ANOTHER SMOKY DAY . . .

From June's field

 The air was cool this morning, reminiscent of fall, though I don’t know if we can call it fresh since the atmosphere remains smoky. As I look out beyond the barn, I can see the smoke resting on June’s field.

Smoke rests in June's field

Mike was up and had breakfasted by the time I was moving around, so I missed the morning walk. He and the dogs would have waited for me if I had agreed to hurry, but I DO NOT get up with a great desire to rush around, so I suggested they go without me. (Maybe I’ll wake up earlier tomorrow.)

The morning walk has been a short hike through the stubble field behind the house to the canyon rim. Both dogs love that. (I think we’re all tired of Plank’s Pitch.) Mike said he saw a mule deer doe and a white tail buck with a beautiful set of antlers. Now that the rapeseed crop is gone, we’re seeing the deer again. I had three sightings yesterday.

Happy old apple tree at pond

Regardless of the morning coolness, it will be hot again today. As our supply of frozen cookies is running low, I offered to bake a batch, but Mike advised against it. “Mix them up and bake them tonight,” he suggested. I already know I won’t want to bake cookies tonight.

So, I missed the morning walk, but as Mike left for his bicycle ride to Nezperce, I took the camera and headed south of the house by way of a machine tracks in the stubble. Bess went with me.

Smoke blurs Little Canyon

The tiny little honeysuckle bushling I planted this year is blooming! Some rodents tried to nibble it, so I surrounded it with pine straw, which seemed to do the trick. The rodents don’t like to drag their bellies over the rough pine straw.

And speaking of rodents – the WAR is on! Last week as we watched tv in the evening, I heard a snap in the kitchen – and yes! – we had another mouse in trap. And then it happened again! We left traps in the kitchen while we were gone over the weekend, and all three captured mice. Mike wonders where they’re coming from and surmises that harvest has displaced them, and while that may be true, I say it’s a house in the country and we’re bound to have mice. Trapping them helps keep down the traffic. Catching the scouts slows the flow. However, one must remain diligent in the war because we are outnumbered by the enemy, who is extremely persistent. (Trapping is our preferred method of extermination for a variety of reasons.)

Happy hummer

A few hummingbirds remained last week – maybe six or eight – and this week we have even less – maybe four. A few yellow jackets are also interested in the feeders, and that makes them less appealing to the hummers. As long as the hummers show interest, I’ll continue to fill the feeders, but they have barely made a dent in the nectar. The activity is definitely winding down. KW