DAY 14 - PORCUPINES, MUSIC & SUNSETS

July 14 2012

A LITTLE ABOUT THE WEATHER……..It’s hot up here.  Summer temps have more to do with elevation than with latitude, I guess.  The temps seem to swing around during the week; 95, 92, 86, 82, 79, 82, 82, 86, 89,95……surely it will stabilze into the low 80’s, high 70’s…….maybe!

I am remembering my summers in Connecticut.  We were always near water so that helped to keep us cool.  We actually wanted the hot days to warm up the water.  Oh well.  It is still beautiful up here.

Haven’t had much rain and it is dry.  Don’t know why they don’t have fires like we do in FLA.  The creeks are drying up and the roads in the CG are dusty.  Each day there is a forecast for scattered storms but so far we haven’t seen anything…..oh well, it’s still beautiful up here.

DAY IN THE LIFE ....Worked in the Ranger’s Hut and Mark brought a fan over which helped tremendously.  Even though it’s 90, it is nowhere near as hot as 90 in Florida.  In the shade with a fan on, it’s actually pleasant.  

This is also a trick I use at the campsite.  I bring my big box fan out and put it on the table and sit in front of it and read while cooking dinner.  Makes it feel cooler and keeps the little mountain gnats at bay!  I used to laugh at people who would do this when I walked around campgrounds, but now I understand!

We had a steady stream of visitors driving and hiking around the mountain.  Campground is busy and everyone is enjoying themselves. 

EVENING ON THE MOUNTAIN

Our “labor of love” each night is to drive up the Ascutney mountain road at 7:30 to “clear the road”.  The road closes at 8:00 so we drive the four miles up to be sure there aren’t any hikers still out and about and that the cars have come down off the mountain.

I have been on a porcupine search and last night I was not disappointed.   On the way up a large porcupine was waddling at the side of the road.  Then I saw a baby porcupine come out of the bushes alongside of her.  She sensed I was there and the little guy got under her and they scuttled back into the bushes.

At the top of the mountain was another porcupine shuffling along in the grass.  This one also kept his/her back to me.  Guess that’s for better projectory of the quills.

DON'T WANT TO GET WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF THOSE QUILLS!!!

Since it’s been so hot, the views down into the valley are hazy.  Lazy, hazy dog days of summer.  Yup! 

In the evening Mark sits on the porch of the Ranger’s Hut and plays his guitar.  

This guitar is his original guitar and you can see the blood spots inside from frayed fingers.....

You can hear the music drifting up the road and it is beautiful and peaceful.  

Here’s Lucy sitting on the picnic table reading and Gus sitting on alert looking like a sentry.

Summer nights on the mountain.  Peaceful and serene. …..it’s beautiful up here!