Today...

...was a low key day.  Monday...I should of gone fishing this morning.  Cool and overcast...the storm  blew in this afternoon and most weekenders had left.  This eagle prompted me...in the cottonwood above the stream, to carry the camera around. They often perch there and I once saw four eagles in it.  The rest is just driftless life.  Including the old schoolhouse built a century ago from the Carnegie endowment to build schools across the country.  The clouds had Otis hounding me to go fishing.  So we did...

...driftless garden. And, jelly...

Well, its almost that time...something has been in the back of my mind for a while and I think I finally figured it out.  Its in the background of one of the jelly shots...But, my wifes hard work in the garden is sure showing.  I think it looks pretty good...my efforts besides the sweet corn and squash have been mainly focused on berry picking.  Mulberries, blackberries, and gooseberries...still waiting on the wild plums.  But, I've picked 20 lbs of blackberries and another 10 of mulberries...the mulberry tree was heavy this year.   Like the plum trees last year...at best I'll be able to mix blackberries and plums this year.  The plums are thin...but, the mix was maybe my favorite last year.  Gooseberries may get mixed with the blackberries, too...for tartness.  But, the blackberry jam by itself is in a league of its own...

The garden has the corn and squash...but, also has garlic, onion, tomato, lettuce, peppers, muskmelon, watermelon, and numerous spices and wild and domestic flowers.  Only my wife knows their names...my jelly is only small payment for the hard work of planting and weeding she does.  Its really her garden.  But, surrounded by my wild plums, blackberries, mulberries, and gooseberries.  Besides the deer, grouse, turkey, and trout...

...did I say deer?  Thats it...those antlers.  Its almost time to scout and set up tree stands...but, there are still trout to be caught.  That driftless living thing...