Monday, July 8, 2019

Quiet Time

I needed a bit of quiet time one evening.  I headed down to the lake to sit on the dock for awhile.

There is a very bossy Red Winged Blackbird there, he squawked and had a real fuss cause I was on his dock.

The air was heavy with smoke from the Canadian forest fires.  Not many people out on the lake...the big weekend is over....many are just weekend people.

There were still a few Blue Flag Iris in bloom.  


There is also a good amount of Jewelweed next to the dock, it will bloom with either an orange flower of a yellow flower...the stalk of the plant has a gooey sap that is a natural remedy for Poison Ivy rash.  We have a continual supply on hand in the fridge and Jewelweed soap.

Yesterday I mowed until my gas supply dwindled...I will mow some more soon.  The stupid freaking squirrels ate my old gas can and hopefully drowned in the gas that was trapped in the wheelbarrow...maybe they had a gas party.  Bought a new gas can and they proceeded to chew through that one too...so I bought two new gas cans from a garage sale.  I might need a metal gas can. Blasted squirrels anyways.

We woodcarved in the afternoon and visited with my parents.
Far Side




30 comments:

Laurel Wood said...

Very interesting about the jewelweed. I was not familiar with that. Such a shame about the squirrels. Hope you enjoyed your wood carving. It is too hot here to do anything outdoors.

Victoria Zigler said...

Sounds like a lovely spot for some quiet time. Sorry about the squirrels.

Val Ewing said...

I know about Jewelweed and it is handy to have around and stops most itches! I have some of the soap around and have used it on many bug bites to stop the irritation too.
Squirrels. Huh. I would have never thought they ate plastic like that!
Our Elerberry bushes are beginning to bloom. I may try some elderberry jelly this year.

Pauline Persing said...

I enjoyed the thought of sitting out by myself in the evening as you described it. Quiet time is good.

Rita said...

Lovely spot. Sounds like it is time for a metal gas can. ;)

Dawn said...

My mom made elderberry jelly every year. She put some apple in it to cut some of the bitterness.

Dawn said...

Squirrels eat through the bungee cord holding the lid down on our metal birdseed container all the time. If they ever join forces with the raccoons who lift that lid we'll be in trouble.

linda m said...

I think you need a metal gas can. Something keeps chewing thru my ant poison bag in my garage. Sure hope they get a good belly ache from eating the poison.

troutbirder said...

A mystery? How do squirrels eat a gas can. Metal....

DJan said...

How in the world do those squirrels do that? I would think it would kill them. But you know they are determined as well as destructive. Time for metal to fix the problem. :-)

Friko said...

Not a lot of quiet time after all.
I too dislike squirrels, the grey variety; be warned they can chew through metal wire too. The can get at bird nuts even when they’re in a wire container.

Sara said...

I didn't know squirrels would eat through plastic. Crazy critters! You have a really beautiful spot for some quiet time.

Terry and Linda said...

Sometimes I so need so 'by-myself' time. Like right now. I'm so glad you got some...it's very refreshing.

Bonnie said...

What a beautiful spot for some quiet time. I think squirrels will eat anything. They ate a hole in our plastic deck box and then started eating our house.

Maebeme said...

I had no idea that squirrels would chew through plastic. What on earth would they be looking for??

Your lake spot is lovely, how nice to have water nearby.

Red said...

Yes you need a metal gas can or...

Cynthia said...

What a beautiful spot to sit and relax. Good company, too. Red-winged blackbirds have a nice song. I am amazed squirrels would chew on a gas can.

Betsy said...

We fought the squirrels soemthing fierce two years ago at the lake. They were trying to chew into our trailer while I was in bed. They were chewing on the metal undercarriage right under my head! I sat outside the trailer with a hose for 3 hours in my nightgown spraying them whenever they came close! DId I deter them? Nope. But they have been better the last two years. I USED to love squirrels. Now I just think of them as furry rats. I don't even think they're cute anymore. I nearly lost my mind that summer. Ha!
Your lake view is beautiful and I can see why you go to the dock to relax.
Blessings,
Betsy

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

Some people I know are horrified that we shoot squirrels, but I guess I don't have to explain to you or some commenters why. Miserable, destructive animals. We used to have a red winged blackbird that nested near our pond and if we decided to take a walk out there we were sure to be dive-bombed.

Granny Marigold said...

WE are not fond of squirrels at all but DH and little M saved one's life this week. It had got caught in a rat trap and when it scampered up some Ivy ( trap and all) it got caught. M saw it and went to call DH who had no choice but to lose it from the trap. When otherwise the story would end much differently for that squirrel. But how can you traumatize a little kid, huh?

Tired Teacher said...

Yikes - pretty brazen squirrels!

Paula said...

I cannot imagine why a squirrel would want to chew a gas can. Your quiet place looked lovely.

The Wykeham Observer said...

I never knew about the healing properties of jewelweed. I've just been pulling it out. There is plenty of poison ivy too.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Didn't know squirrels did stuff like that

Linda Reeder said...

The song of the red wing blackbird is lovely, a nice accompaniment for sitting on the dock.
Our squirrels don't chew up gas fumed plastic, at least as far as I know. Maybe yours have mutated from the toxicity? :-)

Lady Fi said...

Lovely shots.

Sam I Am...... said...

I did not know about Jewelweed but if it takes care of Poison Ivy rash....it is a jewel! I got some soap one time and it said to scrub it real good and I did and the PI spread like wildfire! I had to get steroids from the doctor.
Lovely view and I miss the red winged blackbirds here. I've seen some in driving but not around here where it's wooded.

Rose said...

I did not know jewelweed is good for poison ivy! How I wish I had known....

Gemma's person said...

Squirrels...can't teach 'em anything. :)

Diana said...

Good golly, gas-can munching squirrels – now I've heard everything! I wonder... was the gas good to the last drop... Ha!