Our little Community is holding our monthly Potluck Party at 4pm, on this last Saturday of the month, in the full swing of Memorial Weekend: the unofficial beginning of Summer! WooHoo: should be quite a Party!

Our USDA Food Give-away served 112 Families last Monday, including 35 from Joshua Tree, whose Food Give-Away has been discontinued due to lack of Volunteers.

In response to my lament about rodents eating our vegetables, Neighbor Mad Mack sent in the following ecologically sound pest control methods, He says:
“Do NOT use these inside your house: EVER! * 1) Mix ½ a coffee can each of corn flour & concrete mix (Concrete mix is $6-8 @ 50lb bag) and salt (1/8 cup or so): flavor to suit rats. Distribute in pie tins (or something not easily overturned, a rock would help) where you've seen the rats. Provide plenty of fresh water next to tins. Wouldn't want the "poor lil guys" to be thirsty, and they're gonna need the water. Move to next nest site when rats stop comin' 'round. Dogs, rabbits, snakes, and birds pretty much leave the mixture alone, altho they like the water. Not sure 'bout lizards & such, but I keep an eye out. Watch awhile to ensure only rats eat it. * 2) Fill a 5 gal bucket 'bout 1/2 full, put a layer of sunflower seeds floating on top (seeds not necessary, but they help some), where you've seen the rats. SECURE a board (don't want 'em to fall off and get hurt) for a rat "easy on express ramp", and scoop drowned rats daily. Change water after 20 or so rats go swimmin'. Keep an eye on the water level: too low they WILL jump out, too high and they'll climb out. Be aware the water may attract coyotes.” Well, thank you, Mad Mack!

Happy May Birthday Wishes go out to Eva Stokes; Tim Herrera, Jackie Johnston, Cal Myers, Karen van Noort and Mary Moowea. We fondly remember Bob Nelson and Ruth Ruffin. Hope we’re all ready for Summer, ‘cause here she comes: stay well!

Our little Community used to have its very own Fire Station, in the building on the 5 acres next to the Center. The Fire truck was manned – and in a few cases womanned – by Community Volunteers and their response time was mighty quick. The building has been vacant ever since the Fire Department pulled out due to lack of funding a few years back and we are now dependent on 29Palms, Joshua Tree and San Bernardino County Fire Departments, twenty-odd miles away.
Recently, a Mesa Resident expressed interest in renting the building from the Community Association. So, after we distributed 80 bags at the USDA Food Give-away last Monday, a few of us went over to the Fire Station to have a peek inside. Steve Tuttle met us over there and unlocked the door. I was impressed by the light streaming in through skylights and although the place needs a thorough cleaning, the atmosphere felt really pleasant.
Outside, we noticed that somebody had dumped a load of tires over the fence, even though a sign clearly states that the tire dumping site has been closed, as of May 2011, due to lack of County funding. Now we have to dispose of all those tires, thank you very much. “Phaw”, I say to the inconsiderate, unlawful, narcissistic dumper who did this. Next time, please dump your tires at the County Hazardous Waste site in Joshua Tree; next to Garry’s Tires, open the third Saturday of every month.
Also, somebody keeps stealing our Neighborhood Watch signs on Winters and Border. What is up with that? Mischievous children; disgruntled scrappers; spiteful pranks? Please stop: those signs are expensive and they help keep our Neighborhood safe.

Sixteen people showed up for the Bingo and Supper Party last Tuesday. Steve Tuttle served Chicken, Turkey and Beef Pot Pies. Sandy Smith won the Jugball prize and Dyan Carroll won Bingo draw for next week. Ruthie Malton won the White Elephant prize and chose pretty greeting cards with envelopes.

The Potluck Party is today at 4p.m. Have a safe Memorial weekend everyone; stay well!

Our little community has been constantly windy for many months now. I have asked some old timers if they can remember it being this windy for this length of time. They can remember it being windier, but not for this long and not as consistently as it is now.

On a few nights centered on May 5th the trails of fragments left behind by Halley’s Comet will come streaking across the night sky at 44 miles a second. Named after a star in the constellation Aquarius, the eta Aquarid Meteor Shower’s radiant appears to come out of the 4th-magnitude star eta Aquarii that’s 184 light years away from Earth and sits almost exactly on the Celestial Equator. Look towards the eastern horizon around 2:30am as Aquarius rises and expect to see 5 to 10 meteors per hour.

My old neighbor Scott Sorensen called me. He lives in Lancaster now with the buffalo I used to care for when he lived down the street from me. The buffalo are doing fine and they are expecting two more little buffalos shortly! I might take a trip out to see them soon.

Spring-cleaning! I am kind of a slob sometimes. When I have things on my mind I just don’t notice stuff lying around here and there. It’s a clean mess but a mess all the same. It builds up until it gets in my way and comes to my attention. My little brain can only hold so much and I have to set something aside to have the capacity to focus on something else. This something else this week was the kitchen.

Thought for the week: Logic and common sense are what keeps the water out of the boat; but love is what fills the sails and your heart is what sets the course. (co-written with my sister Donna)