a couple days ago

i was harvesting canada thistledown

at 6 AM

before it got hot.

one time harvesting thistledown there were spiders

everywhere

and i had to avoid them with my thanks

and respect

this day there were

snails.

it was very dewey

(no decimals)

with many lovely snails.

at home my yard is drying up.

parched.

not australia dry, but the soil is light tan and dusty.

the grass bristly brown

here, under the spruce and basswood

i witnessed a kestrel take a robin fledgling.

i was trying to photograph the mayhem

(parents yelling, siblings upset)

and almost missed the whole thing.

but there was evidence, too.

see the branch shadows and dead leaves.

this maple is dead, shed its leaves.

there was a light show last night

a reward for suffering through this heat!

i saw the amazing corals

and a slip of a moon, below.

this morning i walked early

and was struck by the neighbor's barn-

that perfect blue square.

around another corner is hill road,

it's where i've walked

almost daily

for 30 years.

the business of making:

work on the shiny book-needs sewing

work on botanical pressure printing- little edition (4) with bird prints coming along

work on botanical pressure printing- paper samples for HandPapermaking edition

work on prepping thistledown/make thistledown paper

day lily prints and drawings

cicadas are wailing away in the back yard

coyotes waited almost till dawn before they sang last night

or this morning

twice.

high HOT of course parched summer.