Pretty horses and purple lilacs

Heather and Lefty

Rather than going for a bike ride last evening, we strolled around the place, fighting off mosquitoes every step of the way.

It was a stroll after the first barbecue: those chicken breasts barbecued to perfection by Bill and smothered in Stubbs moppin' sauce, spinach-filled ravioli, drowned in olive oil and parmesan, last summer's green beans, simmered slowly and swimming in margarine, garlic, salt and pepper. A dessert of fresh-picked rhubarb, sweetly cobbled. .

Caloric, yes, satisfying, yes, expensive, no.

I estimated it would be a $25 per serving at a restaurant. Probably cost us about $5 per plate.

And, yes, if we ever decided to have a bed and breakfast, I think the guests would have approved.

I snapped a few photos of early evening yard and pasture action. Then, Bill, the dogs and I walked through the woods. I enjoyed my first summer sighting of a trio of deer who bounded off into the trees and probably on to the neighbors' grove.

Bill motioned me to various trees and shrubs he's planted over the past two years. The larch are doing fine. One reaches upward as far as Bill's waist. I told him a year from now it could surpass him.

'Twas a nice evening filled with lovely scenes but irritating flying critters.