Musical Monday & Lake Living

I'm not getting writing done yet...am enjoying quality time with my spouse, who's here till after supper tonight. I predict I'll be burning the midnight oil but that's ok.

We spent yesterday afternoon down at the dock. The girls had a duck encounter.



The Chap had a boat encounter.



Lots more people on the afternoon cruise than the morning one.



"I'm wet 'cause I went swimming too," says wee Ruth.



Jewel stayed out of the lake, high and dry until Ruth shook water all over her.

Today the air feels much nicer, there's a bit of breeze, too. Not many boats on the lake, so it's quieter round here. The Chap had a few errands down in the village.

A while ago I overheard our neighbour say, from his dock, "Do you see the loon?"

Down I went with the camera. And there, the long-awaited sight: a loon in the Bay. I think this might be a juvenile one, it hasn't got the obvious white breast and underside feathers of an adult.



I watched it for a long time, and we still can hear it now and again.

The other noisy juvenile in our life is a hummingbird who isn't quite sure how to use the feeder. I think it's a little shy of us sitting here on the porch watching his efforts. It chirps almost constantly. I love the sound.

The Onion likes to come up with stories set in NH. Here's one about man and dog in a "local" dog park: Dog Humiliated in Front of Entire Park. In the interest of total accuracy, I will tell you that while yes, there is a dog park in Concord (a relatively recent addition) it does not have the name referenced in the article. And I was amused by the mention of "a local post office," because Concord, the Capitol City of NH has but one Post Office located in a shopping center on the inconvenient side of the river for the majority of area residents. We call it the "Disco P.O." for a variety of reasons. It's large, well-lighted, always crowded, and the radio station playing in the sorting area used to be loud enough to hear at the counter.

All the exchanges between the dog owner in the story and Banjo the Border collie mix (I know that breed well!) occur with regularity in the Porter household. But we keep it within our own walls. No dog humiliation in public. Mind you, Ruth and Jewel are about as likely to appear in a dog park as they are to take my new car on a joy-ride.

Here's a Monday video. It's a summery song, with references to thunderstorms, lightning, and a hurricane (we witnessed slight effects from Hurricane Bill, nothing like the coast and Maine and Nova Scotia). Oh, and sugar cane...something we don't really get here in New England.



Lots of activity and fun stuff planned for the week ahead. So excited! I have to be in Concord tomorrow for mandolin lesson and a diocesan meeting. After that--well, you'll see!