Minnow Racing?

There is a season of the Wisconsin calendar with no name because we all don't like it. It comes after snowmobile and before fishing opener and summer fun. It is void of anything fun. It is so boring people take to visiting relatives (Rex and Mary visited us, for example, during the season with no name).

The taverns are desperate to come up with some way to break the boredom. This tavern, called the Crow Bar, has minnow racing (not a typo).


Here, in this blurry blackberry photo, we see Renee, left, and her son Garrett, right about to do battle. The course is two ordinary sections of plastic rain gutter, sealed at the ends and filled with water.........

.....The combatants must select a minnow from a bucket that looks suspiciously like it just came from the bait store.........

....here is Renee, nervous as she awaits the starting signal to release her mighty and impatient minnow.........

....the object is to blow bubbles through a straw behind your minnow to scare him into racing the length of the gutter. Here is Garret with a healthy lead over his mother, mired with a confused minnow at the starting gate.............

.....Yes!! It is Garret at the finish line first with a 175 length lead!

....Naturally, it's Wisconsin, where we bet on everything like "will the sun come up tomorrow?" Minnow racing is a high dollar event like horse racing or greyhound racing. Garrett won the entire day's tournament and took home a handsome $40. Ever notice how women just hang on a lucky winner with lots of cash?.........

By Uncle Hans

MORE SNAKES

ANOTHER SNAKE CUT THROUGH THE YARD.  THIS ONE WASN’T A RATTLESNAKE, BUT LONG AND QUICK MOVING.

 

A NEW THEORY

MY OLD THEORY WAS THAT THE LANDLORD’S GOLDEN RETRIEVER HAD RUN OFF ALL THOSE PESKY CHIPMUNKS AND THE MICE THAT SEEMED TO PLAGUE US LAST SUMMER.

THIS THIRD SNAKE IS ANOTHER DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE THE BLACK STEPS ARE TO THE CAMPER AND THE BLUE IS THE OLD BLUE RUG WE HAVE STAKED DOWN TO KEEP THE ROCKS OUTSIDE.

LUCKILY MARY SAW THE RATTLER BEFORE SHE STEPPED OUT OF THE CAMPER. 

MY NEW THEORY IS THAT THE RATTLESNAKES HAVE EATEN ALL THE MICE AND CHIPMUNKS?  MARY SAYS SHE’LL TAKE THE RATTLERS OVER MICE IN THE CAMPER…….

THE SNAKE IN THE PICTURE ABOVE REFUSED TO MOVE ON, SO MARY SAID TO GIVE IT A FEW MORE MINUTES.  I WAS OUTSIDE THE CAMPER AND POPPED OPEN A COLD ONE IN THE GARAGE.  KINDA FORGOT ABOUT MARY BEING TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAMPER …….

FINALLY I CAME TO MARY’S RESCUE AND URGED THE SNAKE ALONG WITH A GARDEN RAKE. NOW I’M JUMPING WHEN I ROUND THE CORNER OF THE GARAGE AND SEE THE WATER HOSE.

Bridal Wreath

A few weeks ago, I posted pictures of spring plants that I admire in the desert.  Since I was home in Wisconsin a few weeks ago, I decided to take some pictures of spring plants from home that I miss.  Bridal wreaths!  Love them, they are so pretty and these two pictures are a great example of how gorgeous they can be.  Since I have been back in Arizona, I have noticed that oleanders look a lot like bridal wreath from a distance.

 

 

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…..lilacs, they are actually my favorites and they smell heavenly.  Neither of these plants last very long, but they are show stoppers while they are in bloom and a welcome  indication that spring is finally here!!

Speaking of Bridal Wreath, Happy Wedding Anniversary to my daughter Heather and her husband Randy.

RATTLESNAKE

THE BEST PART OF SUMMER CAMP THIS YEAR HAS BEEN THE WEATHER.  WE’VE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF MAY ON THE LOWER DESERT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE LAST ELEVEN YEARS, AND THIS YEAR HAS BEEN BY FAR THE COOLEST WEATHER.

IN FACT, SO FAR WE HAVEN’T EVEN RUN EITHER OF OUR AIR CONDITIONERS.  THE SECOND A/C IS ALL HOOKED UP IN THE BEDROOM, BUT SO FAR SO GOOD.

THE HOLDING TANKS FINALLY FILLED UP AND IT WAS TIME TO TACKLE THAT DREADED CHORE.  THIS YEAR, IT’S MUCH EASIER.  THE OWNER BROUGHT IN A FEW LOADS OF FILL TO MAKE THE RV SITE LEVEL WITH THE GARAGE AND THIS YEAR MY SHIT RUNS DOWN HILL TO THE SEWER PIPE. 

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW GOOD THAT NEWS IS !!!

THE OWNERS ALSO HAVE A DOG WHEN THEY ARE HERE AND HE SUCCESSFULLY RAN OFF ALL THE PESKY CHIPMUNCKS OR GROUND SQUIRRELS.  WE CAN ONLY HOPE THEY STAY AWAY !!!

I WENT AROUND THE HOUSE THE OTHER DAY AND FOUND THIS RATTLESNAKE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SHADE UNDER THE ROOF OF THE BACK PATIO.

 

NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE SNAKE GAVE MY HEART A LITTLE JUMP AND I FROZE WHERE I WAS STANDING.  I BACKED OUT AND WENT TO GET MARY AND THE CAMERA.

WHEN WE CREPT BACK UP ON THE SNAKE IT HADN’T MOVED, AND MARY SAID SHE THOUGHT THE SNAKE WAS DEAD. I THREW A ROCK AND THE SNAKE DIDN’T MOVE, BUT THE FIRST STEP I TOOK TOWARD THE SNAKE, AND HIS HEAD CAME UP AND SO DID THE RATTLES.

I GUESS THERE’S A GOOD REASON WHY ARIZONA CALLS THEIR BASEBALL TEAM THE DIAMOND BACKS.