Sunday, October 15, 2017
Another field session done, eight days struggling through manzanita, cat claw acacia, and scrub oak. Searching the ground for traces of the past. We surveyed south of Payson and one day south of Strawberry.
South of Strawberry.
Easy to forget that it is fall when you are in Tucson, where it is still in the 90s and my car AC has died. But up north there are less subtle changes.
Fall colors.
The last flowers are out. In Strawberry some yellow flower made me sneeze terribly.
Purple aster.
Some of the juniper trees are loaded with light blue berries- very pretty.
Juniper.
But even amid the signs of fall there are signs of renewed life. Butterflies busy collecting food, little bunnies hopping around. And grasshoppers fucking.
X-rated.
At home on six days off. One day I got up and went out to feed Buddy and discovered the water heater was leaking. Had to buy a new one for $450. This was after I discovered my bedroom ceiling leaking due to water from the swamp cooler pooling near the scupper. So I bought asphalt patch stuff and coated places and filled in the low spot and after it dries the entire roof gets coated. Joys of home ownership.
Yesterday I dressed up for living history and was hot and sweaty. I had made lemon cupcakes and they were delicious. Afterward I got a pizza and salad and Kevin and Nate played dominoes. I eventually won.
1893.
Tomorrow back north for another 8-day, this time to Young. Another adventure.
