Did you ever sit on a stool for seven hours?

Well I did on Saturday, and let me tell you that for a person with a bad back that is a killer.  I had to work the VC all day, and one of the brown shirts decided the rolling chair with a back didn’t look professional enough.  Ugh!  I got to the point where I had to lie down on one of the benches for folks to view the bird feeders just to get some relief.  Not the best thing for a visitors center host to be doing when someone arrives…

Anyway, I made sure to go in on Sunday and talk to Janice, the volunteer coordinator, about it.  She agreed that I could roll out the chair with a back on the days I work there, and roll it back at night.  Apparently a stool with a back is being ordered, but who knows when that will arrive.

We’re finding lots of turtles digging holes and laying their eggs on the refuge.  Sorry to say, most of these nests get dug up and the eggs eaten by raccoons and skunks overnight.  It’s uncanny how they find those nests.  I guess they sniff them out. 

It’s also surprising that any turtles actually hatch, but I guess enough do.  At a couple of the destroyed nests there were dozens of Northern Crescent butterflies feasting on the moisture and minerals that were left in the empty eggshells.  It’s that natural circle of life again.

I’ve had the last two days off, and have been busy with various chores.  Yesterday I had to go to town to get some more birdseed.  Those purple finches and goldfinches are really eating up a storm at the Hard Rock Bird Café.

         Then last evening, Emma brought me a present.  You know she’s always on guard for marauders.

After ten thousand tries, she finally caught a chipmunk.    I was sorry its life ended.  I suppose if I didn’t feed the birds, this wouldn’t have happened.  Seems everything in life has consequences.

Today, I had to drive into Detroit Lakes to get my extend-a-stay propane tank filled, and next door was the Lakes Processing store.  I’ve often driven past this place the last two summers, but not being a jerky eater I never stopped in.

I asked the lady at the propane place about it and she said they had good meat there.  So, I stopped in.  My oldest son, Daniel, and his wife Crystal, will be visiting over the July 4th weekend.   My daughter, Robyn, and two grandgirls, Avery and Phoebe, will be staying with me as well.  That amount of visitors calls for lots of food! 

I was hoping to find some smoked pork chops to use for one meal while they all are here.  There was a very helpful young man inside, and he helped me to choose a smoked pork loin that I can slice for chops, and also recommended the butter garlic chicken bratwurst links.  If they taste as good as they look, I’ll be stopping by here again.  I do like to support local businesses as opposed to the mass marketing of Wal Mart type places.  I’ve got my fingers crossed.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy