I Drink My Coffee With No "Lumps" (of sugar)...

I headed to the Franklin recycling center first this morning to drop off two full bags of yard waste I've collected this past week - weeds, branches, clippings, etc.. I planned it so that I'd be in line and one of the first in when they opened the gate at 9:00AM.

In anticipation, and even though I had already had a cup of coffee earlier, I swung into Honey Dew Donuts on my way to grab another to enjoy while queued up.

While in line at the drive thru I noticed the below grey squirrel.  He caught my attention immediately because of the HUGE lump on his neck -

That is clearly a lump and not his cheeks full of goodies.

In the picture below, as he turned towards me, you can see a black spot in the lump -

This reminded me of an episode I saw on "The Incredible Dr. Pol", where a cat was brought in for treatment on a similar lump.

Turned out the cat had a parasite known as a Warbles, otherwise known as a wolf worm or botfly, growing under it's skin. Seems the name Warbles is term given to a lump or swelling under the skin caused by botfly larvae. 

I found this reference on the Google machine - "A small hole can be seen in the center and within it contains a maggot-like botfly larva.", which I what I am guessing the black spot in the second pic is.  The article went on to say, "they are super common around late summer and fall.", which is about where we are today being it's the last day of August.

Now, I'm no vet nor do I play one on TV but I bet you dollars to donuts that lump is a BIG ass botfly larva, EWWW!

I believe eventually the worm will fall out, to start the cycle over again.  However, from what I read, and if left untreated, the effects could be deadly.

Best of luck little fella...

Bugs Bunny Knows What I'm Talking About!

On Sunday, May 25th I planted two 4' rows of carrots -

Caged and fenced in they survived the wild rabbit invasion and assault -

I hand watered them every couple of days throughout the hot summer -

97 days later, today Sunday, August, 31, I harvested said carrots -

Although, I've trimmed them and brought them inside, they're still sitting next to the sink.  That's tomorrow morning project to wash, count, bag and get then in the refrigerator.

The yield all cleaned - 

Can't beat the feeling and satisfaction of harvesting something you've grown from seed and tended to all summer long.  I can already tell these are gonna be delicious too! By the way, where did the 97 days go?!

#Blessed

The Price You Pay For Love

The only cure for grief is to grieve.

Well, This Is A Red Flag...

actually, it's a grasshopper hanging onto a red flag -

The red flag of a mailbox  -

Hmmm, I wonder if this grasshopper is working for the USPS to monitor and ensure I'm delivering the mail properly and efficiently.

Where's my tin foil hat?!

Hello?! Hey, Where Did Everybody Go?!

It's been a weird, eerie kinda summer.

My veggies are struggling.

I haven't seen or had a single frog in my pool.

I've only seen one or two toads.

No snakes.

Signs deer have visited but I seldom see them like I used to.

Wild rabbits galore, too many.

There's been only a handful of honey bees visiting my flowers.

Butterflies have been scarce, with only a couple Monarch.

NOT a single Monarch caterpillar on all of my big beautiful milkweed plants.

On a positive note, I was awakened the other morning by the vocals of two Barred Owls talking to each other.  Alas, it was 4:00AMish and dark, so I was unable to see them but they were sitting in the oak trees in my front yard having a conversation!

I sat by the open window and listened to them for while.  So cool and peaceful.

There was no use in going back to bed at that point, instead I brewed a cup of coffee and started my day.

"The early bird gets the worm", they say...

Keeping An Eye On Things!

This is one of Ms. Trixie favorite spots, where she's able to sit comfortably and look out the window as the world passes by. I leave the window open a bit so she can take in the smells too.

There was a time, not too long ago, where I wouldn't have been able to take these pics because she would have heard me pull in the driveway and get out of my car or hear the garage door open or the basement stairs creaking as I walk up and she'd bolt down from the couch and greet me at the top of the stairs.

Sadly, her hearing is getting worse, as is her eye sight.  Today, I was able to pull in my driveway, open the garage door, enter the basement, climb the stairs and takes these pics without her even aware. She never heard a thing, ALAS...

However, her welcome home greetings are still THE BEST, once she knows I'm there. I SO look forward to coming home to her and her wagging tail.

#Blessed

This Is An Easy One!

An Audi, DEFINETLY and Audi!

Just my observations of late and it's without question Audi drivers!

Although, there are many, many a-holes on the road today, generally speaking the type of car really doesn't matter but Audi drivers in particular are presumptuous POS!

They're some of the BIGGEST assholes on the road.

Just thought I'd share and, PHEW, do I feel better now!

Find The Critter

Can you find the critters in the below photos?

What I've Come To Expect

I thought I'd post a couple more examples of the shoddy upkeep that the town of Franklin is seemingly fine with.

I used to call the DPW and or the Highway and Grounds Division to lodge a complaint or request issues (I guess issues to me) be addressed, e.g. tall grass, weeds and poison ivy growing out of control along the sidewalks be mowed.  Although, I would get some sort of acknowledgement to my call or email, seldom was anything ever done, at least not within a reasonable time frame.

For the longest time the above departments used COVID as an excuse to justify their incompetency and mismanagement.  However, this excuse has run it's course but the recent failures to pass (2) million dollar town overrides (in a six month period) is now their new excuse - no monies available, budgets have been cut). Town administration mismanagement at it's finest!

The first two pics below is what the elementary school a mile down the road looked like ALL summer long.  Now some might argue why bother with regular maintenance over the summer when school is not in session, however, this school was used as the hub for summer child care\summer camp called "Solutions".  Oodles of kids dropped of there each day as their parents worked, so  A LOT of traffic in and out.  Sorry, NOT sorry but this is just sloppy and sends the wrong message and reflects badly on the town and the above mentioned departments tasked with maintenance and upkeep - in my opinion anyway -

Here is one example that shows grass and weeds growing in the cracks between the street and the sidewalk, as well as the cracks that are running across the sidewalk too.  Why have sidewalks that are hazardous? Here in New England winters are tough, so in an effort to ensure the sidewalks are safe and last for years, perhaps regular maintenance is needed, like sealing the cracks to prevent water from seeping in freezing and causing frost heaves and more damage -

There are fire hydrants along this stretch that have weeds growing around them 4 and 5 feet tall, essentially hiding them.  Storm drains have weeds growing in them, as they've not been cleaned or cleared. Intersections and side roads have weeds growing so tall cars have a difficult time pulling out because they're unable to see oncoming traffic.

These issues are not just limited to my Lincoln street and the stretch I walk, rather they're ALL OVER the town and can be seen as you drive the town.

What and where is my tax money going?!  Which by the way they keep going up!  They're building like crazy in Franklin too, with MANY apartment complexes all over town.  Where is that tax money going?!

A black-eye to the town of Franklin and again an embarrassment in my opinion.

What Wonderful Memories

While delivering mail the other day, what I'm guessing was a grandfather, was on his ride mower with his grandson.  On my return, they were parked at the edge of the grass by the street apparently waiting for me to drive past. The little boy, sporting a BIG smile, was waving his little heart out as I approach.  Of course I slowed, honked numerous times as I waved back.  It was SO precious.  Both smiling, waving and clearly SO happy.

Of course, me being so emotional this brought me to happy tears 😥, as I reminisced about doing the same with my youngest.  Gosh, it seems like only yesterday but in reality it was some ~15 years ago. 

Where has the time gone? What I wouldn't do to be able to go back in time.

I miss those days.

#Blessed

She's A Peach Hun!

Along with my grapes, my peaches are a plenty too!

My peach tree never ceases to amaze me with the number of peaches it has and continues to produce.  This is especially true because it has some sort or peach disease\blight, as well as a large hole near the base of it's trunk - both issues having been there since I bought the house some 25 years ago.

Early on with my homeownership I used to spray it with some peach tree elixir but no longer.  However, I continue to care for it and prune back it's dead limbs and branches at the end of the season, of which there's typically many, and it seems happy with that and comes back with beautiful pink blossoms each spring!

Many of the ripe fruit fall to the ground where rabbits, woodchucks and deer eagerly devour them, leaving behind peach pits galore beneath the tree.

They're not quite ripe yet but I'm monitoring. 

One Foot

Although, I very much dislike the following saying and loath when I hear it, it seems appropriate now - "it is what it is."... 

Concord Grapes Galore

I have oodles and oodles of grapes this year and all from a single plant!

This plant was given to me years and years ago by my farmer friend Tim.  Not having a grape plan, I planted it in really the only spot available at the time, which honestly isn't idle but it's thrived.

Outside of eating them, when outside working in the yard or feeding them to the chickens I've had in the past, sadly they've gone to waste.  I really should try my hand at preserving them.

They're also a time measurement, when at this stage, that the growing season in general and summer is coming to end.

Horses, NAY

I had several horse encounters yesterday while out delivering mail.

As I pulled down Forest Road in Millis, which is a dirt road about quarter mile long and all wooded, and where I spotted the twin fawns last week, I saw a different kind of animal appear out of the woods - a girl on a horse -

There are 4 mailboxes at the end of this road - you can see them in the picture above, and typically where I deliver the mail to.  However, one day last week and again yesterday, I had a large package.  So I took the opportunity to do another LLV adventure drive to see beyond the mailboxes and I was NOT disappointed.

Turns out there is a horse farm back there known as Apple Knoll Farm, which is a 250+ acre boarding, training, and show facility!  What a beautiful and peaceful place.  I delivered their packages to the main barn both times and yesterday snapped the below pic -

The Apple Knoll Farm image adorned on the barn doors.  Very cool -

This dude keeping an eye on me -

Another rider appeared on my way out of the facility -

And of course there was this horse item -

Although, the below pic was taken a couple miles down the road from the above farm, there were more horses out, so I got their attention and took the below photo -

With all the building taking place in my area, seeing fenced in grass fields and wooded land with horses and other farm animals is becoming rarer and rarer but SO wonderful to see.

Giddy up, as I have MORE mail to deliver...

Casing And Sorting Fun

I thought I'd share a glimpse into my postal workspace.

While in the post office, prepping and getting all mails ready for the days delivery, we work in what's known as a "case".  Pictured below is the case for route 7, the route that I've been primarily doing for the last 4-6 weeks.  

I took the pics below on Monday morning.  Monday's are typically chaotic and a heavy mail and package day, with this past Monday being exactly that, UGH!

The first pic shows the case empty, before I began "casing" route 7's mail -

This second picture shows the case full and before I pulled all the mail down and put it in trays for delivery. "Casing" the mail consists of handling each piece and placing it in it's appropriate slot -

Each slot in the case above denotes a mailbox or delivery stop!  Route 7 has approximately 550 mailboxes AND it's not the biggest route in the PO.

Once the casing has been completed the mail is then "pulled down", from last stop to first, and placed in trays, flip-flopped per stop so it's easy to pull for delivery when on the road.

What I failed to take a picture of were ALL the packages needing delivery for route 7, of which there were about 50ish and they are all shapes and sizes from large to small AND from light to heavy!  I scan each of these packages and number them in order of delivery, as I load them into the truck before departing.

It's not rocket science but it's a dirty job just to prepare to sit in an LLV for the next 4 to 6 hours delivering all the mail and packages.

Could be worse I suppose, so thankful I have a job.

A "Scavenger" Hunt

I had the below opportunistic Turkey Vulture drop in my front yard the other afternoon for a bite to eat -

By the looks of it I can only guess that Grey Squirrel roadkill is delish!

It's nice to see this scavenger doing it's part and fulfilling it's roll to clean up the environment. Especially when the clean up needs to be done in my front yard, GEESH!

I Can't Make This Stuff Up...

The frontage to the soccer field, at Dacey Field just up the street from me, has been designated as a "Pollinator Pasture" and has been this way for many years now.

Although, there are some flowers in this area, e.g. Black-eyed Susan's, Golden Rod, Queen Anne's Lace and Milkweed to name a few, it honestly fails at it's intended goal.

However, that being said, I'm sure there have been many insects and critters that have called this area home and completed their metamorphosis there.

Typically, the Franklin highway and grounds division mows this area down in the fall, which has been the extent of their maintenance on and to this "Pollinator Pasture".

Well, that was until a week and a half ago, when some Franklin town numbskull worker mowed it down, see below pic -

Honestly, it couldn't have been cut at a worse time in terms of the critters and pollinators using and relying on it.  I'm guessing there were many an insect in the midst of their transformations, e.g. caterpillar to moth, etc. Perhaps, growing praying mantis and SO much more but no longer, GRRR!

I posted these same pictures to the local Facebook Franklin town page and surprisingly someone from the highway and grounds division responded and claims the area was cut in error and that the person who did it "feels terrible".  HAHAHA, what a crock of BS, the feels terrible thing...

The other issue, which you can clearly see in the above picture, and it's one that I've come to expect from the Franklin highway and grounds folks because it's glaringly obvious in their workmanship most of the time, is the shoddy work they do!

The weeds growing along and up through the fence are STILL THERE TODAY a week and a half later!  Weeds around the trees and telephone pole in that area also still have weeds growing around them AND the cuttings from the mowing are STILL littering the sidewalks!

There doesn't seem to be any oversight from management, supervisors or town administrators and if so no one cares. They all seem okay with lazy half-assed workmanship and the message it sends to all and for all to see, ALAS!

Sadly and frustratingly, this is how the town of Franklin spends my tax dollars.

Therefore, I give the Franklin highway and grounds division AND the putz who "accidently" mowed this area the following merit badge.  It's well deserved for this debacle -

Find The Critter

Can you find the critter in the below photo?!

Unfortunately, I was only able to take this one pic to successfully capture this critter.  As I stopped the truck and reached for my camera, another car came by and scared these adorable littles off, ALAS.

There were two of these still spotted fawns, which looked like twins to me, but spooked off they went with their white tails held high.

After delivering the mail to this dead-end road, I slowly crept as I drove out looking for these dudes but I was unable spot them again.  They blend in SO well in that environment.

Wile E. Coyote's Return

My coyote friend was back yesterday afternoon!

Seems to be focused on the neighbors chickens and why not?!  Chicken is yummy!

What was a tad concerning about this visit was the time of day.  It was around 5:00PMish AND the neighbor who owns the chickens, well their kids were out in their driveway screaming and playing.  However, that didn't seem to sway the coyote at all...

She's looking in the direction of the kids in the first pic below -

Waited a bit, then still headed towards the chicken coop in their back yard AND very soon after the chickens erupted.  So much so, that the neighbor next to me came out on her back deck and looked in the direction of the squawking chickens (too overgrown for them to see the coop or much in that direction) -

I remained on the deck, camera in hand, and patiently waited and sure enough she trotted up the side yard, with no chicken dinner - foiled again, towards the street and crossed -

Then headed straight back into the wooded area behind those homes -

What you didn't see was me darting room-to-room, from the back deck, to the kitchen bathroom window, then to the dining room window at the front of the house and all in an effort to capture the few so-so pictures above.

And that my friends was the highlight of my day!

Sad and Unfortunately True!

LLV Package Delivery Adventures

My job allows me to get an up close look at many houses, properties, yards, etc., a peak most folks wouldn't normally be allowed otherwise and without raising suspicion or risk of being chased off but let me explain -

The route I've been assigned to recently, route 7 and which has over 450 stops by the way, has me delivering to a section of Millis and a street, Village street, I've driven on thousands of times of the years.  Over that time I've noticed many of the houses along the way but there have also been a handful that are set far back from the road and even some where you're unable to see the houses from the street.

However, I now have the ability, when delivering packages of course, to drive up many of these driveways and get an up close peek at the property, yards and homes.  It's interesting for sure.

For example, there is a large piece of property just off Village street called Cedariver, formerly known as The Baker Reservation, that is a 55-acre open space reserve located on the Charles River.

This property has an assigned gravel parking area and marked trails open to the public to hike and walk.  However, there is a mailbox on post at the entrance to the parking area and a very long paved road, well actually it turns out to be a driveway, that runs through it and into the wooded area, which also has some "no trespassing" signs at the far end.

I've visited this spot over the years and have always been curious as to what's at the end of that driveway.  Well, the other day I had a large package for that address and didn't want to leave it at the mailbox for fear of it being stolen, SO I took the opportunity to drive up the driveway to deliver the package safely to the front door.

This allowed me the chance to finally see what was out there!

So, come along for the ride; Let's explore together, click the link - 161 Forest Road Millis MA

Happy 13Th!

Happy Birthday to my faithful, best friend and roommate!

You all have NO idea how much she helped me get through these last couple of years.

It's difficult to leave you when I go to work but my welcome homes are wonderful!

#Blessed

Today Was A Berry Berry Good Day!

I took today off of work, as I had an appointment this morning, and it turned out to be a productive day all in all.  I was able to take care of things that have been in waiting, as I've been working almost every day for a couple weeks now.  Completed a handful of errands, made several overdue phone calls and finished the day out in the yard - my happy place!

Although it's been very hot this month and we've not had any significant rain in the same time, the lawn still needed to be mowed, so I cut it this afternoon for the 13th time this season - yes, I've been keeping track.  This darn OCD...

I also did some weeding, pruning and hand watered all my annuals and veggies, PHEW!

I finished the outside chores by picking a half gallon of DELICIOUS and JUICY blackberries!  OMG, they are to die for, so so so tasty.

AND there's oodles more to come!

If you're in the neighborhood stop in for some blackberries and don't forget to bring a quart of French vanilla ice cream!

#Blessed