week's review - the good, the bad & the ugly

The past few days have left us sad, aggravated and feeling overworked, under appreciated and somewhat used. The auction took place on Saturday after a work laden week of preparations.

Just prior, we lost our little black female duck Louise to raccoons, who left her wings and carcass behind. We noticed the other day that she was absent and Bruce was alone. Coop found her remains while berry picking. We discovered that our other Muscovy hen Thelma, who has been nesting for a month, was left with only 3 eggs. Of these only one hatched. Obviously a coon had been accessing the duck house regularly without our knowledge. I guess Thelma is fortunate to have one baby survive the ordeal.

Since then Coop has secured the area and rid the property of more than one raccoon. I hate having to take those measures, but sometimes one is left with only that choice. Bruce has been hanging closer to the house now that Weasie is gone. He seems lonesome. I find him parked at the front door each morning as you can see from the one photo I snapped this morning from inside the house. He’s sitting on the straw mat against the door.

This past week marked a year since my brother’s death from lymphoma. I still miss him a bunch. I’m sure that the anniversary of his death along with the recent full moon has been partially to blame for my emotional state of being, not to mention the cumulative effects of everything else that’s been in motion recently. A morning heading off the destruction of our Maple tree (the only shade tree we have out front) from an overzealous, chain saw wielding, know it all township worker didn’t help the mood much either. He was determined to take off the major limbs (which would have been entirely unnecessary) and I was more determined to not allow that, even if it meant tying myself to the tree. As you can see, the chain saw is on the ground and he (guy in the hat) was intending to begin cutting. ARRRRRGH! I am sooo glad we were home at the time or he would have done as he pleased without our prior knowledge. I finally took photos as the issue continued to be discussed. I at least wanted to remember my tree as was just in case. In the end, I prevailed and the tree stands as is with our word that the proper limbs will be trimmed as needed, by us to appease the assho..I mean township employee.

So, on to brighter things…the little black and yellow duckling is so sweet. It is curious and unafraid, so Thelma tries her best to keep it by her side.

The beets are about ready to pull now, so this week we’ll be enjoying those. Everything in the garden is doing spectacularly well (everything that came up that is) and we received a lot of compliments on our garden and flowers over the weekend. There are baby tomatoes on the vine as well as peppers. The weather has been gorgeous with blue skies, billowy clouds and moderate temps. The zinnias have grown tall and are a mass of color out front. I can’t think of anything prettier I could have planted by the porch. It occurred to me that I have all these beautiful flowers and they didn’t cost me a penny! The zinnias were planted from seed my sister gave me, the black eyed Susan by the mail box was purchased for me by my niece, the morning glories to the southwest corner of the house are from seed given by a friend along with the iris along the garage wall, the peachy pink begonia was a mom’s day gift from my son and his wife and family, the poinsettia that is growing fast was a gift from my girlfriend last winter and the pots of red hibiscus and hanging planters full of purple petunias were a gift from my nephew. In the end, I am where I wish to be, surrounded by gifts.