Smokey

This is Smokey, F's high school vehicle. Once upon a time, F parked Smokey here in the woods and went off to join the Navy. Some twenty years later, we returned to move Smokey to a new spot and found it like this. Moss everywhere, the front windshield and hood broken by a fallen branch, slugs taking up residence in the door jamb.

We've been spending a fair amount of time up on the reservation property (where Smokey was parked) lately. Someone stole F's mom's mailbox... post and all... and it had to be replaced. We put three bags of concrete in with the post this time, so good luck to any would-be post thieves. Of course, F's mom says that kids will probably just blow up the new mailbox with M-80's on the Fourth of July anyway thanks to Boom City, the annual fireworks stand extravaganza put on by the local Indian tribe.

Actually, we're hoping to visit Boom City ourselves pretty soon in anticipation of the holiday. But things here are a mess at the moment... F's brother and his family will be coming to stay with us for 10 days in a couple of weeks, and we're going crazy trying to make the place presentable. Ack!

Decaying House

This house is located in an older part of our town, on a street with many beautifully landscaped front lawns. But you can tell that someone really cared about the place once... the front beds have gone wild and are overrun with vetch, but the roses endure; there's a giant buddleia off to the left, and old wicker furniture and a broken mirror still remain in the sunroom at front.