Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Skunked

Our cool spell has been replaced with temperatures in the 90s. Summer has returned. This morning we had high haze which lent a summer-like cast to the light. The grass is growing, the trees are fully leafed out, it is summer from the firmament to the turf, for sure.

When I arise before the sun I go out in the backyard and scuffle my feet in the gravel and stomp around the yard to chase off any small nocturnal animals that might be lurking. I learned the hard way that I have to do that - several years ago I loosed my hounds and they promptly killed a skunk and rolled around on it. Being somewhat anosmic it took me a while to realize what had occurred - then I had to wash the dogs, call animal control and have them haul away the carcass and check it for rabies, then I had to open up the windows and turn on the fans. But given the fact that I have four pets I am not sure that au de skunk really had a negative impact on the general miasma that exists in my dwelling. In any case, I hardly notice it at all these days.

So I have good reasons to walk out in the backyard, check the phase of the moon, see where Orion is, check on the Seven Sisters and scare off skunks. Such things keep me grounded, in touch with the passing seasons and aware of the life that is teeming in my 'hood.

Speaking of crystals, and I think we were, one time I rode my bicycle up a trail in the Northern Cascades, to a ghost town known as Mineral City. The trail was precarious - the side of a mountain had blown out and slid down into the river hundreds of feet below and we had to carry our bikes across a narrow footpath where one misstep would lead to a long fall and a very sudden and sodden stop. We made it. Along the way we passed Douglas fir trees 8' in diameter, the logging companies could not get the logs out so they left the trees alone. Also there were mines dug into the hillsides - we went in one and I dug out my own crystals - sure, city slickers can go to the store and get their crystal fix by exchanging filthy lucre for nature's bounty, but we country boys prefer to dig our own crystals out of the earth. But then my fascination with Crystalography, Buddhism, Santeria, New Age and other fads passed and I have no idea where my crystals are now. So it goes.

I did get to see some leeches during our lunch break in beautiful downtown Mineral City. Talk about a swimmin' hole one should avoid - hoo-wee - they are some nasty little things.

As for Egyptology, never let it be said that I am not a student thereof:


9 comments:

edutcher said...

Give it a couple of days.

We are cool.

Rabel said...

I went to the gym yesterday and I have good news and I have bad news.

The good:

The gym is attached to a small local college. School was back in session. The coeds were out in abundance. Yoga pants are a force for good in the world when used properly.

The bad:

The school is conservative and religious as such schools go but - Man buns. Many man buns. Even on fairly studly youngsters of the type who frequent the weight room and flirt with the coeds.

I can only assume that the look is popular with the girls and will adjust my perceptions accordingly. I would grow one myself but I am follically deficient in the area of interest.

Amartel said...

My nephew has a man bun. The rest of the family is ignoring it. They all learned on my generation (my cousin) not to make a big deal out of an attention-seeking hair do. Or it will not go away for a decade! dunh dunh derp.

ampersand said...

Whew!. I figured out what you were talking about Rabel. For a moment I was worried about you.

Rabel said...

There may have been that type of man buns too, but I was too busy looking without leering at the girls to notice.

It's an art form that takes years of practice to perfect.

deborah said...

I really dislike man buns. But the things that make your ear lobes grow giant holes are really gross. Spacers?

Whose Dad didn't wear Old Spice at least sometime? I remember getting my dad Hai Karate one year.

The Dude said...

A haircut fixes a man bun. Elongated earlobes, tattoos, piercings, and other random body modifications are not easily reversed.

There is no point getting into the abominations I see from day to day. It would be too negative. Might even become a rant. My general summation is "Circus is in town!"

deborah said...

We're old and tired, Sixty. The young'uns got to do it their way. I've heard of instant tattoo regret. Google it. I'm too old and tired lol.

MamaM said...

British Sterling was the scent my dad applied whenever he dressed up to go out or to church. I'm ok with man buns of any shape or form, near the top holes or closer to the bottom one.