Month: July 2026

Janice and I had a close encounter with a bunch of deer last Friday.  It was by appointment.      Our friend Don has started a deer farm.  He’s been ready for his ruminant residents for months now, but the state ag and natural resources held a long turf war about which entity should have jurisdiction… Continue reading Deer by Appointment

It was a real pleasure to look into the shallows of a Traver Creek pond yesterday and find what I’ve been looking for:  bluegill spawning beds.  Due to our present lack of dog and abundance of construction, I haven’t been by that pond as much as usual, and must have missed an earlier round or… Continue reading Height of Summer

We have now arrived at the highlight of Ann Arbor’s calendar:  the annual art fair, featuring a thousand artists over thirty city blocks and a gazillion visitors to the area.  Many Ann Arborites become jaded over time, reaching the point where they ho-hum the very mention of the July event.  Not me.  I really enjoy… Continue reading Smoke and Art

Life around here has felt a bit like a circus act, the last ten days or so—the one where jugglers or acrobats spin plates on top of poles.  If the performers don’t look sharp and step lively, the plates will topple off and break.      Hardly anything happening around here has been of any consequence,… Continue reading Spinning Plates

The Fourth of July, when we were kids, meant getting out of bed to watch fireworks.  Mom and Dad would put us to bed at the usual time, then wake us up again when it was dark and time for fireworks.  We could see Ann Arbor’s display through the picture window in our living room. … Continue reading Fireworks