Oh What a Beautiful Day.

We are having some gorgeous weather.  It is cool for this time of year (highs in the 80's), and a low humidity which is rare for this area, with a slight breeze.  Can't beat that and it is suppose to stick around for quite a few more days.

I was laying in bed last night and for some reason, I started to think about my parents and how much I loved and appreciated them.  I was an only child so maybe that is why I got a lot of attention.  My Dad took me fishing and hunting and canoeing and all that "manly stuff".

My Mom was great.  Yes, she treated me like a mother but she also was my friend and companion.  I remember one time that will prove what a great friend she was to me.  I loved to take walks in the woods behind our home.  One day, as I was returning home, I saw an animal way up at the top of a tree.  To me and at that distance, it looked like a baby groundhog.  For any of you who do not know what a ground hog is, think of Punxsutawney Phil, who predicts if winter will end or last another six weeks just by whether he sees his shadow or not.  Just google "Punxsutawney Phil" and you can read about him yourself.

Anyway, I ran home and told my Mom that there was a baby groundhog up a tree and would she help me carry the extension ladder up there so I could get up there and catch it.  The tree didn't have any low limbs so it was clear up to the branch that the groundhog was on, about 20 feet up.  I would have never expected to find a groundhog up a tree.  I didn't think that they could climb and why the heck would he want to.  Maybe it was chased by something that wanted it for lunch.

She and I carried the ladder along with a shopping bag up into the woods.  Set it up and I went up the ladder wearing gloves with my Mother right behind me carrying the empty bag.  I reached up and grabbed it by the neck and, by the way, it was not juvenile.  It was full grown.  I pulled it off the tree and dropped it into the bag my Mom was holding.  Wooooops!!!  It went right through the bag, fell to the ground with its feet already running, and disappeared in a flash, leaving my Mom and I up the tree laughing at ourselves.  That is what kind of Mom I had.  Now, you all have a great day, you hear?