Summer Solstice

The day began with heavy thick fog.  I looked out the window at 5am and decided that I'd just go back to bed and relax.

After chores Rich moved the skid steer and parked it under the pine trees so it was in the shade.
The day's project was to take off the ice picks on the tracks of the skid steer.

After that, I thought it would be nice to hike down to the creek with Morris to cool off our feet.

Huh.

Here is the creek in February.  This is normal water flow for the creek.

Here is the creek yesterday.

Can you find Morris?  No?  I could barely find him and he had trouble getting through the growth.

Now a few things have happened to make it this way.
Wet, warm, humid spring with rain coming just enough to keep things growing, but NO gullywashers that  normally keep the creek bottom nice and clean.

Morris began to sneeze like crazy.  I know he has some allergies that are pretty bad during the ragweed season, but he was having no fun at all.

We simply turned around and went home.  I was greatly disappointed.  But then again I haven't kept my trails clear since April.  I'll have to check out my other trails.

Since the owners of this land have not fixed fence and pulled all of the cattle out nearly 10 years ago, the forest in some places has grown into an impassable gnarled prickly nightmare.

I guess that is why I enjoy winter, early spring, and late fall so much in this forest.

We arrived at home and Morris got a bath, I got a shower, and then I read a book for a couple of hours before chore time.  Lady of leisure right?
Hah!

Just before sunset I went out to check on Annie, one of our Dexter cows.  She really looked ready to calf so I got Rich and we watched the sunset together in the cow pasture.

It was pretty peaceful and quiet.  

We left the pasture after dark settled in sure that we would have a newborn calf by morning.

Oh...as of this evening, Monday night.  Annie has not yet had her calf.