Well, I was going to write about some of the great information in Ed Young’s best-selling book, An Immense World, and then, life happened. As it does, when we have other plans. My day started at 5:30 AM (“did you know your website is down?”) and turned into (“your website got hacked”), and went down hill from there. I won’t bore you with the details, just explaining that this post isn’t what I envisioned. The good news is that thanks to David and Sid, the Princes of Cyberspace, all is well now, at least, regarding the website and blog.
I’m a bit of a puddle however, after one unrelenting piece of bad news after another, and decided to feed the dogs early, take them on a long walk, pour myself a drink, and do old people stuff like watch Jeopardy.
Apologies. I’ll write lots more about this great new book next week, promise, including the fact that electric eels first discharge pulses of electricity that causes their prey to twitch, thereby giving away their location, and then a stronger pulse that paralyzes the victim. Why I’m focusing on this particular fact, rather than all the lovely information about how other animals can see colors we can’t, might be related to my day. Or not, just saying.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Here’s some good things from my day: The Daylilies are in full bloom, and the color in the yard is stunning:
Best news is that Maggie gets to work sheep again! Her month of restrictions was up late last week, so I’m letting her get back into it, although a bit slowly. I did scratch her from her favorite trial this weekend; it felt just too soon. It’s a huge course, a big leap over a creek, and tough sheep, so Skip will do the honors and poor Maggie will just have to watch. Maybe we can find some easier work for her to do as volunteers.
Here she is at her first off the farm work session on Friday. She was hot, but blissfully happy after we were done. (“More, I can do more! Honest!” says Maggie. “No you won’t,” says Trisha.)
I’ll leave you with Roberta Robin, who decided on a nest that the House Finches rejected. She starting sitting on the eggs late last week, so it’ll be early August before they hatch (usually about 13 days). I know that Robins are common, and thus, less valued (in general, the more rare, the more valued), but please, next time you see a Robin, imagine you’re in a foreign country and have never seen one before. They really are striking. I watch her out the living room window every evening and have begun to think of her as a good friend. When it was so brutally hot on Saturday she was panting like an exhausted dog, so I put out the sprinkler for her. She fled down to it instantly and drank and bathed. I think I’m going to start catching some earthworms for her and setting them out.
I know. I know. Jim thinks I’m crazy. But Roberta is one of my new BFFs; why not bring her some presents?
May you be crazy too this week, in the best of all possible ways.
See you next week.