Scenes from an old rail trail going from Jeffersonville to Bakersfield. 11 miles or so. NO ONE else on the trail, till an ATV at the very end. Overgrown, weeds knee-high in some places, large stone in others, mud and puddles elsewhere, hard going. Took 36 to 108 back, rather than face the trail again; thus, something more than 11 miles coming back. X wanted to try this trail. I was glad he took some initiative. It was mostly downhill coming back which always gives a positive afterglow whatever the travails going out.

Solstice is not even here, and I feel like we’ve already lived a summer and a half.

That’s actually got potential as a band name (though nothing will ever beat Robert W. Funk and the Jesus Seminar). Here we have the notorious R.B.G. (rose-breasted grosbeak) and of course a cardinal, both male; a rare display of simultaneous color at the feeder.

It used to be hard to get near her, she was so popular when she first went up; and then when they put her in front of the bull, forget it. Now she’s all alone in the middle of Wall Street. I guess it takes an extra-brave girl to stand alone.

Do you ever just want to hug the world? How can summer be so beautiful? It’s not even technically summer yet. How can not-winter be so beautiful? By not being winter.

When my cylinders are all clicking, I call it mojo. Mojo descends abruptly and leaves when it wants. Making offerings to St. Mojo won’t help. You’re either blessed with mojo, or not; and only for the moment.

And you still have light enough to take a clear picture at 8:40 PM.

I remember these days when I was a kid, playing outside till the sun went down, being surprised to hear the theme song to “Laverne and Shirley” (Tuesdays at 8:30 PM, 7:30 Central and Mountain Time, on ABC), pouring out of my house through the screens on the open windows. 8:30 already! Summer rules! One more kick of the kickball through the curb recess to score, and I’m in for some hard ice cream from the freezer.

Now back to being 52.

It’s that time of year where I start to see seedlings for sale that look gargantuan. These are my babies this year. Scrawny little things, they’re MINE, and I love them. (They are tomatoes and peppers.)

Life is good this weekend as I’ve been sleeping well.

Xopher built a new pasture gate!