


January 2012 - Dang. or "how we took live trees for granted on this walk"

So i have been taking a little break these last few days;
Mr. Foresterman has been cutting down burnt trees
I have been skinning/stripping them.
its a special project we will show you later.
but right now I cant type much
because skinning the burnt bark off 
involves a pole permit,
and a sharp blade

and the ability 
to avoid slicing your hands off...

my arms are like 
tyrannasaurus rexs dangling little appendage arms.



Above are my Bighorn mountains in the distance 

 And in the foreground are used to be trees,
that burned up last year,
that are now dead.
being skinned by me.
only the skinny ones...
anoxeric trees make good poles.

WARNING - This might become one of those drinking game blog posts...

  Since we are surrounded by 144,000+ acres of National forest land,

as part of my January 2012 walking therapy 
prescibed by Mr. foresterman for me

-We would take walks off of our hayfields into the US forest, even on cloudy days -

In January 2012, what everyone might have not known, is that I was on warfarin 
 due to a dvt I had gotten in surgery.
I couldnt really have alcohol, nor vitamin K stuff. 
Basically taking warfarin is like having permission to eat all the crappy foods you wanted to eat when you were 12, 
but certainly dont want to eat as a grownup - you know better...

Warfarin thins your blood, and eating healthy food like greens 
could make you bleed out.

This whole process lasted about 6 months, and it was not fun,
because i never got my IR count regulated -i had to have weekly draws. 

but one thing I could control was my body's stamina.

Exercise was best.

So we walked. all the time.
for circulation
(so little veins could take over where my damaged arteries couldnt)
for keeping me at a good weight
(twinkies and doritos are not life sustaining)

we had to pass our old homestead to walk West of our place.

It burnt up.

Whimper, the homestead, now a pile of ashes! WHIMPER.
lets all whimper together now!
in the key of "G" !
let me go get my banjo!


wheres the tequila?

Okay, let me get a grip - it was hard cleaning up these photos...

So we would climb hills, to see all the vantage points, like the Bighorn Mts. (MINE) and our house...

here Mr. foresterman is contemplating other things,
not knowing

that in 6 months these trees would all be aflame, dead or dying.

Dexter seems to be in deep thought also.

though his thoughts are more likely about 

which tree next to relieve myself on?
where are the treats in her pocket?
whats that great/terrible/edible smell?

is that a squirrel?

there were so many little rest stops we would take on our walks

Here is a little cave thing

lots of them. lots. 
also, the word "thing" is a science word. really.
in my world. *cough*

I would bravely stick my camera in

and be absolutely dissappointed that there is no treasure in there.

maybe next time we'll see something!

I did this a lot.

During January, you can do this without the threat of rattlesnakes,
a plus!

But as we continued to walk, these little signs became treasures to photograph, because they tell us what we own, 
and what the USFS (whose all of us! really!) 

Too bad this tree and sign burnt up too.

are you thirsty?  Im thirsty.

actually, i think this is starting to become a tequila post.

and you wonder why i only posted 3 times in January 2012

foreshadowing is not a gift, let me tell you.

anyhow, this bearing tree burnt up too.

Want a Margarita?

and this ancient stump, which we believe that one of the trees in the original homestead that burnt up came from this stump,
also burnt up too.

got that?

But i do have its memory in a picture...

let me go make a few pitchers full...

Okay, let me get a grip,
 lets try happy thoughts, without the use of alcohol.

for right now.

This is a yucca plant, and the animals like to eat not the sharp pointy leaves, 
but the white bulb at the base of the leaves -

its edible!

like a margarita...

and here is a bobcat print in a patch of snow!

You can tell it is made by a feline, because the print shape is round, not oval,
and there are no toenail tracks.
Felines retract their claws when they walk,
canines dont...

And by these use to be alive but only alive in my pictures now 
ponderosa pines,

should i add strawberries to the blender?

here is coyote scat.

okay, poop. coyote poop.

looks like he had a bunny. or two.

Should I heat up some snack burritos too?


these three sister ponderosa pines are now gone too.

salt rimmed glasses, the only way to go.


SO heres a toast to the trees - you guys were beautiful...

and we took you for granted.

I am so very sorry.


*she raises her glass, and looks to the west...*


Next up, SOLO walk into the National forest
(mr. foresterman had enough of me wandering away)

I promise it will be a non-alcoholic post!



  1. it's alright, dearie. we'll drink with you. we'll tear up with you. because we know you and foresterman and dexter et. al came thru okay. and the land will come back with new trees...eventually. you might need a few more bottles of tequila and triple sec before then, but...

  2. I miss those trees, too, & I never knew them. Pour me a margarita, please!!

  3. So sad about the trees. We're wooded and I always worry about fire even though we're not in a fire risk area, we've cut the trees back from the house mostly because we are in tornado country and have lots of strong storms. My husband was on warfarin after a blood clot and we did have to monitor our meals closely. He's off it now and back to eating greens.

  4. Um, if you had "taken them for granted" you'd not have taken their photographs. Still mucho tequila worthy tho... :-(.

  5. I can only imagine how different everything must be...and how sad it must make you. Here's hoping that the regrowth will produce some new treasures...soon! Still amazed that you guys came through that in one piece!!

  6. Make my margarita with rum please, I can't handle tequila!
    We should never take anything for granted, everything beautiful is a gift and everything in the world is transitory.

  7. Please add a shot of grand marnier to my margarita, please!!! Plain or strawberry is fine with me, just keep 'em coming.

    Would you do me a favor? Go find a ponderosa, hug it tight and sniff deep into the crevices of the bark? That lovely vanilla smell is unbelievable. 'Course, it might be a bit hard to find in winter, but in the summer? Oh, so lovely. And, I don't think you take anything for granted, especially trees. They mean too much to you.

  8. (twinkies and doritos are not life sustaining) say what?:)

    Oh you have shown the best part of a time that is gone you think but the best part was behind the camera with the one she loves taking good care of his lady. Don't be sad Feral the best is yet to come. (I heard that at the mall:) yup the mall (I hate the mall) cheesey Christmas music does make you smile:)

    Your photos are a treasure to be cherished for all who see and I for one cannot wait to see what those trees you have turned into with all that hard work. Keep smiling my friend the BEST is already here we just have to keep looking.You know this to be true. We cannot change the past but we can look forward to the future. Never had tequila:) but I have seen my share of Coyote POOP:) xoxoxo

  9. So sad to see what was. <:P Trees take so long to get that size. GONE to ashes in a few hours. Sad, sad. Still we're glad you and your Mister and your critters survived to see more grow.

    Here's hoping for less smoke and much more green next summer.

  10. Yes it is terribly sad that all the beautiful trees are gone.....

  11. I'm glad you took a gazillion pictures and can share them with us. We took those trees for granted, too, without even knowing it. Guilt by granted. Or something like that. And I am for any excuse to whip up a pitcher of ms.

  12. We do tend to take the trees for granted when we see them every day in all their glory! I'm so glad that you got lots of pictures so that they can live forever! :)
    I had to laugh at your yucca plant...my goats do indeed eat the pointy parts!

  13. Thank you for these beautiful pictures, and I share a drink to what was, to what will be and to you my friend..

  14. Oh Feral woman....... You are not alone in that........ We all don't appreciate things as well as when they are gone....... How much we take for granted.......((((hugs)))) to you in your continuing journey.........

  15. So glad you did take the pictures of those trees in all of their glory, cheers I'll take a cocktail to toast their splendor now lost

  16. Oh I am forever looking into cave things. I always think one day I will find a treasure there. Its must be heart breaking to see all the photos of what was. You are still young hang around in those parts another 25 years and it will be much back again. Ok I will take that shot of tequilla now.

  17. How did you know the coyote ate a bunny?
    Because you could see a hare in his scat!
    (Snort snort snort)
    Ok sorry.....must be the french martinis!!! Not really. It's just me in early morning state of mind. I gave french martinis up a couple of years ago, on NYE, when it affected my early morning state of mind. Not it...They...They affected my early morning state. Hmmm....maybe I'll reinstate them!
    Girl....I am so sorry you lost your trees. You know what....I tried to dig up a tree for you, to send to you, when you ordered honey off of me, but I couldn't get it out of the ground. Well, I kind of broke it. Ok I did break it because I was in a hurry and instead of digging, I tried to pull it out. It wasn't very tall so I thought I could just yank it out, but it must have had long roots. Anywho....I'm sorry about your trees.

    Cindy Bee

  18. Oh wow. I'll take my tequila straight up with salt and lime after that, please. Reminiscing sometimes can be hard on ya. I hope your health is better and that new trees are on the way. Something you put deeply in my heart today....don't take things for granted. Be appreciative of every moment. I wish you JOY beyond measure and a happy, healthy life.
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
    Hugs, Brenda
    Down Memory La La Lane

  19. The once-enduring trees are gone. Replaced by tree-skeletons. Or tree-zombies. Of which you are trying to make creative use. That's good.

    Also good that you are out walking. And maybe mauling some wood.These will help to keep you healthy. Hopefully.

    Happy Thanksgiving! Blessings and Bear hugs!

  20. Sorry, I'm a bit belated getting caught up on your posts. Warfarin? I'm pretty sure that is what killed my mother. The stress from those weekly blood draws gave her a stroke. She had a special diet between that drug and a sudden onset of diabetes at the age of 78. I'm so glad when I see alternative drugs being advertised on TV. You've had quite a rough time.



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