New Construction

Steve has begun the new screened porch on the back of the main house. Unfortunately, it won't be quite ready for the 4th - a special screen that is better suited for pets is still on order. It will create a whole lot more room for the cats to spread out and offer amazing outside views with ceiling fans and no bugs when we eat! It is absolutely huge and connects to the old porch on the creek side - will be really nice! We will still get to enjoy it for the 4th - just won't be screened in yet. I helped Steve for a couple of days put braces on the joints in the beams - holy cow, that's a lot of nails!

Parting Shot

Made a couple of new beds around the golf course. One was to keep the dirt around the new tree intact. In the process, I finished out the end by the garage adding another bed for interest. I found that really cool rock with the hole cut in it when I was digging through a pile of rock for the rocks I used to make the new beds... so, built-in rock koozie on the golf course!

Of course, he found his way into the hole...

Upon arrival this trip, I found an amazing site. As I was cleaning up the golf course getting it ready, I found one of Dad's cranes had gone exactly the way of nature. Last year during the 4th I used the 1000 Cranes belief in Japan to make a few strings of cranes in memory of dad - several people participated making the cranes. I strung them together and hung them out in a tree on the golf course. The intent is much like the Tibetan Prayer Flags that are hung in the Himalayas (most notably on Mount Everest). They are exposed to the elements and eventually return to the earth from which they came. A beautiful cycle of life and death with a peaceful ending. They have been in the tree for almost a year now and one of them broke free from the string and found its way into the cup of the first hole. Hole in one? A nice little sign from Dad.

Starting the Day off with a Bang... or a Boom Boom!

The day started with a now rare opportunity to see Space Shuttle Discovery fly overhead on it's deorbit. The moment I saw the possible groundtracks I had no doubt it would be the second landing opportunity to KSC (orbit 238) because it showed the path NE of Tulsa. I had hoped it would be like the time I saw it fly low over downtown Houston at night - much like an airplane coming in for a landing. Another time it was supposed to fly north of Houston and was too low on the horizon - but I heard the sonic booms.

So with those possibilities I set two alarms, and awoke to see the first deorbit opportunity did not happen. Napped some more and then Mom and I headed out to watch the second landing opportunity. But we were looking North as reported and the shuttle actually went south of Tulsa. Of course we heard the sonic booms which was cool enough because the orbiter viewing was only a contrail. Here is a video sent into one of the Tulsa news stations.

His Name is Jake

Looks like the puppy might be staying... and now he has a name. He swam across a raging creek section today to earn his stripes - he is a good dog. Well, he is a puppy... Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions, but after throwing out a few more since I got here, we hit on one we liked. I was just rolling off names that sounded good and came out well - especially when yelling for him... or at him! Poor Amy, he just hangs all over her all day - that is, when he is not following us around! Bruiser was a cute name - but just doesn't roll of the tongue well. And quite honestly, I was a tad embarrassed screaming Bruiser across the neighbor's field! He needed a name, and "puppy" just wasn't working either. So Jake it is!

Personal Best

Much of Saturday was spent shopping and gathering necessary hardware for repairs, so Sunday I was obsessed to get a big chunk of my list done... even in the sprinkling rain. And that I did!

Spring continues to fill the air - quite literally... As I was adding another layer to the rock wall on the bluff (one more pallet of rock absorbed by the grounds at Flint Creek) I was trying to concentrate. But the singing of the birds was so loud, varied, and shockingly abundant... so much so I found it hard to concentrate on my stone placement. At times it sounded like I was in a tropical zoo! So many songs - some from right by me, others up higher in the trees, and a whole other symphony on the other side of the creek! I wish I would have recorded them...

I even fit in a round on the green after cleared it off and replaced the flags. I shot a personal best 41 which is only one over par - three birdies (one on the most difficult shot)!

Six Week Surprises

Spring 2010 - Still some coolness in the air in the evenings, but spring is definitely blossoming at Flint.

I suppose six weeks might be too long between Flint visits... had a few surprises waiting for me this time. First off, we have a storage closet on the back of the smaller house. As you can see, something apparently got locked inside. All kinds of things from the top shelf had been knocked over (including numerous not very cheap light bulbs of which I had already cleaned up when I took this photo) - and not just knocked over, but any cardboard that something was in is absolutely shredded!!! Mom said that one of the little orange cats was missing for a couple of days... certainly smells like a cat got stuck in there! ;)

So later I went to grill us dinner and found what looked to be a poodle under the grates. I was halfway scared to lift it up and see what was in there. Upon further inspection, it was three different colors of attic insulation. Some little mouse apparently was making a nest - but did not seem to be used. Odd. There must have been hundreds of little insulation tufts... she would have had to make that many trips carrying one little tuft at a time. Wonder which house and where she removed the insulation from.... :/