Once again rural county fairs are in full swing. Carnivals and parades augment the showcasing of 4-H projects and Open Class exhibits. Funnel cakes, snow cones and Bierocks are sold at concession stands to fairgoers. Everyone needs to experience a county fair at least once in life. Those of us involved in rural life look forward to the fair each year.
Chris Whitaker’s, We Begin At The End is a dark tale with a glimmer of hope and maybe, just maybe a splash of faith. This is a contemporary novel with adult themes even though one of the protagonists is a teenager with the name of Duchess. The other main character is a small-town cop. Walker is struggling to hide his affliction. He has Parkinson’s.
Violence and murder thread throughout the novel. But it is not a mystery. Possibly We Begin At The End falls into the crime genre. The story revolves around family, loyalty, small-towns and love. However, the love is hard to come by and fate often intervenes.
Co-existing with wildlife takes effort. This summer I have the good fortune to stay in a mountain duplex. The half I visit from time-to-time backs right up to wilderness. A large wall encloses the back and does restrict the view somewhat. However, the wall provides a buffer between man and other animals. Such as moose and bear.
We are very bear aware. Trash is kept in appropriate containers and food is not left around. So far, my only bear sighting came in the hour before dusk. I was enjoying the back patio when the crackling sound of twigs came from the area between the house and the creek. Jumping up, I quickly headed inside to look out the side window hoping to see the young moose once again.
My noise may have startled the bear. All I saw was his backside heading directly away from the house. His initial direction unknown. He was lumbering along, not too worried about whatever was behind him.
I stayed by the window in case he turned around. But I think he may have ventured into the meadow down along the creek. This is only a guess, but an educated one. Shortly after the bear sighting a deer came down the mountain. Suddenly, the deer stopped still. As you can see in the photo, the deer’s head is cocked at attention. This position was held for close to ten minutes before grazing started again.
The deer are seen daily either as singles or doubles. Very unlike the herds of deer on the High Plains which often number over a dozen. I am uncertain of why there are not larger numbers here. Perhaps the number of predators keep the deer at bay.
On several occasions I have sighted moose. Much like the bear, one moose alerted me to his presence with a loud crack just outside the wall. The noise was very loud and startling. On the other occasions, the solitary animal has been spotted at the end of the drive as in this photo. Again, the best wildlife sightings are at dawn or dusk.
Surprisingly I have yet to see an elk. Nor a big horn sheep. Perhaps, both stick to higher elevations. I like to imagine the sheep are high up on a distant mountain meadow blending into the landscape. I swear I see fewer rocks and boulders upon the high meadow in the afternoons.
In a glass dish large enough to fit bread slices, mix the egg and the milk. Add the cinnamon.
Soak each slice of bread in the egg/milk mixture.
The French Toast can be served with your favorite eggs and/or breakfast meat. A variety of toppings add a finishing touch. Try any of the following or a combination: fresh fruit, powdered sugar, maple syrup or my personal favorite a spoonful of homemade jam or jelly. Enjoy!
For the past ten days or so, I have been away from home, hiding out in my favorite retreat. But there is no hiding from the news. So, even though family matters take the forefront right now, I am commenting. The Supreme Court verdicts are concerning.
Voters on the left in 2016 are seeing their fears come to life. Combined with the blocking of President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the highest court in the land and two additional appointments by President Trump a major shift is now evident. The conservatives have control of the Supreme Court.
Can the United States of America remain united? A question that needs an answer. The Founding Fathers created a system of checks and balances. For the first time in my memory, the three-tiered government faces an imbalance with respect to the judicial branch. With time, the system should rebalance. As it has in the past.
I am still against stacking the court. Although now I understand the concept better. My belief is voters will turn out in November in much larger numbers than usual for the mid-term elections. The recent decisions by the high court have stirred up a hornet’s nest. There is no hiding from the fact that extremists are currently in control. But I believe moderates outnumber extremists of both sides. November 2022 is a critical election. Now is the time. Make your voice count. Vote.
