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This is not Herman, the bachelor muskrat who lives in our pond, but rather one of his numerous cousins living in the marsh. Although not renowned for beaver-like industry, the muskrats do appear to maintain active lifestyles.

The black raspberries — black caps — are having a great year. Jen is gathering great bowlfuls to be made into jam.

The mulberries are also ripe at this time, which is why we can often find a deer grazing at the end of the driveway.

The Mock Orange, one of the senior members of our shrubbery community, is highly fragrant and in full bloom.

Sarah is hostess this summer at Rhinebeck’s newest and most fashionable restaurant, Little Goat. Jen and I have eaten there twice and we are hoping to get a good table one of these days!

Jen, returning Sunday from her 40th high school reunion, looked in on her garden, which, as has become customary, received about two inches of rain on Saturday. Daisy assumed her post by the garden door.

The herons have built a nest very near our bank of Vlei Marsh, giving us a good view of what we expect is a growing heron family.

Even though Sarah remained at Colgate rounding out her junior year, Jen received the traditional Mothers’ Day breakfast in bed. To commemorate the occasion, she performed eight hours of manual labor in field and garden.

According to the fox, goslings are like potato chips.

Canada Geese are never welcome in the pond, but it’s hard to be angry with the goslings when they are in their maximum tennis ball phase.

On Sunday, I looked out the kitchen window to see this fox stalking the goslings near the pond. If I hadn’t gone outside to take a photograph, the goslings would have been fox-food.

Jen stopped to smell the cherry blossoms on a crisp Easter Sunday afternoon.

In less happy tree news, we had to take down the big maple in front of the sun porch.

We’ll need to plant a replacement, perhaps a bit farther from the house.

We spent Saturday in Saratoga, where Sarah rowed in the New York State Collegiate Rowing Championships.

Sarah, rowing in the second varsity eight, was unable to defend her varsity four championship of last year. Her boat this year finished third. Overall, Colgate had a great regatta, with the varsity eight winning the championship.