Tasha Tuesday

Tasha hears a deer. We both heard the rustle of leaves on the edge of the nearby woods as an animal moved away from us. Then we heard the coarse bark of a roe deer. Tasha was very excited and ready to bolt toward the retreating deer, but she listened to me when I told her to "stop!" and "stay!" Then we continued on our walk.We heard the deer's bark a few more times as it moved away from us. Did you know that roe dear bark? That was one of the first things I learned while walking through the vineyard with our dog, Collette, back when we moved here in 2003. She loved to chase the deer, but we had to be very careful on hunt days that she wasn't mistaken for one.

Tasha's on deer alert.

I'm not enjoying the cool/cold wave that's currently upon us. It's not stopping the grass from growing, however. It's time to mow again.

Another look at the wysteria

I think the flowers are at their peak now. Here's another look at them. I have to keep the spring growth in check so that the plant doesn't take over again.

Wysteria on the west-facing wall.

The weather is cold again. I don't think it's as cold this morning as they predicted, though. Our outdoor thermometer reads about 8ºC at 07h00. That's not life threatening for the new growth in the vineyards around us. Still, it ain't warm. 

Undergrowth

All kinds of little (and not so little) plants grow beneath the canopy of the woodsy areas around us. It's nice to walk through on the paths that the wildlife (and some humans) make. We've seen deer, wild boar, badgers, and foxes to name a few of the critters out there. Tasha and I use some of the paths depending on the day and what we feel like.

Fresh growth in the woods.

Yesterday's market trip was successful. I got a bunch of white asparagus and loaded up on Asian egg rolls. I also stopped in at the produce store for some shelled nuts (pecans and walnuts), celery, and radishes.

Market day

I've got a shopping list and am ready to head out. Happy Saturday!

Someone's harvesting logs from deep in the ravine out back.

 

Watch that first step!

In spring, and then again in fall, the sun shines into the living room at just the right angle to make a distinctive shadow on the wall. It's an Eiffel Tower wire sculpture topped by a magnetized wire daredevil. The wire guy was a gift from a friend in California. I always thought he should hang out on the top of the tower. Oh, là là !

Wiry, isn't he?

With that, I must run. Tasha has an appointment to get her annual shots this morning. Chop chop! 

Dandelions among the grape vines

They're called pissenlit ("wet the bed," due to their diuretic properties) and dent-de-lion (lion's tooth) in French. I think the former is more commonly used than the latter. I may be wrong about that. At any rate, they're bloomín' all over, including in the vineyard parcels. They're also going to seed, as evidenced by the white "parachutes" in the photo. 

A few good breezes will help the dandelion seeds take flight.

Today should be another good one, according to the forecasts. After today, things are supposed to cool down some and there may be more rain. 

Ashes to ashes

This is one of the ash cones I've been talking about. You remember. An old vineyard parcel was dug up and the vine trunks were burned. This and another are all that's left.

An ash cone out in the dug-up vineyard parcel.

The weather was spectacular yesterday. The morning dew dried up before noon. We could actually sit out on the deck before evening. I got the mower out and cut the west forty. It feels good to make real progress. I'll try to do more of the same today. The weather should be the same today as yesterday: cloudless blue sky and warm air. The are many patches in the yard that the rider mower can't reach, so they have to be cut by hand. I have a self-propelled walk-behind mower for that.