Living with Nature

Although in fact, it's more a case of nature living with me. Temporarily.

This deer mouse is co-habiting with me at the lake cottage.



He's nocturnal, so after the activity pictured here, he curled up in a little ball and is sleeping soundly.

The heat wave that made so much of the rest of the country miserable has found its way to us. I had the option of being at the Lodge, well-insualted and multi-level thus cooller. Or coming to the cottage as planned, where a cool-ish lake is right outside. Its temperature was 80 degrees when I went in yesterday, soon after my arrival. Doesn't get much warmer than that.

So far, today isn't as dire as predicted. The air is moving, quite a strong breeze at the moment, which helps. It's "only" 83 degrees outside, though the prediction was for 10 degrees beyond that, and threats of 100 degrees in the southernmost part of the state.

State officials advise us to avoid exertion and keep well hydrated. After our morning walk, the girls were panting heavily and drank lots of water. Now, like the dear little deer mouse, they are sleeping the day away!