Wheat and Elk

Friday night I came home to a wide line of ants to the kitchen sink. They were after an apple core I left in the sink that morning, I forgot that even though it is winter, I need to be more careful. On the bright side, the line was finally wide enough for me to see where they were coming in, through the electrical outlet behind the refrigerator. I finally had a chance to spray them at their source.

Then I try to sit at the computer and Cruiser starts his warble howl that he does when Pierre is teasing him. Pierre come into Cruiser's backyard and looks at him through the window at the back door every night. I go downstairs and let Cruiser out to chase Pierre. Usually Pierre high tails it over the fence to his yard and Cruiser doesn't get even close. This time Pierre must have made a wrong turn and Cruiser had the chance to pin him against my other neighbors fence and give him a good scare. Pierre finally made it back over his fence, but I have not seen him since.

That was enough activity for a Friday night. Saturday morning I finished the rock and then walked across the street to the antique store to buy a new watercolor water crock. My old jar was a really big old pickle jar made out of nice heavy glass and I've had it for years, but Dad has a crock that we bought him as kids and that is what I always wanted. The antiques at the antique store are somewhat dubious as antiques, like most of them are now, but I noticed before that she had big earthenware crocks last time I was there. I chose a perfect one for $10 and walked it home. Funny the things we artists get excited about.

Walking across the street was cold, cold enough to snow, but we only had a few sprinkles of snow overnight and during the day. The really cold snap is over and I do not think we will have more snow before Thanksgiving.

Sunday afternoon I went to the Idaho Center in Kuna for their Christmas show. A woman I work with always has a booth there. I wanted to see her work and look for some made in Idaho things to send back to So Cal for Christmas. They had the usually hokey stuff including some booths that were like live infomercials, which I thought was weird and a booth of linens made in China, which did not seem to be doing very well. I tasted elk sausage and elk pepperoni, which I expected to taste more different, but it tasted like mild beef. I could not buy any to ship to So Cal, because it has no preservatives and it won't keep, but they invited me to bring anyone who visits for a tour. They are in Horseshoe Bend, 30 minutes north. Here's the link,

http://www.timberbutteelkranch.com/

They raise Roosevelt Elk, which appear to be huge.

I did buy some pancake mix that starts with actual wheat kernels, when was the last time you've seen those, if ever? It came with locally made syrup made with beet sugar, and a soft cover illustrated book. I was as impressed with the package as I was with the resulting pancakes. There were some excellent local woodcrafters and locally made Bowie-type knives with antler handles. It was a fun trip out on a sunny day.

Friday afternoon I had a meeting with the administrator about how to keep me on at my job when my temp hours run out. I think they jumped through hoops to make it happen and I am grateful, but any propaganda about how employment is getting better out there is garbage.

Sorry, I keep getting interrupted. Going to Mary Kay's for Thanksgiving and making my apple pie. I will post again for Thanksgiving.