Animal drama and mud

Mud - that is the word of the day. We had day two of repair on the driveway. It's amazing how we - alone - can cause instant downpours. All we have to do is schedule Walter or Keith to dig up or move around dirt, stone, etc. and voila the skies open up and rain comes down. The photo is after the morning rain stopped and Walter & Mark were getting the emptied drainpipe back in the ground. Giant rainstorm came in right as the last pile of dirt was smoothed on. Lots more work to be done gravel, rock, and huge rocks to be spread. Messy.
I know it seems I'm obsessed with mushrooms, but they're everywhere at the moment. Had to put up a couple more photos. We saw these on our walk this morning - a bunch had even pushed up through the dirt in the road. No idea why the photo is on it's side - sorry. One of these is scary looking, couldn't find it in the "book" so who knows?
Flap appeared in the yard this morning, looking perky & plumper (her ribs had been showing) and no she didn't go near the petunias. Don't understand it, but that's okay. Nice to have the flowers and hanging baskets for awhile longer. Freezing temps later this month will put an end to them - I know that sounds crazy, but the seasons are very compressed here. The aspen will start their major fall color change in the next few weeks - hard for me to believe too.
Finished book #43 - highly recommend it: An Italian Affair by Laura Fraser. Non fiction account of her life & travels after a divorce. Not Eat, Pray, Love by any means but very entertaining.
Animal drama here, two of the steers died, one close to us (down the hill by the mine shaft, and the other way on the other side of Star Mt). Don't know what happened, if they were sick or a predator (say a bear) got them. I guess it happens - just the first time for us. And a neighbor's dog went missing for three days after chasing a steer. They found it, with some broken bones, but hopefully will recover quickly. They don't know what happened there either. Wild west indeed...