NPR had a sad piece yesterday about the potato farmers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Their winter was the wettest in since forever. Due to that, the potato crop is going into the ground about four weeks late. The farmers sign contracts with the potato processors to deliver as of a certain date. So whatever is in the ground at that moment, is what is delivered. Processors pay by the ton, so a lot of farmers will not be making their usual amount of money this year. It's going to be bad for everybody. Prepare for expensive french fries.
I have photos of attractive birds. These are Mourning Doves. They're everywhere. They like to hang out on the wall and leave their little dove by-products. They were building a nest in a palm tree next to the drive way, but repeated removals of the nest material convinced them to move on.
This is the agave flower spike in the wash. There is a hummingbird sitting on it in the sun.
Today our neighbors, Bill and Sue, took us on a hike. One walks up to Ringtail Ridge and then winds around the back side of Bren Peak, and thence to the David Yetman trail. It was a long hike, about as much as I can do. My feet held up ok, but I get this weird pain in my hip. It was in the left hip for about ten years, but now it has moved to the right hip. It's always something. Jim did really well, the 30 days in the boot seem to have taken care of the Achilles pain he had.
There was a lot of up/down. You can see how the terrain undulates.
The trail goes up diagonally to the right and then crosses the ridge, approximately where the arrow is.
Cookie break.
It was good. Hopefully between Jim and me (and our terrible recall), we can do it again. I spent a lot of time looking at my feet and did not really make any mental notations of way points or land marks. Didn't take many pictures, either.
What would a day be without the baby hummingbirds? I can't tell if they have eyes yet.
We were up early and saw her feeding them. It was good to see that. There's poop, so there has been food.
That's it - birds and hikes.
The hummingbirds are doing well. Have they made a reservation for next year. Have you thought of the Strava App, its good for recording and keeping a record of your routes. It doesn't use any data when on you just need a signal when you start the recording.
ReplyDeleteWe've thought about an app, but we're both such luddites that we don't get it done.
DeleteI left two dove in my palm tree at home. They come back every year to the same spot. The saguaros sure seem to be happy near your trails.
ReplyDeleteDoes any "authority" maintain your trails? Are your trails maintained? I don't quite know how to put that question. On the one hand, they seem almost self perpetuating. But what if a big cactus falls across a trail?
ReplyDeleteThose hummers are going to just pop out, one of these days.
There does not seem to be maintenance. I think some of the trails begin life as game trails and water courses. Some are purpose built, but it does not appear that maintenance is done anywhere. Whatever falls on the trail stays on the trail, so we walk over it or around it.
Deletemourning doves build the flimsiest nests. it's a wonder they manage to hold the eggs and baby birds. I was always finding the broken and empty egg shells when we lived in the city. not so much out here in the countryside. your hikes remind me of hiking in Big Bend.
ReplyDelete