Like a snake that you don't see...

 

The fear lingers.
Like the snake that left this print across the dusty switchback on our road during the late afternoon, the memories of the fire are fresh and ever present in our minds. Reminders are everywhere.

When taking my walk, after dinner, I saw this snake print and I knew that it was a huge snake that had traveled across the road. Other prints were found... a turkey, a fox and some deer prints but none with such slithering presence.

This was a huge snake.
This was one that has survived many seasons on this mountain... survived the fire on Wednesday and has become one of the myths.
Unseen... only leaving it's trail, as it moves about.
I walked slowly alongside the snake print looking at the width and the strength of the creature, imagining what it  must look like.
I watched each of my steps as I moved toward the grassy area where old boards and fence wire lay in the weeds.
I decided not to follow the print any further than the edge of the dusty road where the weeds didn't show the print anymore. Of course, I have no idea which direction it was going. I hoped it was moving away from the house and down toward the creek...away from the burned area and down to the green and unburned areas of our property. I had hope that it would find sanctuary somewhere far away in an abandoned mine shaft or vacant fox den.
I walked on down the middle of the road to the burned area that crossed our road.
I have done this every night since the fire.
I look at the burnt Manzanita and the scorched ground and wonder if , like the fire inspector said, the people who started this fire would probably come back to see the damage.
Do you think that they felt anything? If they knew a house was up here? If they had any remorse?
Was it really done on purpose or was just a careless toss of a cigarette?
Did they really do this "on purpose" ?...

What would the Manzanita and the Oaks say to them..

What would the burnt Toyon say...

Will these destroyers of nature drive by in the Fall and admire the beautiful red berries?
Will they even know what this plant is?
Probably not..
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This is were the fire started...

This is the river road that goes down to the Mokelumne River.
The Prospector and I drove down there to see the damage a few days ago.

We fixed some fences and put up some new signs and admired the cattails growing in the watery area near the spring.

 

 What a contrast the Cattails were to the black hill behind them.
I walked down the road and found some fire fighting left overs... not much really, just some rubber bands, some kind of head band and a glove. Surprisingly little for all the fire vehicles that were all over this area.

Then I just walked back and forth, looking for a reason.

I didn't fine one.

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Those Summertime Blues... well, kind of purple.

This is were I want to be..... But, do you see me sitting in this chair with an big glass of ice tea in my hand and a smile on my face?

Does the view from this chair say..."It's Summertime. Come, enjoy the cool evening. Be a kid again. Run though the sprinkler. Watch the puppies play...."

No, it doesn't.  My inner voice is saying, "Stop wishing that you were Paris Hilton. She's not even your BFF." ( I sat through 15 minutes of her pathetic new show the other night. Don't go there.)
So....the half done projects are sitting there looking at me every time I go out the backdoor and open the garage door. I need some serious help.
 OK, back to the "inside" projects. The kitchen says it all....

Yesterday I cut some basil (hopefully for the last time) and made more Pesto for the freezer. The Basilico (as my grandma use to call it) is growing like a weed out there in the garden. Must be the mild weather.
The tomatoes have decided to ripen all at once. I have given away tomatoes until my only two neighbors pretend they don't see me coming down their driveways anymore. I think I may have to "put up" some of these tomatoes. Sounds like I know what I'm talking about, doesn't it?
Then, there are the GRAPES. The beautiful grapes that we planted two years ago have decided to give birth.
Yesterday, the Prospector picked almost 10 lbs. of grapes. The prepared ones are on the washing machine in the laundry room. Today I will make grape jelly for the first time in my life and my dear hubby says that it's EASY...his grandmother use to do it all the time. It was probably easy because he got to sit there and WATCH.
The sign says it all. There are more snakes to keep you hopping around here than Rattlers. They're called  "harvest" snakes.

But, I'm ready.... I've got the directions and the equipment. 

The grapes are ready....whither they like it or not.

 And if I goof up....I have a whole lot more in the garage refrigerator, with all the other unfinished business.

Can I go sit down and think about this before I start? Will someone peel me a grape?