Animals, flowers, mountain peaks still with snow, and clean air

Everyone's gone - how sad. It was a blast having everybody here. So back to the normal routine, whatever that is. Mark is back from Detroit Friday for a quick weekend then back to the grind. He'll be around for our next group of company though. Hurray, anticipating more fun.

So let's discuss my  limited success with my plantings. Hanging baskets are barely hanging on, deer are eating the poppies I planted (deer resistant ha), and compost pile not composting. Tomato plants healthy, although only one has tiny tomatoes. Hurry, hurry, our season is so short - grow fast. And my Maine potatoes in a bag (courtesy of my mother) are growing and healthy, I think. Never done this before, so your guess is as good as mine. The proof will be when I stick a hand deep into the dirt next month.

Flap

Mr. Buck deciding to leave

The deer are everywhere - does, bucks, and darling fawns. Our clover is blooming and they love it. Flap is back regularly too, although as usual, alone. Big mystery where she's concerned - we saw her with twin fawns - huge surprise - but they've not been seen again. I begin to think there are more issues than a loose ear flap piece. Deer psychologist anyone?

Mariposa lily

I'm still fighting to get rid of the wheat grass that we mistakenly planted the first year. It grows very tall and hides the wildflowers. Another wave of wildflowers are starting to bloom, and I'm out digging, cutting, and generally whatever might work to make some headway. Ridiculous, really, it's all going to seed - so into perpetuity I will be.
Have been very lax in reporting books read. Somehow in all the bruhaha I managed to read 3 books over the last few weeks. Pastors and Masters by Ivy Compton Burnett. Oh, boy, what can I say - this is a literary classic, her first, written in 1925. Could barely get through it. These stylized pictures of society are just a little hard for me to digest. Next Love of my youth by Mary Gordon. Favorite author, and she didn't disappoint. Delving into two people meeting later in life after an early romance together. And, thirdly, Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, which has been out a while, and coincidentally, just out in movie form. Good book , recommend it, but a warning - it is intense as it deals with the World War II killing of Jews by the French in Paris as its start. Develops into a fascinating modern story. My understanding is that many publishers turned it down at first due to subject matter. If you can make it through the first part, well worth it.
And lastly - baby watch. A month minus 2 days and counting. I'm on pins and needles!!