Today is the first day of the rest of my life

Well, it really doesn't feel much different to be retired. The coffee is good, the weather is nice but I can't take much time to savor it. I must whittle down my to- do list, so I can be on my way to the woods. I'm ill- prepared; wish I could have packed sooner. But then, there's tomorrow: see, I'm already developing that attitude adjustment. Well, I must run along... miles to go before I sleep. Perhaps I do feel a renewed sense of enthusiasm, as I start the day.

Just one week

Just one week more!

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== posted from phone; edited later.
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Poison ivy

Poison ivy produces some luscious- looking berries, but I’m not tempted to try them. Birds eat those berries, and deer feed on poison ivy. There is much poison ivy in my woods; I would be in deep trouble if I ever developed the allergy.

Locust beans

The long beans hanging from the locust trees are eaten by deer, but in my neck of the woods, they stay on the ground and aren’t used until late in the season. I don’t know whether the pods get sweeter or the deer get desperate. They bite hunks out of the fleshy pods, spacing out the bites to miss the seeds. I have read that the Indians fermented a beer from those pods, too.

Persimmons

The persimmons are yellowing now. I don’t recommend eating one that is not fully ripe. The critters love them so much that I don’t ever find edible persimmons in the woods. They disappear too fast, and squirrels don’t seem to mind a little astringency.

Autumn events

There's light at the end of the tunnel and I hope it's not the train! Lots of things are in the air to stoke my enthusiasm. My countdown to retirement is down to 21 days. The Red Stick Fly Fishers site lists a number of events, including Fall trips, a meeting Monday night, the annual Hunting & Fishing Day stuff at Waddill WMA. Archery season starts October 1, and I'm beside myself anticipating actually spending some leisure time in the woods. This is my favorite time of the year! It's cool in the mornings, weather is mostly dry and sunny, the critters are active, and my neck starts swelling, too.