The Rains Have Abated

We have had rain for days now. But they finally came to an end. The yard had become completely overgrown. In some places the grass was higher than the mower. I got it all mowed yesterday. Rain is predicted again tonight.

It seems that this summer all of nature has turned against me. Besides the rain, I am at war with a host of animals. It seems that this year there are more fire ants than every before. And after nine years of living on this farm, I am besiged by gophers. I have started to trap them because their burrows are everywhere. What the gophers are not tearing up from underneath, the armadillos are digging up from above. The other night there were three of them in the yard. Two of them have fed the buzzards.

We have two does that live near the house. Each one of has twin fawns. Generally we like watching them grazing in the yard. But their eating habits have taken a turn for the worst. The have eaten almost all of the leaves from one of my cherry trees and a goodly amount of leaves from my other cherry tree, apple trees, and the grape vines. I put deer nettting around the cherry trees and plan to do so with the other fruits.

Meanwhile, at work, the unit is locked down. We have been since last Wednesday. The rumors are that we will remain locked down for a total of two weeks. I am finally getting caught up on my paperwork.