Just need to talk to my friends (220)

Carl46 · July 30

My youngest brother got stuck in mud like that when he was a small child, by walking into the garden after a rain. He would be there yet, but of course we heard his cries. Our father picked him up and carried him to dry ground. His shows were left in the bottoms of the holes, which instantly filled with water. Maybe paleontologists will find the shoes someday.

The Badlands get hot, because there is no vegetation to absorb the sunlight. The sun heats the dark, bare earth and it radiates heat like asphalt. South Dakota grasslands get pretty warm in summer (no trees, no shade), but the Badlands get HOT.

People from all over the world travel to the Great Plains to see the vistas. You can see 50 miles of nothing but grass in any direction out there, and people from crowded places like Europe marvel at it. I do too, for that matter, since I live in forested hills and seeing a great distance is rare. When my father moved here from the plains, it took him years to adjust to not being able to see more than a mile or two.

jfkoc · July 31

GG …thanks for the pic.

Lorita · July 31

I got stuck in the pond a few years ago.We were in a drought and there were omly three or four great big puddles of water left - the rest looked like dry ground. A cow had a new baby on the other side of the pond. The cow decided to cone to the house so she walked over the dam. Baby tried to come straight across what looled like dry ground and fell through. I happened to see it happen. told Charles and I hurried over with a rope.I walked out on what looked like dry ground to the calf and fell through to my waist in thick mud. I was close enough that I could hold the calf's bead up out of the mud and water but felt like I was going to fall over. I threw the end of the rope to Charles. Other end was around calf'.s neck. Charles pulled us out but somewhere in the pond my green pants are still tbere. Funny thing, Jesse Ray, good friend, got stuck in his pond, too, and his son pulled him out. Dangerous ponds during drought.

They hauling hay across from me.Huge, !ong trucks loaded with big bales. Kind.of.fun to haul hay, at least big bales..

Good night.. Enjoyed the pictures.

Iris L. · July 31

Lorita and Carl, what you both describe is how the movie at The Mammoth Site described how the animals got caught in deep sinkholes and couldn't get out.

The winds at the Badlands were fierce, probably about 60-75 mph, coupled with high temp to 114 degrees. We were about to take a group picture but we couldn't stand the wind or the sizzling heat.

Badlands as far as the eye can see.

Flat

I thought this looked like the Grand Canyon.

The Badlands have bison, big horn sheep, prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets. The ferrets were introduced to keep down the population of the prairie dogs. There are also rattlesnakes.

Me in the Badlands

I'm dealing with a virus now, with coughing, runny nose, headache and fever. Tomorrow I'll do a Covid test.

Good night.

Iris

ronald71111 · July 31

Good morning

Ron

harshedbuzz · July 31

Good morning. We've been invaded by plumbers yet again. They're still sorting out the leak in the hall bath and are taking a crack at the en suite shower. Fingers crossed today is the end of it.

Iris— Thanks for the vicarious vacation experience. The pictures are amazing. Where are you headed next?

Lorita— That pond-mud sounds really scary.

Beth— Mentally, I am delusional and consider myself to be in my 40s which is frankly ridiculous. My niece and son keep my mind young with new ideas and vocabulary. And through fate, I still find myself in the sandwich generation balancing the needs of my mom and trying to launch my adult son which is more of a 50-something place to be. This disconnect does not serve me well; I get indignant in the context of symptoms of aging. My DH is 10 years my senior and really leaning into the aging gracefully thing which makes for some interesting discussions.

Carl— That mud story reminds me of a marching band competition from DS's sophomore year. I was "uniform mom" to a crew of 140. The event was held at a rural consolidated high school that had a natural turf field, after it had rained for days. Our band went last as they'd scored highest the year prior. The did an awesome job and took 1st place again but the field was a churned up muddy mess at that point. By the end of the performance most of the band had lost at least one show; many lost both as well as socks. They other moms and I went out after with trash bags collecting what we could salvage.

__________________________________________________________

I hope all have a safe and pleasant day.
HB

jfkoc · July 31

good morning…hot. outside…lawn looking woogy despite watering…I got a lot done inside but the troll came during the night and found more stuff to be taken care of…lol

Iris L. · July 31

Good morning.

I'm still feeling sick but a bit better than yesterday, although I had a bad night.

Iris

Lorita · July 31

We had some clouds and even enough sprinkles to get the rocks wet in front of the steps. Sun is back out now. Weather says this may be our hottest day so far. To be cooler the next three or four days. There is actually A cold front across NW Okla. coming our way.

Iris, sorry you're not feeling well. You just need to take time to recover. Cute picture of you. I don't like the looks of the Badlands especially the rocky part. What happened to make that part of South Dakota like that -glaciers? Since it's A National Park guess no one lives there. We've donated to St. Joseph'.s Indian School in SD for years but guess they're in a different area.

Would hate to say how old I feel today, standing or sitting. Yesterday I had cream of wheat and toast for breakfast with OJ-CB juice and tea. About 5:30 or 6 got shaky. I guess it was hypoglycemia because after eating something sweet felt better. I used to have those but haven't in A long time. Did go out and fill the water tank and watered the caladiums. So cute to see the babies run to the lot and water tank to get a drink.

I think D. almost got too hot yesterday. The man who leases his land baled hay but left an area of Johnson Grass uncut. D. Went down and was trying to pull it up yesterday. He got back home but didn't sound good.

Looks like Mike and someone hauled up most of the hay I can see from here. That is what the girls will eat this winter. I am ready for fall and winter but we have at least six more weeks of this. Stay cool.

eaglemom · July 31

Good hot afternoon. I can't help myself, its 106 with the index of 112. I tried to let Madison out a bit ago. When I opened the door she looked up and me, backed up and went to her bed! Too hot for her outside!!!I've said it many times, I feel sorry for the people who have to work outside in the unrelenting heat.

I'm really having to limit my screen time right now. My eyes are just really bothering me. The two prescription eye drops aren't cutting it. So I've got a "brand new" eye treatment I begin tomorrow. Six drops a day every 2 hrs. for 8 weeks. I'll about do anything to be able to see. Ugh.

I'll get back on later.

Lorita · August 1

Whst II s the.problem with your eyes, Eagle?..I have uber dry eyes and use drops many times a day, also bleparitis.

Been very hot here today, too. Last time I checked it was 103 with heat index of 106, I think. Seems like the heat is bothering me more than ever before this year. Maybe that comes with age. Bryon is coming in the morning, hopefully, with his cousin to take care of a couple of trees with broken limbs, one in the corner of the yard and the other over the carport.

Think I may go in, lay on the bed and watch tv. Good.night

GothicGremlin · August 1

Carl and Lorita - that mud seems really scary. I've never encountered anything like that before.

Iris - I love your photos of the badlands. I'd love to go there one day. But looking at the photos reminds me why I didn't become a paleontologist — I'm just not tough enough. All of the great fossil places are in places like that. Mongolia is another great dino hunting place. Also hot.

Great photo of you! I hope you're starting to feel better.

HB - I must be delusional as well when it comes to age. I also get indignant when I encounter age-related limitations. What do you mean I can't stay up all night? (as I ask the question at 2am) Honestly though, when I'm well-rested, I don't feel much over 35, but then I get smacked in the face by reality. My cousins keep me young and that's where I hear the slang.

eaglemom - Awww, poor Madison! I don't blame her - 106 is just too hot.

This afternoon I made ice cream sandwiches. I found a recipe I really like for the cookie part. It's not too sweet, but still really chocolatey, and so goes well with the ice cream.

I'm starting to slow down, so that's probably my cue to go to sleep. I hope you all have a good night and a good morning. I'll still be asleep when you all wake up. 🙂

ronald71111 · August 1

Good morning

Ron

eaglemom · August 1

Good morning from the hot land. Iris travels to the Bad Lands and we live in the hot lands!

Iris I've really enjoyed your pictures. I'm so sorry that your not feeling well. Hopefully you can rest several days and feel better.

HB your saga and the floor continues, I'm so sorry. Maybe the plus will be that you will have two new showers as an outcome. Of course there is always the expense that goes along with that, but once fixed you'll be set. As for your HOA trouble that's just ridiculous, IMO. Do you really have to remove the Bradford? Why not have it trimmed up, I mean trimmed up a lot. I say that because we have a Bradford in our yard I wanted removed and the tree man said "let me make it look like a broccoli, it will last years more & won't split." I figured why not and that was probably 10 - 12 yrs ago. It did look like a broccoli how he trimmed it, but its healthy. He comes and trims it lightly every 4-5 yrs.

Lorita they are treating my eyes for something called neurotrophic keratitis (sp?) The medicine I start using today is insanely expensive. Thankfully we have excellent insurance and an insurance cap. Its 6 drops, spaced 2 hrs apart every day for 8 weeks. I have high hope this will provide some relief.

I'll catch up with the rest of you the next time I can sit & read. Let's be safe everyone.

Just need to talk to my friends (220)

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