Newsletter

        2025  the new adventure is beginning.... stay tuned........Working on the blog for at least a weekly update.. This blog was a trial so i'll see if I am able to keep it.

.

Besure to scroll and start from the begining if your a new follower. If you like it.. feel free to send the link and pass it on. Google search you must type exactly:

 8 hummingbirds ranch blog or

blog about hummingbirds in Hanna, Utah

Feel free to pass the link on. Its about the hummingbirds.

April 21, 2025

Had My first Male broadtails

making new updates and maybe a webcamera this year. Hope 2025 is a good one! So the blog begins... scroll down for new updates and pictures.

This goes out to all my wonderful friends and family who are calling and checking up on us and sending fun text and sayings to keep my spirits up.
You know who you are.                                                             THANK YOU!!!!!

I heard from my friends Elsa Medina and Giuseppe Mirenda, the owners of Basta Pasteria, Sicily Mia, and Antica Sicila.  The best Itailian food anywhere, you must go there to eat. They are going to post my link for others to see on their website. HOW COOL IS THAT!!!!

April 27, 2025

Had first visitors to the ranch...wildlife. Deer,  a Blue Heron, and a kingfisher making lots of noise. all just hanging out. 

April 21, 2025 

Yep it is true... they are here... a few days late this year.  They started arriving here this very day.  If you don't have your feeder up..get it out of storage and be ready for them.

Healthwise I have had many new challanges from the last year. I am still hanging around and still trying to recover.  Looking to the future and the arrival of the hummingbirds.  Hope you are also.. Hopefully making plans to see them ..Looking forward to sharing these wonderful creatures.

Day 27 October 24, 2024 1 am not lockdown Fire Blog ENDING  2024 had been quite a year here at the ranch.

Look for future blog in March of 2025

It’s  40 winds n ne 3 mph  Air 32  i guess I don’t need that update anymore. 

Today is Thursday, It has been quite a few days. Hey, did you miss me a writing? Anyone wonder what happened? Wondering about my faithful loving cat? Did the fire consume us after all?

Starting now with Sunday 

Day 23 October 20, 2024 Lock down 

Again a day with no time to write on the blog. Heard is being said the statement that men think twice and be afraid about the strength of women. Look at all the hundreds of fire fighters that came to fight the fire for weeks to no avail but it only took strength of one older woman, it was mother nature with her super strength in just one day to put the fire almost out. Men be warned to beware of the strength of women.  Even though the fire was down graded, The stupid dragon still keeps fighting to go completely away.  There were still many hotspots but now feeling safer, was able to do work all day Sunday.  Had to be doing things to prepare for surgery on Monday.  Trying to retrieve all our belongings and then to unpack and put back away all our evacuation items. Maria came to help get the house ready.  She made it so our home 

would be inviting. So I could rest peacefully and recuperate at home. It now became it was the day I had to say goodbye to our check point gate keeper.. was told that he will be leaving Monday morning. 

Day 24 October 21, 2024 at 6:00 am UDOT officially reopened state road 35. What a blessing. We were able to leave and drive the shorter way to surgery. Had to do the emergency necessity surgery on my trachea.  Driving the first time over Wolf Creek pass since the fire. Now able to see all the devastation. What a shame has happened to our lovely mountain forest. Maybe someday it will repair it self to all it's glory. Though probably not done in time for me to see.  My lifetime will probably be over.  Now on state road 35, Only to be stopped for one way road construction, then add a cattle drive across the road.  A half hour delay that added worry that we won’t make that surgery time. The surgery took all day. I came home but I had to recuperate till this Thursday morning. Even though having totally exhaustion, then complicated by unable to speak and of pain, I am awake this morning because of my trachea surgery. 

So spending some time to write this blog.. so much has happened to catch the blog up to date. So I want to write to complete and close out this fire blog.  Start a new chapter at 8 hummingbirds ranch. 

Please stay tuned for the conclusion ending .. 

Day 21 October 18, 2024 lockdown 12:30 pm was supoose to 10 am

It’s  41 winds ese 6 mph  Air 3

Well the soap opera doesn't end.  Always a cliff hanger ending. Power has been out so nothing we can do. It’s affecting everyone but I take it personal. We just can’t get a break. 

Went to the store but just about to get coffee for our gate keeper (reference to ghostbusters) poof the power quit, so no coffee machine a working. 

We are really dependent on that electricity. 

Not able to add the update to the log. 

We are NOT a-going anywhere today.  No garage door opener a working. Staying at the ranch. Oxygen concentrater quit. Luckily , I have my oxygen tanks, no power needed. But had to get from car as evacuated. No heat though. No food a cooking. No Wi-Fi to be a written the blog. In bed with covers over my head.  Maybe should start a fire.. cook s’mores. oh no though i think, not a fire. The fire update looked good.  The fire guy Dennis Burns said Tanker 1 applied her fire retardant. (that’s Mother Nature) Snow and rain in the mountain.  The gate keeper said “lots of crew got there demo orders and will be leaving.”

Our evacuation order has been resended. But new closure to all the forest added. So far 35 and north fork still closed to escort only traffic. Great. Now to drive still around strawberry Heber City. On Unita basin Facebook page; bad post of pictures coming in saying “strawberry is a mess” Still have to unload all the cars full of evacuated things. Get lots of things from the neighbors to get. Things that were evacuated.  A day of total unpacking was planned. Waiting for the power to return. Waiting is all we seem to do.

Day 20  October 17, 2024 lockdown  8 am 

It's  45 winds wsw 11 mph  Air 13 

Actually, slept in this morning.

Still waiting on the weather to help stop the dragon fire. 

Things look more optimistic. Don’t want to feel tooo excited. Every time I do, something bad happens with this dragon fire.  It’s all been toooo much for my compromised brain. I have mixed feelings about this, as it will be the end of this fire blog writing. Then a good bye to all the new fire fighter friends that we have met.  Though, the blog is really made to tell about those tiny magical creatures. The  hummingbirds, of  which I will be writing. They will be coming the end of march from Mexico winter range. Really that’s not to far away now, since all of this drama.  Hopefully my brain tumor and all my breathing problems will get better. Looking forward to a brighter future. Maybe I can still do these magical creatures. The Rufus males will be coming in July to make up the four kinds of hummers that Utah has. We’ll be back to the loving job of over 10 gallons a day of nectar.  Now giving an update on my cat. She shows only a slight improvement but some improvement is better than none. Luckily a friend is exchanging oxygen tanks today in vernal. I was running low on new full tanks. A friend said this saying “I'm tired of being a doormat for fires to wipe their feet on!" Yep, we agree and are tired of all the stress. We need lots and lots of rest. Hopefully today, no drama with this saga. Getting back to are daily lives. All that catching up on our work we needed to do the last 20 days. We have to wait maybe just a little longer.  See what the day brings, and go from there.

Day 18 October 16, 2024 lockdown 4 pm

It's 56 winds s 9 mp air 35. 

Had a lliile rain, amazing.   Not enough though..still waiting to see.

 Day 18 October 16, 2024 lockdown 1pm

 It’s 66 winds s 11 mph  Air 13 

This morning my cat looks bedraggled but she is calmer and resting. Her eyes look sharper and clearer.  She is finally eating.   Did my nebulizer with her this morning. Along with wrapping her in a blanket and sitting in the cold 40 degree weather for 5 minutes. She is still having breathing problems. Hopefully it will get better. Today, All of us ready to evacuate people, feel like hmm I’ll put what Suzanne says is best way to put it “ I feel like I am living out of a suitcase in my own house!!” Yes. I replied. That is exactly what we have been doing also. 

Day 18 was October 16, 2024 lockdown 3:30 am

It’s 39 winds nne 3 mph  Air 56

The story of the whirl wind day yesterday of my faithful loving cat.

First, the day of anticipation of winds and total evacuation. Forecasted winds for the extreme winds that are coming, that they my cause havoc. So Not looking forward for this day.  Today is to repack and have everything by the door, ready to leave quickly.  The only feeling of safety, is yesterday the fire fighters came and made plans for saving our home.  Knowing pumps will be placed in the river and sprinklers on the roof and a team of fire fighters here to be ready is calming. So hoping the drama today will not begin as forecasted.

Now about October 15, 2024  Whirl wind of a day. 

second, the whirl wind day begins. All night and day  long, my cat is sick. Not eating and cry’s with pains

 While scratching her ears and squeaking breathing sounds and hardly breathing. Such a struggle she is having to breathe. 

We had been Calling vets the last two days to see if one would come out to our beautiful valley. Since we were unable to leave for that amount of time to drive and see one. Only to be told, we are too much of a fire hazard zone to come. No vet will come. The only options are to head to Heber City or to Roosevelt. Both an hour and 15 minutes away.  We decided to do the Roosevelt option. Luckily, they give  us a 1 o’clock pm appointment. So now we hurry to get things ready to go. Must talk to fire people so that we can leave for such a long period. Approval is given . It is Suppose to be a quite day. It is Wednesday we need to worry. since she is so sick. And maybe dieing. Approval is given. Oh, thank you! thank you! is all I can say.  Now to shower and get the car ready.  It is full of all the evacuation items.  Now must be unpacked. Gotta have my last bottles of full oxygen tanks to keep me going.  Oh, I say, my wheel chair has already been evacuated.  I will do without I have to I say. I can do it. Grabbing a toast and some milk packing insulin, getting cage and other items Just about ready to go, When the security alarms are a blaring.  In the drive way the fire truck sits. Oh no, we must be leaving. My husband hurries to try to meet them. Three guys hop out surveying. Crews are employing a "point-protection strategy," setting up pumps, hoses, and sprinklers on structures they say.  We are planning a plan of action. They talk and they survey.. my husband learns they are from        

Arizona . One mentions he loves his job. He gets to travel to all these unique and quaint locations.  Seeing places that others haven’t. Meeting interesting people in all these unique communities. My husband jokes. I’d like a job where I just get to ride around and sit in a truck all day.  the fire people jokes back at him. we hop out sometimes ready to fight when the moment is needed.  Working tirelessly to save  and protect people homes. They laugh. Now the clock is ticking. We missed our deadline to leave in order to make the appointment. Hurrily we leave.  Then hit the construction on highway 40 .  One  lane road oh great.sit a waiting. We call the vet .. telling them the situation.  We must hurry. They say. the vet plans to leave in 1 hr.  My poor sick cat crying each moment. Trying to soothe and keep her calm. Have to be there our all our travel is in vane. We arrive only 15 minutes late. what a relief. they take us.  They do the examine  and make conclusions. 

Time is clicking its now 330. Must be back tge fire people tell us. ready to levacate the other animals if needed.  Fingers crossed👍🏻 we won’t have to. The Roosevelt vet comes to explain the observations. Well it wasn’t great news. She had osteoporosis and a broken jaw from it. X-rays showed you could see right through her shoulder blades. An infection in hers ears and a collapsing trach like me. The osteoporosis is eating cartilage, around the trach so the trach is collapsing just like me.. can’t believe it. It’s the trachia just like me . She can’t breathe just like me. What a weird coincidence. It is collapsing just like me. Thats why I do two nebulizer treatment a day to keep it from collapsing. it is by her vocal cords just like me.  When I do my nebulizer suppose to have her in the same room. Then her ears infected cleaned and did the ear drop thing that fights tge infection for two weeks. Got a steroid injection for the  trach to help some of the collapsing. Diet changed for more calcium so kitty food is recommended. Treat the symptoms like croup. Steam and cold air treatment that’s 5 minutes long when we have cold air tonight and morning each day.  Not pneumonia lungs look good. So now leaving so late. Stopped at tractor supply for her new kitten diet needed. Hadn’t eaten or drank . Sugars were low so had to eat. So stopped at fast food Arby’s to get a sandwich.  Stopped at maverick for fuel and drinks. Only to find the credit card machines are down..and have to go to another station.  More time is ticking.  The cat is exhausted must get her home. We finally arrive home so she and us can finally get a-little rest. So nice be home what a blessing. Have to text everyone of our vet conclusions.  The  bad / good news. I’m sorry I didn’t mean bad bad news. There is hope. We found out what’s wrong so we can try to treat it. maybe some answers for me also . My cat is feeling better even now just the few minutes home ..she ate really good which she hadn’t.  She has a little spring in walk ..nice to see.  I feel like it’s the beginning of better things. Thanks for your thoughts and we send them thoughts back to you. 

Though through the night she has still trouble breathing the steroid need to have time to kick in.  Constant flicking of her ears and constant licking.  

And pic

Day 17  October 15, 2024 lockdown 7 pm

A whirl wind of a day. 

No time to write the blog. Sorry, there are no pictures. No new heros. Will explain on morning blogs. Shoot, now I have two days to write. And correct some things on the last two days. Great. Luckily, the winds were more favorable today. In the evening around 6 pm plenty of smoke was seen coming home. It was showing over by the west, the way of Rhodes canyon toward Lightening Ridge Mountain a bigger plume and then showing one up North Fork canyon a smaller plume.  So darn it. It is still the fire dragon. Forecasted winds for tomorrow are that they my cause havoc. So Not looking forward till tomorrow.

October 14, 2024 Evening 11 pm report

It was a quiet evening around 11 pm. The smoke hanging low against the mountains. The almost full moon created an Erie scene. All seemed well to be able to sleep without fear. 

Picture 

But ..hate those buts…until about 1130  pm.  All of a sudden, the security camera was going crazy .. blaring it’s alarm. Someone coming in the drive way.  Lights coming through the windows and all around on the walls. Again, thoughts creeped in to my groggy head. They were here to come to evacuate us. On such a still night, I couldn’t imagine. So then I thought, maybe they were doing spot checks. Checking out our houses-which they patrol consantly. My husband finally woke up but the lights were gone. He decided to go to the checkpoint and ask. It turned out to be a large fire truck from Montana. It was looking for a fire hydrant. It had turned around in our driveway. Our fire hydrents are hard to find,especially in the dark of night. Luckily we do have one. It is up the on state road 35 just a little bit more west and on the north side and they didn’t see it.

Day 16 October 14, 2024 lockdown 7 am 

It’s 47  winds nnw 4 mph 0 Air 155 Smokey

I have a bigger block this morning, as I was up most the night with my sick cat. I am trying to add pictures inside the log as I go.  Hopefully that is a better feature for everyone. The evening news for us, is the fire still burning on lightning Ridge Mountain. Though the whole yellow lake fire continues on other lines also. I have some pictures of it on our Lightning Ridge mountain. Our view we see, are these flames and we all know what a few flames bring, The Yellow Lake dragon fire.

What a shame this tragedy has happened to our forest. Our beautiful beautiful  Forest. Everybody’s thinking: how much of the forest is going to be gone? What’s going to happen to our breath taking views? How much of the vegetation for the animals is going to be gone? What is it going to happen to the awesome wildlife? Locally, everybody wants to know what happened with the fire at Defas. Luckily I have a picture.

Launi cam update 1:24  "A lot less smoke “ oh shoot it wont let me add more pictures hmmm .

Because some of the command has been changed to Duchesne, people have been seeing a constant stream of vehicles coming towards us from the East. In the 8 minutes she drove to church, Suzanne said "counted about 28 cars and trucks!! It was astonishing."  I was unable to get out yesterday to add to my blog some of the heroes I meet. Hopefully today I can. From here on my road of fire vehicles they are coming from kamas, coming in convoys  over the pass. Yes everyone, they are using our precious pass. Our life line. So that must be OK.  Oh if only we could once again use it ourselves. 

It is our life line - for us and the Unita basin. Necessity for work, then especially now for me and others medical, shopping supples, an alternate route for 40 when they close it usually due to accidents yes Fatal accidents that happen frequently. The pass is for our safety - not having to travel so many many extra extra miles around Strawberry. Having to travel on what we call the death highway 40 and then just fighting all the oil tanker truck traffic. A lot lot of our income work is from the oil fields. Keeping state road 35 open in winter will be another blog after the fire.

Suzanne, was talking to Maxine Penrod last night. Everyone —-She is doing well. Glad to hear right? 

Maxine said “her granddaughter and her husband were staying at some hotel near by and saw some bedraggled, exhausted firefighters that could barely make it to their rooms and shower and go to bed.  The numbers of people working in on the fire has grown each day. “ thank yous go out to all the people helping . The old and new fire commands and all the fire crew people that have helped with the fire. Thank you to all the quiet people behind the back lines that we don’t hear about and  neighbors that are helping!

                                 THANK YOU!!!

Kayleen Silver was told to stay indoors for the next two weeks because they tested her lungs and they were not doing well.  Though if you check the purple air up here in my lock down zone, wow we happen to have lots of good quality moments. Better than other areas of Utah or the country.  There is a meeting tonight at 6 PM in our old gym. If you are going, if you could, please specifically about the lightning ridge mountain fire on the south west side. What they are doing about it ? For me.  Again, I can’t leave for that long period of a time. Please let me know the answer.  Hopefully I will get the meeting streaming of it. But the quality of it - well, it is hard to hear what is being said. So appreciate your answers. Thanks. Logging off for now. Going to have a brigham city peach for breakfast as a treat for all this writing. YUMMM.  Again stay tuned for the ongoing saga. Hopefully ending soon and I won’t have to write this fire blog.

Day 15 October 13, 2024
Lockdown 10:30 AM

It’s 55... winds 0...? Hmm could my station not be working, Air 78 .

I guess I get to update the blog now. We went out to look at the mountains. It’s just too smoky today. Looking south down the valley. Man oh man.

Looking at the mountain. Yep the same. Things are hectic, lots of traffic at the guard station. We noticed that one of them that they have to let through is very essential. 😀Notice the pictures. Heee

Waiting for the update on the fire and then waiting on the update for the community that’s not fire related. No heros just hectic.

Day 15 October 13, 2024 lockdown 6 AM 

It’s a little cold this morning at 5 AM. down to 36 yay brrrr  Winds nnw 5 air quality 107.

I first want to apologize for the quickness. I know there are a lot of errors especially the last blogs written with my fire brain. It’s because the voice text I have been using, makes lots of errors. please bear with me. As it’s the only way I can get the blog written and do my things that I need to to go. Monica had a little time to help correct it last night. Making it spiffy. Thank you Monica. I don’t know how much I’ll be writing today. 

 First, I wanted to give a shout out to my sister. Over the years, we had kind of lost touch. But out of the blue, She suddenly started texting me. I am so glad to hear from her. She gave me a crying moment yesterday, as she had to say how proud she was of my website and of my blog. She knew that my mom would be proud of me and would have enjoyed reading this blog. Love you mom. I miss seeing my sister.  I love her very much. 

Now I will tell of the Bad news of last night.  After I say, we had one of those herder sheep dogs lost and was pacing on state road 35.  It was hungry and fire fighters kept trying to feed it. Hopefully they’ve found the owner so it can be rescued. On with the news. It all start when Gordon posted the news about Rhodes canyon fire had crossed over the other day. This meant it was heading toward Lightning Ridge.  Sneaking on the back side of North Fork canyon. So now we are watching it more closely. Last night was the first time that we saw a little spot of smoke on west top of lightning Ridge .  A sneaky little puff of the dragon. A real close-up on the camera, Also verified it. Looking through the night there’s definitely fire up there. We need them to stop that sneaky thing on Lightning Ridge Slowly creeping to our home. So it’s like this, if the fire comes here to our home, then it has a straight shot south to the rest of Hanna. If we go, the fire is heading straight to Hanna. That’s why people are watching what happens here. We need the winds to be in our favor. I heard there are many prayers and thoughts. Even fastings. We do need a miracle.  The new command is working hard to try to save us. Thank you new command.  Something in my gut though tells me the fire is too strong.  I hope my gut is wrong.  Stupid gut.  The launi cam pic says “I forgot to go out earlier, but I just went out. It’s really smoky tonight, but no, I can’t see any glow but when I look through my camera, there’s a slight glow.” She has two pics. We haven’t seen the planes for the last few days, I’m hoping and praying that they send them back today.   Then. I wanted to make the blog more than just bad news maybe a little humor,  the things about the hero’s. but (hate those buts) I am losing faith and a little more serious.

My husband got up at 3:30 am to do our nightly check. He came back with good news that the mountain was black. No flames visible. The picture he took was totally black. Hey, there is some hope. Since my husband was up, he was so thoughtful and brought me some more of those cold yummy grapes to eat. Oh, how delicious. yummm.  He also brought some cold cold ice water to drink on my sore sore throat. Remember I said I had eaten all my grapes. That I needed them. Well, I was so lucky one of those nice neighbors brought me some.

Thank you very much nice neighbor!! Will try to get more hero’s today.  It is now 6 AM Logging off right now. Stay tuned.

posted are those pictures of that poof of smoke, launi’s nightly cam. 

Day 14 October 12, 2024
Lock Down Part C

The Drama begins... This is what I see here today at the hummingbird ranch. It’s 1:30pm and the wind tickled the nose of the dragon. The dragon sneezed an woke up. It is moving. Doesn’t look good again. Lots of smoke. We went had to go look to see if the dragon is getting in the swell of lightening mountain or not. It changed in a blink of an eye. I looked just a little bit. Ok all clear. Now poof it is not. It’s so hard to update this blog. Every second it changes. I can’t keep up. The news is that the fire is down to the Stillwater pipeline. It is back walking down when Logs fall.

 Now My blog I am writing in the calm.  

Well, my work is cut out for me. I just heard there’s over 564 crew members working at this fire. That’s an awful big blog page to get all those people heroes. I wish my health was better, so I could actually go out and meet these people. I was so exhausted. You see I only added one and picture of 3 working. I couldn’t get over there to see em when leaving. But I’ll try to get what I can. Got my oxygen tank ready to get out more hopefully later. No I don’t think I can do it. I have three fire people out clearing a fire line along State Route 35. They are trying to make a bigger barrier to stop the fire, if it comes down this far. If? I have a picture. They also are up past John Moons home by the mountain, with equipment making another fire line to try to stop it there. I am only seeing one fraction of all the efforts they are putting in to save us. Log trucks hauling the logs getting out. I know they have even escorted a few people up north fork to get essential items they had forgotten when evacuated. Just thought you all would like to know. Then I have seen all kinds of equipment bull dozers, caterpillars water trucks going by to get things done. I haven’t yet met the people on the close fire line in the heat of it all. I will keep trying to meet all these heros in my little corner of fire zone. I also met a bulldozer person and another Medic that I did not think at the time to start the heros on my blog. It’s called fire brain. It kinda gets you not thinking clearly. Then I met two bosses but somehow I chickened out to ask them. I should have, now that I look back. We decided we are doing pancakes today and handing out. It is so hot out there. Is it really October? Root beer floats all around the treat given today. I am also lucky to have neighbors bringing items to keep us going. Thank you so much!!! I needed a pet carrier, so launi posted it on Facebook. Bam the calls started coming in. I don’t have door dash here, not that I know of in this valley.  Sure feels like I do. I have a few groceries coming this afternoon. I know I need to get working on regular things. But now the fire is in movement mode. All abandonment of anything is what is going to happen. 

Day 14 October 12, 2024
Lock Down Part B

I got a liitle rest. Wonderful. Smoke is down. I can breathe a little better. No new blaring evacuation orders. Had a sugar free A&W Root Beer float to perk my spirits and cheer me up to write. It’s actually is one week today since lock down. Really? It seems like forever. it’s Saturday. Normal people have it off and they’re probably sleeping in. Not us, still checking fire. Husband went to see this morning. Though because of this dragon fire, I have met some really fantastic fire hero people. One positive thing, out of all this tragedy and horror. They come from local Utah cities and all over the country. They are coming to help and see our beautiful community. I tell them about my heart mountain my home sits on, and my Hanna hummingbird haven. The Hanna heart now gone I assume. The Stoney face rock figure, our state stone, our beautiful red orange sandstone features, our quaint stores; Our Hanna store, Hanna Hilton, Sandstone eatery, our k-12 school, our wagon rides, and our yaks (though now evacuated), and most important Our community spirit. Next time I will ask them, if I can tell you followers a little info about them on my blog when I talk to them. You know, since we are on the road of fire traffic vehicles. They move back and forth almost constantly protecting us. At nights lights flashing in my windows. Actually it is a nice feeling knowing the check point guard is just steps away to inform us of any danger. My cat is meowing I think she is saying. Though I don’t know for sure. "I am worried about you. Stop writing. I need attention. You need to relax." I need to re organize some things for evacuating so logging off for awhile. Let’s see what the day turns into...

Stay tuned in for more updates. 

Day 14 October 12, 2024
Lock Down Part A

It was a warmer night again. Still 41, Burrr. The Air is bad 175. Winds say north west 5 mph. Doing my new morning routine. Waiting for the update. The fire dragon is still here and not sure changing even with the new command. But giving them time for all their efforts to kick in. I was hoping to see it getting smaller on our south west end section by us and North Fork. But not sure yet if it is.  No Planes, I did not see yesterday.

As I sit here, looking at my beautiful, hummingbird collage of birds that were taken from at the ranch. Which hangs on my kitchen wall (which was made by Paul Hunsaker). Who’s wonderful photos you are looking at on the blog. I think this all is so surreal. Luckily, the hummingbirds are all gone to a safer place, hopefully home for a good winter in Mexico. The Launi cam last night: “Well, the picture does look like there’s a little teeny bit of glow more to the right. I can’t see it with my eyes.”  My husband 10:00 pm last nightly report "I did not see any glow tonight up North fork." This constant wind changing directions has gotten to me. It holds our fate. Never knowing, do we need to go or stay. People are getting complacent. Enough of this we all say. Too many Sleepless nights and stressful days! My faithful old cat has been sick and not sure what to help her. I think traveling to evacuate and the change of new place will finally be the end of her, also. We haven't been able to do our work jobs being on this lock down, unable to leave. I am just too tired to write anymore today, except for this Helpful hint. "I was also warned about this and to tell everyone. if you do evacuate make sure you think about perishable items such as food in fridge or on counters and watering your plants well. 

Too tired for even my fabulous grapes (ate them all) so I need grapes, yummy popsicle, or omg my ritual sugar free rootbeer float. Logging off for awhile. Hopefully get some needed rest from all this stress

Day 13 October 11, 2024
Still Lock Down 3:00 pm

Yeah, A whole bunch of California crew command just came by.

Going up to Moon's. They are up on Johns hill behind his property. They are making a containment line as we speak. Maybe I am feeling they are getting in there maybe we have a chance. Wow wow wow. Also this is the pic from Launi house down by Tabiona taken a few minutes ago. She says "I just went out and took a picture. Looks about the same as yesterday. Looks like it's going north more." I liked what John Moon says "I think we shouldn't believe anything we don't see and only half of that" For all this writing, I am going for a popcicle treat. Yum Yum Yum. My friends call me the popcicle queen, since I had all these medical problems. I Love them!

Day 13 October 11, 2024
Still Lock Down Continued 1:00pm

The sleeping dragon fire woke up puffing smoke and fire. Not good except the wind changed to SW but gusty 12mph. ugggh mph. Picture of morning and now. And so it begins again. Time to watch. They have added more mandatory evacuations. See Fire Watch app. Two pictures this morning sleeping. One when up and 3 more awaking dragon fire.

Day 13 October 11, 2024
Still Lock Down

Hey, Everyone thanks for your support. I got an email this morning and see my blog has been sent to others to read. So I am starting to write. Lots of things happened yesterday. Oh its 9:00am and oh our road of fire vehicles is full of a convoy of Fire fighters. The most I have ever seen. What a Fabulous site. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! The world is having so many disasters. There was hurricane Milton. There’s other fires all over, flooding, war, and just terrible things happening. That our fire is only a blip in the world of life. But yet I still write about it. First, I have to do my new daily ritual of looking at my weather station, then Apps, weather, wind, and current satellite infra red maps. Then physically scanning the area of the two directions on mountains that the fire is coming from. Looking for any site of flames. Making sure there’s no fire. Then waiting for any fire updates from the command. Jim going to the check station. PLUS doing all my medical treatments and other chores. For today, I have a lots of pictures to show you from yesterday. The fire was crazy and everyone in town was sending me bad pictures. Warning us. Seeing how we were. This prompted me, that I had to go look for myself. Can you believe it, they let me out of the checkpoint to go to look. Hooray! I took a bunch of pictures. We also took a bunch of pictures here at the ranch off of our deck that faces the main mountain that is mostly affecting us. Look at the ash on the mountain it looks like snow. Also the evening moon on my heart mountain. No fire there, yet. Just pictures everywhere. Also got some cool pictures of the new jets that that have come in..  Oh its 9:30 The planes have started. What a wonderful sound!!! The smoke was everywhere. It still is this morning. We actually saw flames last night and boy was it a glowing. It was warmer night, only 41. "Burr" I say.  It was down to 37 the other night. My weather station says 54 and winds west at 4 mph. The air sensons at our neighbors read Red 175. Oh I just checked again and its down to 82. Yeah! It changes alot.  Look at that purpleair.com at our location. Stockmore I think it is listed. We received bad news last night that the fire had gone from Rhodes Canyon, and now in the bottom of lightning ridge mountain and growing. Anyone that lives in this community knows that that is a bad thing. it is now very very close to us. Lightning ridge mountain is the one behind John & Brenda Moon‘s house which is right next door. We look at it every day. People in the community of Hanna and Tabiona look up toward our house. They see the fire flames and smoke plumes. It looks ominous. It looks directly like it is on our house. We actually saw the jump break of fire too our swell area of the Lightning Ridge Mountain. We saw it.

Prequel:

It was a beautiful crisp fall day on Sept 27, 2024  at the  8hummingbirds ranch . So we decided to take a drive up North Fork Canyon and take a look at the amazing Hanna Heart that appears on the mountain each fall.  Yes, yippee, we saw it.  The aspen had finally changed to their golden sparkling color.  So of course, Had to get those pictures . What a beautiful site.

Day 1 September 28, 2024

Who knew that something so little.. could be the beginning of complete chaos for the ranch. A small fire started by man.  Still under investigation but rummers of an arsonist has terrorized us exist. My humorist charming friend Launi driving home said she thought she saw a poof of smoke on utah highway 35 by the Mill Hollow area.. Later that day she sent me a post I want to share. I hope i can. Well here it is.

Days 2-5 Sept 29 -Oct 2, 2024

It simmered and grew, while the ranch and Hanna, Utah still thought not much about it ...at that time seemed miles away.   But...Like in a horror movie..but ..until they closed our lifeline road ut state road 35 over wolf creek pass to fight the fire. Then it started to be noticed. Work was now incovenienced. Had to go through vernal to rock springs instead of now the long route of heber. Hmmm a real bummer my friend would say. Out working as the fire grew each day.

Day 7 October 4, 2024

A day at home not thinking about the fire at all. Going to a Tom's house, picking fresh apples off the trees.  Cooking a wonderful turkey and stuffing dinner. Just a typical day. Going home to have Suzanne bringing wonderful fresh fruit staying the night before her birthday bash and invited Tom for Turkey dinner also. 

Day 8 October 5, 2024 Day 1 of Lock Down

The day started early. Jim helping me so that he could leave to work in wyoming 3 hrs away.  Did meds, did my breathing nebulizer treatment, Insulin a little to eat.  He left to go. I continued to get ready for Maria.  I must explain Well things went bad in december and that's a wholeanother blog.  Short story well they found a pituatary brain tumor. Had to have surgery or die...Well things went bad and 60 days in the hospital came home unable to do anything.  Well the house went crazy without me. It became such a nightmare for me to stay here.  i was lucky to find someone to help me in this tiney valley. That angel was Maria. Not being able to breathe and on oxygen and not able too much she saved me. She was coming today to help on the ranch.While we Busily working on the ranch we notice the wind growing stronger. Gale Force winds. It was blowing crazy. We couldnt put the trash outside.  Then busily still working, all of the sudden my phone did that horrible horrible alert sound. oh my what was that? We thought. We went running to my phone and saw the alert that we must evacuate mandatory for north fork and the west fork and Wolf Creek Pass. The fire spread so much and was headed our way and to our beautiful valley.(now they say it tripled in size that day) Didnt know at that time Hanna community alerted to be getting ready to evacuate stage also. Thinking Now what? Jim is gone and I can’t leave. Its all too much for me. Struggling already, I must have the oxygen and wheel chair ..everything ready for me to go. Maria has no idea how to help me, only Jim and now he is three hours away. Panicking, now in tears now trying to reach him he’s not answering, come on Jim answer I text . Maria says she will stay to help me until other help can come. Even though she made plans with her grand children. I frantically start calling my  friend  Launi.  she offers to help and be there right away but realizes I  myself have no car jaim took it and she has no car to help evacuate me. So now that means I have to call Suzanne I call my rancher farmer gal. Who’s birthday is today.  Oct. 5th. How can I be so selfish and bother her on her birthday 

What a day to ruin her birthday plans for a big party with a bunch of family and here I am asking her to leave everything and come help me. She reply’s she is more than happy to help. She is such a good friend. I am in tears, scared, don’t know what to do. How do I do this? I can’t even breathe, barely moving around, let alone try to pack some things to go. Maria says, don’t worry everything will be OK, but the wind is so strong and just crazy. In in my head, I can see the fire dragon coming up to us and burning us alive. . Maria is trying to comfort me.  I finally reached jim tell him the news that we have been told to do evacuate immediately it is mandatory you must get home in the meantime Suzanne is getting ready to come over to help me so Maria can go home .. sorry the story is so traumatic to me ..that even writing it down now is causing terrible horror memories causing terrible pain, a racing heart and crying . with all my troubles so far this year. I felt so helpless and I had to rely on others.

My cat is upset that I am upset. So i must stop now.

 it’s like Star Wars, i will come back to the beginning. I have a bunch to add and some pics. If you don’t like what I’ve written.. oh well, then you don’t have to come back and read it .hee heee

Day 8 October 6, 2024 Day 2 of Lock Down

There is so much I left out but still need more time to write will try honest.

Day 9 October 7, 2024 Day 3 of Lock Down

Another restless night fell upon the three of us ..made home made pizza. Food still needed to be eatable in lockdown and than a touch of laughter the irony to make yep the fire camping favorite s’mores .. but boy were they were good.  The secret is to use the orange chocolate. Feeling like things seem to be lessening risk, Tom made the decision he was going home due to complete exhaustion and hopefully to get needed sleep. Now it became The two of us doing the constant patrol of the night sky.. again looking for any faint glow.  All security cameras facing the crime dragon fire scene .. finally a glimpse of sleep fell upon me. .

Day 10 October 8, 2024 Day 4 of Lock DownT

Then it happened..  at 5 am …it always happens in the night. right? …the security camera rang and beeped wildly. an alert om my phone,  car lights shining in the driveway . now headlights gleamed and red lights appeared in the window. Oh my thoughts raced in my sleepy groggy head. oh no they were here to evacuate us.  Heart racing…I’m fumbling out of bed hurrrying without my oxygen, running to get Jim in the great room. Grabbing the phone telling Siri to call him.. Harley is now screaming his loud distress cry’s.  Hurry I think, hurry to tell him some one was here …get up, get up  I am screaming. Calling at the same time .. he answers  quickly .. then finding out,  it was just him. returning from the checkpoint .. he forgot the security camera alarm and had not texted me when he left, not to wake me. Kinda got me upset...  Don’t you think? Man. 
It seemed forever to stop my heart from beating so fast.  This day was planned to get some paperwork and chores, since we have totally disabandoned everything. While waiting for the text pics of the daily update from my friend .  This day turned to be a smoky morning. Still some ash falling.  This day Seems impossible to do anything the 

Phone constantly ringing and texts. Then it happened our other dreaded fear. Work emailed .. or constant worry .. an install needed right away. Oh no . Now having to explain our complicated dire situation .. then  my friend other humorous, charming reliable, friend, her text tone rings. yea the pics of the update  came   .. the life changing decision to be made stay or evacuate.  Stay was the decision.  Now lunch time. Let’s do orange chicken and rice. Take some hot food to our great check point guard as a thank you. Our news today was about he was escorting a repair team to Defas Dude Ranch to fix a well pump. So not at the check point. And all that ask the Defas Dude Ranch is still standing at the moment.  They only had till 1 and the weather expected to change, so meaning north fork was now closed. No escorts for anything even evacuations.  Closed due to the danger for our safety.  My next test was from Monica. Hey your blog is now on line. You can find it on a Google search. I went really?? 

Use 8 (space) hummingbirds (space) ranch (space) blog. So I tried it, friends tried it- to see if it was really true.  It was, they found it. So now excitement.  I was suggested to wriet a log of the fire in the newsletter and this is now the thoughts started racing. But oh the life of the evacuees .. oh my my.. laptop had been packed and moved to my friends house for safety. ugggg.. now to get someone to bring it to the check point to retrieve it. My husband saying no we can’t have anything more to worry about moving. No room for things with the animals to save and get out in a hurry. Uggg my heart broken. Crying in sadness. Oh ok we will get it he says. And get it he did. So now you can read my ramblings.  I told Monica though this writing is hard. so much to back track and make up and then to get current. We need a Dailey log of this dragon fire attacking us. Well, I am doing it so hope you are enjoying.  On with the saga .The evening treat to the guard was a root beer float. They always say please we don’t need anything but secretly I think he liked it.  News around tonight was about they are sending in the big level 3 fire command. not i

Out Francis anymore .. new command center in Duchesne, ut .

Told the news maybe west fork fires were subdued .. so told try to get a restful night sleep.  No constant checking the mountantains and skys needed.  Tom didn’t need to stay to help evacuate quickly during the night.  He can finally get some rest also 

Trying to relax alittle decidedd to let the bird out make a spaghetti dinner. How harley loves to eat spaghetti and hamburger sausage.  So he’ll finally eat. watch a little tv. How about dvr dancing with stars.  Exhausted and tired and restless decided not to finish the show and gave Harley his whipping cream to get him ready for bed .. then did my nebulizer breathing treatment and put my things together to go bed. but darn it it was the dreaded excitement of being able to write this fog that I text my friend asking questions and bothering her through the evening about my blog then the new command but a notice of a community meeting in Duchesne. I had to text the book club ladies.ok Done that. Then receiving responses: why not here in tabby. I explained, I thought it was due to the new higher command fire people are now going to be in Duchesne. I was just a messenger.Please Look at Facebook Utah fire info. Maybe you can do comments to them. In between, Texting my blog now it has become late to my friend. . I had to quit bothering her. Sorry, I told her because of my excitement. I would stop bothering her for the night till tomorrow heeee heeee . Sleep came though only to 2am. Getting up and Checking my precious cat. She’s asleep but still breathing. Then yep you guessed it ..Eat some of my fabulous grapes Launi brought me and drink some cold water. Oh refreshing . Check my sugar reading. Then thoughts starting flowing for my blog .. started writing dictating till 330.  Looking at the tempature a cool 41°,  great I think. winds say nw 6 mph. Hmmm. Look at mountains on the camera. Seeing no glowing fires to attack us. Must get sleep I tell myself. So shut off my brain, put ocean waves on and relax.. my cat wakes to come Lie on me. She is still alive. Gently Stoking her with love, calming her fears. Showing her I am ok. Now to sleep if I can.  Nope, no sleep. checked clock write some blog. Man my stupid head. Maybe some issues from the brain tumor affecting me. Yep now 4:30. Go to bed I say. Pet my faithful cat. to sleep i must I mumble. 

Day 11 October 9, 2024 Day 5 of Lock Down

Waiting again for the text about the morning update. Trying to write more on my blog. Hurrying to get this up and
running. It was a low of 38 degrees and smoky skys today. Lots happening on the road of fire vehicles, I call it. semi haulers and fire trucks. busy busy.  Friend texting a photo of fire by Defas Dude Ranch. Making French toast for breakfast. At 11 am yea the wonderful sounds of airplanes and helicopters. Here they come again and again. Blessed is that sound. Suzanne said best "I'm thankful for whomever is trying to save us." Planes again as i write...so great. Still no update at 1:15 pm now 2:00 still waiting. Won"t be able to travel to the community meeting. Because of Lock Down.  Try to stream it. Though its facebook which I dont do. I rely on Launi for those things. Hey the update fire report finally came at 3 pm. Now to decide stay or go. 

I have 75° a hot day for October and the fire to grow. We are starting to have cabin fever today. Our friend told us about people that have purple air on the internet they are sensors that monitor air quality at their homes and outside their homes. It’s all over the nation ..Shows one here in our valley and it’s tracking and monitoring of these smoky sky’s ..  much better today looks like. Only a 23 which is low. It can be bad in upper 100s. You can look for yourself. Suzanne just sent a picture from her house. Man the plume of smoke looks big and blowing away from the ranch.Been alot of Log trucks today coming done with loads. The report sounded in our favor. Trying relax tonight. Tacos it shall be for us and the checkpoint guards.Have to meet Jessop at the checkpoint to hand off items that needed to go from here in the lockdown. 

Website created and edited by Monica Brown and Dena Reid
Last Updated on October 18, 2024