Success! Bricklayers showed up Monday, fireplace finished on Tuesday, even with a slight rain impeding their progress. Beautiful piece of work. Looks like it grew straight out of the wall.
A mix of sun and rain the past few days. Lawn looks like Augusta. The new ash trees still haven’t come around—and probably won’t—but at least the grass and flowers look strong.
Working on a new story. Untitled as of yet. Have good feelings about it. Drafted it last summer while on the mountain in Wyoming, but am just now getting back to it. How has it taken me so long?
Went over to Angler’s Covey yesterday and had the backing and fly line on my reel replaced. New technology abounds! Line and leader now manufactured with tiny loops, replacing the need for nail knots. Tippets still the same, but my blood knot tying skills (unlike my eyes) haven’t waned, so I should be good to go. Picked up some new flies as well. Buckskin, pheasant tail, San Juan worms.
Now it’s only a matter of waiting for the runoff to end.
Thunder and lightning tonight. Three inches of rain night before last. Broke a record set in 1914. Ancient vine against the east wall of the property line appears to be breathing its last, and may have to be replaced. Wanted to give it time to revive, but after all the precipitation we’ve had—with no results—it looks as if the end is near.