Bolt Hole, July 7, 2011

A beautiful day here at the Bolt Hole. Clear skies with just a few fair weather cumulus clouds and temperatures in the upper 70s.

I got the rest of the lawn cut once the heavy morning dew evaporated. That took a little longer than expected since the grass was so long. Additionally, some of the wild strawberries and clover were visibly transpiring water at the edges of their leaves. Still, I was able to get the mower out there around 10:30 and work in the areas that got the early sunshine before moving on to the rest. It took me two hours to cut the grass. Normally it takes about that long to do the entire lawn but...well, see what I said about length of grass and the moisture.

After lunch I went in to the woods looking for some downed trees (or standing dead ones) to use for firewood. I located six downed cherries and maples form a few years back that I can cut up. Two cherries are going to be easy to get to as they are right next to one of the easier ATV trails. Two maples are in the middle of a trailess patch and getting to them will be a chore. Too many boulders and hummocks and marshy spots to make it easy. The remaining two trees are again near a path but that path is a wee bit overgrown with cedars and hemlocks and will require some clearing and widening. Also, those last two trees are NOT on the ground but hung up at one end and it may be necessary to take the support tree down to get to them. They will be the last ones I will take, if I take them at all.

In all, I spent three hours mucking about in the woods with brush loppers in hand. I should have brought some surveyor's tape with me to mark likely paths to the downed trees.

Saw numerous deer tracks in the mud of the ATV trails. Nothing absolutely HUGE, but certainly a doe and at least one fawn based on the size of the tracks. I did not see any critters, however, not even a red squirrel--which is really strange since they have been very abundant in the past in the areas I explored today. Then again, there haven't been any mice around in months. I wonder if the presence of hawks (I saw a goshawk when I drove in yesterday) and fisher cats have anything to do with that.

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I disconnected the kitchen stove from the copper pipe that carried propane into the house. Now that I've got the pieces in hand, I can more easily go to Tractor Supply and get exactly what I need to do my own hook-up. Aside from having to drill a new hole in the wall, it should* be an easy enough job.

(*I say should because nothing is ever as easy as it first appears. Nothing!)

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As I mentioned in the update to my last report, Terry did NOT go to NJ to see her Mom. The birthday girl had plans of her own and took a senior citizens' bus down to AC to visit the casinos and sit on the boardwalk.