Another amazing day. Working with Sigi to clear the vines and brush from the hillside below the house. A slope between 30 and 40 degrees and filled with rocks and soft dirt. I was pulling grape vine from the shrubs above me when I lost my balance and realised I was past the point of recovering balance. I glanced down below me at the large sharp rocks. Determined to avoid hitting the rocks, I bent my knees and pushed off as hard as I could. I missed the rocks and hit the ground rolling and just managed to stop rolling before I fell off into a large hole. I won’t always be lucky, but I was again this time. Enjoy every minute.

I know that sudden death and casual cruelty is the normal order in the natural world but I’m not a casual killer of anything. So today it was with mixed feelings that I shot and killed a pair of large rattlesnakes. I killed them because I am afraid of them. The things we do out of fear. More later.