Nailed Cedar

Maybe my feet will warm up while I tell my tale. A clear day with a warm promise got me out to McNary Headquarters early to count birds for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I counted thirteen species with a total of 108 individuals besides the several thousands of Canada Geese in flight and on the pond. I have yet to enter the data for Cornell. At first light I went out to look at the corner of my damaged cedar fence and planned to repair it when I returned.
Not a heavy task but I decided to take care of that before I could have lunch. Luckily I had an extra cedar fence board, although with a mean long split, that fit nicely in place of the broken one I discovered several days past. It required no more nails than an undamaged board but only time will tell if it withstands the test of time.
I found no evidence of the piece of wood originally broken off and have not the slightest idea why the board was attacked in the first place nor how the piece disappeared. The four foot span in question had simply pulled from its anchors, shrunk away in the summer’s heat. It appeared to have been pulled from the outside in hopes, perhaps, that it was would swing out as a gate for entrance. I hammered in the nails that had loosened but in no way can I assure it will stay in place. Nor keep animals out.
I went outside the fence for the repair so the gate Michael made was access for that. The weather has not warmed. The ground is cold and the layer of leaves is very wet from the daily rains, hence the pathetic temperature of my tootsies. A cup of hot coffee is in order.
Now Ashton left almost a week past. However, there are solid reminders that I can indulge in that help in the recall of her presence – stuff we shopped for when she arrived that we expected to devour, but did not: sliced ham, baloney, strawberry jam, Ovaltine, and a half finished thousand piece puzzle. Well we didn’t plan to devour the puzzle but we finished two others and hoped to conquer the last. Never mind, it is finished. I fueled my furnace with hot coffee and a sandwich so all is well.
Naomi Sherer