Thoughts from the Bolt Hole

I realize that weather is not climate but still feel a need to point you in the direction of this post over at Watt's Up With That:

Dickinson ND sees first June snowfall in 60 years

And it is not an insignificant amount of snow, either. Read the whole thing and check out the links to more June snow in California, At Pikes Peak and in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Also read the comments. One mentions that the ski season in New Zealand is starting FIVE weeks earlier than normal.

Meanwhile it got down to 40 degrees over night here at the Bolt Hole (southwest Adirondack Park) and is still below 60 degrees at nearly 1 PM. It's overcast and sprinkling thought the weather.com quacks are saying there's only a 40% chance of showers. I might have to start a fire in the big stove if things don't warm up. It's supposed to get to near 70 degrees tomorrow when the sun returns. That's about what it was yesterday.

I spent some time in the woods with a shovel and mattock trying to improve the drainage along some of the old logging skidways I use as ATV trails. Ditches, moving rocks and logs, etc. all in the name of trails that won't swallow a tire and leave me perched with the skid plate on a rock when I need to haul wood and/or a deer out of the woods. I like to think positive thoughts when it comes to deer. I actually spotted some fresh tracks along the trails and the small creek out back.

Speaking of spotting animals.... Last evening after finishing the grass, I plopped down in front of the TV to watch the Belmont and the Dodgers-Phillies game. Both were exciting as all get out, with Summer Bird pulling off the same kind of upset as its sibling, Mind That Bird, did in the Kentucky Derby and the Dodgers pulling out a second consecutive walk-off victory over the Phils. This win took place in extra innings, to boot.

But the thing that was really unusual was the thud against the bottom pane of glass on the front door. When I looked over I caught a glimpse of a ground hog. It had to climb three steps to get that close to the glass and then actually banged against the glass. From the angle it couldn't be reacting to a reflection ao I've no idea what the heck it was trying to do. Maybe the deer flies were bugging it too, and it just wanted to get inside. I don't know but it sounds reasaonable. When I bought the place way back in the 1980s there was an old ground hog burrow along the side of the house. Not unusual since the place had been vacant for two years. I've never seen a ground hog up here since then. Perhaps our opening things up for the apple orchard has created an environment this whistle pig finds enticing. Oh, well. If he does set up home in the area, that means the coyote, fox, and fisher cat may get to dine on something new.