

Big bull poop in the bottom.
A chance..........................................LOL
Life is good. SW NM is dry.
We are OK.

 

[hank4elk]

She is smart.
Have the 30-30 loaded and the pistol ready.
Will not venture far off the porch and she just brought 2 bull legs in the house.
In the doorway and has the watch.
Her bed has 16 bones on it now. LOL

Looking for white meat soon.

 

[hank4elk]

45 heading into 70's.
1/4 inch in 2 weeks. Bone dry still.
Only 1.65" since Jan.

Any grasses that did sprout have wilted. Even a bad year for tumble weeds.
Keeping it green around the house. Aspens turned and it's feeling like fall.
Mallards on the tanks. Both full.
Bull poops where a bale had been. I dumped 2 more yesterday. Bales....lol.

Called my bro and gave him the news about lack of rain. Elk. He'll be here on the 10th.

Video chat with the Oncologist yesterday got good , good...
PSA is down to .02 now and numbers in middle, low on sodium. Weigh 175 ,steady.
Will get bone density and CT redone before next chat in 4 months.
Optimistic. But vigilant.

Battle colors flying 24/7.
County clinics closed.
Trip for lumber and a couple more alfalfa bales.

Dotti next to me, legs akimbo.
Listening for elk.

Vigilant.