Wildlife Encounters

We always have a lot of wildlife encounters here of one kind or another. It feels a little wilder every year. Today, when we went out to our hammocks, we saw a big pile of scat--bear scat. Right by where we read our books. And Andrew told us that last night, as he sat out watching over the dying fire, he heard what he thinks was a bear down at the pond. This is terrifying to me. Short of staying inside for the next month, I'm not sure what to do.

This afternoon, as I walked up the front hill with Farrah, I spotted something strange moving in the grass. I thought at first it was a gray bird. But it was moving too low to the ground. I then thought it might be a skunk, so I grabbed Farrah's leash (we let her run free in NH, but I keep a thin, light leash attached to her harness so I can grab her quickly if needed--like if I see some weird animal in the grass). Good thing I grabbed her, because when I got a better look at the moving creature, I realized it was a snapping turtle. I yelled for the girls, who ran down the hill. I guess we were a little too close because all of a sudden, the turtle lunged and snapped. It was horrifying. I ran Farrah into the house and left her there. Then the girls and I, at a safe distance, followed the turtle as it walked determinedly across the yard and across the street and into the pond. It had a long, spiky tail, thick legs, a giant neck. Subsequent Google Image searches confirmed that it was a "common snapping turtle." Again: too much wildlife. Better to know abstractly that there's a snapping turtle in the pond, than see one that proves there's MORE THAN ONE. Maybe many. 

Too much, too much. I wish our yard was full of rabbits instead of bears and snappers. 

Earlier in the day, while Andrew had a series of work calls, the girls and I drove out to Michael's to stock up on beads and beading supplies for our new summer hobby, jewelry making. We have clasps and wire and crimping beads and jump rings and two types of small pliers. We have a great quantity of beads. We are very excited to try something new. It's fun to have the exact same interests as tweens. It's a nice stage.

We also went to Walmart for random things (parmesan cheese, a digital clock, detergent, a litter box), and then to Books-A-Million so Greta could choose her first book for 2,000 pages read. We discovered that a Target has opened up in the past year--an exciting development. 

The other big thing that happened today is that I ran a mile. Andrew runs every day, and we're trying to get the kids to run a mile every day / most days, so I decided why not join them too? Ha ha ha. I hate running. Hate it. But what else is there to do up here? Must I always sit comfortably on the hill with a book, watching others wheeze and sweat? I hadn't packed any athletic clothes, so at Walmart I picked out the most garish running clothes I could find: neon-orange shorts and matching sports bra. I look like a running hunter. Fine. I did run the mile today, very slowly but without stopping. The girls are convinced I won't actually run ever again, so challenge accepted. 

Andrew cooked ribs for dinner. We read a lot and did Duolingo. We played Chinese checkers. We sorted all our new beads into crystal punch glasses I found for free in a pile of rummage-sale discards a few years ago and haven't been able to fit into the car to bring home. 

What We're Reading

Lucia: Just finished The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (As Told to His Brother)

Greta: Finished Aru Shah #5

Margo: Pachinko

Andrew: the Civil War / hay book ("I was up till midnight reading. I couldn't put it down."--Andrew)

Read aloud: Little Women (we started this at home and are continuing it here)