A Quiet Saturday Afternoon Before the Libertarian Convention

Bow swings in the Outer Pen While the Mowers Are Mowing

Things have been growing and blooming outside, even as my mind has been more on politics than botany. By the mailbox, the wild roses blossomed and twined until it was almost impossible to open.

I think this has been an unusually fertile year, because never before was the mailbox totally engulfed by roses.

It was so pretty that I did not dare disturb it. But then a couple of days after I took that picture all the blossoms and leaves on that rosebush mysteriously died, while the rosebushes all around it on my property continue to thrive. My current theory is that a government agent -- the postman possibly -- took it upon himself to protect access to the mailbox and sprayed weed killer on the roses. In hindsight, maybe I should have trimmed the bush. Because it's dying now.

A wildflower in my woods

However, I had this momentary fantasy when I saw the rosebush twined around the mailbox -- something out of sleeping beauty -- that if only I allowed  everything to grow wild around here, maybe we would be left alone by the government, because no one could penetrate the thorns of the wild rose bush.

A daisy with a ladybug in my pasture

Of course, I can't let everything grow wild , and today the mowers came. And as usual, Bow did not like it. But when I went to mow using my reel mower in the backyard, he contented himself with swinging vigorously on his swing, instead of displaying at the mowers.

And after the mowers left, we had a very quiet Saturday afternoon together.

In two days, I take off on the long drive for the Libertarian National Convention. Lawrence will be here with  Bow. I have paid half his fee in advance and will pay the other on my return. If you would like to contribute, there is still time.

I am doing this to help Austin Petersen become president so he can take over the government, so it can leave us alone! That should be more effective than surrounding my house with an impenetrable wall made of wild roses -- don't you think?