We begin our time in western Carolina this week.  Summer, it is warm and at time sultry, still the mountains are relatively cool.  The sounds are a bit different than at home.  Bullfrogs croak from a small pool at the edge of the campground in the evening.  Carolina wrens sing furiously in the morning.  I pished some into our campsite when I returned from dropping Anne off at the hospital a few minutes ago.  They eyed me suspiciously and then one clucked at me before waving its tail and twittering off as I unlocked the door.  As at home robins make their somewhat sultry phrases, and wood thrush is the fluty songster.  I smile comparing its song to that of the hermit thrush that graced the woods in Michigan in May.  I don’t know which makes a sweeter song, but the wood thrush holds a spot in my heart.  Both songs tell me that I am in the woods and away from the noise of the city.

This is a week to catch up.  We had a frantic two weeks at home after our RV voyage to the Great Lakes area of Ohio and MIchigan. I accomplished many probate matters with my mother.  The house closing was delayed, but should occur without either her or me on this Friday.  My sister Laurie will pick up Mom on Sunday and drive her here.  So, we will be busy with them next week.  I have already signed us up for the 4th of July picnic.  The week should be very pleasant, but Anne has to work except on the holiday.  I won’t get any work done that week.

Yesterday, I improved our camp and accomplished the RV maintenance for June and July.  The rig didn’t seem to mind that I was too busy at the beginning of June to perform the chore.  Laurie will sleep in a tent, and I have to find some hay to pad the floor before Sunday.  I think I’ll find some in the rich Thomas Valley not far from here even though most of the thousands of tomato plants are mulched with plastic. 

On Thursday I bring the car into Mountain City Ford for an overdue service and to see if they can explain the new rumble.  Last year a mechanic said it was the gasket on the motor mount eroding and not a safety hazard.  I hope that is true.  We should replace our “dinghy” this year, but I have not had time to car shop.  Perhaps I’ll see if there is a used Focus on their lot.  The difficulty is that when I buy a car I have to immediately have it fitted out as a dinghy.  Since it may take a different fitted tow-bar than the one I have, that may take some time.  Ugh!

I am also working on Italy.  Lodging, auto rental, and bird guiding are all important.  We have our flight already.  Beside the villa in Tuscany with the group, we will stay in Florence, the Po Valley, Valle di Cadore (near Cortina), Bolzano, and Lago di Garda.  I seek that magic combination of decent accommodations at a reasonable price.  It being in September, air conditioning seems essential in Florence and the Po Valley, so that is a difficult combination.  My Italian is coming along.  That is the least of my worries.

Alex and Elley visit us on the week of June 15, a week after my Mom and Sister depart.  Anne has taken a few days off on that week, so that should be a pleasant week to enjoy their company.  We brought the canoe.  Anne worries that it will be warm, but usually the nights at least are cool here in the mountains.  One should expect warmth in July anyway.  I still relish the warmth of summer, even if I too prefer a.c. on hot nights.  I remember sweating in bed on hot nights in Florida.  I would shower when I went to bed and when I got up.  Quick but refreshing showers.  The school was not air conditioned either, so one sweat a bit there too in August and September, but we cooled ourselves with thoughts of October coming.  Florida, like Italy, has warm summers.

I notice Florida is wrestling with a tropical storm this week.  The news protesteth too much.  I remember our best tropical storm in Hollywood, Florida which delivered 22” of rain in 24 hours.  That was a September storm, I believe, and school was closed for it.  The grounds flooded but the structure did not.  We went to school the next day going barefoot through the puddles.  A week later the pools dried up.  Over the weekend we scooped up buckets of tadpole slurry and dumped them into the nearby canal.  There some survived.  Most became fish food.  In the end the puddles stank with rotting amphibians.  Still, tens of thousands of tiny toads made it out and swarmed on the ground.  We unintentionally stepped on many making our way in and out of school. 

The tropical depressions and storms were considered nuisances, but we dreaded and yet were spell-bound by the hurricanes which promised excitement as well as danger.  We felt safe and prepared in our CBS house with awnings at a good location.  Still, we knew that if the storm was bad enough, it could kill you.  Instead it always entertained us.  Only after it was over did it became miserable, leaving us without power and putting us to work cleaning up.  I was always saddened by the loss and damage to fine trees.  But in Florida trees grow quickly.  We replaced them and soon they bore new fruit.

Well, I have tarried enough.  I have work to do.