This tiny, tiny little toad (it looks big, but I blew it up) (in Picasa, I mean), it's really only about an inch, was being chased around by Merlin who was trying to make it move by poking it with his paw. 
He sniffed it but never tried to bite down on it with makes me think that maybe it exuded some of it's toxins out of the little warts that cover it's skin, which it can do when threatened.

The weather is still rather unstable, we're having quite some thunderstorms and occasionally even a little bit of rain! Yeah!
The soil is moist enough to reveal some nightly visitors:
                                               

I see the tracks of a raccoon among the bottom ones but maybe the ones in the top picture are from this handsome fella:

 
He's a rather good looking coyote I think, almost fox-like with that reddish coat.
Although not exactly fat he didn't look too shabby either, I think he's finding enough prey. 
(We only have about a gazillion cotton tails around here!)

How do I know it's a 'he'?

That's why!

Not much has been happening here otherwise. 

Oh, yeah, we put 4 new tires on the truck. I'd asked James to take some pictures of the guys at the local car service station changing them out. "For the blog honey, you know what I mean?!" "Sure!"

This is what he comes back with:

Four tires leaning against some poles. Great! Good job honey!

(sigh ...)

Also, I'm teaching myself some new skills. I'm weird that way. If I'm not learning something new every now and than, I get bored. 

And you don't want me bored. Trust me ...

One of them is learning how to type. Blind, I mean. And with all fingers.

I've done it once before, about 20 years ago, but I never used it and forgotten all about it. One of those "If you snooze, you loose it" things. Besides, that was in Holland (no clue if that makes any difference) and it was on a real typewriter! Remember those? You really had to hammer down on them!

Big difference with the nowadays 'whisper-touch' computer keyboards.

Anyhow, I Googled around for a free tutorial on the web and I found this hilarious one from the BBC-school program called 'Dance Mat Typing!

                                             

I know, it's for children, but sooooo much more fun than the boring adult ones. It's just a hoot! I'm having a ball!

Another skill I'm trying to master is spinning related. Up until now I've mainly spun while using what they call a 'short draw' technique.

Short draw

Short draw is the spinning technique used to create worsted yarns which are smooth, strong, sturdy yarns, and dense.Short draw spun yarns also tend to not be very elastic. 

These characteristics make them good for use in weaving. 

Sometimes it's called the “inchworm technique, describing the short forward movement with both hands close together.

 

Long Draw

Long Draw is the spinning technique used to create woolen yarns that are light, lofty, stretchy, soft and full of air, thus they are good insulators, and make good knitting yarns.
It is spun with a long, backwards draw in one smooth movement (sure …).
It's much more difficult to do though, and the reason why lots of spinners never go there. (or try it once, pull their hair out and swear never to go there again).
A challenge! 'Nough said! Let's just say that it wasn't pretty at first (and it's good that James is gone for a couple of hours each day) but I'm getting better!

And because we ate the whole Lemon Bundt already (and the peanut butter-cup cookies) and I really needed to calm myself down every now and than after a particular difficult session, I had to make something else:

Double fudge brownies with walnuts!