Errands. Unexpected visitors. Three house tours.

Another gorgeous country day.

As I was cleaning and assembling garbage, a car pulled up.  It was Bob Olsen of Fish and Wildlife and his friend Steve (just retired from Fish and Wildlife).  We'd spoken on the phone last year.  He's in charge of the property we sold to Green Acres and had been here before any work had been done, so I got to do the proud-home-owner's tour.
Drove one bag of nicely frozen garbage to the end of the road.  Another mail-less stop at Post Office.  More rewarding visit to the organic farm en route to the library.  Last year I must have started going there quite late in the season and perhaps too late in the day.  I would often only buy garlic.  Today I bought gorgeous green beans and Tuscan kale.  I have too many vegetables already so had to passed on leeks, collards and other assorted greens.

My goal at the library was to amass piles of home improvement books to get ideas for kitchen design, landscaping, etc.  Sat deep in the stack with piles of books-- barely knew what I was looking for but managed to bring home a big stack of brightly colored volumes nonetheless.

As I was leaving the library, the phone rang.  Home Depot was calling to report that my Anderson screen for the upstairs bedroom had arrived.  Perfect timing. Congratulating myself on having remembered to bring the necessary receipt in preparation for this exact eventuality, I drove straight to the store, picked up the screen, returned home.  Instead of popping in the screen, I continued my endless sweeping.  Interrupted by knocking on the door.  Two young men--neither looking like a guy from Sussex County were on the porch.  Turns out one of them had wandered over the hill from Hyper Humus some months ago and met Logan at the lake.  He told them that the only real way to access it by car was with my permission.  They had driven out from Bushwick (certainly not Sussex County) and were hoping to do do a little fishing.

I said yes, but gave them a house tour before they headed towards the lake.

I returned to my household chores.  In the late afternoon, I thought I'd do a little branch clipping along the lake paths--but I hadn't remembered to put on mosquito repellent and soon gave that up.

Margaret then called--she'd finished her photography class and was ready for a walk.  When she arrived--rather than walk around the lake, we drove a tiny distance to the old railroad trail--not quite as buggy--but this is obviously the season of the mosquito.

Back at the house, we had a bit of left-over cucumber soup and one more tour.  Margaret had been here in November just before we left.  Her response to the condition of the hosue was very similar to mine.  She thought it was much more livable and in order than she remembered.  It was cold and wintry November--now it's sunlit and breezy--everything looks  better, despite the peeling ceilings.  I get great pleasure imagining a kitchen taking shape in the sun filled parlor. 

Full moon rose over the lake.  Fireflies very busy.  Fine summer night.