July 18, 2001

This morning I awoke to the wonderful sound of rain on the roof. It has stopped, but the sky is gray, so I am drowsy, but the cedar waxwings are picnicking outside my window. Sunday, the indigo bunting returned with an entourage of lady friends that gives me hope that there will be others coming along later. That afternoon, I took advantage of the path our landscaper's lad mowed down to the woods so I need not fear picking up deer ticks (and Lyme disease) in the long grass when I walk. However, the deer flies (half the size of horse flies but equally vicious), mosquitos, and no-seeums (our local biting gnats) accompanied me. The meadow is in full bloom, with primroses, cinquefoil, red clover, sour grass (that we used to call sheep showers),and black-eyed Susans all over the place. I even found a blue-eyed grass (sysirhincus) in bloom beside the path, and for the first time, noticed that the timothy foxtails are covered with tiny purple flowers. There was also a new (to me) yellow flower that looked like it should be a crucifera except that the petals were pursed into a trumpet shape. We let the grass grow until the end of summer, because the varicolored drifts of bluegrass, red top, and timothy are so beautiful when the wind strokes them. I can see that the wild asters are poised to burst into bloom, but it's still a while until fall, thank Goodness.

Just before sundown, a doe and her fawn came out to graze at the north corner of the woods. We could see the fawn despite its still being spotted because it kept taking refreshment breaks and wriggling its bright, white tail as it did - just like the long-tailed lambs we used to see in the fields.