Summer of bugs!?..... July 10, 2013

Here is a photo my  husband took yesterday morning while I was working on Hovland Arts Festival paperwork and writing checks to all the vendors for their credit card sales.   The deer were really busy out in the yard.  There were several does out there with their fawns, two sets of twins in the bunch.  So darned cute to watch....you almost forget to pay attention to what you're doing.   The fawns, of course, were having a wonderful time running and chasing and just being "kids."  The moms, however, were beside themselves.....since, they don't yet like anyone else by their kids.  Interesting to watch, for sure.  Zoe is still managing to find someones fawns to babysit on occasion.  So.....now and then, I guess it's ok. 
I am guessing yesterday morning, the reason so many were there at a time, was bugs!  They were terrible .....what with no breeze out there at all. 
This afternoon, Toby and I found it out....so did the deer.....even with a good breeze....that the deer flies were simply awful.  Jeez, Louise......I like to had a fit.  Toby didn't even want to be outside they were so bad.  I was watching Shadow's yearling buck.....with his cute little velvet spikes......out here stomping and having a fit!  He finally went tearing off, trying to lose some of those darned deer flies. 
Then, Shadow came out of the woods on a fast trot.  She was heading for the basement door........so, I knew it was treat time.  She was just covered with deer flies.  I brushed and squashed them off of her by the handfuls.  I think she appreciated it.  But, the other deer aren't lucky enough to have that option.  I really feel sorry for the critters having to put up with those dratted bugs this time of year when they get so bad.  Trouble is....if it keeps on with the rain at the rate it's been coming down......we will probably have bugs til frost.  Not particularly a nice thought.  Hopefully, the deer flies soon are done.  I don't know enough about their cycle or what makes them "buzz!"
I have been really busy just recently too.  With the Hovland Arts Festival work just about done with for another year.....I will have a bit more time to do this again.  I should have the bills all paid by tomorrow, I think.  Then, I will know how much is left over to pay the musicians. 
We had a just amazing turnout this year.  Saturday was so busy, I couldn't believe it.  They ran out of  food at the church and had to go for more.  I guess, when you are fund raising, that isn't a bad thing.  But, the people were amazing and from all over.  Several southern states were represented.  I talked to people from California.  There were, of course, Canadians.  It was a wonderful day and event.  But then too, we had a lot of amazing artists this year, several of which are professional, year round  artists.  Hovland does have talent!
I have started mowing my trails now.  I made a couple of trips around one of the circles today.  It is so wet in many places, it is a pain.  However, if I am going to wait for it to dry up, I may never get it done.  I haven't had the chipper out there, as planned, since I would cut the trail all up trying to get that heavy thing back there.  I have hopes August will cooperate a bit, anyway. 
The garden is coming along nicely.  It shouldn't be too long until we can start sampling.  I have been nibbling wild strawberries on my walks now.....yummm.....
I had another pleasant surprise in my emails today when the moose biologist emailed me and asked to use my moose photo with the ticks again.  I guess that photo is really popular.  I think I posted one of them some time back...probably the one with me in it.  This one, however, is just showing the almost one year old moose laying there, half bald and covered with ticks.  It most certainly make one feel bad to see a critter in this shape.  It is another one of those photos, that when I took it, I had no idea it would become so popular.  I most certainly never expected a professional publication to post it in their book.  So.......I guess one never knows.  The biologist told me he has seen it a number of places as it is one of the best representations around of a sick moose while still alive...showing the issues. 
I just hope, somewhere down the road, they find out what is killing them.  I miss seeing all the  moose around here that we used to have. 
I'll end with a photo of one of the growing fawns.  They are growing fast now....and so darned cute to watch when they are playing. 
Then......for me......back to business as usual until another big project or festival comes up!  :)