Murders and walls.

I heard a murder of crows make the most dreadfully murderous noises today, enough that I looked up to see what was killing what as they flew over the house.

My pitch fork sounded a beautiful pitch as it knocked against something on the way out of the shed as I went to pull up half the garlic (33) before any rain might come down tonight.

I built a wall! I am most proud of my wall. I've built plenty of pet housing in my day, generally single quail or gerbil or such sized, but never a human sized wall, with framed in doors and everything! I've watched quite a lot of walls be built, generally by my dad, but my role was usually "watching is helping" with occasionally holding an end of the tape measure or something. To build a wall entirely on my own with no advice, no help, no supervision (except Grandpa from his porch, and Tilly and the Chickens taking turns with the yard)!!! I am so very proud. And to make myself extra proud, nothing on the barn is square or level - nothing except my wall! My wall which fit into a six-sided hole perfectly, and is square and level despite the surrounding barn being neither. My oh so beautiful wall. Currently it is framed and in place but not covered in plywood or siding and no hung doors yet, but it will almost be a shame to cover such beautiful 2x4s! I am reserving pictures until after Tim comes home so as to not give away that moment of reveal.

In other news, Nancy has arrived! Nancy and Bailey (dog) have arrived as Tilly was most excited to have a new dog playmate. So excited, in fact, that she fell right off the dock and into the lake. Surprised wet puppy! It is so very easy to get sidetracked by my Tilly, but really we are so excited to have our lifelong friend, officiator of our wedding, mom-extraordinaire Nancy as our new neighbor! After a year of anticipation, the day has finally come where I can walk over for tea and pie in the evenings. Her husband, Butch, and their snake will be joining the neighborhood a little later.

Meanwhile, in Juneau Alaska, Tim took Brother Daniel and Amanda out in Dad's boat to pick up the crab and shrimp pots. It looks like they brought a good catch home and had a feast with the parents. Dad just had surgery on his ankle and is thus banished from the boat or any other bumpy rocky excitement for a while. Tim only has a couple days left in Alaska and then he will be back home with me for the first time in two months. Tilly and I are greatly looking forward to his return, though Tilly's probably going to lose her good spot on the bed when there are three of us again. While we wait for Tim to come home, Tilly has been perfecting her trick of leaping into my arms on command so when Tim comes in she can leap into his arms and cover him with kisses, though she'll have to wait her turn.