Springs Fire

Today's post subject was supposed to be Mexican. But the only idea I had for that involved driving and the jeep has been in the shop, I thought it better to post on a more timely subject of the Springs fire. These photos were taken Friday night.

Sunsets during a fire are always mesmerizing

On Thursday, the skies were blue but there was a distinct smoke trail some 40 miles west. I had hoped to take some pics of it Friday but, the wind had changed. It was so smoky at the creek, I got an instant headache hiking.

This is the smoke line coming from 40 miles away!

There was also another fire much closer 8 miles or so down Chevy Chase Canyon. But the fire department made quick work of that and except for a freeway closure, there wasn't much of an issue with that one.

Smoke traveling up the canyon

Above is Mt. Lukens - tallest point in Los Angeles County. The "clouds" to the left is actually smoke from the Springs Fire. The right side is smoke from the Canyons fire as they were calling the Chevy Chase Canyon fire.

May Photos - Drink

Iced coffee on a hot spring day...

Another Skill for Her Resume

I only know the beginning of this story because our furiends, the Rottrovers, know Rocky. Rocky was a small dog...a Jack Russell I believe, that died last week on the Ranger free trail many of us off-leashers have fled to since our favorite trails have become a "park."

Rocky dashed into a bush...I'm sure his mom thought he was after a ground squirrel...only a Momma coyote was in there. And while his Mom did all she could to save  him... running across the river to get a golfer to drive her to her car and racing him to the vet... he could not be saved.

I often wonder if I could hike our trails without my girl...

This is "part" of the memorial Rocky's mom made for him. We stumbled on it beside the "dark side" swimming hole. I was with Hank and Sue's mom and we checked out the memorial, checked the flowers to see if they needed water and proceeded to watch our dogs swimming.

As I was taking pictures of Sue who was busy demonstrating her new nickname of "Shovel Head" (a whole other post!), their mom said, "Uh, I think Mabel Lou is trying to bury the memorial!"

I turned on my heels to see her heading up the hill and further upstream. I gave chase and caught up with her...

She had been attracted to the rope toy Rocky's mom had left there... and luckily it was stapled to a wooden cross of some heft! This had slowed Mabel Lou down considerably! Thank Goodness!! She knew she had more than she bargained for and dropped it when I asked.

Only then did I see the note Rocky's mom had left for her creek friends:

As you can see, Rocky's mom doesn't plan to keep hiking.

 I took a rock and replanted the cross and adjusted that note. The girl went swimming and, as we were leaving, it took all she had to NOT steal it AGAIN! Here she is "trying" not to look at it!  Why is nonchalant never actually nonchalant???

So, in addition to Possum Pooler, Bed Hog, Heart Stealer, Thief, Bacon Lover, Mamma's Girl, Kitty Killer, Stuffie Mauler, Coon Fighter and Queen Bitch of Everything, we can now add Grave Robber to her resume!

May Photo Challenge: Button

I make glass buttons... No one buys them so I keep them for me. This is one of my faves and I keep it on my desk. It's a metallic angel wing and it makes me happy.

I'm hoping to get a Mabel Lou post up later today for those of you who can't go more than few days without her. (I KNOW who you are!) You won't believe what Somepup has done this time!

Handwriting

I admit it... I had to clean off my desk to find a notepad... this was a to do list from January. The other bit I find hilarious is that I'm writing on a notepad from my college days!