Sally, my regular riding companion, was feeling drained from a long and difficult hike she had done yesterday; so we went for a short, easy bike ride.
When I got home, I still had plenty of energy to work in the garden. I trimmed back the bougainvillea vines that had frozen a couple of months ago, and weeded, fertilized and watered the fruit trees that are in bloom. We planted an apple tree last summer and the poor little thing is so confused by the warm weather that it never dropped its leaves. I had never heard of evergreen fruit trees but both the apple and one of the nectarine trees never lost their leaves.
Then it was time to take the girls out for their daily walk.
Today I taught them to run along with the bike on a leash and off leash. They took to it like ducks to water. They were better on the leash because they kept stopping in front of me when they were loose.
We went down the abandoned, overgrown portion of Opal that’s almost invisible because of all the bushes growing up through the pavement. At the end of the pavement, I stashed the bike in the bushes and we walked in the wash bottom down below the bank that used to be the old dump back in the “olden days”. I discovered that Universal Rundle, the old toilet factory (long closed and probably moved to China) must have dumped their defectives there. The bank was maybe twenty feet high and several hundred feet long made up of layer upon layer of broken toilets. I also spied a couple of rusty cots that may have come from the old Cone Camp barracks. Back when the road was still intact, it was a mere half a mile or so away. Today one would have to drive about 15 miles to cross the wash on one of the bridges. It’s kind of fun to piece together the local history.
We won’t be able to walk down in the wash with careless abandon much longer as the days and nights are getting warm enough for the snakes to be active. I had both dogs vaccinated for snake bite but the vaccine only lessens the effect of a bite so snakes are still to be avoided. That coupled with the fact that I haven’t been vaccinated.
My sister took this picture of us yesterday.
judyrutrider 
The apple tree do not leave its leaves but you, Judy, you do not loose your energy. I am amazed ! and admiring .
And also I am admiring the photo of you sat in the sunny wild with your two faithful dogs
Love ❤
Michel
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Ah, the energy wanes with each passing year. I work more slowly, ride more sedately, nap more frequently. But, it’s still enjoyable even if I can’t do it as long and as fast.
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Slowly ? Yes, but surely . You said nap .? yes a good nap restores ! 🙂 I know this !!
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RYC : Thank for your comment about wine, cats and horses, Judy . It looks out tastes look alike !! 🙂
Love
Michel
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Vaccines for snake bites? That’s something I want to learn about. The seasons are not themselves it seems, and it leaves us all, plant, animal and human, confused.
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Evidently, they have developed a vaccine that stimulates an immune reaction to the common diamond back rattle snake venom. It isn’t effective against the neurotoxin of the Mojave Green. Last week we augmented the vaccination with snake aversion training. The regimen is probably short-lived and expensive, $125 per dog; but I’ve seen pictures of dogs that were bitten that make it seem like a bargain. Our walks in the wild are made more enjoyable if I believe the girls will avoid snakes like they did in the training session. The trainer recommended refresher courses for the next two years but I think I’ll see how they react to snake encounters in the next year. My dogs really seemed to “get it” in the class.
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RYC : Grow tomatoes from seeds proves that you are a master in gardening, Judy! 🙂
Bravo !
Love ❤
Michel
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Sometimes I get lucky. Other times I get nothing. This time seven out of twelve germinated successfully.
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Bravo . You are a true gardener, Judy
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