This and That is a good title for today’s post. When you have taken a break from blogging, like I have, things accumulate. I thought I would do a little catching up today.
You know it’s October when the local bucks start testing their mettle with each other over who gets to snuggle up with the local does. These two decided to put on a performance in our backyard. They didn’t do any damage to each other, at least when Peggy and I were watching, but it seemed like a great way to poke out an eye. This morning we watched a doe cross our deck followed by three bucks: a spike, a forked horn, and a three pointer. I wondered what the doe was thinking. Was it, “Wow, look at me and all the guys tagging along.” Or was it, “Damn, I wish those idiots would go somewhere else.” I suspect it was the latter. While mating season is a true passion for the bucks, it’s more like being worn down for the does. At least that’s my assumption after watching them frolic for ten years. Maybe if the bucks had to help take care of the babies…
Several months ago my friend Linda from the blog, Lagniappe, mailed me a fascinating country cloth piece that she had picked up in Liberia, West Africa where we had both lived— me in the mid-60s and Linda in the early 70s. I put it out to admire for a while and then decided it would make a great quilt. Fortunately, Peggy is quite talented when it comes to putting quilts together. The results are quite gorgeous. Many thanks for your generous gift, Linda. And thank you Peggy. It will live on our bed in the trailer.
On our last trip to the Oregon Coast we stayed in a KOA at the base of the Alsea Bridge in the town of Waldport. Peggy and I took a number of photos of the bridge plus we walked across it, admiring the sand at low tide on our journey south and seals on our journey north. I’ve been meaning to do a post on it ever since Peggy and I went kayaking in the area.
Early in September, Peggy and I went to my 60th High School Reunion in Placerville, Ca. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of old folks there.
On Friday, we said a sad goodbye to our small RV, Quivera. We had had numerous adventures in her including making our way across the US several times, going to Alaska twice, and Burning Man at least five times. We retraced my 10,000 mile Bike Trek around North America in her with Peggy driving the whole time so I could take photos and make notes. Last summer, we hightailed it across the nation at the height of the pandemic so Peggy could attend a 70th birthday party organized by our kids on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Three summers ago, Peggy used her as a backup vehicle for me as I did my 750 mile backpack trek down the PCT to celebrate my 75th. Quivera has found a great new home with Terry and her dog Benny in Ashland, Oregon, however. And has many more adventures ahead. As do we. Grin.
The quilt is quite magnificent! We’re sure Terry and Benny will have many a happy journey.
Thanks AC. I’ll pass that on to Peggy. And I totally agree on Benny and Terry. They certainly seem eager to hit the road. 🙂 –Curt
Love the quilt! The border prints are perfect.
Thanks, Margy. They were suggested by Linda when she knew we were going to make a quilt with her African cloth. –Curt
The quilt is sensational. Clever and exquisite use of the fabric.
Thanks, Peggy. I certainly think so, and so does Linda. I can’t wait to see it in our new trailer. –Curt
I sure did the right thing when I passed that country cloth on to you and Peggy. In a way it was my years in West Africa that set me traveling. Now, the quilt gets to travel!
I’ll even bet it travels your way again, Linda. 🙂
oh what fun kinda maybe to watch the mating season in your own backyard Curt. That quilt is amazing. So good to see you having fun with the oldie but goodies and to see your friends then and now. Love your pictures so adorable looking like you wERE caught red handed. Keep having fun and enjoying. 💖💖💖❣️❤️
The mating season is humorous, Cindy, watching all the antics. I do feel for the does. They do make the bucks work hard, however. 🙂 I look forward to seeing how the quilt will look in our new trailer. It’s supposed to arrive Friday. My fingers are crossed. As for looking like I got caught red handed, it wasn’t unusual in those days. Grin. 🙂 –Curt
did I respond to this Curt or have I just had the visual in my mind all day since I read this.. lol. Trust me I’m feeling their pain!!! Hope those bucks are working over time… lol
Oh it looks awesome on the bed as far as I an see.
Of course it was a usual chain of evens.. 🤣
Have fun on your journey and Hi to Peggy. I’ll see you when I do and stay safe and have fun.! 💖
You did. Grin. But you added to your response, Cindy. You are welcome to respond all you want! 🙂
hahahaha. you must be off to the “races”. soon.. have fun❣️
Good to see you back Curt. I really like the reunion pictures.
Thanks, Andrew. I had fun with the comparison. Not so much the growing older part. 🙂
Most excellent quilt and all the life forms, including happy new owners. You with your hands in pockets seem as a hero of a book.
Laughing. More like a trouble maker than a hero, Manja. Thanks. –Curt
Great post, Curt! I love seeing Quivera’s new owners. I hope Terry decides to keep the name. ❤ I also love Linda's comment that now the quilt gets to travel. It's wonderful to think about how the cloth has traveled, and all the connections it has to your life: Peggy, Africa, blogging friends, travel. It's so so beautiful, that piece of cloth. I remember you showing it to me when I visited the first time. Peggy has transformed it into a finished piece of artwork. I have not seen any bucks yet this year, but I'm happy to say that most of the fawns have survived and I still see them healthy and chowing down on my lawn every day. Future bucks, I imagine.
The quilt is beautiful for sure, Crystal. And you are right about all of the connections. Your observations were fun and right on.
We’ve had a bit of a deer problem. Some of the youngsters died of a deer Covid, as strange as that might seem. They say it can’t be transmitted, however. We’ve also had cougars and bears reducing the population. I’m more comfortable with that since it is nature at work and the deer population needs to be thinned a bit to be healthy.
Whoah. Deer COVID. I hadn’t heard about that yet, only in domestic animals. Well that’s sad, and I know exactly what you mean about feeling better when cougars and bears get them. We had a ton of cougar activity early in the year (I know when there is a cat in the area because the deer barely come out and the coyotes are quiet), but it has been safe from animal predators most of the rest of the year. My guess is that people are shooting them in their yards though, because the deer population has stayed low this year and I haven’t seen horns all year long.
We had a local cougar that had to be shot. It was hanging around a neighbors chicken coup and wouldn’t leave. Turns out it was a old cougar with broken teeth that could no longer hunt. Potentially dangerous. Watching the deer always lets us know as well when a large predator is in the area. Lots of bear scat on our property and up on the trail where we took you and Pedro, as well.
That quilt is gorgeous Peggy!
Alison
She says thank you, Alison. 🙂
That quilt is definitely a work of art – how nice it is being used not just hung up and admired. As Linda says, it probably has the travel bug, too and is happy to be along on the road!
Peggy says thank you, Karen. And if the quilt likes wandering as much as Peggy and I do, it will have a fine time. 🙂 –Curt
Love all these reunion photos, Peggy’s quilting, and the butting head bucks. What a great real-life, here-we-are-at-this-stage post! Travel safely.
Like many others, I love the quilt! Did you sell the RV with plans to get a new one? I can’t imagine you are done wandering, and you mention putting the quilt in a new camper. I’ve heard they are hard to find these days, though.