Red like Jungle Burning Bright

New Mexico and Colorado forests are burning!

• The High Park Fire near Ft. Collins has killed one lady and destroyed over 100 structures and 43,000 acres.
• Little Bear Fire in south central New Mexico, outside of Ruidoso, has destroyed 37,000 acres and 224 homes and 10 structures. This is the area where Smokey the Bear was found years ago.
• And finally, the Whitewater Baldy Complex Fire where 278,000 acres have burned in the Gila Wilderness Area in southwestern New Mexico. This is the largest forest fire in New Mexico state history.

These fires are only about 30% contained. Thousands of brave men and women are working at the fire sites. Forest Fires often create their own weather and rough terrain makes access to the fires difficult. Although they say fires are good for the forests, these fires are bad for the atmosphere.

We can see the smoke in the air, hazy gray skies intermixed with our typical blue skies. Allergies and respiratory issues are rampant. I cough and cough all day long. I can only imagine what it's like down on the fire lines with the intense heat and dense smoke. Let's hope and pray they can get these fires under control soon.

On the flip side, sometimes, we get to see an awesome red sun and moon. Here is the moon one night.

Red like Jungle Burning Bright - artist: David Bowie, albm: Cat People (Putting out Fire)

Not expecting morning sun

Yesterday was the last day of March.

It sure went out like a lamb after coming in like a lion! We've been having 70-80 degree temperatures the last couple of days.

I was amazed at yesterday morning's moonset. Isn't it gorgeous?

Recently, I wrote about my new barn residents.

Well, yesterday was a sad day. I found one of the crows dead in the barn. I don't know how he died but I will certainly miss him as I'm sure my horses will too.
He was laying right under his roost. Did he take a deadly fall perhaps? The horses were out of the barn all day and no one will tell me what happened.I didn't know what else to do with him so I laid him to rest out by a little yucca plant. All in the circle of life, I'm sure he will be gone by morning.

Not expecting Morning Sun - song: Get Real, artist: David Bowie, album: Outside extra

Ground Control to Major Tom

After school yesterday, I gave myself a treat and went to see a movie downtown at the Guild Theater, an independent films cinema. The movie was Moon, written and directed by Duncan Jones. It was fantastic! Before the movie, they played the song, Cygnet Committee, by David Bowie. hee hee! So what, you may ask? Well, there are Bowie connections to this movie.

This was the director's first full length film and he did it on a low budget, about 5 million, which is low for a sci fi flick. He used models instead of computer graphics. It's got one main character, Sam, who is working alone on the moon and reaching the end of his three year contract. He is played by Sam Rockwell. And there is a robot, voiced by Kevin Spacey, but you don't know if the robot is good or bad and if Sam is crazy or not. It is an excellent "sci fi" flick that I highly recommend. In a question and answer session with Nasa intellectuals, it was approved for accuracy. You gotta see it to believe it. And one day, they will be thttp://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a164340/duncan-jones-moon.htmlalking about Mr. Jones, the director, saying things like, "I heard his dad was a musician or something?"

It is getting critical acclaim but it won't be released in all the theaters. Find out where it's playing and go see it. NOW!

Here's the trailer for a preview.

Click here for an interview with Duncan Jones, the producer.

Ground Control to Major Tom - song: Space Oddity, artist: David Bowie, album: Space Oddity