i hate mowing the lawn. it's a miserable job, but i do like having a green trimmed area where i live. several days ago i took out the dread mower john deere, and pulled the starter, after having filled the oil up because he said i needed to. the cord pulled back and hurt my hand and arm, and then i tried it again with worse results. and so it sat and my lawn grew beautifully shaggy, showing all kinds of plants i have introduced to it from papermaking, curly dock, canada thistle mostly. hawkweed blossomed. yesterday he was here and emptied almost a quart of extra oil out of the motor. it works and i mowed.

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this morning the birds from all around are HERE. the newly mown grass acts like a magnet, more and various birds are here than ever! and from the sky i hear the occasional cry of a great one. this is delightful!

trying to capture the moon

see it? it's there!

the cows watched me in wonder

as i kept trying to capture the light

the bull, ringed nose and all

was busy keeping the cows away from me,

jumping up on the unwary

using me as diversion

clouds

sunset

and on the way home, after putting away the camera, coyotes began to sing

calling from one ecotone to another

wendy stayed very close then.

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so, i have been working on the book, but am stuck, and am starting another today. i seem very slow this summer, but i have time to finish. the days are still long enough.