Ridiculous

Over a month since I last updated this blog? Insanely ridiculous, that. So much going on, such wonderful weather, so much to blab about. Let's start with the super good.

This nasty-looking beast is Scout, the newest member of my cousin Lynn's family. Scout is a black lab, famous for their energy, but she has two boys, Jake and Nicholas, to run her ragged and teach her the ways of the world. The first time I met her, she ran right up and put a couple little puppy piranha teeth into my hand. But dangit she's cute, so it didn't really hurt.

Whenever we next see her, be it next month or next spring, she'll be huge (and, no doubt, just as menacing a cur as she is in this photo).

Now for some sad news. These are a couple lovely apples from one of the trees on the property. It was was right on the river, between my grandma's and aunt and uncle's places. I say "was" because a few weeks ago a beaver got it. I'm bugged threefold: 1) the beavers have been active all year, so I should have seen this coming and could have easily prevented it; 2) of all the apple trees here, this by far produced the biggest and sweetest fruit; 3) I have no desire whatsover to either kill the beavers or see them gone, but when Monique and I found the tree down, I was not pleased with the thoughts of revenge / vengeance that entered my little mind.

All the other apple trees are protected, as are some of the shrubs, which the beaver have started taking en masse. But there are too many to protect, so it's got to be selective. One willow stump I protected this spring has 6' shoots; that one will stay protected.

In the living room, we have a 4'x5' window about 12' off the floor; from the outside, it's about 20' off the ground. It was cracked and had moisture between the panes, so we wanted it replaced. When "The Guy" came over to do it, I helped as I could, but much of it was left to his strength, balance, and confidence of hauling a broken window down a 24' ladder and pushing the replacement up the same ladder. Long story short, it's in, but it was almost a tragedy as Jeremy was very nearly knocked off the ladder as he moved the new window into the frame. I was on a ladder inside the house, watching as the window started backward -- there was nothing I could do. I still shudder at that image. Luckily (and unbelievably) he recovered his balance and somehow kept the window from falling.

Lastly, autumn is fully here. No snow in the Swans yet, but we're hopeful, maybe for the weekend. The turkeys have come back, we have a deer lick out and more hearty bird food in the feeder than just the black oil sunflower seeds.

Peace, and for our American friends who aren't (convicted) felons, please remember to vote next Tuesday.