Labor Day weekend

We had a very nice Labor Day, with Brian, Big Daddy, Joe & the kids.  Contrary to the holiday title, we vowed to lay off the work and enjoy LSU football and family this weekend, but preparations had to be made.  Denise and I "went to town" on Friday and picked up a little lumber in case I was going to be able to work on the pantry and a basket of gold at the WalMart supercenter (groceries with no pantry to put them). The probability of working on that pantry seemed to increase after that...

Big Daddy arrived first bearing a gift - a game cam that was previously deployed on his apartment patio in hopes of catching a rose thief (all he got were neighbors walking their dogs).  We set it up and posted it under the cheapiecam (it only took one picture during the past week) at the feeder.  After two nights, I couldn't stand it and had to check.  Without further ado, here's the September 1 edition of "Tibo's TrailCam Highlights".

The times are a little off, so we've since made that adjustment.  We also had some night shots with coons in the corn, but the camera is set up a little far back for good, clear pictures.  No deer yet.  I hope to have better surveillance soon after I deploy the Cuddebacks.  I did talk Jack into cutting the lanes and finishing up the deer field mowing; he was happy to comply.

This week, my "Critters from the Porch" is actually a critter ON the porch.

...and there was one in my shoe to boot. 

Enough fluff, let's get to the stuff.  Joe helped me turn 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood, ten 8' 1-1/4" square strips, two 2X4 studs and three 8" 1X4 boards into a serviceable pantry.  I must say, it is quite an upgrade over what we found.

We left 24" on the floor, then an 18", two 15", and a 12" shelves with the top available for storage also.  Denise said it's the most spacious pantry she's had in any house in which we've lived...a good thing out here in the country.

We did enjoy the rest of the weekend, so no pictures of the very enjoyable LSU game, the grilled burgers, or any of the other weekend shenanigans.  Brian assisted with our ongoing furniture rationalization, so the house is opening up more and more.

I did take a little walk through the woods late Monday afternoon...this is some of what I found.

Turkey dust baths at the feeder and in the surrounding pine woods...

Squirrel feast (one of many - they were cutting in the backyard pecan this morning)...

A black gum telling me that fall is just around the corner...

One of many huckleberry bushes, tucked behind a sweet gum and a swamp maple (all will show some fall colors later this year)...I hadn't quite made it to the back property line, but it was getting thick and I turned back...

I stumbled across this late season muscadine just before I came out of the woods...I sure hope it wasn't one of the Grapes of Wrath.

I only walked for about an hour.  Lots of nice hardwoods behind the house on the south side of the property, I saw one fox squirrel, heard other animals in the bushes, and wandered down a number of game trails.  I am really looking forward to cutting some trails around and through some of the jungle back there.  I won't run out of stuff for pictures any time soon.