How To Disappear

Did you miss me? I've been distracted by both yard work and genealogy research the last few days. The outside temperatures stayed mostly in the 90's last week so I was outside as much as possible trying to stay ahead of the weeds in my yard. The wet weather last Spring caused the weeds to proliferate at a remarkable rate and our week away on vacation brought numerous squatters who just could not resist settling in and trying to take over.  I could blast them with pesticides but with dogs I don't consider that a viable option.

When I wasn't outside ripping up vast neighborhoods of unwanted green growth while visions of new garden designs danced in my head (Shades of Robert Moses), I was online searching government records for information about my father's family. I just may have found my great grandparents who seem to have been part of an unknown-to-me family tradition of starting families late in live  life. If the man I think is my great-grandfather is my great-grandfather he was born in 1844 and fought in the Civil War with the Illinois Infantry. The woman who I think is my great-grandmother was his second wife and my grandfather would have been born when his father was in his early 50's. The connection I found to these people is an address my grandfather put on his World War II draft registration card showing that he lived at the same address as the woman I believe is my great-grandmother. I found her in an old Peoria, Illinois city directory where she had listed herself as "widow of ____" and by searching the Illinois State Archives online records found out that at various times one or both of  them lived in the Illinois Soldiers and Sailors Home.  I have sent away for copies of their records and hopefully will find something that will connect them to my grandfather. 

So, if in the future I disappear once again you'll know where I'll be- either digging in the dirt or digging in the past.

There's A Moon In The Sky

I was delighted when I looked up and saw the moon in the sky early this morning.


The B-52's (This video also includes the song Hero Worship)

There's a moon in the sky
It's called the moon
And everybody is there, including,
Saturn,
(Mercury)
Saturn
(Venus)
Saturn
(Mars)
Saturn,
(Jupiter)
The Van Allen Belt

Roll-roll-roll-roll-rollin' in Andromeda
Won-ton-ton-ton rama in Andromeda

This is the Space Age
There's too many rings
This is the Space Age
There's too many things
Just ain't no atmosphere tonight
(Can't get no s**t to do tonight)

If you're lucky you get to ride in a gold meteorite
If you're not, you get a mouth, a mouthful of red Kryptonite
You better move over
Here comes a Super-nova Kryptonite
Destination moon

If you're in outer space
Don't feel out of place
'Cause there are thousands of others like you
Others like you
Others like you

Well there's a moon, it's in the sky
It's called the moon
And everybody is there
'Cluding 'ranus
(Neptune)
'ranus
(Pluto )
Destination moon

Many gamma rays around it
Van Allen Belt surrounds it
This is the Space Age
Please don't worry
This is the Space Age
Just don't worry
This is the Space Age
Others like you
Others like you

Rocky Mountain High 6

One last photo, people, of our visit to the mountains. My husband mowed the meadow while we were up there. Here he is sitting on the riding lawn mower right before he started mowing.

Rocky Mountain High 5

Three magnificent Elk

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."


Spotted these Elk while walking on the road. That road was very busy that week. One morning as a large truck was speeding toward us an Antelope dashed across the road between the truck and us. The dogs were in the grass on the side of the road and as the antelope raced past Duke he exploded after it barking furiously. This scared Little Sally Pumpkinghead who bolted toward me. Her path put her right in front of the truck. I yelled at her to stop hoping the driver of the truck was still watching the road and not the antelope bounding away. He was and already had braked so Little Sally Pumpkinhead was safe. All in all, it was a tense 10 seconds.

Rocky Mountain High 4

This is the reason why we did not have phone service in the cabin for almost a week. The phone company repairman said the damage was done by cattle. My husband said it was done by bears. I'm going with my husband's explanation as cattle do not have sharp teeth and there were numerous bite marks on the wires made by very sharp teeth. The cattle are probably responsible for knocking the cover off the box though as they like to rub up against objects whenever they have an itch and there were two spots on both upper corners of the box where the paint had been completely rubbed off and metal was showing.

Rocky Mountain High 3

The dogs alerted us to this guy, he came around just before sundown. You can tell by his antlers he is still very young.

Eating dandelions.

Oops, he sees me.

Once it got darker he became bolder and came closer to the cabin.

Eating more dandelions.

Oops, he sees me.

Rocky Mountain High 2

According to the dogs, squirrels are interesting wherever you happen to be.

Rocky Mountain High

in Colorado.

On The Road

over you.

(Photo taken on U.S. Route 34 near the eastern border of Morgan County in Colorado.)

V-A-CA-T-I-O-N In The Summer Sun

Taking about a week off from blogging. Everyone have a great 4th of July.