Soda Shoppe June 1 , 2025

Amy · June 09, 2025, 08:15:35 AM

MG , this is the sound I listened to at 1:15 am..........not impressed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPFTEuT3d4I

Amy · June 09, 2025, 08:43:17 AM

For Rick and Barb, some fix'em and forgett'em meals.

https://momtivational.com/crockpot-dump-dinners/

MarsGal · June 09, 2025, 08:56:07 AM

I'd be a little alarmed at that sound, Amy. My first though is that it is in distress or something needs urgent attention. The sound that had my teeth on edge a few times was that of a terrified rabbit.

JaneS · June 09, 2025, 09:53:26 AM

Good Morning Everyfriend! When I finish here, I'm off to take a walk before it get HOT! I chose not to go out and walk yesterday but I don't like Cindy's walking machine as much as I like walking with Mother Nature!

I'm not sure what's up today but I think I heard Cindy say ALI and the kids aren't coming over today! Maybe she can take a bit of time off and we can go shopping. I want to leave ALI with box of new pint jars and some of the lids she needs for my jars that I brought. I managed the rings but I was short on the lid!

I read all the entries and I feel like I'm getting to know you all! Please keep posting! I miss you when you don't come by! And this coming weekend I'll be on my way home to Pennsylvania. I'll sure miss the kids and family here! I hope you all have a great day! Do whatever pleases you most and don't forget to tell us about it. We need to know because we're interested....or is that word "nosy"?

patricia19 · June 09, 2025, 12:29:15 PM

Good morning, 44 and cloudy out but, this coming Wednesday we're to ease into seventies and on the following Saturday, into the mid-eighties.

We have red, black, and arctic foxes, and I've seen several but have only heard their cries electronically. We have many types of hares, Snowshoe, a black hare, and Alaskan Hare. Likewise, we do have rabbits, a growing population from escaped or dumped pets.

I'm here with my first cup of coffee, waiting on my hair to dry before I leave for town to pick up some things from Lowes and probably a few groceries. Meet and greets and morning routines are finished, and I've started a list of chores for today.

Amy, Claire, is one of those unexpected crises. She has always been the strong, stable woman who was always there for everyone else. To see her breakdown has been shocking, leaving many questions and guilt that we weren't there for her as we expected her to be for us. Covid and 2020 upended several people in our small group, most of whom I've known for forty or more years.

MG, Farrah has never, in the time I've had her, interacted with other animals other than securely enclosed in her carrier at the vets. She has basically ignored them, even a husky mix who was sniffing around her carrier.

We've had pigeons, ravens, small birds, and even once, an immature Golden eagle briefly perch on my balcony railing, with no response from her. I admit with the eagle, I picked her up, pointed her head at the slides, excitingly saying look, look, but all she wanted was down. I also admit to having her eyes checked at the following vet visit. They were fine. I believe she'd left it all behind when she came inside and has no further interest.

I used to spend most of my off time, camera in hand, at the wildlife sanctuary, now I rarely go to more than a mall, market or store with more and more Amazon ordering.

OnLonelyMountain · June 09, 2025, 02:17:32 PM

Good morning Jane, Patricia and all,
It's about 80° here. The sun is shining full on the face of the thermometer, so its reading 92°F. Thats the forecasted high and the pattern indicates its pretty accurate. We started around 60°F this morning. I've completed all the outside chores: dog patrol, watering grass seed, filling the laundry water, treating gopher holes, finishing calking the underlayment. Now I have cleaning and organizing to do inside. I have an electric mouse trap I call the "Electricutioner 5000" that needs new batteries. A bit of a chore but the trap is very effective, so worth it.

My last llama did pass away this weekend. Her name was Ebony. She was 23-28 years old. I can't remember exactly which year she was born. The records are at the farm. I had so much fun with my llamas back before I got injured. I had them trained to cush (lay down), do obstical courses and hauled them around to participate in parades, children's events and living Nativities. I even brought them in my house. I was thankful Ron made her as comfortable as possible.

Amy · June 09, 2025, 03:21:58 PM

MG, it made me sit up in bed but when I realized what it was from went back to sleep.....about 1/2 hour after the call stopped. I agree on the rabbit and another one is the porcupine cry, souds just like a baby!!!

OLG, Sorry,not nice losing an animal that is part of the family..

RAMMEL · June 09, 2025, 07:09:07 PM

Amy, - Thanks for that link for the meals.

patricia19 · June 09, 2025, 10:37:23 PM

Now I have never heard any rabbit sounds, there is a correlation between snowshoe hares and our lynx, "It was a hard winter to be a snowshoe hare — and an even harder one to be a lynx.

Across large swaths of Alaska, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) populations have crashed, causing extreme hardship for the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), which relies almost exclusively on the hare for sustenance.

The two species exist in a complex "boom-bust" cycle, with the success of lynx populations dependent on the availability of hare, says Yukon Department of Environment biologist Tom Jung.

When there are lots of hare, lynx are better fed and have greater reproductive success, meaning more lynx kittens survive into adulthood and breed themselves, driving up lynx populations, which in turn demands more hare to sustain itself. Every nine to 11 years, however, the number of hare crashes precipitously, leaving the peaked lynx population with little to survive on — not unlike the way a downward turn in the stock market can leave humans out of work and struggling to make ends meet.

Amy · June 10, 2025, 05:49:57 AM

Good morning..

Looks as though we had rain during the night. Off to the city to the pain clinic this morning, then picking a few items up for the neighbour and us. Just have to put the wheelchair and cooler in the van and we are good to go. Neighbour is looking after Jesse for us.

Patricia,this is what I found on rabbit population.
Rabbit populations generally experience a boom-and-bust cycle, meaning they fluctuate in numbers. These cycles typically peak and then crash every 7 to 10 years. Factors like food availability, environmental conditions, predation, and disease all play a role in these fluctuations.

Rick, I saw a bluebird yesterday! He was having a bath in a puddle in the driveway. We don't often see them here and it was a nice treat.

Better get my city duds on..

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

OnLonelyMountain · June 10, 2025, 09:15:20 AM

Good morning everyone,
Its supposed to be a little cooler today. Whew!🥵 and there's supposed to be a breeze. I'm still working on laundry. I think I got the last of the processing fragrance out of the new shirt I've been washing. I always feel like I've washed the "new" right out of them. I have glass blocks for a window and a hopper vent window for the tiny house bathroom coming this week. The glass blocks will go in the tiny hallway. I don't like dark halls. The one in the RV is so short you'd think it wouldn't matter. It does. The armoire is there and I can't see to find what I want without a flashlight. So, 3 glass blocks should take care of that nicely.

Not much new on my list of to dos. Just the usual: watering the grass seed (there is new grass), cleaning, maybe some wood cutting. It depends on how hot it gets and if there is a cooling breeze. Have a great day everyone.

RAMMEL · June 10, 2025, 09:38:53 AM

Mocking bird is still carrying raisins back to the nest. Looks like we'll have a few mocking birds this year. Fun to listen too when they get going.

patricia19 · June 10, 2025, 11:12:41 AM

Good morning, 43 and cloudy at 6:32 in the morning. We're supposed to have a warming trend soon. "Warm Temperatures Expected Across The Interior This Week.

High pressure builds across the Interior as we experience a large scale pattern change. Temperatures in Interior valleys warm rapidly through the week with highs rising to the mid to upper 60s Tuesday, the upper 60s to lower 70s Wednesday, the mid 70s Thursday, and upper 70s Friday. Temperatures this weekend may reach into the lower 80s."

Amy, the rabbits we have now are not native, but the descendants of pets released. I've seen only a few but would like to know more about them. The hares we have here are mainly snowshoe hares that are larger.

Every once in a while, I think it is every ten to eleven years, the hares have a die off, and you will see reports telling people to leave them alone and don't let the dogs eat them, and get sick.

I've sometimes seen lynx, but they're not fans of people, so it's become a rarity. I've seen more river otters, especially by the rivers as winters and summers, they love sliding over and over from the banks to the waters. They, the rabbits, sound more like the hares in their lifestyle.

Rick, I looked up bluebirds as I've never seen one. Even the jays aren't blue but gray. Turns out that we have six Interior blue types according to my search, barn swallows in the southeast, Cliff Swallows, Tree Swallows, Belted King Fisher, Mountain Bluebird, and last Stellar's Jay.

I'm not sure if I've seen any of them but would like to. I've learned so much I didn't know from the sanctuary's site, and it's in my own backyard. I wonder if the swans have arrived, they're usual late arrivals. Do mocking birds copy the sounds of other birds?

The ones I'm familiar with are thrushes, wrens, woodpeckers, juncos, chickadees, starlings and pine siskins. And of course Willow Ptarmigan, our state bird. There is a Black-Billed Magpie, which surprised me, on the list.

And of course the migrating population in the refuge, which either stops there for a rest on the way elsewhere or settles in to nest and have their summer nesting young. Yesterday while out, I noticed and heard more bird sounds and unfortunately saw and felt lots of baby mosquitoes.

OLM, You're always doing so much, you remind me of my sister when she was homesteading back in the seventies. Everything and everyone went in and out via Cessna.

Today, I have to go back to Lowes. The replacement stove coil I purchased yesterday doesn't fit my brand.

RAMMEL · June 10, 2025, 11:38:12 AM

Quote from: patricia19 on June 10, 2025, 11:12:41 AMDo mocking birds copy the sounds of other birds?

This from a StartPage search- "Mockingbirds are a group of New World passerine birds from the family Mimidae. They are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession and for being extremely territorial when raising hatchlings. Studies have shown the ability of some species to identify individual humans and treat them differently based on learned threat assessments."
They seem to live up to that description. I have one that comes to my back porch window and does what I call a "fly by" to get my attention and put out some raisins. Last year I had a robin who almost took food out of my hand. As I put a raisin down, the robin would pick it up. The mocking bird, so far, is not that brave,

JaneS · June 10, 2025, 11:47:02 AM

Good Morning Everyfriend! I've been upa and attem for some time! I took my walk outside early today so I could beat the heat. It's supposed to get into the 90s today and I did my walk at 78 and that felt HOT!!

I read all the posts and you all know so much about the wild life around you that it makes me feel dumb! I know some of them that my Dad identified to me when I was growing up but there are so many kinds of birds and ground life that it's hard to keep up. Whin I'm around my granddaughter, ALI who is an outside gardener, I learn new things every day! Maybe that's part of the reason I'm still hanging around "down here"! (And that means "down below the sky" when I've reache this ripe old age!

I'm hoping the kids show up sometime today. I need to see them as much as I can before we take off for Pennsylvania on Saturday! Also, I have those jars for ALI!

I wish you all a good day! Don't sweat it! Take it easy! I'm going to do just that!

patricia19 · June 10, 2025, 02:54:21 PM

Rick, thanks. I'm going to do more of a search on mocking birds. I've never been able to get birds accustomed to me. But, I have to admit, I haven't actually worked at it. Except for ravens and pigeons that are very opportunistic. There was a very large owl at the train station once who kept a very close eye on me as he perched on the station's roof. He was a great gray owl, according to image identification.

OnLonelyMountain · June 10, 2025, 04:06:49 PM

Good afternoon! Thank you Patricia, but honestly I don't feel like I'm doing much at all. I read everyone else's posts and everyone, in their own life style is pretty darn busy! I try to do as much stuff as I can every day because it helps with the isolation or will improve my living conditions (i.e. the tiny house). There's also those years when I couldn't do anything and I feel like I wasted them. I'm behind😬

Great bird thread! We have the grey pine jays and the Stellar s jays. Our blue birds are the Mountain Blue Birds. Thank you Rick and Patricia! We have the great grey owls here. They look like backwards flying bullets to me.😄 They often accompany us on our patrols starting a little later in the summer. I'm seeing them already. I don't know why. The hummingbirds have shown behavior indicating they recognize me, and are comfortable with me as opposed to when anyone else comes around. They zoom up and stare in the window to see what I'm doing.

Jane, I'm hoping the kids show up for you too! Have a lovely day!

CallieOK · June 10, 2025, 04:23:39 PM

Good Afternoon,

I enjoy watching birds! I have windows across the back of my living room and a set of bird feeders in the yard that I enjoy watching.
Four pairs of cardinals and a pair of finches come regularly. Have also seen titmouse (titmice? titmouses? ), chickadees, a flock of sparrows, robins, hummingbirds and other birds wandering through. Complex has a pond and we see ducks and Canada geese there.
Once, I opened the blinds and saw ten wild turkeys on my lawn and perched on the fence! Learned that they were up and down the creek that runs through town at the edge of the complex.

I think birds have "personalities"!
Neighbor and I have "patio time" in the summer and we swear that three crows who regularly perch in the cottonwoods behind our fence are talking about us!
Watched a female finch perched in the middle of the sunflower feeder with a male on each side. She would give a seed to the one on the left - then one to the right, etc. I thought she was having herself a lot of fun.
When I lived on the other side of town, I heard an owl and the dog next door having a "conversation". Dog would bark and owl would imitate the number of barks - and vice versa.

I think I posted about the wren that built a nest in the bag under my walker seat. The three babies fledged and the family flew away. Yesterday, I saw Papa Wren on the suet feeder. So I guess they're still around.

We had Stellar Jays when we lived in Leadville, Colorado. Gorgeous birds! We have plain old blue jays here; they're noisy and chase smaller birds away.
Also have mockingbirds here. They do imitate other birds and are aggressive.

And that's my Bird Story!

Hope Everyfriend is having an Enjoyable Day.

Amy · June 11, 2025, 06:51:53 AM

Good morning..

Another appointment but it is here in town then home to work.

Yesterday went well, this Dr is amazing in and out before our appointed time!Shopped at Costco ,then scooted home after we had lunch at DQ.

Callie, yes birds have individual personalities and a pecking order in some. Great entertainment to watch, soon the crows will bring their young to eat and it always fun to watch them train the young. Young still want to be fed by Mom and Dad ,they will show the young the food then step back.

Janie, enjoy your time there but Cooper will love the fact your home!

Better get this day started.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

JaneS · June 11, 2025, 11:59:35 AM

[/b]Good Morning Everyfriend! We had the kids and Ali for most of the afternoon. I think she left when it was time for Dan to be coming home from work and for her to get supper on the table! The kids were here for about ah hour or so without her. She made a trip to the stores and bot some stuff she needed and lunh for the kids! I got a lot of hugs! When they were getting hooked up in the car seats and ready for the trip home, Mikey undid his, jumped out and threw his arms around me and said "I forgot to say bye, GG!" That made my day!

I took my walk this morning I said in my mind "before it gets hot". It didn't work! It was already hot at 8:30 a.m.! I guess I'll have to get up in the middle of the night and go for a walk!

I'm about half way packed for the trip home. Cindy said she's doing laundry tomorrow so I'll throw what I have dirty in her laundry room. There's not much because she did laundry on Thursday last week.

I hope you all have a great day! Do whatever suits your fancy! And be sure to tell us what that was! We're very interested!

patricia19 · June 11, 2025, 01:59:57 PM

Good morning, I hope everyone is doing well. Coffee's finished as is meet and greets, morning routine, feeding everyone and I even finished two crossword puzzles.

I went back to Lowes, yesterday, exchanged types of coils and wandered around, looking at flowers and plants at Lowes and neighboring Fred Meyers. I was looking at cut up fruit and the mixed ones were absurdly priced.

Finally, chose one apiece of strawberries and one of blueberries, 16 ounces and $5.99. Next week, the home-grown and farmers markets will be available. By July with accompanying dogs there will be wild ones to pick.

I've known that animals, think, reason, play, and learn. After all, humans sometimes do, and we're all animal species.

Jane, did you take plenty of photos?

Amy, I don't care for doctors, at least the ones locally. They're mostly retired military, kept that mindset, and drawn to the higher wages here. And can't seem to go beyond average diagnoses.

OnLonelyMountain · June 11, 2025, 06:45:41 PM

Hello everybody, I've enjoyed your news. Today has been a rain day. We did get one big crack of thunder and the cell didn't cut loose again for another hour or better. Then It really got with it, but it was a good distance away.

Callie, I've never seen a cardinal. They aren't in my area. I always wanted to, they are such beautiful birds. As far as "birds have personalities," Oh yes! I used to have chickens. I loved those hennies. There were always one or two that would get particularly friendly. They would come when I went out and stand between my feet, scratching, clucking and "purring." They would tell me all about their day. Some breeds were less friendly, some more so. I liked the Americaunas, the Osterlops, the silver lace wing wyandots, or the gold lace wing wyandots.

Jane, that little Mikey is precious!

Amy · June 12, 2025, 06:39:07 AM

Good morning..

Starting off sunny with a temp of 55°. Better get outside work done first then see what happens. The weather man keeps promising rain but we have had very little.

Putting together a battery operated lawn mower today,should be interesting! Our other push mower is over 30 yrs old and parts are difficult to get parts for.

Patrica, my GP was an army Dr..no bedside manners at all! His son was my vet and the most amazing young man with animals.

Better get this day started.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

OnLonelyMountain · June 12, 2025, 08:46:17 AM

Good morning to you too Amy😃 Good morning all of you!

What brand of electric mower did you get? I love my Greenworks tools. I've been eyeing their mowers. We have so many large rocks I went with the string trimmer. If/when Ron ever gets to working on the play yard and removing them I hope to get one. Was your old one electric?

Today I'm expecting a new pair of shoes and a glass block installation part. I've been looking for shoes for 2-3 years. It takes me so long because they have to be non-toxic, leather, and x-wide. Tough to find. I sure hope these work!

More laundry today. Thinking I might try to get a downed tree cut up.

Have a good day everyone!

JaneS · June 12, 2025, 09:14:43 AM

Good Morning Everyfriend! I hope to get some pictures when we go over to Ali's tomorrow for supper. It's the last time I'll bee seeing them for a long time and at this point in life, who knows if it will ever happen again! We just have to enjoy things when they come and be glad we did! If I get a good picture of me with the kids, I'll post it after I get home and Cindy leaves to return to OKLA> Don't hold your breath because at this point in life, my memory is only partly there! I already told Cindy that I need pictures before we leave and tomorrow is the day!

Today is laundry day! I brought down everything that's dirty and Cindy is washing hers, Jims and mine today! I don't think Ali and the kids are coming over today unless she needs some flowers from here for sales! So tomorrow will be my last visit with them. I'm really going to miss these kids~

In the next couple of days there will be lots of hugs and kisses! And I wish you all a great day coming up. I'll be taking my computer down tomorrow and packing it for the trip home so don't expect me on line after tomorrow until I have time to get organized at home. And that takes me longer than usual! Enjoy your time!

Amy · June 13, 2025, 06:39:10 AM

Good morning..

Starting at 41° and they say some rain today. That could be iffy so the sprinkle is on in the garden now.

Work around home after picking up a few things in town.

Has anyone seen Barb?

Jane, safe trip home and I am sure they will miss you as well.

OLM. the lawnmower is so easy to put together it is a Yardworks 17" brushless. After the battery was charged out we went to see just how it worked and I am pleased with it. I do like how quiet it is compared to a gas lawnmower.

Patricia, how are you doing? Farrah have you busy?

Better get the day on the go.

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

JaneS · June 13, 2025, 08:50:42 AM

[/b]/Good Morning Everyfriend! When I finish here and check my emails, I'll be packing up the computer for the trip home. I'm not looking forward to not seeing the kids and Ali and Dan but we are going over there for supper tonight. My last visit with the kids! I don't think they have a clue....well, Emma does! She's 7 but the little guys don't put it all together. I'm really going to miss this part of my family!

I wish you all a great day! Make it your own in every way!

AMY, it's supposed to be raining in Lewisburg, PA when we get there!

patricia19 · June 13, 2025, 12:48:03 PM

Good morning, It's sixty degrees and clear, we were in the early eighties last night and expecting similar highs for today. It has been clear skies in the morning, with afternoon's bringing dark clouds rapidly moving to the west.

We're seeing a dramatic temperature increase instead of the usual graduated May through June increases. Yesterday's weather advisory, "Temperatures Rising Into the 80s This Weekend Across The Interior...

High pressure builds across the Interior this week as we experience a dramatic shift in the pattern. Temperatures rapidly increase in Interior valleys and by this weekend, widespread 80+ degree readings are expected and may continue into next week."

Jane, I'm sure you'll miss that side of the family but will be glad to see home and Frankie and Cooper as they will be glad to see you.

Amy, earlier I'd kept busy with cleaning and decluttering. These past few days have been simply morning routines and keeping any messes seen to. Farrah has been following me around until yesterday, when she must have thought I'd gone crazy.

We've had some small birds, but mostly pigeons walking along our balcony rail.

After she'd shown no interest, even with me pointing them out to the extent of picking her up and bringing her to the windows, I began testing her hearing and sight. Obviously no problems, so perhaps, with readily available dished food, birds no longer tempt. And she must have thought I'd gone mad.

RAMMEL · June 13, 2025, 12:50:59 PM

Quote from: Amy on June 13, 2025, 06:39:10 AMOLM. the lawnmower is so easy to put together it is a Yardworks 17" brushless. After the battery was charged out we went to see just how it worked and I am pleased with it. I do like how quiet it is compared to a gas lawnmower.

"A new broom sweeps clean".

OnLonelyMountain · June 13, 2025, 01:19:29 PM

Good morning everyone!

Amy, I love the quiet operation, too!😊 I am also wondering about Barb?

Patricia, Farrah achieved her goal: personal attention.😸

Jane, I second what Patricia said.👍

Rick, pithy and true!

I did get a downed tree cut up yesterday, and more clean up on that massive gnarly tree on the drive both yesterday and today. Pushing the usual chores, plus preparations for Family Camp, which starts tomorrow.

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