I’ve made a terrible mistake. In the spring when the grasshoppers were eating the garden I started planting things that they didn’t seem interested in. They ate every carrot so I didn’t replant them figuring it was pointless. The grasshoppers left the small zucchini plants alone. So I planted more of them. Now I am overrun with yellow, green and patty pan zucchinis.
It has become impossible to manage. I can’t give them away. A small one today is a wooper tomorrow. I’ve made a terrible mistake!
***
The skies cleared last night. It’s the first time in weeks the mountains have made an appearance. It lifted everyones mood.
***
It is busy at the resort. Everyone is frazzled. Moral is good. It is an amazing bunch of workers. Most are young adults from throughout the country. They are expected to work hard and without exception they all put in a full shift.
I have worked in places, including the government, that that wasn’t the case, and the people there were getting paid twice what these kids make.
***
A coworker showed me a photo they took of four woodpeckers in the same tree. Two woodpeckers in the same tree means a cold winter.
Wasps, this year, have been building nests under ground, that means a cold winter.
My good friend Scotty from the Secwe̓pemc First Nation used to say, it will be a cold winter because the white man has a big woodpile. Damn, we used to laugh.
Shit! My woodpile is over flowing.
It could be a cold winter.
Scotty, if you are listening, kick me in the nuts and take the duck!
Palliser Pass 
Jim R
I watch for dark wooly-bear caterpillars as my harbinger of cold winter. So far, so good. I haven’t seen any. But, it is still early.
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underswansea
I see those occasionally. Furry creatures. I didn’t know they signalled a cold winter.
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Jim R
It is what my mom said.
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underswansea
I believe her! Keep your eyes peeled for meteors tonight.
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Jim R
We saw a few good ones.
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underswansea
Nothing like catching a few falling stars.
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mountaincoward
I’ve never seen more than one woodpecker at once but, I suppose, compared to your winters, ours are almost summers.
Have the skies cleared because the fires have finally gone out? or is it just a change in wind direction?
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underswansea
The skies have cleared except for high cloud. Plenty of fires still burning. The one closest to us is under control. Take care.
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mountaincoward
After all our talk about grasshoppers – and me saying I hadn’t seen one for years. there was one on my outside doormat today! At first I thought he was a seed head and was just going to throw him on the garden but then I looked closer and decided to give him a prod instead. When he moved, I saw he was actually a grasshopper.
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underswansea
The grasshoppers are still bad here. They don’t seem to be eating like they did. Probably busy mating and laying eggs.
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Julie@frogpondfarm
Nothing like an overflowing woodpile … and a huge garlic bulb! I’m jealous
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underswansea
The garlic was awesome this year. Big heads. It is called Russian Red hard neck garlic. Very spicy! Thanks for stopping by.
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Julie@frogpondfarm
Great news! Love homegrown garlic .. our crops have been nothing like they used to be! Yours look awesome ..
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