Thursday, July 15, 2010

Soundtracks of Summer

The first summer I worked for the Forest Service was in 2008.  Peter and I rented an apartment in Evanston and commuted to the forest every day that year.  It was a thirty-minute drive and we didn't get much radio reception, so we listened to a lot of CDs.  That summer we listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin and the Red Hot Chili Peppers album Stadium Arcadium.  The next summer we lived on the forest (which was a MUCH better plan) and only commuted into town to get groceries.  The albums that dominated our stereo the summer of '09 were Coldplay's Viva La Vida and Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band: Live in Dublin.  This summer I don't have a job (which is kind of driving me batty) so I don't commute to work, and Peter and I walk or bike everywhere, so we really never drive much anymore.  I haven't listened to much music recently, except for what's on my iPod when I'm walking Natasha, and the local radio station plays mostly country, which isn't my favorite.  I haven't found an album that seems to encapsulate this summer, and I need to resolve that.  I need something new or an album or a music group I haven't explored yet.  Any suggestions?

Also, what album, song, or musician makes you think of summer?  Feel free to post your responses! :D

Monday, July 12, 2010

Masked Bandits

Last night, as I was taking Natasha out for a final potty break before we went to bed, I heard a funny noise coming from the dumpsters across the parking lot.  I ignored it at first, but I heard it again as I was returning to my apartment.  My curiosity overwhelmed me and I had to investigate.  I put Natasha inside and then head back out to see what was making the noise.  As I got closer to the dumpsters, I saw two sets of eyes looking at me.

I instantly recognized the source of the racket and rushed back inside to grab Peter and My camera.  I'm pretty sure you all have guessed who our nighttime visitors were that were feasting on a smorgasbord of refuse.  If not...here are some photos to help clear it up.



These little guys were just babies.  As I got closer their mommy got a little upset and made her presence known from within the dumpster.  I got a quick shot of her and then decided it was best to leave them alone.



They were pretty cute...even if they were possibly disease ridden.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Henry Lake

We've now had Natasha for nearly two weeks now and we're starting to get more of a feel for her personality.  She's VERY playful and loves to chase after EVERYTHING, but she's still a little jumpy around loud noises and strangers.  We're working on her socialization and separation anxiety issues and our efforts have started to pay off a little.  It's going to take a lot of work, time, and patience, but she's doing well.

As part of her socialization, we decided to join some new friends on a backpacking trip up to Henry Lake in the Fossil Ridge Wilderness of the Gunnison National Forest.  When we first introduced Natasha to our friends and their dog, she was a little nervous, but I gave her treats and plenty of praise whenever she acted calmly and pretty soon she was checking everyone out cautiously but with interest.  Once we knew she would be able to get along with everyone we set out on the trail.  The hike was only seven miles to the lake and the trail was fairly level, but the last mile was a killer.  We were already tired from hiking and carrying our gear on our backs, and it didn't help that the trail went practically vertical.  I was very grateful for the fact that Natasha loves to pull on her leash for once because she was able to drag me up the trail.  My favorite part about the whole hike were the pikas we could hear chirping back and forth to one another as we passed a talus covered slope.  They're just so cute!

Once we got to the lake and set up camp it immediately began to rain.  I don't know what the deal is, but the last few times I have gone camping it has rained on me.  I'm just glad the first thing we did was set up our tent because we definitely needed it sooner than we thought.  Natasha did pretty well most of the time, and because there was no one else up at the lake we decided to let her run off leash.  She always had to follow anyone who left camp, which was annoying if you needed to take care of your business off in the woods.  She would also whine if either Peter or I left her sight.  It was kind of annoying and definitely one of those separation anxiety things we're working on.  At one point she spotted a rock that was jutting out of the lake and she thought it was some vicious monster out to get us.  I have never heard her growl and bark like that.  She's never done that to other people or dogs, just a stupid rock!  What a goof!

The next day as we were hiking out she did something that really took me by surprise.  We came to a spot in the trail where we couldn't remember which way we had gone to get around a large tree that had fallen in the path.  Natasha kept wanting to go one way, but we decided to go another.  We soon realized that our way only ran us into more difficult obstacles so we decided to follow Natasha.  Sure enough she led us to a spot that allowed us to safely get around the tree, and had been the original way we had come.  She was tracking!  For the rest of the hike we followed her nose and she didn't steer us wrong!  It was awesome!

Since our trip, I have worked extensively on Natasha's separation anxiety.  I've made a lot of progress and she now hardly reacts when I leave, but Peter is another matter.  Although she was supposed to be more my dog, she has bonded very strongly to Peter, and she hates it when he's gone.  This week was rough because Peter got called out on a fire and was gone for a couple of days.  Natasha has an inner clock that lets her know it's time for Peter to be home and when it got to be past that time and he still hadn't returned she started getting nervous.  She actually started whining at his dirty clothes in the hamper!  It's cute in a way, but I need her to figure out that when Peter leaves he always comes back.  We'll have to work on that specifically with Peter this weekend.

Another thing I have discovered is that she's not afraid of my bike and I've been dragging her along on bike rides every morning.  It really works her out more than a walk and has become a great way to get exercise.  The only problem is that if she sees another dog or a person jogging she goes chasing after them.  She's nearly yanked me off my bike a couple of times.  I have to be really careful about that.

Any ways, here are some photos of our recent adventures.

On the trail.

Everyone taking a little break.

Natasha was so tired she laid down
right in the middle of the trail.

Natasha found a stick, but then Chester decided he
wanted it, and the two began a merry game of tug-of-war.

You could literally grab trout right
out of this stream with your bare hands.

Natasha was trying to score some free breakfast
the next morning.

Natasha running around the lake,
happy as a clam.

Welcome to Colorado!

The two partners in crime!

Me and Natasha both looking pretty tired.

Peter looking pretty tired and dirty
after fighting fires for two days.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Meet Natasha

Peter and I decided to make a big step last weekend; we adopted a dog.




Since the day Peter and I were married I have wanted a dog of my own, but because of our circumstances we were unable to have one.  Now that Peter is done with school and working in his field, we decided to finally get a dog.  We debated for a while whether it would be better to get a puppy or an adult and agreed that an adult would suit us better.  Although I do have the time to train a puppy, we just didn't want to deal with the mess since we are renting.  Plus, a puppy would be too young to go out camping and hiking with us this summer.  So, for the last two months I have been looking for an adult Siberian Husky to adopt.

I love Siberians.  I think they are absolutely gorgeous, but I also love their personalities and their energy.  We also wanted a dog that would be able to live in the climate we live in which is much colder than a lot of places, and we will probably never live anywhere that is terribly warm due to Peter's career choice.  So I began looking for a dog, and one day I happened to stumble upon an ad on KSL's website for a young Siberian that needed a new home.  Her family was giving her up because their lives had changed and they could no longer give her what she needed.  The dog in the photo they put up was beautiful, so I began communication with the owners.  After some e-mail communication and phone calls, we decided to make the trip out to Utah to see the dog and the family.  Father's Day was quickly approaching so we decided to drive out that weekend so we could kill two birds with one stone.

When we first met our dog we were struck with her beauty, but she barked at us until she calmed down.  Her bark was never aggressive, nor was her behavior.  She seemed more like a dog that didn't have a healthy outlet for her energy, in fact, within minutes of us meeting her she went into the "play bow" position.  The barking was our only concern, and it's something we can train her not to do, especially once we get her properly socialized with other people and dogs.  We spent a couple of hours interacting with the family and the dog, and eventually made the decision to adopt her.  It was hard for the owners because they loved their dog, but they were happy that she was going home with us.

We have decided to rename her since she is starting a new life and we have settled on the name Natasha.  Her previous owners said she was more wary of men than women, but she has actually taken quite rapidly to Peter.  I think it is his calm and confident demeanor.  The first night with her was difficult because we were staying at my in-laws and there were a lot of new people and things to explore.  They also have two cats and Natasha LOVES to chase cats, so we had to be careful about that.  Her previous owners said she slept in her crate and thought of it as her "comfort zone", but she would whine and moan whenever we put her in it at night.  She had a very difficult time calming down.  She didn't want to be in her crate. She wanted to be in the bed with us, but I think letting dogs sleep in your bed is a very bad idea.  She did better once we just let her roam around the room, but she paced back and forth for most of the night.

The eight-hour drive home went better than expected.  She stayed calm in the car, but she didn't like the twisty turns of the canyons we drove through, but who could blame her.  When we drove on straight stretches of road, Natasha would lay her head down on the armrest between me and Peter and sleep.  Once we got her home, she adjusted better than we thought.  We let her explore her new home and let her settle down a little and then we took her for a nice long walk to help her burn any excess energy.  She did better that night than the night before.  We made a bed for her down on the floor next to our bed and then went to sleep.  She paced a little bit, but quickly settled down on her bed.  Every now and then if she heard something outside she would get up and look out the window, but then she'd settle back down again.  The next night she paced a little more and kept wanting to jump up into bed with us, but last night was better.  She settled right down and only woke us up once at 4:00 in the morning.  She loves to pull on her leash, but that is because of her breed.  We ordered a dog backpack that we can put weights in to help get her more exercise and a job to do, plus she'll be able to carry her own food and water when we go hiking.  We also want to get what is called a Pawtrekker.  It's kind of like a cross between a scooter and a mountain bike but they're designed to be safely pulled by a dog.  That would really help Natasha get some exercise.

Natasha needs some good consistent discipline and socializing, but she is sweet tempered, loving, and not the least bit aggressive.  She'll bark at people but it's never the "I'm gonna bite your face off" kind of bark.  She also always wants to go bounding after other dogs, but I'm not sure if it's because she wants to check them out and play with them or get into a tussle, but her body language makes me think the former.  She does need to lose some weight, but that will come off with exercise.  Once we get her the proper exercise and training she needs, she will make a wonderful pet.

Here are a few things we love about Natasha:
* Her ears.  They're so big and expressive.
* She's very curious, but not destructive.
* She always has to circle a spot three or four times before she will lie down.
*When she hears something at the front door she'll put her head down near it and cock her head back and forth so that each ear gets a chance to listen.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Moving: Part Deux

We knew that our stay in the Forest Service house up in Crested Butte was only temporary, so I immediately began looking for a permanent place to stay almost immediately after we moved to Colorado. After looking around for a while we settled on a two-bedroom apartment in Gunnison. Peter wanted to rent a house that we had found, but I talked him out of it because it cost about $150 more a month which equates to nearly $2,000 a year. The lady who owned the house was also just renting it until she could find someone to buy it. The prospect of having to move again was not something I was willing to deal with. So, the weekend before my 27th birthday, we packed up everything again and moved. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I hate moving right now.


In fact, it's more than hate.

I loathe moving.

I have done it twice in the last month, and I am physically and mentally exhausted from it. The day after, I slept for ten hours and still had a difficult time forcing myself to get out of bed in the morning. When we first moved to Colorado we packed everything up the day before and then drove eight hours the next day and unpacked.  Although we didn't have to drive much this time, we had to pack up and unload everything in one day.  I'm not sure which was worse.  At least when we first moved to Colorado we had help, but this time it was just me and Peter.  It seems I actually managed to impress him with all of the heavy lifting I did.  I guess I’m stronger than I look.

Despite the fact that we are exhausted from moving again, it’s nice to actually be in our own place, and I can finally unpack everything. Living out of boxes is really annoying. Unfortunately, we can’t get too settled here. Gunnison is just a temporary stop. In a year and a half to two years from now, we will be doing this all over again. The thought of moving again just makes me want to cry. Hopefully the next time we move it will be easier because Peter will get a transfer of station where the Forest Service will pay for the move…and you better believe I’ll be hiring movers. I’ve broken my back enough this go around. I’m not doing it again...at least not anytime soon.

Friday, May 28, 2010

It's Not a Chipmunk

It certainly looks like one though, doesn't it?

 (click to enlarge)

No, this cute little critter is a golden-mantled ground squirrel.  How can I tell the difference?  Well, for one, it's much bigger than a chipmunk, and the coloring is a little different.  Identifying wildlife is one of my favorite things to do, and I'm lucky enough to live in places where I can see a lot of wildlife.

I spotted this little guy tonight while he was romping around in my backyard.  There is a huge window above my kitchen sink that overlooks the backyard, and I was doing the dishes this evening when I saw him.  Recently the weather here has been absolutely divine with temperatures in the upper 70s.  Apparently this guy decided it was nice enough to come out and sample the tasty spring vegetation.

I haven't seen much wildlife yet this season.  Just a few hawks, some deer, a coyote, a yellow-bellied marmot, and a fox, but I have been told that Crested Butte has a huge bear problem.  In fact, there is a story that one actually got into the house I'm living in once.  Everyone here has bear-proof garbage cans.  I'd really like to see a bear, but only if I'm inside my house...and it's not.



Thursday, May 20, 2010

Home...for Now

It has been pure chaos around here for the last few weeks.  Peter finally graduated on May 8th and it was one of the happiest days of my life!  I felt like I accomplished something even though it was really Peter who did.  We went to the College of Natural Resources commencement instead of the HUGE university one which I'm much happier about.  It was smaller, shorter, and more intimate, I think.  Peter got to walk with his nifty Xi Sigma Pi sash which is the national forestry honors society.  Having that little baby actually bumps his pay grade up significantly with the Forest Service, so I'm glad he was able to earn it.  He was also the only person to graduate with a degree in forestry this spring, too.  I had a hard time holding back the tears as I watched Peter accept his diploma...well, the fake one any ways.  He'll get the real deal sometime in June.  I tried to get a photo of him accepting his diploma from the dean, but my hands were shaking and the lighting was dark and I didn't get a good photo.  I'm hoping someone else in my family did.


Peter and me in front of Old Main.

Once an Aggie...always an Aggie.

That day was great, but in the midst of it all we were in the process of packing up our little apartment in Logan.  The following day, Mother's Day, we had to get everything packed into the moving truck.  We had some awesome helpers like Peter's little brother, Adam, who helped us the entire day.  My visiting teachers were also troopers who took time out of their day to come help me, as well as my little sister, Michelle and her husband Randy.  Their help has not gone unappreciated and we honestly could not have gotten it all done in one day without them!  We left Logan, for good it seems, that evening, and I'm glad I had to drive the Jeep alone because I think I cried the entire time.  It was hard to say goodbye.  I have fond memories and experiences in Logan, and I have made good friends who I will miss terribly.  We spent the night at my in-laws and, despite my exhaustion, I didn't get much sleep.  I developed an acute case of the flu, or some other equally miserable bug, and I spent the entire night worshiping the porcelain throne and shaking with fever.  I was miserable, but Peter was so tired he slept through it all.  I'm glad he at least got some sleep.  5:00 a.m. came awfully early the next day, and we had to get up to make the drive to Colorado.  I was feeling better, or at least I was no longer puking, but I was so weary that I could barely stand.  I couldn't duck out of driving responsibilities, though,  because Peter had to drive the truck while I followed in the Jeep.  I seriously contemplated staying behind, and that probably would have been the wise thing to do, but I was stubborn and wanted to get it over and done with, so I hiked up my skirts and got to it.  It was a rough day, but we managed to keep each other awake with the help of hand-held radios.

Finally, we made it to Gunnison, Colorado.  We got a quick tour of the ranger station from Peter's supervisor, and then he took us up to the house in the town of Crested Butte where we will be staying until we can find a more permanent place...or until the end of June, whichever comes first.  He was kind enough to even help us unload everything from the moving truck!  That night Peter and I were so tired that we both sat in silence as we forced ourselves to eat some dinner.  We were too tired to talk and almost too tired to eat.  Our first priority that day was getting the bed set up, which was a good plan because we both just passed out around 9:00 p.m.  I slept like the dead, I was so tired.  The next day, Peter had to be up at 5:30 to report to his new job.  He came home that evening and we crashed again around 9:00.  That's pretty much been our schedule ever since.  We didn't have internet for about a week, but thankfully we have it up and running now.  It's helping to keep me sane considering I don't have a job...and my prospects don't look good.  The ranger station where Peter reports to has an open information receptionist position that I applied for.  I hoped that my experience working as an information receptionist and collection officer for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest would give me an advantage, but yesterday I received some disheartening news that several veterans also applied for the job, and unless they're grossly under-qualified, they get preferential hiring treatment.  It sucks, and I'm annoyed, but there's nothing I can do about it.  That's just the way the system works.  It makes me want to go out and join the Peace Corps just so I can have vet status, though.

Any ways, Crested Butte is an interesting little place.  It's a ski town high up in the mountains.  Our house sits at just under 9,000 feet above sea level.  I didn't really notice the altitude difference much (Logan is a little over 4,500), but I did when I tried to go jogging on the one sunny day we've had the whole time we've been here!  It has snowed just about every single day.  The only other thing I can notice is that food cooks faster up here, and I get these insane nose bleeds out of the blue.  It's been a bit of an adjustment, but not too bad I suppose.

All in all, I would say I enjoy living in the Crested Butte/Gunnison area.  I've been told it gets seriously cold here in the winter, though.  In fact, according to Wikipedia, which we know to be the source of all truth on the internet, it is the coldest spot in the lower 48 states.  That makes me pretty nervous.  I hope I can survive.  I also hope I can find a decent job somewhere in this little town.  I'm nervous about that, too, because Peter's job only runs for six months of the year.  I need to be able to eat the other six months as well, so I've got to find something, I guess.  Any ways...here are some pictures that I took for your ocular enjoyment.  I miss and love you all!

My little house...for now.

The view of Mt. Crested Butte from my house.

Elk Avenue, kind of the downtown area of C.B.

Another view of Mt. Crested Butte.

Mt. Crested Butte again...

...and the view of C.B. from the highway.