Wednesday, Sylvia and I helped friends with work on their more-than-a-century-old house.  First step was to remove plaster from the ceiling.  To start, I had to remove 1 x 3 strips that were used to hold ceiling tile in place.  They had been there for a while, so it took quite a bit of effort with a pry bar to loose them.  One section was particular troublesome, but when it came loose so did a huge section of plaster.  Looks like I tried to catch that load with my arms.

It’s amazing how easily old skin bruises.

Sightings

We’ve had a lot of fun watching this year’s fawns playing on our spacious lawn.  For two days we watched one as he raced back and forth across the grass.  Then he’d run into the pines, around the trail and out the other end only to race back across the lawn.

Yesterday evening, Sylvia and I went out to eat.  The first two places we tried were closed.  Fortunately, our favorite place was open.  (Note to self: Eat at home next July 4.)  As we returned home, a doe with twin fawns came out onto the road in front of our house.  We drove slowly as mother and fawns looked for an escape route.  They trotted down the road for 100 yards or so.  At that point the neighbor’s fence is lower, and Mom went for it followed by the two young ones.  Stopped, we watched the three of them bound across the hay field toward the woods beyond.

Life is good.  Very good.

I was cropping this image when Sylvia walked into the office.  She said that the apple tree looked even better today.

I picked up my camera and went out to find a better shot.  As I focused on the tree, an intruder walked into the frame.

You may see her left of center in the bottom part of the image.  I inset a closer view in the lower left.

She appears to be on a mission, but that ended at the neighbor’s fence.  Perhaps she didn’t want to leap the fence.  Perhaps she saw something.

She perked up those big ears.  She stared intently.  Then, she turned and ran faster than the speedy camera.

She soon had disappeared into some tall brush.  Moral of the story: Sometimes it’s better when things don’t go according to plan.

I stepped out the back door and found myself looking at this guy.  He was looking back at me.

I got down on the driveway to get that shot and this one.

This is about the largest praying mantis that I have seen.  I’m always glad to see them, because they eat other bugs.

No, this not a restaurant review.  The big boy that I’m talking about is a spotted fawn.  He is very large for his age, and so I’m saying he’s a young buck.

Sylvia and I have been watching him and his mother this year.  We would see them regularly as the sun was starting to set.  They would come out from cover and graze on our lawn or in the small hay field beyond.  I posted pix of them on the eighth of this month.

For the last week, I’ve seen Big Boy wandering around here during the day.  He has been alone and looking lost.  We think he has been orphaned.

Friday afternoon, I stepped out the back door to go to the mailbox.  There he was standing by the propane tank looking at me.  I froze.  We just looked at each other.  A few minutes later, I spoke softly to him.  He did not reply.  I walked several steps down the driveway.  He took a couple of steps toward the barn.  I continued to walk down the drive.  He ignored me and walked on past the barn.  I thought he was gone for the day.

Later, I came into the office and looked out the window.  There he was napping next to the driveway.

It had been a chilly day and I think he wanted the shelter of the tank, the warmth of the asphalt and the softness of the grass.  He had a nice nap.

I really wanted to follow his example and have a comfy snooze myself.

I called Sylvia in to take a look at the sleepy fellow.  Then she called me to supper.  After clean up and doing the dishes, it was time to check on Big Boy again.  He was awake.

He watched us watching him, but did not react.  A later look revealed that he had moved on with his business.  Whatever that may be.