Bear visit

Paul is at his first Forest Stewards' weekend training at Camp Susque north of Williamsport; I was a booth-babe for Continuing Ed at the Central Susquehanna Oil and Gas Expo east of Williamsport; Gambol was at Fahracres Kennel north of Julian. He didn't have as much fun as we did. To make up for his cement floor and no forest runs, I gave him a marrow bone on the porch. That can hold his interest for quite a while so when he started barking his visitor warning bark, I stepped out to see what was worrying him. It was a small black bear by the bird bath. I yelled at the bear to keep on going and that we weren't serving poulet dinners here. It ambled off down the path. I couldn't see any chickens when I was yelling at the bear. They appeared shortly afterward none the worse for the visit.
I didn't see any hummingbirds today, but the feeder was drained and a storehouse for dead yellow-jackets. I'll put a new feeder out although I think that season is over.
Gambol got his 9th chipmunk on Friday. He trees them and then worries them and waits until they lose their grip. They apparently really are ground squirrels and while they can climb trees, they aren't as nimble vertically as their cousins. He is on them practically before they hit the ground. Sometimes he seems to try to trick them by making them think he's given up. He'll make a big deal of leaving the tree base but head back to the tree from another direction. His gambit often works.
A few more timbers were delivered to the Toy Shed on Friday.

Timbers delivered

Jerry called early this afternoon to warn Paul that he was on his way with the first load of timbers to store in the Toy Shed. The barn-workshop he's been working in is hosting a Penn State dance this weekend so he has to clean up. It took 2 trips but we have about 2/3 of the timbers for the house now. On to the Big Dig soon.

Workshop visit

We went over some more details with Michael and Jerry at the workshop this afternoon. Lighting and a couple of window placements were the last details on this page.

New sink

I've been looking at this sink at every art fair since I came to State College. We told the artist that we are going to build a house around his sink; since this is the first bit of interior furnishings we have, that was almost correct.


Jerry will bring out a load of finished timbers in the Toy Shed late next week. Staging begins. We haven't heard from Michael this week; he's working on the foundation plans. We haven't heard from Tim at Moon Brothers either; he's working on changing the elevations by 6" to allow a step down into the garage.
Fall is definitely approaching. We've had heavy fog each morning this week. Most of the time we are above the clouds. From the top of the hill by the fence I can look across the Valley and think of Kilimanjaro, an island poking through the clouds. It's been cold too, blanket weather if we leave the doors open.
Cedar Waxwings and starlings are flocking. We have a flock of 10 or more waxwings at the top of the oaks in the beergarten (AKA chicken run. On my drive to work I see great flocks of black birds swooping and flying as one or evenly spaced on road signs or wires.
We still have hummingbirds, but are checking diligently for their departure. I think it won't be long.
Another sign of fall is the bell-like bugling of the elks next door. The sound echoes off the mountains and trees. I suppose our cockerels' calls do also.
Leaves are turning yellow; the potties and parking markers are out at Penn State. Football starts tomorrow.