Some things

School's starting, and we're still working away on projects and things as the summer winds down.

Thing One

Erin whipped up some pesto over the course of a couple days (that's Corbin-time). With the garlic scape pesto I made earlier, that gives us a good supply for the year. There's more basil out there, too, so we'll have plenty.

Thing Two

Despite my previous deer experience, through which you'd think I'd have learned my lesson, we left the garden gates open during a midday walk the other day. As the deer visit multiple times a day to munch fresh fallen apples, this was a problem. When we got home I walked through and closed the gates, thankful that nothing seemed sampled.

A bit later I looked out the window and saw a damn deer trying out raspberry leaves! At first I wondered how it got in, and then realized it must have been inside when I closed the gate. I locked the deer inside the garden.

I sprang into action, and rushed outside with Brindzi to put the fear of doG into that long-legged demon. I sicked Brindzi on it. I usually don't have Brindzi chase deer, in case they lead her out into the road. But in the confined space of the garden, in the two or three seconds that I thought about it, it seemed a good idea to let Brindz freak that deer out a bit.

Brindzi chased it into the far corner of the yard (Operative word: "Corner"). At this point the deer changed direction and sprinted directly toward the fence. As the distance closed, I wondered if it would attempt to jump, or change direction. The fence is seven feet tall; I couldn't imagine it going over the top. As I considered these options, the deer proceeded to crash right through the fence.

As the deer ran away and the fence frame ceased its shaking, I stood there, fully flabbergasted. A deer just bashed through my fence. I walked over, fully expecting to see a deer-shaped hole in my wonderful fence, just like when cartoon characters run through doors. Instead, I saw an uglier version of this:

I took that picture after I had sort of pushed the pieces back in, so that it still served its function well enough.

I was quite depressed for a while. Until I came to the following conclusions:

1. My first instinct was to send Brindzi after the deer.
2. My second instinct would have been to chase the deer myself.
3. It wouldn't have been until my third instinct that I would have calmly guided the stupid deer out of my garden.
   

So if I had it to do again, it may have ended up the same.

Then there's this: Instead of running through the fence, the deer could have run through:

1. The hoop house tomatoes.
2. The just-ripened corn.
3. The raspberries.
4. The solid part of the fence (much harder to repair).
5. Me.
6. Brindzi.

There were several more depressing and/or painful options. The fence wasn't that bad, considering.

Thing Three

The grandparents Hinkley came up for a day and two nights. The grandparents Shaffer come up today. Corbin is a lucky duck to have such caring grandparents.

Anyway, we had our very own corn-on-the-cob last night. Unlike last year, the raccoons haven't pulled it down for nibbles, and it's grown to a nice height. The ears are small, but tasty. It's our first successful corn harvest. Feels good.

Last Thing

If you live in Washington, I suggest you do this. I did, and I feel better about life already.