Breeding was serious business of donkeys and horses resulting in a mule years ago.  Today it is four-legged fun, food, festival, music and art.  Inyo Council for the Arts hosts an art in the park event that draws a hundred artisans.  The city park is transformed into a huge art show for four days.  Friday through Monday Sherry and I will be displaying and selling ours.

It’s not too late to plan a trip to Bishop.  But, be prepared for all accommodations to be sold out in Bishop and the nearby area.  The official Mule Days website gives the full festivity details and alternate lodging option.  We enjoy this venue so much that we had reserved our space one year ago! Hope to see you there!

We wondered why the mother bird would not go into the bird house to feed her babies.  We made this lighthearted video to capture the event.  My brother calls it the circle of life.

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A man was sentenced to six months in prison for illegally rockhounding on public land.  The BLM, Bureau of Land Management, has guidelines for collecting rock, gemstones, fossils, meteorites, arrowheads, etc. Collecting for hobby use “reasonable amounts” is allowed.  In this case, the man collected crystals with the express purpose of selling them for profit.  The difference between hobby use and commercial use is  the profit motive.

Know the regulations for collecting on public lands, readily available with a simple internet search.  If you want to sell, for profit, what you collect, you can file a mining claim and collect legally.  Filing a mining claim and meeting the annual requirements is not all that difficult.

Here is the link to the full article online at the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado:  http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/man-gets-6-months-for-illegal-mining

Collecting arrowheads – sorry – not allowed.  They are considered artifacts and protected by law.