Went up to do my shopping and spend a night with my sister. When coming back from the barn she discovered this young fellow sniffing his way along side the house looking for breakfast bugs. He wasn’t more than about 6 or 8 inches long, probably out on his own for the first time. Didn’t seem to notice us but we stayed out of range, just in case! :O He wandered off into the bird area after awhile and of course, I didn’t think of the camera until he was nearly gone, so you get a view of his bush! 😛 I suggested that Sis capture, tame and de-scent him but she didn’t really go for the idea. Her hubby probably wouldn’t either, since he spends a lot of time trapping and moving these guys from other people’s property in his line of work.
But had a nice visit and got my shopping for the month done. It was beautifully clear up there but the smoke situation is much better here today as well. 🙂

It’s pretty easy to see how this lake got it’s name. Never have been sure about Poison Canyon, tho! That’s where the trail up starts. Very scenic and well maintained trail. The guys had a good hike, but the deer flies were out and gave Cori (dog) a hard time. You can still see a little smoke haze, but by and large a good day for a hike.
It was clear down here in the valley, too, and I got some mowing and blackberry trimming done. I picked about a cup of black cap raspberries in my yard but the boys came home with a half gallon that they picked along the road to the trail head! We’ll be having shortcake tonight! I’ve never seen this lush a wild raspberry crop. 🙂
Hope your weekend was pleasant!

Randy and Cousin Dan hiked up Poison Canyon to Lily Pad Lake yesterday. It was a smoke-free day for a change and they had a good hike. It’s still springtime up there, green and blooming with the occasional left-over patch of snow. Randy said the meadow around the lake was full of lilies blooming. The heather and many other flowers were blooming, too.

It’s Randy and Dan and Cori (on the far bank) raising the diversion dam in Coffee Creek in order to keep water in Treasure Creek, which flows though the yard. Ours and a dozen or two other people’s. I got in and helped, too. It actually felt pretty good once I got over the initial shock of it. It’s a nice swimming hole now but a long walk up there and back. I still feel cool, tho. Hope your weekend went swimmingly! 😉

This fawn (I think it’s our doe’s) was dutifully hunkered down in the grass where mom left it but when the guys raised the dam, the overflow leaked into it’s nest so it tip-toed across onto the higher & drier bank. I’m sure Mom will approve.

She hasn’t got a fawn with her yet. And she made no move toward my tomatoes, just nibbled clover. Cori was yapping at something on the far side of the house and it seems to have made her slightly nervous so she wandered off over the bridge to try out Dan’s manicured lawns. Nothing but short stubby stuff over there. 😛

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This one was made using the 4 & 2″ Multi-Looms. Dunno if you can see the detail, but she has a real pocket, too. I put a hankie in it. This took 8 -4″ squares and 4 -2″ to top off the sleeves plus one for the pocket. Fits well and I think it looks nice. The purse was woven on a 2×4″ rectangle Randy made for me some time ago. I warped with the green and did the weaving with the yellow to spice it up a bit. The ducky button was just too cute to resist. 🙂 Anyway, this is what I did today. It’s hot this week so I’ve been staying in as much as possible. I’ve only kept it 7 degrees cooler in here but I didn’t close the house totally. Supposed to be hotter tomorrow so I may get the rest of them. Trying to decide what I can make for dinner that doesn’t require cooking. Think I’m going to have to make a trip to town to purchase supplies for cold dinners. Himself still thinks he has to eat even if it is too hot to Cook! 😀

Got this photo from my son with this note:
“Took the boat out on the Patuxent river last week end and did some fishing.
Here is a sunbaked mug shot of me sporting my trophy catch.
Not just anyone can land one of these babies! :laugh: “

But then he relented and added:
“OK, It’s not all that bad. I broke out the cast net and caught us a bucket full of those little fishies which we used for bait to catch the fellas below. (A photo of a nice catch of fat catfish!) Who were quite tasty, thank you. : ) We kept nine, which ended up being several pounds of fillets. Tossed back another bunch. We were having fun catching them!
The little fellas are Alewives. Damned odd name for a fish! http://www.gma.org/undersea_landscapes/alewives/

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and the damn lawn will never get mowed!”

We’re still staying indoors here to keep away from the smoke. it was thick today. We’ve opened up this evening and are getting a little cool air tho it’s not entirely smoke free. Hope you all have an enjoyable and safe 4th! 🙂

This bank of sweet-peas mounds up a couple feet above the road level. Dunno if that makes it a hedge or not but close enough for me. It caused quite a fervor a few years ago when the new highway foreman ordered mowing right in the prime of the wildflower bloom. It was a pitiful sight and he has not repeated his error! :confused: The community rose in en mass and let him know it was the wrong thing to have done. So now we have our lovely blooming roadsides again and they can still be mowed before (normal) fire season begins. But even this year the road sides are not what is endangering us as lightening rarely strikes sweet-peas in a gulch. But I wish you could see this in ‘real life’… it is sooo much more beautiful, as is all this country. Do send up your prayers/thoughts/wishes/vibs… whatever you have… that it continues the same. 🙂

I was asked to do a craft project with the kids after their reading group at the library. The subject was bugs so we made a dragonfly. There were 19 of them signed up but I had made up kits before hand and had helpers so things went smoothly and everyone seem to be happy with their critter. This young lady is snipping the extra bits of yarn that tied up her dragon’s long tail. It was actually kind of fun and the kids were all well behaved, which made it even nicer. They ranged from preschool to about 11 or so, I’m guessing. I might even do this again. I bought dowels today to make knitting needles for any knitter who shows up for my kids knitting class next week.