The evening sky looks bruised. I feel bruised from this endless heat. I can only work in the early morning and late evening and the heat is still oppressive then, just without the sun burning down.
The second round of peaches is almost ripe. The poor tree is so heavy with fruit. Every day I go out and prop the limbs and press the fruit, and taste it. Any day now and it will be ready.
No pesticides for my trees. This year the main problem is the birds. I have wind chimes hanging in the tree. They are getting wise to them, so it is good that I will soon be picking.
I feel myself waiting. Waiting for the sun to go down. Waiting for the garden to yield it's bounty. Waiting for the pool to clear. Waiting for the rain to finally come.
I am tired of explaining to campers the necessity of being frugal with the water and that we can't allow camp fires. I suppose they feel like they paid for the camping experience and they will have have it, no matter the risk involved.
The DNR (department of natural resources) called with a survey today about consumption of water and contingency plans should our well be depleted. What a cheery thought. He told me that some wells in a nearby county had already gone. Fire departments are trucking water to these areas. Well, they were until they realized that the water was being used to water lawns and top off pools. What is wrong with these people?
My contingency plan? I have 60,000 gallons of water in a pool that I could filter and use. Of course, no one wants to stay here in this heat without a pool ........ But, life goes on and I waited for the sun to hide before I ventured out to clean the rest rooms. A surprise waited for me.
I was changing the trash can liner and happened to look up to the ceiling. Most of my surprises are closer to the floor. At first glance I didn't know what it was. Too big to be a spider and I was without my glasses. I could not bring myself to lean down and grab the trash can, though ......
So, I went inside and grabbed my camera. I zoomed in and saw EARS! It had ears!!!!
Do you see the tiny little feet on the ceiling and the ears down low. It is hanging upside down! A bat in the bathroom. I can honestly say I have never encountered this before. He who is in charge of all things scary or gross was sweeping the bottom of the pool. I waved to him and tried to wave him over. He just gave a little wave back, you know, like "hi". Apparently my frantic mime act was not working.
So, I did what he would do if he was unable to catch my attention. I called him on his cell. Just as he answered a nice lady camper was about to enter the restroom to shower. I wasn't going to let her and was trying to think of a creative way to discourage her from going in. Nothing came to mind, so I just said, "You don't want to go in there right now." She looked at me and asked why and I just told her there was a bat on the ceiling over the toilet. She asked what I was going to do as he, who is my hero, came up and I told her we would send him in.
She told me to hold my hair, that she had a friend that had a bat land in her hair and pull it out. It was a good thing that he who was on task has no hair! He took off his hat and used it to scoop the bat down and it flew out the door RIGHT TOWARDS ME! I did what every self respecting delicate lady of a certain age would do ....... I screamed and wet my pants.
8 comments:
Poor girl - it never ends and then a bat? I would've wet my pants too - damn rats with wings. ICK. Nice you took the time to get a pic' tho' THAT was brave. :)
I had no idea about the water - but as life long campers when someone tells us "No fires" we are not stupid enough to put our wants first. People are ridiculous.
Hope the rains come soon and you get some relief. Enjoy your peaches - I am SO jealous.
dang that bit about the well and lack of water...that has to be a stressful though...here hoping for rain....
The school I work at had some bat issues in the past. One of my favorite stories that I like to tell is about the time my assistant went to the bathroom, pulled down her pants and went to sit on the toilet. For some reason she felt like she needed to look first before she sat, and that's when she saw a bat in the water, doing a breast stroke. Needless to say, she hurried out of the stall (after pulling up her pants first of course), and found the assistant principal. He went into the stall, saw the bat, and flushed the toilet. No more bat.
We've been without rain here as well and have burning bans too. In fact when we had our annual gathering and firework show, my brother had to cancel the firework show. Disappointed many of us, but wouldn't want a 'firemen at work' display if they did.
The peach crop looks spectacular. Reminds me of my childhood, standing at the sink preparing fruit and tomatoes for canning. After we started school, mom was still at it and we resumed our place at the sink after school until the job was done.
I like bats and I'm glad it got away with it's life. they eat mosquitos. and flies. and they don't eat people. bats are good to have around.
oh, I meant to comment on the drought. last year it was us so I totally sympathize although it's been two weeks since we had any rain. people are so stupid, watering grass in a drought, wanting fires in a dry and drought stricken area.
Soooo envious of the peaches.
Mmmmmmm, peeeaaachhess.
OMG! I would have screamed, wet my pants, and passed out - probably all at the same time!
so jealous of the peaches! they look beautiful. enjoy!!!
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