Kitties

 

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend

 

Brush Fire

A train passed slowly by my house as I sat at my computer facing the train tracks.  As the last cars rolled past, I saw billowing smoke which I first thought was exhaust.  It struck me as strange that it would be coming from the rear cars, then I noticed a car pulled over and a guy on his phone pacing back and forth, and I realized the train wheels must have sent sparks into the brush beside the tracks.  

Within just a few seconds, the winds picked up and the fire quadrupled in size and kept growing literally a stones throw (for an outfielder) from my window.  The police got here in no time, but the fire crews took a bit longer.  I'm told they planned to evacuate the neighbor's house, which you can see is not too far from the farthest char marks.  If the winds had been blowing in our direction, we risked seeing embers land in the dry underbrush of our yard.  

They had it under control within an hour, and I watched them spray fire retardant foam and cut trees.  Crews returned periodically into the evening, and after dark they came in with a backhoe claw to retrieve what seemed like a lot of large timber.  

I went out this morning to get these photos.  It looks much more dramatic in person.  

Be awful cafful.

Kitties!

 

Cat Pix!

 Nicole asked me if I had any good cat pictures to send to a friend. What kind of question is that?

Evening Grosbeaks (and a Hairy Woodpecker); pretty septic vent?

 

October 17

 

Chipmunk, kitties, bear, strawberry cake

"One of these things is not like the other. One of these things doesn't belong. Can you guess which thing is not like the other by the time I finish this song?"

For Memorial Day: phlox, hen, bluets

Bearable

Chickens are fine. The intruder was just interested in their food. 

Good morning

This year's tree for festival. Happy Holidays, all!

Planting on Dad's Birthday

Rosebay Rhododendron and Mapleleaf Viburnum.
We're going to transplant a sugar maple from the woods to where the center stake is next spring, after I root prune it this fall. 

Cleaning up

Working on storm debris, culvert, and road by our seasonal stream. The bridge that washed out (about a mile up the road) reopened a couple of weeks ago.

Bridge out/road gone--can't get there from here.

Stream bank and one day's repair work to road/culvert