Water snake surprised on the island below the shelf falls yesterday with a fish in its mouth, half swallowed. I didn't want to disturb it, but the dogs and I caused it to flee with fish.
Several days of almost 90 degrees here; but yesterday and today, thunderstorms mitigate the heat. I have yet to turn on the A/C for the nights are still cool, and daily I can hang at the river.
I ate the first ripe tomato from the garden, first of the larger ones. I have had several ripe small cocktail tomatoes. A large yellow "Kellogg breakfast" heirloom variety which I cut and, except for the pieces I had to immediately taste, added to a bowl with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. oh, delight.
One week from today, Ezra and Jen and Fia arrive for a visit, and maybe Kingsley too (Mr. Lee's pal). I so look forward to seeing them, to see the cousins playing, to feel my heart fill with happiness watching my two sons together with their families. (a photo from last year!)
The flock of geese I saw down river below the shelf falls, must have visited the swimming hole last evening, because today I was greeted by their tracks and their scat. I carefully moved the black like cheetos into the current. Later in the river I noticed one lone black swallowtail hovering over one dropping I missed and realized that in clearing the beach I had upset the butterfly's banquet.
into nonverbal habit, trying to mimic bird calls at best. I do rise into chatter when grandkids appear and at qigong class and with friends. It is the summer green, tumultuous greening that lulls me into a kind of torpor, a not unhappy state. Like this morning as I weeded the onions and unfortunate beets and pole beans coming back from a trimming by some creature of the evening. Perhaps it isn't the speaking out loud that is suffering, but the occasional visit to blog. oh, yes. Lazy moi.
Perhaps these many carved figures, from a store in Addis Ababa, will prompt me to muse and linger here. I wonder if some of the faces were purposefully modeled on an enemy, a voodoo? Or perhaps some might be fertility fetishes? Or a relative honored? We did not linger and I did not ask.
The jumble of faces reminds me of the crowds at the markets in small towns south of Addis Ababa.
I've slept wrong on my left shoulder and aggravated a pulled muscle and am tired and slightly hanging low with the sky, gray. Missed a call from eldest son, and sad to have missed his voice. Hiked up this morning to blue house to check on garden. Seemed in good shape until bean area; though I can't say that the top leaf buzz cut is worse than the night before! However, it does look like a deer ate tops of 3 cucumber plants. I sprayed more deer away as deer snorted from the woods. I may check again this evening. Some vermin has eaten beet tops in my garden - again last night. I can't find an access, not at least large enuf for groundhog, but perhaps a rabbit slid under the fence somewhere hidden by weeds? Ah, small small issue in the scheme of things!
