Back to normal

My life is getting back to normal after my weekend of backpacking and my prior time spent with Colleen. Slow, but sure.

My house is messier than normal due to my backpack and gear spread around waiting to be cleaned, sorted and put away for the next trip. I have my tent set up outside to air out. Prior to this trip I hadn't backpacked in ten years and mostly likely hadn't set the tent up in that time either. It was no surprise there was a slight musty smell when I set my tent up the first time on my trip.

I again am checking my pocket gopher traps. I caught five of them today. It seems they are more active now with the cooler weather.

The grass is mainly dried up and brown other than in places where the trees provide plenty of shade. You'd think there would be no grass roots for the pocket gophers to eat but the ones I have caught today are fat. The dried up grass *may* be why I have caught less than 100 pocket gophers so far this year. Or the hot weather, or my checking the traps less, or because I had caught so many pocket gophers last year there aren't as many to catch. I don't know.

I think a pocket gopher has moved into my garden as tonight I seen dirt piled around some of my green beans plants. I soaked the row of beans and hopefully that will put a damper on the gopher's activity. There are no weeds in the garden so the only thing for the gopher to eat are my plants and carrots.

I had watered my garden before I left on my backpacking trip, but it needed water again once I returned home. Apparently it was windy when I was gone and the wind sucked out what little moisture the ground contained.

Even though the forest fires are contained we still get some smoke from the fires. After returning from my smoke-free backpacking trip I immediately could smell the smoke. The mornings are the smokiest. I think the smoke settles in the Valley during the cool overnight temperatures.

Remember the damaged corral gate? I finished fixing it today. I also fixed the barb wire fence where Dan's heifer had jumped and got caught up in it.

Speaking of getting back into my normal routine, my hiking group is starting up our hikes again after taking a break due to the heat and smoke and people being out of town. A 15 mile hike is planned for tomorrow. That means an early start to the hike, and me getting up early. I need to finish my supper now so I can go to bed early. 'night.