Win Some, Lose Some

I did a little happy dance of triumph in the barn the other day.  After another major skirmish with the ground squirrels, I finally convinced them that their latest choice of a burrow was not to my liking.  It took a couple of weeks of them digging and me filling in the hole in the corner where the girls stand to look out.  I did not delude myself that I'd won the war; a good thing, as they almost immediately opened a new tunnel under the grain barrel in the little stall on the other side of the barn.  As this hole doesn't put the girls' legs in danger, I may let it stay in hopes that a small victory will keep them from expanding their territory.

I am less successful in the battle with ants.  I deal with the scouts on a daily basis, trying to stave off a full-scale invasion, but once in awhile I look down to find an army on the march, usually toward Bessie's food bowl.  They also go to the water dish.  I'd feel sorry for them if they weren't such pests.  I am severely outnumbered, but know this particular war will end when summer is over.

I can really get into this barter system.  A friend brought me cantaloupes and honeydews, more than I can use right away.  Camille had gone down to Slough House (everyone in the area knows Slough House produce) and offered some sweetcorn she'd bought.  I traded a melon for a couple of ears of corn, the first I've had this summer.  Works for me!

The house is finally put back together after a week or so of disarray, and just in time.  Deb and Craig are coming up today.  They're bringing the fruits of their labor from their garden, including eggplant.  (Aubergine sounds so much more classy.)  It's a sign of Deb's devotion that she will cook eggplant for Craig.  He and I are fans of eggplant; she is not.  I grew up with eggplant on what were then meatless Fridays.  I have enough recipes for eggplant to write a cookbook on them alone as I tried without success to get my Kids to eat eggplant when they were younger.  Not one of the four can or will eat eggplant to this day.  Evidently the liking for that vegetable is not hereditary.  Ah well, win some, lose some.