Surprise!

Another mouth to feed.  This little guy (only about two feet long) surprised me in the coop when I brought back in the waterer for the chickens.  From the belly bulge, it's pretty obvious he had breakfasted well on a mouse (not one I knew personally).  It's always a bit unnerving to find a snake until I can get a good look at the head and tail.  I checked again when I came back up from the goat barn and he was still hanging out in the corner.  With any luck, he'll stick around and grow big enough to take on some of the ground squirrels.  I am completely overrun with those boogers.  Some of their burrows are big enough for badgers!

Word came late in the day that my guests would not be arriving until 6 p.m.  Given that extra time, I was able to accomplish all that I should have done in the week prior, including the dusting!  I'd made the dough and had done the prep work earlier, so when the guys came I put them to work making their own pizzas for dinner.  Homemade pizza takes only about 15 minutes in the oven.  As they ate, I started the ice cream maker going for their dessert.  There's something unmistakable about the sound of an old-time ice cream machine and if you've heard it once, it evokes memories of childhood and lazy summer evenings.  After making up three beds upstairs and down, it wasn't the best surprise when the guys told me they'd gotten a motel for the night.  I wish I'd known.  They're planning to come back (sometime) today, subject to change without prior notice, I assume.

It was a busy, busy day.

Happy birthday to my daughter Deb!