“Shit!”

“What?”

“Shit, shit, shit!”

“What?!”

“Forgot the truck keys.”

Hmm. We’re approaching the Corvallis exit on the freeway Wednesday morning. Going to build a new, wider gate for the orchard fence, or corral, as Larry has it. Can’t do much without Bob to haul the 2×4’s from the lumber yard or, more important, get at the tools which are securely locked inside good ole Bob.

We turn around. But it is a beautiful morning, and we’ve gotten an early start. The fog is lifting, the cherry trees are in bloom, the newest lambs are dotting the green fields along the way. We listen to a few extra chapters on Audible, we laugh at ourselves. We have all day.

“Don’t worry, I won’t post this on the blog,” I say.

So, back at the farm, we climb into the truck and head for the lumber yard. Buy the stuff, including the hinges, nails, wire staples and decide to eat the lunch we’ve brought from home en route, as Larry is eager to get started on the carpentry.

Except, halfway back, Larry slams on the breaks. “I can’t believe it. We only loaded 8 2×4’s, and I bought 11.”

We turn around. We pick up the remaining wood, get back to the farm and finally, finally are ready to start. It’s not that easy. Luckily, Aaron has loaned us his drill kit, so drilling the nails instead of hammering has immeasurably shortened the task.

About then, a car drives us the road, and it’s Steve Smith, the biologist, and his wife, Shelly. They’re here to do their weekly walk-around looking for emerging flowers. I decide to go with them. It’s been very wet, 2 inches of rain in the previous week, so walking includes a lot of sloshing. Steve is most interested in the water ways, looking for a rare species which grows on creek-side banks. We find trillium, but no poison oak. Hooray for that! Seems the cows graze it down. Hooray for cows.

Up into the oak woods looking for fawn lily:

Here’s a view of the afternoon landscape in the oak copse:

It’s been a good day. Larry hasn’t finished the gate, but the Ederers are coming down on Friday to watch the old house come down, and Tom will be able to help Larry finish and situate the gate.

At home, I go into my office to write a post. But where’s my iMini with the photos? Can’t find it anywhere. Oh, yeah. I left it in the truck. Sigh. Two old people buy a farm.