The August heat seems to be here to stay. NOAA was predicting possible thunder storms for last night east of here and by late afternoon the clouds were headed their way. We have been fortunate in not having as many storms this year. Yesterday I finished cutting all the wood we brought up from the road, and took one load to the wood shed and 1-1/2 loads to the splitter. I split and stacked one load before lunch & the second, smaller load afterwards. JB had to use his big chain saw to cut the last, large log as the chain on my little one is getting dull. My cutting area is in the shade until about noon and the splitter is in the shade most of the day. Even on the hot days, it is usually cool enough to work in the shade until mid-afternoon. At that point yesterday, it was time to take a nap. Which I did.
We are going to go t the North Central Washington Fair in Waterville on Friday. I think I mentioned earlier in my blog that we really enjoy the small fairs. They are such a hoot. And fair food is always so scrumptious and delightfully decadent. Since we are going down there, I will drop off the chain to my saw for sharpening and probably buy a second one. JB started cutting one of the stumps near the house yesterday morning and it was so hard and full of pitch that his chain quickly became dull. So we'll drop off than one to be sharpened also.
Larry and Elsie visited us again last night. They are getting to be a grocery delivery service what with the fresh eggs and produce they give us. Yesterday it was potatoes, onions, eggs and one very special Heirloom tomato. Can't wait to try that today. Hmmm. If they would just add ice cream to those items, I wouldn't have to go Down There nearly as often. . .
I don't consider myself "old" at 64, but just "older." And I always thought that when I was older, I would be more flexible and patient. But I am not. I think I am more accepting of the way some situations and people are, but I am not necessarily patient with it. And I am not flexible in changing many of my ways that are now set. I know what I like. I know what I want. I know what I don't have to put up with. I have learned that there is only so much one can do to create change. You can change your own life, and perhaps influence some of those around you, but I firmly - and sadly - believe that mankind in general will not change. It is still all about power and self. When I was in high school and college in the '60's, we seemed to have some politicians, at least from the state of Washington, who were actually concerned about our country. Actually willing to work hard and long to make it better without putting their selfish interests first. I don't think I can name one today about whom I feel that way. And maybe I was just naive back then. In fact, I know I was is many ways. But now I believe that it is not the hawks or the religious right who will destroy our democracy, but rather the naivete of the newcomers and the deviousness of their backers. Politics can be a nasty game that does not easily abide fools or naive participant. In playing, one must weave their lies into the subtle fabric of deception, not blatantly state them and think at least some people will not notice. It is the audacity of their arrogance in their naivete that will bring our country down, and mainly because the majority of the American voters are too near sighted to see beyond their own, small lives. It is a Congress that is too concerned about being re-elected than doing the right thing.
Well, I guess I told them! I hesitated to write that rather rambling paragraph, but what the hell. It's still a free country, right? At least for now.
And that brings me to the audacity of mice. I really believe that country mice are smarter than their city counterparts. I think I mentioned previously that the glue traps we tried did nothing but trap some of their fur, while one of the stores Down There uses them quite successfully. I remember one morning during the first year we were Up Here, I was sitting at the table talking on the phone with Sandy when I heard a little noise. I looked down and there, in our vegetable cart, sat a little mouse chewing on a sweet potato! I literally was almost able to grab him before he scurried away at the last minute. Well, okay, maybe they aren't smarter, just more bold and luckier. Another time there was a mouse that I just glimpsed running under the couch. When I got down to floor level and looked under the couch, there sat the mouse washing its face, just out of reach. I am so glad we have those new traps.
Well, that's enough musing for one day.
We are going to go t the North Central Washington Fair in Waterville on Friday. I think I mentioned earlier in my blog that we really enjoy the small fairs. They are such a hoot. And fair food is always so scrumptious and delightfully decadent. Since we are going down there, I will drop off the chain to my saw for sharpening and probably buy a second one. JB started cutting one of the stumps near the house yesterday morning and it was so hard and full of pitch that his chain quickly became dull. So we'll drop off than one to be sharpened also.
Larry and Elsie visited us again last night. They are getting to be a grocery delivery service what with the fresh eggs and produce they give us. Yesterday it was potatoes, onions, eggs and one very special Heirloom tomato. Can't wait to try that today. Hmmm. If they would just add ice cream to those items, I wouldn't have to go Down There nearly as often. . .
I don't consider myself "old" at 64, but just "older." And I always thought that when I was older, I would be more flexible and patient. But I am not. I think I am more accepting of the way some situations and people are, but I am not necessarily patient with it. And I am not flexible in changing many of my ways that are now set. I know what I like. I know what I want. I know what I don't have to put up with. I have learned that there is only so much one can do to create change. You can change your own life, and perhaps influence some of those around you, but I firmly - and sadly - believe that mankind in general will not change. It is still all about power and self. When I was in high school and college in the '60's, we seemed to have some politicians, at least from the state of Washington, who were actually concerned about our country. Actually willing to work hard and long to make it better without putting their selfish interests first. I don't think I can name one today about whom I feel that way. And maybe I was just naive back then. In fact, I know I was is many ways. But now I believe that it is not the hawks or the religious right who will destroy our democracy, but rather the naivete of the newcomers and the deviousness of their backers. Politics can be a nasty game that does not easily abide fools or naive participant. In playing, one must weave their lies into the subtle fabric of deception, not blatantly state them and think at least some people will not notice. It is the audacity of their arrogance in their naivete that will bring our country down, and mainly because the majority of the American voters are too near sighted to see beyond their own, small lives. It is a Congress that is too concerned about being re-elected than doing the right thing.
Well, I guess I told them! I hesitated to write that rather rambling paragraph, but what the hell. It's still a free country, right? At least for now.
And that brings me to the audacity of mice. I really believe that country mice are smarter than their city counterparts. I think I mentioned previously that the glue traps we tried did nothing but trap some of their fur, while one of the stores Down There uses them quite successfully. I remember one morning during the first year we were Up Here, I was sitting at the table talking on the phone with Sandy when I heard a little noise. I looked down and there, in our vegetable cart, sat a little mouse chewing on a sweet potato! I literally was almost able to grab him before he scurried away at the last minute. Well, okay, maybe they aren't smarter, just more bold and luckier. Another time there was a mouse that I just glimpsed running under the couch. When I got down to floor level and looked under the couch, there sat the mouse washing its face, just out of reach. I am so glad we have those new traps.
Well, that's enough musing for one day.
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