It was a cool, rainy day, so we decided to finally replace our unsafe old tires, long overdue.  Now, instead of a rattly stagecoach, it feels like a hovercraft!

(Here are tropical hibiscus flowers in the tire place.)

To celebrate our new wheels, of course we went to the Tavern.  Here is a nice JackieO’s (Athens, OH) Chomo-lungma honey nut brown, and a totally lovely North High (Columbus, OH) Hefeweizen (one of the nicest hefes I’ve ever had).

Here are more scenes from the Tavern.  We enjoyed hanging out with our favorite server-girl.

Yesterday we saw the motherlode of turtles at Clifton Gorge.

First, we discovered the fun nature center, featuring all kinds of live native turtles, fish, wildlife, and natural history.

Later in our hike, we saw huge leatherbacks and others basking on the usual outcropping in the Blue Hole.  (You’ll have to take my word for it).

We saw some fascinating insect life, fungi, and the always interesting natural rock structures.

The wildflowers were ablaze with color.

The rapids thunder down through the deep ancient gorge to become a tranquil river full of aquatic life.

Later, we paid our respects to our perpetually sleeping friend Mister Eko at Dark Star Books.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him awake.

Here’s the view out back.  Can you spot the neighborhood feral cat eyeing critters over the fence?  (That’s the stump the humongous groundhog usually sits on.)

Yes, this is what I do for entertainment.  The people who live there finally cleaned up their cesspool, but never use it, even in the hottest weather.  I guess it’s a lawn ornament.  Their “lawn” is a weedy jungle full of dog crap.  They glower at me when I mow ours.  Which I can only do when the hillbillies downstairs aren’t rampaging around.  So not today.

Oops, is this too negative?  OK, I made these strawberry-filled cookies yesterday, with my homemade preserves.  We ate most of them.  They were yummy.  How’s that?

We may go hiking later, so stay tuned.

Some erev scenes.

Not that you noticed, but I took a blog break for a few days.  No, I didn’t die.  Rather, it has come to my attention that I’m too negative.  Moi, negative?!  Who knew?!  😉  So I’ll try to keep it upbeat and mundane, or quiet.

I took a chance and went outside, but it was like a mosquito-infested jungle, so I puttered around, grabbed the motherlode of tomatoes from my volunteer plants, and skedaddled.

It turns out, the mystery melon (?) plant was watermelon?!  Of all the seeds to come back!  We’ll see…

The heirloom apples and grapes were a-hangin’, and lots of black-eyed susans, rose of sharon,   lettuce flowers, marigolds, and coneflowers were in fine form.

And all this from doing nothing.  Imagine our intentional future garden!  Just the deferred hopes and incentive alone will fertilize it!