Saturday, 8:50 am: Ah summer is here. If I were a Druid on the Summer Solstice I would have frolicked in dewy meadows, tossed rose petals in the air, and played a pan flute. Since I am neither a Druid, nor living in southern England, and my musical ability is limited to changing a CD, I worked in our garden.

Our local garter snakes have moved in behind our garage for the summer. They like the wide sunny spot I cleared last summer. Yesterday there were five snakes out basking in the sun; most of the time they ignore me as I work around them. They help keep our mice population under control, so they are welcome summer guests.

I am still working on my “new and improved” amateur radio antenna. It was just a matter of time before the old antenna buckled and collapsed. I work on it a little each day. By Monday or Tuesday it should be finished. And I can once again send my Morse code signals around the world. My old vertical antenna was split from freezing water. Technology in the wilderness, what will they think of next?

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station>

Temperature: 56° (F.)

Barometer: 30.12 & steady

Humidity: 81%

Wind: NW at 1 mph light & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: Scattered High clouds

Since midnight:

Low temp: 43.5° at 4:45 am

High wind: 3 mph at 8:44 am