Hanging Around

Spikes and forked-horns aren't uncommon, but to see a three-point buck and his small harem down in the front pasture during my morning walkabout was pretty surprising.  This "prince of the forest" was in no hurry and we spent long moments just looking at each other before he herded his ladies down into the woods.  Such a nice way to start the day.

I get myself into the darndest situations.  In honor of Veterans Day and those who serve(d), I ran the flag up the flagpole at the corner of the deck in the bright morning light.  It's always been a bit difficult to pull the rope, but it wasn't too bad on the way up.  At sundown, I went out to take the flag down, and that's when the problems began.  It was as if the pulley at the top had frozen.  I pulled down; nothing.  I heaved up; nothing.  I got a bit frantic.  I could not dishonor the flag by leaving it flying after dark, but I still had to bring in the laundry from the line and get down to the goat barn and the sun was dropping rapidly.  I tried, I really tried, to bring that flag down but nothing was working.  I know I said I would stay off of ladders, but these were extenuating circumstances.  That corner of the deck is on the second story and the pole goes up another eight or ten feet.  Desperate situations call for drastic measures, so I got a ladder and a can of WD-40 and did what had to be done.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit shaky as I clung to the skinny pole and climbed high enough to spray the pulley, and I could hear my Kids' voices, "What!  Are you crazy?!"  Be that as it may, the flag and I quit hanging around and I went on to finish the day's chores before dark, barely.