Collecting bones

With politics as they are right now, it seems a good time to find distractions. It's not as though most of us can do anything but rant about what is happening-- whichever side we happen to believe is right. It seems to me that nobody is winning although there might be secret winners with goals that escape my understanding. One of my distractions is the beauty of nature.

When we took our grandsons back along the creek to wade and look for crawdads, we found the skull of a young beaver upon which a coyote had dined. The oldest of the two asked for the bones which he'll get when it's been cleaned up by nature. (no photos until then as right now-- grody!) The coyote skull from the one Farm Boss shot will go to our veterinarian son-in-law after it also has been cleaned by natural forces.  We are a family who much values bones especially those found out in the wilds somewhere. The creek kind of qualifies as the wilds these days.

I absolutely love bones and have had four skulls (cattle and mountain sheep) on my walls, most outside. The mountain sheep below was found in Eastern Oregon by my parents many years ago. [Correction: Farm Boss said that they actually found it in Arizona on one of their winters in the area between Yuma and Quartzite]. The cow skulls were up the valley from our home here-- likewise had them a long while.

When we walked back to the creek, we saw the skull of the ram that died last year. Farm Boss had buried the carcass, but it was dug up and this lovely skull left in perfect condition. I didn't really feel I would have taken it otherwise given I felt I knew its owner but then here it was handed to me and I don't ignore a gift of nature.

Otherwise summer is going too rapidly and we've been busy with getting hay in, sheep sheared, time with grandchildren, Farm Boss's outside work, my manuscript editing, and I even got the jury duty over by being on one that took most of a day, but ended my obligation for two years-- unless a different court calls me in :( When I turn 70, it would be sufficient to say I don't want to serve again which I really don't. I am not a person who likes to take responsibility for other people's lives. Oh I speak my mind, say what I think, but don't want to make that final decision. In a jury, you have no choice about that. I understand it's an important thing for our legal system though.

The next month will be busy with more grandchildren time and a 50th high school reunion for Farm Boss. Boy time flies. Really, it was 50 years ago??? Mine will be in September, and I am starting to think about a dress for it. It doesn't have to be fancy, but I don't have a lot of need for dresses, hence do not have anything that would work. I am thinking-- sundress but not sure what will be in the stores that won't be so short I can't visualize wearing it anywhere but around the house!  I looked online and it seemed that every dress I saw (that wasn't over $200) was meant for a twenty something. What's that all about?!

This last skull is not one we found unless you count buying one in Nogales, Sonora as found. I have it in the solarium.