#159: Bugs N Slugs N Bikes N.... Yikes!

Bug Fren

It's been a really odd past few weeks.  Normally by this time, we're crawling with folks at the park......Don't get me wrong; we're busy busy busy. It's obviously summer and the season has hit. There's been the usual Independence day chaos. Deadwood's Days of '76 are this week and I expect the usual mayhem. But it's different this year. Normally by now they'd be crawling the walls, as I like to say. 

This go-round has been steady, and somewhat busy, but you can tell the difference. Is it the economy? Is it folks scared to leave their homes for fear of being sent elsewhere cos they ain't from here? Whatever is going on, it's going on elsewhere. I can't complain too much; there's enough going on to keep me interested, but not so much I'm pulling my hair out in frustration. 

Slug fren

This makes me wonder. It's the 85th year of the big motorcycle brewhaha they hold every year. This should be cause for Bikers Galore. The bikes have been out more and earlier this year; I suspect y'all got tired of being ripped off in August, so you're seeing the sights a little early as it were. And the build-up has steadily increased; but will folks really  be out this year? I look forward to it, not the least because a lot of the other tourons go take vacations elsewhere, meaning the park is busy but not insanely so. And most of the folks who do come up on their bikes behave better than the ones in cars. Mostly. 

Even now as evening falls, I'm watching a line of 6-7 bikes heading up the hill, from my bedroom window. Pretty soon it will be time to cobble together those "BIKE PARKING ONLY SIGNS" on orange cones that are in the storage shed. I can hardly wait. 

As of this posting, I have about 31 days before I can escape to the Great White North for a couple days. The passport card arrived; the clothes are set aside ready to go; some other odds and ends are packed to be taken along for other people. Something else I can hardly wait for. 

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the local brewery. It was also the owner's birthday--more cause for celebration! So after work I scurried home to change and then went to join the festivities. Some kind person baked a birthday cake..... 

No, it wasn't beer flavored. 

...................What else, but a beer mug? 

Also, cupcakes. The logo was printed on edible paper.... kind of interesting, but the cupcake was tasty at least. 

At work, I had to cut back some stuff that was growing out into the path. Believe me, if I could just let the stuff grow in I would. But Roughlock just HAS to be manicured looking, even if nothing else is out there. 

Anyway, here's what our gooseberries look like when they're ripe. You can eat the green ones, too, but they're more tart and less sweet. Folks used to gather them and make jelly out of them. I took a few and have them stowed in little pots outside. I assume since it's a wild plant it has to overwinter outside, with a cold spell to get the tiny seeds to sprout. 

I also gathered a few raspberries to plant as well. We'll see how that works in the spring. 

I think it would be interesting to have raspberry and/or gooseberry flavored mead. 

Finally, someone sent me... this. 

It's kinda scary how much it looks like me, particularly when I catch you doing something you aren't supposed to be doing. 😄 But anyway. 

Catch you on the flipside!

Aye,

Kraneia