After a pretty fitful night's sleep (for MeeMaw, too), I arose a little after six and went outside to check the deer situation (none today). Having gathered wood and kindling yesterday, I built a fire in the pit and had it going pretty well when MeeMaw came out to join me. We ate a very nice breakfast and then it was time to do what I've been procrastinating on doing for a while: cut the grass. Or as Yankees say, mow the lawn. Only we don't have a lawn. Here at Possum Cough we have grass, pastures, weeds, woods, fencelines, rocks, yardbarns, rock walls, cow patties, driveways, and the odd rogue pumpkin plant. But no lawns.
So, two hours of push and grunt and wheeze, and it was all done. I pulled weeds and neatened up a few things, and then came inside to wash the grass and grime from my person. A sandwich and a glass of sweet tea later, I walked up to the south pasture to look at the darkening sky. Here's how the holler looked just before the rain came.
And then when I looked across to the mountains, here's what it looked like.
Incidentally, Ernie told me the other evening that the mountain range that includes the Clinch to our south runs all the way to Knoxville.
The apple trees are still very pendulous with fruit, and I picked four ripe ones in hopes of convincing MeeMaw to fry them for tomorrow's breakfast.
While up in the pasture, I noticed some red berries on a small tree at the fenceline. I've seen this tree many times, but today's the first time I saw the fruit on it. Note to self: check tree book for identity. If not in tree book, pester Ernie.
Also in the pasture were several clumps of these weird tomatillo-looking things. The first time I saw them, I reached down to pick one. Notable mistake. They have tiny, ferocious thorns on the vines, and they make a potential picker smart ("smart" being a verb here, not an adjective). Another thing to ask Ernie.
Here's how the driveway looked as I was admiring it. Just before the rain came and started the growing process all over again, which makes me think I should have just waited another week to mow, except that I would not have been able to do it without Ernie's riding mower, or perhaps Gabriel's tractor, or maybe if I just wait long enough it'll dry out and I can set a match to it and have a good ol' fashioned brush fire and won't our neighbors like me then?
Last night, MeeMaw and Purrl did a little bonding.
It was a sweet time for them, since Purrl hasn't been in the mood to do much of anything at all. She has burned herself out in her attempts to stay current on the Republican Convention.
I went into the woodlot right after I cut the grass and dug up a fern for MeeMaw. I potted it as best I could. And while pulling weeds next to the deck, I found the mandible from a small varmit, most likely a fox or a skunk (do skunks have lower fangs?). It's too large to be a cat, so it's a mystery. Whatever the case, something had a nice, carnivorous meal right under our deck. Latticework is looking better all the time.
If I can later, I will take photos of the fern and the mandible. Because y'all really want to see them.
