Late this afternoon, Glenda was at the bay window in the kitchen, meowing and growling. I looked out to see what the problem was. There was a tabby cat between a rose bush and the fence. I went out and talked to the kitty, but it acted like it was going to run away. I went back inside for thirty minutes, went back out, and the kitty was still there in the low evening light. I sat down on a large pot and started talking to it again. It started coming toward me, but stopped to do a bit of grooming. Then it started walking over to me but stopped about ten feet away, turned to the left, walked to a patch of bare dirt, and started rolling around, acting playful. It never got any closer to me. I brought out some food and water, and it ate the food.
when I processed the photos, it looked like the kitty might have a skin condition of some type. It looks like a fancy cat with its swirling patterns. I’ll see if it comes back, and I can win over its trust so I can see what its fur is like and take it to the vet for treatment if needed.
When I first started riding in July, the flood control channel was dry, and I could ride across the arroyo where the water ends, 300 yards from where I took this photo. At first, the flood control channel filled with water from rain collected on the west mesa up to 20 miles west of Corrales. That was the beginning of the second week of September. Since the beginning of October, the flood control channel has been filled with water. However, we have had zero rain in Corrales in October and little rain in Rio Rancho west of Corrales. I finally came to the realization that the water in the flood control channel is the treated wastewater from Rio Rancho backing up into the channel. I have not investigated why the water is backing up into the flood control channel now when the channel was dry in July, August, and the first week of September.
The treated wastewater from Rio Rancho is released into the mouth of the flood control channel near the levy and flows into the Rio Grande, as does the runoff collected by the flood control channel. Rio Rancho is the third largest city in New Mexico, with 109,060 people in 2023.
Cyclists, runners, and hikers who want to cross the flood control channel to continue north or south on the levee or the Bosque trail either have to ford the water or walk, run, or ride 200 yards into the flood control channel to get around the water.
The outlet for Rio Rancho’s treated wastewater.
Treated wastewater flowing toward the mouth of the flood control channel. The water smells like chlorine and detergents. I was surprised to see people fishing there the other day.
Different views of the treated wastewater outlet.
Erosion east of the current outlet. The erosion may be from before they reworked the area. The photo on the right is looking west from the eroded area.
The photo on the left was taken on 9/9/2023. The photo on the right was taken on 10/28/2023. You can see how much farther the water extends into the channel in the photo on the right.
Sasha and Glenda hovering over the heater.
It’s cold this week. The cats are clamoring for the space heaters we use to warm the spaces close to us. The cats were all piled up on me at 3:50 AM this morning. I had a cold ride this afternoon with the temps in the low 40s.
Cats from head to toe: Sasha on my chest in the foreground. Gwendolyn’s ears are on the right in the foreground. She was under the covers, resting her head on my shoulder. After Sasha is Marble, Spunk, Silver, and then Glenda is at the end of the bed, curled up on my feet. Loki was on Laurie out of the picture.
pTerodactyl stands vigil Over a dying pond Reflecting on things to come He saw the writing on the wall
Lyrics and music written and performed by Timothy Price.
Night
Dawn
Dusk
Writing’s On The Wall (Daniel 5:24-28†) By Timothy Price
[Verse] You should beware of the words, man As they were written by a bloodless hand You see, if you don’t change your ways You’ll succumb to what the inscription says
[Chorus] ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ Oh, the writing’s on the wall ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ It’s a prophecy of your fall ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ God is going to end it all ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ He won’t hear you when you call
[Bridge] ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ ‘M’ne!’ — God has counted up your kingdom ‘M’ne!’ — brought it to an end ‘T’kel’ — you’re weighed on the balance ‘T’kel’ — scale and come up short ‘P’res’ — your kingdom’s been divided given Given — to the Medes and the Persians
[Verse] You should beware of the words, man As they were written by a bloodless hand You see, if you don’t change your ways You’ll succumb to what the inscription says
[Chorus] ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ Oh, the writing’s on the wall ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ it’s a prophecy of your fall ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ God is going to end it all M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin’ He won’t hear you when you call
†24 This is why he sent the hand to write this inscription; 25 and the inscription says, ‘M’ne! M’ne! T’kel ufarsin.’ [a]26 This is what it means: ‘M’ne!’ — God has counted up your kingdom and brought it to an end. 27 ‘T’kel’ — you are weighed on the balance-scale and come up short. 28 ‘P’res’ — your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Complete Jewish Bible).
pTerodactyl hanging hopeful on the edge of a pathetic puddle.
pTerodactyl pacing on the edge and reflecting on a pathetic puddle.
We have received zero precipitation for the month of October, and less than an inch of rain over the previous three months, so the Clearwater Ditch is drying up south of us. Only a few puddles remain. There is a little more water in the Clearwater Ditch north of us, backed up behind beaver dams.
A lone juvenile Sandhill Crane was hanging out on the ditch bank foraging in the sand.
Off Center & Not Even 