Fringillidae

I found a dead finch on the back porch this evening. From the initial investigation it doesn’t appear that fowl J play was involved. The deceased was found at 19:45/hrs, lying on its left side on a concrete patio, its dimensions was 9.5 cm (3.8 in) and 8.4 g (0.3 oz), sex is unknown.   The deceased appeared to have been dead for at least two hours.   There were no signs of any struggle and forensics RSID testing detected no fluids in the surrounding area of where the deceased was found.

Happy 4th of July!

With the recent fire in Colorado Springs and all the other fires burning in the state, you know that fire works have been banned.   I have not heard a single fire cracker pop or any other types of fireworks today.  If they caught you around here shooting them off, I am pretty sure you would get the maximum thrown at you.   The town’s people would be marching towards your home with pitch forks.  They would drag you down to the courtyard where you would be stoned.

I spent most of the day over at the shop working on various projects.   I am about ready to start working on the hallway and bathroom down stairs.   I have been staining oak trim this week in the evenings.   Finished with the trim today and will start working on the door and frame next.  Once all the staining is done I can start on the painting in the hallway and bathroom.

The previous owner had left a storage locker and I have been using it.   The top is about to rust out so I unloaded everything and hauled it out in the driveway.  They also left me an old refrigerator, I guessing 1950’s or so.   I had thought about trying to restore it but for me it’s not worth it.   I pulled the doors off and all other metals.  Pulled the two compressors and drained them.   Everything is stacked in the driveway, so sometime tomorrow I need to get it loaded and to the recycler.  Guessing I might get $8.00 if I am lucky.

Worked in the front garden as the shop and pulled enough weeds to fill two 48 gallon trash bags.   I had some other trash that filled a third bag.   Loaded it up in the truck and took it to trash.  Then when I got back to the house I had to water the plants out back and do laundry.

Candy’s sister is here visiting and they were out and about all day.  We all had dinner over at the Roadhouse.

Sunday night blues

We spent most of the day around the house.   We did make several trips out to check on the fire.  As of this evening it looks like they are closer to getting this licked.   The wind has changed this evening.  We took a drive out around 6:30pm and when we came up over the hill on 21^st we couldn't believe how smoky it was.   Downtown about three miles away and you couldn’t even see it. While around the house today I took the camera out with me out on the back porch.   Took pictures of all the birds that came around to visit the bird bath and get a drink or take a bath.  I took this picture this evening of the sunset through the smoke and clouds.  Need to get ready for the work week.   Catch you later.

Waldo Canyon Fire Pics

Here are some new pictures from today of the fire.   These were taken from Highway 24 and 21st street.

Waldo Canyon

A fire started up in Waldo Canyon today.   I didn’t even now about it until Candy came home from the store and said did you hear about the fire and pointed to the smoke.  I grabbed the camera and headed off in the truck to Manitou.   I needed gas so I stopped at the 7-11 located on Highway 24 and Manitou Avenue. I took these pictures around 2:15pm from the parking lot while filling the tank.  

As of tonight they are still fighting the fire.   Waldo Canyon is very well visited hiking location.  I have done it a couple of times but don’t like the number of people on the trail.  A lot of tourist visit it so if I had to take a guess, we will find out that this fire was probably started by a cigarette.

The heat that we have had the last several weeks hasn’t helped any.  I believe today they reported that we broke a record as it was 100 today.   Everything around here is drying up.

Salt Lake City, UT

I was in SLC this week for business.   We had client meetings with two companies in the area on Wednesday.   I got up at 4:30AM and showered and got dressed.  I was on the road to DIA at 5:15/AM and arrived at 6:40AM. We had our meetings and both went well.  I dropped my coworkers off downtown after the meetings.  They had a late evening flight home and they were going to have dinner.

I have an uncle that lives outside of SLC in the country, so I stayed an extra day to hang out with him and play some golf.   I got to his house about 7pm on Wednesday and we headed out to have some dinner. 

That next morning we were at the course at around 8:30AM.   We didn’t have a tee time and it wasn’t an issue, no one else was around.  I was at the register ready to pay the green fees and then the owner came out and told us it was on the house, whatever we needed.  My uncle does some plumbing work for the golf course owner, so they must be pretty tight with each other.  That was the first time I have ever gotten to play golf for free.  

The course was in decent shape and it was pretty wide open so I didn’t loose too many balls.  I had two decent rounds, at least for me.   I definitely need to get out and practice if I want to improve my game.  It’s tough to do, expensive and eats up a lot of time.

At my uncle’s house they had some columbine growing in the flower garden.  I hadn’t seen any of this color before.  Around here the ones in the wild are purple and white. This was a larger and very healthy plant.

When we got back, we cleaned up and went and had an early dinner.   Said our goodbye’s and I headed off to the airport. 

For lunch today I came home and did an hour on the treadmill, was able to log 4/miles.   Managed to get a few chores done around the house this evening, load of dishes, folded clothes and watered the plants.

Tomorrow I am flying to SLC to visit with clients.  Early morning flight and it takes an hour and half to get to Denver, so that makes it even earlier.   Need to go pack and get ready.

Happy Fathers Day

Here is wishing all you dad’s out there a Happy Father’s Day!  I spent time over at the shop this morning, and with Eric’s help we hung two more panels of sheetrock.   I hope to get back over their tomorrow evening.

This afternoon Candy and I went out and played Frisbee golf.   We went to a new course that we hadn’t played before, Cumberland Green in Fountain CO. http://www.dgcoursereview.com/course.php?id=4531   We ended up only playing six holes, it was hot out and the course doesn’t have much shade.  The course was ok, not great.  Being the first time we played their, we weren’t sure exactly where we were going and what pin we were aiming for.

Candy made up an awesome salad and I cooked some chicken thighs and legs up on the grill.  The boys showed up and we all ate together.  They got me a Angry Bird’s shirt and pair of shorts. 

Happy Fathers Day

Well let’s see, what have I done so far this weekend.   Yesterday I spent most of the day cutting and hanging sheet rock over at the shop.   I am just about done with the east wall.  Four more sheets and then some framing in around the window and then I can move the south wall.    I still need to find someone who can insulate the ceiling for me.  This week I will make a few phone calls and see what I can come up with.

We went to see the movie That’s My Boy with Adam Sandler.   This move is socially and politically incorrect but funny as can be.  If you go see it, leave your morals in car and have some fun.  

Not sure what is on the agenda for today.   I think I might head back over to the shop and see what else I can get done this morning.   Maybe I will drag everyone out and make them play Frisbee golf this afternoon.

Don’t forget to call you pop, it is Fathers day you know!

Returned to the wild

Two days had passed and I was unable to get the pigeon in the chimney to move.  I had assumed it was dead.  But alas, last night I heard him/her flapping and decided to give the rescue attempt another shot.

I stripped down and actually had to get most of my body into the fireplace.  I used a coat hanger that I bent up so that I could get behind the flu.   Several attempts finally got some movement and with my other hand I tried to grab the pigeon, the first attempt resulted in a handful of feathers.   The second attempt I was able to grab him/her and pull it out.

It was a full size pigeon; I took it out in the back yard and sat it on the bird bath.   It sat there for about 30 seconds and then flew off.   So I guess it was ok, it could fly, probably a little in shock.