WHAT I BROUGHT HOME AND WHAT I DIDN'T

Meanwhile back at the feed store to get new garden gloves,

 and seeds that were calling, “buy meeeee!

  This time I PROMISE to grow so big and covered with vegetables!”

Yes, there were bunnies this time.  So soft, so fuzzy, so cute.

 So needy, so high maintenance.  After raising five kids I think I’ve learned my lesson

 about bringing home things that poop, pee and need to be fed.  

Yes, I love my family, and that includes Thomas The Cat. 

Diapers and pet doo doo—not so much.

 Other things at the store that were endearing and charming:

Tiny tractors from John Deere to Ford.

 Cows, bulls, calves---

 Ponies—

 Pigs—

 Lambs and llamas. 

These critters don’t leave excrement, don’t even stink 

and never need to go to the vet or be fed anything but imagination.  

Except for the need to herd them back to the shelves after kid visits 

so they don’t attack my bare feet, they are very well house broken.

SHADOWS AND SPUDS

Finally it’s warm enough and light enough for an early morning bike ride.

 In only a few minutes I am out of town and on a farm road where the only traffic…

 …is a school bus and an occasional pickup truck.

 Farmers are getting their equipment ready.

 Soon they will be planting the thousands of acres of rich volcanic farm land.

  The ridge in the background is the rim of one of many extinct volcanoes in the area.

 If the weather cooperates this view will soon be fields green with potatoes and grain crops.

Now if I can just get back to town before the five minute rush hour hits.

WATCH FOR ROCK ON ROAD

One of my favorite morning walks goes between a small river and a row of campgrounds.

The campgrounds are mostly meant for scout troops and other such outdoorsy groups.

The parking lot is not far away but even with posted signs people insist

 on driving in and parking where they're not supposed to park.

To discourage vehicles a large rock was set in front of the gate.

The boulder was considered a challenge to  those with big tough trucks.

The boulder kept getting moved down the road and left in odd places.

This morning I noticed the gate had been repaired and a new sign posted.

This time they're SERIOUS.