From the camera...August (mostly)

 This is a young Baltimore Oriole and it took me two days to find this out. The top of his head is just beginning to darken. For a few hours I was convinced we had a New Species.  sigh.

 Cecropia moth caterpillar. Found this on a neighbor's apple tree, it looks like you should be able to plug it in and have it light up.  =)

                                                                           Painted Lady

 annnd the carpenter bee.   I am very polite to these things, they're really territorial. They don't mind you in the garden, as long as you don't get in their space...

                              Charlie's favorite porch place, on the bottom shelf of the wicker table

                                                                      Siberian Iris

Very short story

Alexa, Tell me a Story

                                                 

One of the longer grey days of November.  Outside a cold steady rain, trickling down the windowpanes, with the occasional  splat when the wind picked up again.  And now, just before sunset, fog adding its base notes to the music. My coffee was nearly gone, and what was left was tepid.  I wanted more, but was too rain-weary to consider the long ten foot walk to the kitchen to make another cup. 

When I get like this, a giddy little angel-with-a-pitchfork wakes up, and perches itself on my shoulder.  "Alexa", I said, quietly, 'Tell me a story. In the good voice."  There was a pause, and then the voice of  Morgan Freeman began to slide across the room.  "What kind of story would you like?"  You could hear the smile. See the crinkly eyes.  

"Oh, I don't know, " I said.   "Maybe Little Red Riding Hood?  The naughty one?" 

wells and cats and trucks, oh my

48 years ago we put in a deep well,  to replace the dug well which could not handle much more than a pail and a rope, and was really not trustworthy enough for modern piping.

And like all good things, the well we dug finally had to be refurbished, as to fittings and such, and we went back to the old well for very very basic water needs.  as soon as I could find my old friend the knotted rope and weighted blue pail. My goodness what a long way down that water was.  We figured, maybe 25 feet, since it's been a dry summer. 

The water is back now, the pump is working, the well is working, and I've retired the blue pail and the knotted rope.  For now. 

Charlie, inspecting the truck, which is 'out of place' on the lawn, and apparently it doesn't belong there. He looks quite confused about it.

From the camera

sigh.  He wanted to wear a mask, like the big people do; but he's got no chin 

hummingbird and hollyhock

african daisies

this is what happens when you on-purpose don't mow the lawn.  Im always reminded of Edna Millay's "Witchwife" 'she leaves the daisies standing, and the Queen Anne's  Lace..."

Love this. It's so delicate, so not quite ready to bloom, and that tiny tiny beetle clinging to it...

Ah, the simple life

It just keeps getting better and better

a month or so ago my husband decided that a long overdue repair should be seen to, in the cellar. The trouble is, it's a coupling that goes through the cement wall and joins the water tank in the cellar to the well outside. 
So. We got the plumbers up to dig part of the trench ( he dug the first part to make it easier and faster for them) and chisel their way into the cellar, replace the coupling and bob's your uncle.

uh huh.
The pump wouldn't prime. whirry whirry whirry slop.

Meanwhile I am searching frantically for my two well pails and knotted rope, because we were down to one five gallon container for water for overnight. Not good. 

Meanwhile I realized that the dug well, which has been unused for quite some time,  had a hearty growth of trees, bushes, and nasty thorny things.  Took me an hour to clear the place enough to stand up straight. 

Meanwhile I realized I could find the pails but not the lovely knotted rope, which had to be 50 feet long for doubling, since the water  is down about 25 feet right now. 

While I am doing all of this, the two plumber's helpers (and I use that word exactly, since between them they might have enough brain power to start a small engine) packed up, talked to their boss, and they said theyd be back tomorrow with a digging crew if necessary, since if it was them that messed it up,  they'd foot the bill for it. 

It's been a long interesting awful day, lol. 

Annnnd the wood guy is coming later this week with the second load of wood. 

I think I'll have a nap now.