STAYCATION DRAWS TO AN END

Mike called last night to say that he will be home tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 6), a day ahead of schedule. Bess and I decided to stay at the farm until Saturday morning. Bess agrees that it’s so much easier – and more fun – to live here. It’s cooler and we can hike where we please without worrisome traffic. So – tomorrow it is for our trip to town.

Wildlife report:

·      I was awakened this morning by a commotion in the yard. Eight magpies were noisily noshing in the grove. They flew as soon as I opened the door.

·      Yesterday, a young whitetail buck warily nibbled in the yard near the barn. Bess was either unaware or didn’t care.

·      I hear coyote every night, and as we walk, I’m surprised to see how very close to the house they are.

·      Bess pointed a covey of game birds on the canyon rim this morning. Mike will be glad to hear of it. 

We have endured some hot days this week, but this morning it was decidedly cooler and slow to warm, making it a good day to bake. I made banana bread and molasses cookies.

For our morning history hike, we headed west behind the house to “the great stone face” of family lore. For years, I couldn’t find it, but I know where it is now, and we went straight to it. In my dad’s picture at left, his sister Myrtle (Lynn) sits atop while Shirley stands below. (Well, I'm pretty sure it's Shirley and Myrtle, but I'm only pretending to know which is which.) 

By contrast, my photo lacks color, but seriously, that's the way this world looks right now. And it could be that while I took mine in the morning, Daddy took his in the evening with the sun behind him. I just don't know. 

I’ve never tried to actually access the structure myself. Maybe some day I’ll give it a try. As it is, walking the land is difficult. I’ve actually taken to wearing my hiking boots with crew socks to protect my feet. And if the vegetation – dead or alive – seems dense, I just avoid it. The dead stuff is prickly. KW