SLO Yarns: August 2025

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Encroachment

I removed the water bucket from outside the Pen. The deer situation - looking at you Big Buck - was getting a little too crazy.

Mattie learned to leave Big Buck alone after her brief but scary encounter. I haven't seen her chase any deer since then.

While I was inside the Pen I needed to spray Big Buck with water to chase him away.

It seems to have worked. The deer have moved closer to the water trough away from the house.

Yesterday the turkeys showed up.

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Monday, August 25, 2025

Sunday, August 24, 2025

RG Bean Anniversary

The Rancho Gordo Bean Club quarterly shipment is due to arrive soon. I joined the Club in August of last year. This will be my fourth Club box - the Anniversary box.

In preparation of more beans I organized and took inventory.

August 2024 and November 2024 - pretty good using up the first two Club boxes.

February 2025 and May 2025 - not so good. I only used the Rio Zape (which was delicious).

It looks like there is only one thing to do: Cook more beans, eat more beans.

Midnight Black Bean, Rancho Gordo Bean Club (4th Qtr) 2024

Saturday, August 23, 2025

Friday, August 22, 2025

Hot Spot

Monday's "Carlos" Fire reignited last night. It was alarming to see smoke again.

The Crews managed it quickly and worked late into the night keeping the slow spread to about an acre.

Just to be on the safe side I loaded my Go Bag into the car as well as my Lexie Barnes bags.

Bosworth Book Charkha and Spindles

Sock Knitting Needles and Tools

Today I decided I also need to reserve a spot in my car for the Lendrum Spinning Wheel.

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Too Close

The Gifford Fire has been holding at 95% Containment. Many evacuation orders have been lifted or downgraded to warnings.

On Tuesday Lupe showed up at Spinners' and it was a relief to see her. She shared pics of walls of flames a mere three miles from their property.

On Monday we had our own scare when the Watch Duty app alerted us to a fire in Atascadero. This was the second fire in that same area this summer.

This time the fire appeared on a close hill, about a mile away.

When The Man saw the speed of the flames moving down the hillside towards us he said we had to leave.

I went upstairs to grab my Go Bag and took a few quick pics of the planes dropping fire retardant.

We each drove a vehicle and parked on the main road about a mile away. We watched as Police, Sheriff, and Fire crews sped by. The helicopter tankers and air tankers flew overhead. The response was heavy and everyone arrived quickly.

The Man texted with the neighbors, he mentioned the flames, they opted to stay. I told The Man I probably wouldn't have left so quickly if I was by myself and he said he was not concerned about the fire reaching our property but instead he was concerned about being trapped on our single-access road. Oh.

When the Watch Duty app informed us that forward progress of the fire was halted we went to a nearby park to wait for the Responders to pack up and leave. After dark we could still hear chain saws as the crews cleaned up and mopped up.