More Perfect fall weather. Rabbit and I made the big trip to her parent’s place. We have started calling it “the compound” between us because their property is starting to look more like a village than a single-family dwelling. The reasons for this started around 1986 when Rabbit’s family built their home on part of her Grandparent’s huge property. At that point there were three four buildings including a small barn where rabbits were raised and Grandpas garage. As time went by a fifth structure was built; one of those garages with a corrugated roof on a semicircular frame, set back from the main yard. Three years ago, Rabbit’s Dad built a garage for the family cars and his ultra light airplane, which makes six. This year Rabbit’s dad built Rabbit’s Mom a stable for her horses. So while you’re driving up the place really looks like a village.
The drive up was nice. We listened to Stuart McLean on CBC and stopped the car occasionally to take photos of the turning leaves. We stopped once to take a picture of some longhaired cattle. We were both pretty surprised to see them. They looked more like Tibetan yaks than cows. Who knows, maybe another weird species crossing?
Had a couple of bloody Marys with Rabbit’s Dad made with real tomato juice. He complained that it didn’t have that certain something that V8 has. “Perservatives?”, I suggested.
I watched most of The Bull Jack and fell asleep part of the way through. What’s wrong with me, always sleeping… Maybe I’m under stimulated. Heh.
Grandpa Gorter already looks comfortable being up there and seems to be adjusting OK. Of course it’s hard to say this early on just how he feels about everything.
Oh yes, today was a huge day for animal sightings. First off the Gorter’s place was just wall-to-wall ladybugs. On the drive home the rain was coming down like crazy so the road turned into a rich raccoon frog buffet. Needless to say we saw hundreds of frogs, but we also saw at least ten cooners. With the road as wet as it was, it was a miracle that I didn’t hit one. This year I have hit two porcupines on that same windy road. When we pulled into the driveway at home we saw a Skunk right up on the embankment behind our place. Skunks are such cavalier animals. Never in a rush, never to quick to get excited. It’s a good thing considering how close to them I have come in my life while traveling on foot in the dark. Once back in Toronto while hanging out in the backyard of a place I was renting with some friends and once while walking home one night in Kingston. Both times I was within ten feet of the skunk in the dark and I almost walked right over it. Both time I managed to avoid being sprayed simply on the mercies of the animal’s disposition. Or on what I imagine a skunks disposition to be.