And I can hardly wait.
Most of the photos that I have posted as a "view of pond looking south", show trees, some junked cars, and just give a general impression of density, but the density isn't real. We live on the very edge of a small community and there is very little beyond the boundaries of our backyards. This place and the place just of the East of us were a single farm on the edge of town when I was in grade school. My parents bought the land in 1967 and although the people still farmed maybe 5 acres to feed their livestock, they abandoned the pasture directly South of us. There was an old pond, maybe twice the surface area of Bill's, and half the depth, and there was a concrete irrigation ditch that ran East and West about 50 yards South of where Bill's pond is. That whole area went through the normal restoration process that disturbed land follows - the pond was covered with prairie grasses and some mesquites, the plant rows filled in and eventually disappeared, and the irrigation ditch filled with organic debris. Also, for some reason elms trees started growing along a line above the filled concrete ditch. They never received any care but they were never bothered by livestock, and although they are stunted, have become a permanent feature. I remember when they were a couple of feet high and looked like a long hedge behind our house during the summer. Now, 38 years later, Camron calls them "the forest" and his Grandfather has mowed a track that winds through them for his motorized toys, but they are an illusion. A couple of steps and you are through them and there is nothing but plains for as far as you can see. The first photo shows what is really south of the pond.
I don't know how to photograph is yet, but on some nights in the dark area behind the pond I can see the lights from towns as far as 60 miles to the Southeast. Was just now reminded of this.
I read something about clouds a few weeks ago that has me watching them constantly. It was correct. Some of the cloud formations are defying the behavioral limits that professional weather observers once imposed on them. Now they are likely as not to present as rows of squares with the centers cut out. What an assortment of specialized winds that must require.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Is This Becoming a Ritual?
I have been working at home today and at noon Bill called to see if I would be doing any work on the pond. When I asked him why, he said that Camron has been waiting all day for me to show up. My first thought was to stop going outside until this passes, but I told him that I would come over later. I did, we went outside, and then I spent the next two hours watching Camron swing and listening to him talk. What a conversation. First of all, what I could hear had to do with the last of the Avitars and fire, water, air and earth benders. He also mentioned DNA several times. Once was that he and his friends Julio and Joey usually used Special Science red, blue, yellow and green DNA to create rain. Another time he said that if he had the "proper receptacle" he could keep all of the human and science DNA stored there. He also mentioned that if a meteorite was about to strike the earth and an earth bender was present, he could just absorb it and fling it back into space. For almost the entire time he was swinging as high as he could, talking as fast as he cold, and occasionally, he would hold up one arm and scream "To The Attack".
I have a weak something, I can't remember how to spell it right now, but because of whatever it is I can only take limited amounts of this kind of energy. During a pause in the action I suggested that we go to his house and get something to drink and he fell for it. On we way in we could see through the patio door and noticed that his Grandfather was asleep on the floor. Well, he was about to be getting up, and I sort of felt sorry for him, but I still dumped and ran. Better him than me.
I have a weak something, I can't remember how to spell it right now, but because of whatever it is I can only take limited amounts of this kind of energy. During a pause in the action I suggested that we go to his house and get something to drink and he fell for it. On we way in we could see through the patio door and noticed that his Grandfather was asleep on the floor. Well, he was about to be getting up, and I sort of felt sorry for him, but I still dumped and ran. Better him than me.
Friday, February 25, 2005
New (Flower?) Bed
On Sunday and Monday Camron and I expanded the vegetable bed and created a new flower bed on the fence line to the East of that. I say (Flower?) Bed because Bill isn't really fond of ornamental things. He was very pleased with the end result of the vegegtable bed and has a lot of plans for it this year and although he probably wouldn't object to my building this one, might insist on planting vegetables in it. So he has forced me to not talk about it until it is finished.
On Sunday, I marked the outline and started clearing the Bermuda grass. In the early afternoon Camron appeared and said that his Grandparents wanted to take naps and told him he could come out and help me. I find him to be a remarkable child and I spend a lot of time laughing when he is around, but I can also understand why both of his Grandparents would be needing naps right then. In between what digging and cleaning up of the soil that a five-year old can accomplish, he talked non-stop about the most odd things. He was born here, and has seen me nearly every day, but has never been in my yard, or my house because my dog won't allow it. He also knows the story of how she lived in an apartment in Dallas and the kids next door tortured her through the patio fence, causing her to not like kids. (I never feel obligated to explain anything so I didn't tell him the story, but his Grandmother or Mother must have.) Kilo has always barked when he comes close to her yard and since this new bed is right on the boundary she watched him closely through the fence and would get upset if he got too close to me with a shovel or rake. Although she does have friends she is not generally friendly and won't allow people to come into her yard or house unchallenged. Then, she will either let them proceed or tell them to leave. She grew up in a police environment and was trained to be territorial, inquisitive and assertive, and was allowed to be free to voice her opinion, but was never trained to or allowed to attack. She is loud and opinionated but has never bitten anyone, and Camron is not in danger but the noise is impressive. After a (loud) while he got tired of shoveling and sat down and started watching her. When I looked up he said that he was going to build a time machine when he learned how, and would go back in time to Dallas and make those kids be good to my dog (he calls her Kujo). Then he would come back to the present and she would like him and he could come over all the time and visit. He said he watched Jimmy Neutrino build a time machine, and it would be easy to do. What a sweet and innocent dream.
I am torn. He has always tried to come over to my house and I have always been glad that he can't. That makes me appear to be sort of a jerk, but I do feel bad about it, sometimes, briefly. Then my natural selfishness regains control.
On Monday, we finished the bed and planted the flower seeds. All of the seeds were from a canister that I recently found that had belonged to my Mom. I don't even know if they are still growable or not. They have been in storage for over ten years and there is no telling how long she had them before that. Camron planted Sunflowers, and one large red and white bean that was in an unmarked envelope. He also planted several varieties of Marigolds. I can't remember what the rest were, but she had a note in most of the packages with names and instructions. I think I prefer to be surprised. The rest of the day I made minor adjustments and he waited for the seeds to start growing. His mother said that he continues to expect something at any second.
On Tuesday I left for work just as he walked to the road to wait for the bus. He flagged me over and yelled "Don't forget to come and get me every Sunday".
It has rained and snowed since yesterday and should continue through tomorrow night. I love this season.
On Sunday, I marked the outline and started clearing the Bermuda grass. In the early afternoon Camron appeared and said that his Grandparents wanted to take naps and told him he could come out and help me. I find him to be a remarkable child and I spend a lot of time laughing when he is around, but I can also understand why both of his Grandparents would be needing naps right then. In between what digging and cleaning up of the soil that a five-year old can accomplish, he talked non-stop about the most odd things. He was born here, and has seen me nearly every day, but has never been in my yard, or my house because my dog won't allow it. He also knows the story of how she lived in an apartment in Dallas and the kids next door tortured her through the patio fence, causing her to not like kids. (I never feel obligated to explain anything so I didn't tell him the story, but his Grandmother or Mother must have.) Kilo has always barked when he comes close to her yard and since this new bed is right on the boundary she watched him closely through the fence and would get upset if he got too close to me with a shovel or rake. Although she does have friends she is not generally friendly and won't allow people to come into her yard or house unchallenged. Then, she will either let them proceed or tell them to leave. She grew up in a police environment and was trained to be territorial, inquisitive and assertive, and was allowed to be free to voice her opinion, but was never trained to or allowed to attack. She is loud and opinionated but has never bitten anyone, and Camron is not in danger but the noise is impressive. After a (loud) while he got tired of shoveling and sat down and started watching her. When I looked up he said that he was going to build a time machine when he learned how, and would go back in time to Dallas and make those kids be good to my dog (he calls her Kujo). Then he would come back to the present and she would like him and he could come over all the time and visit. He said he watched Jimmy Neutrino build a time machine, and it would be easy to do. What a sweet and innocent dream.
I am torn. He has always tried to come over to my house and I have always been glad that he can't. That makes me appear to be sort of a jerk, but I do feel bad about it, sometimes, briefly. Then my natural selfishness regains control.
On Monday, we finished the bed and planted the flower seeds. All of the seeds were from a canister that I recently found that had belonged to my Mom. I don't even know if they are still growable or not. They have been in storage for over ten years and there is no telling how long she had them before that. Camron planted Sunflowers, and one large red and white bean that was in an unmarked envelope. He also planted several varieties of Marigolds. I can't remember what the rest were, but she had a note in most of the packages with names and instructions. I think I prefer to be surprised. The rest of the day I made minor adjustments and he waited for the seeds to start growing. His mother said that he continues to expect something at any second.
On Tuesday I left for work just as he walked to the road to wait for the bus. He flagged me over and yelled "Don't forget to come and get me every Sunday".
It has rained and snowed since yesterday and should continue through tomorrow night. I love this season.
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