Saturday in Arapahoe

We were blessed with 2 tenths of an inch of rain. It washed everthing and refreshed the parching prairie and pastures. It is still damp out and very temperate. Delightful weather. If you click on the top picture you can see Sand hill Cranes down by the river. They seem to stage from that area before they fly south every year but I think that date is months away.

You will have to click on the bottom picture to see much too. It touched my heart. When Buster and Honey go a rambling Buster leads at first-his knowledge of paths and places leads the parade. But his 11 screw and plate reconstructed foot eventually pains him. I watched as Honey stopped several times for him to catch up. Any doubts I had about having two dogs costing one dog too much are gone. They compete but are devoted. Case in point: Honey got in a jam with the Pitbull/Mastiff from Arapaho farm this afternoon. She chased him out of the pasture before he decided to come after her. He was a bowling ball rolling up on her. Buster was on the deck with me. His adrenaline kicked in and he again became rocket boy-he is fearless when aroused and his foot pain went away until after the two of them sent that dog packing.

I completed the cheap eats project last night with two slices of pressed ham on a split warmed piece of Foccacia bread: 75 cents. Grapes and chips accompanied. I was glad to have walked that path but even more glad to bring home Chinese takeout tonight after doing some chores in town. For some reason they made me a gift of a generous container of fried rice. Oriental Palace is generous with portions anyway. I am set through Tuesday-damn the cost! This is living!

Interestingly, the cheap eats post brought some emailing from readers. Yes, folks are concerned about the economy and its direction. The dining and coping habits of folks are ingenious and tailored: from supplementing frozen entrees with vegetables, to shopping the health food granaries. Picked up some tips. All are uneasy about the future until we know whether this economic trajectory is going to subside.