Wildlife Season

It was a good thing we star-gazed when we did, since the weather's turned overcast again, so we really didn't get another chance to try and see Neowise.

One of the chickens got out of the coop the other afternoon.  When Wonderful Husband and I had shifted it the night before, it ended up in a spot where there was a 3" gap between the frame and the ground in one of the corners.  Apparently that was enough space for a teenage chicken to make an escape attempt!  When I noticed, I went out and wedged some scrap wood underneath to block off future escapes, and attempted to herd Joanne back into the coop.  During this attempt, another of the chickens (Sassafras) got out through the open door.  Putting my thinking cap on, I encouraged Jazzy (who had followed me out and was wearing nothing save his diaper) to chase the chickens clockwise around the coop to where I opened the door.  It took a few attempts, but eventually their fear of the toddler overwhelmed all desire for freedom and exploration, and they went back inside.

In less amusing critters news, apparently the deer from the other day came back and munched on my fruit trees!  The apple trees are big enough and old enough not to mind the loss of some leaves, but I'm ticked off on behalf of my plum and cherry saplings!

And on a run up to Port Orchard this week, I saw either a fox or coyote cross the road (it was too far ahead of me for me to be sure which) and, a couple miles farther on, a doe.  Critters everywhere!

In non-critter news, our school district has finally decided to do remote learning this fall, and continue it until certain public health conditions are met.  Which is a decision I applaud.  We had a company come out this week to repair our sprinklers in the front, so now they all work again and are set on a timer.  And I've actually been stitching some quilt blocks together.  Let's see if the trend holds.

Stargazing

I went to bed on time last night!  And then got woken up at 11pm by a cat fight outside.  Urgh.  So I went downstairs just to double-check that Sushi was inside and not part of it (which, he was on the sofa, so all good).  Back upstairs I looked out the bedroom window to see if I could see the culprits.  Which I could not.

BUT.

Clear sky night.  Big Dipper was huge!  I couldn't find Comet Neowise, but as tonight's also a clear sky night (somewhat rare here in the Pacific Northwest), I'm planning to set an alarm for 11pm, haul Squiddle's telescope out, and see if I can find the comet.  And then wake Squiddle and Wonderful Husband up to see it, since it's going to be 6,800 years until it comes back around, and none of us will be here for that.

(I still remember going to see Halley's Comet with my dad when I was a kid.  My goal is to live to see it again.)