Drying peaches

I just can't keep up with the ripening fruit. The apple tree is being left to the birds and the peaches are getting eaten on by birds too. I gave most of the apples away but no one brought an 8' ladder and can't reach the top. We have an 8' ladder but my husband won't let them use it. He feels if we furnish the apples they should furnish their own ladder. Consequently, the high apples didn't get picked.

I'm working as fast as this old body will let me. This evening after loading a dryer I put a bunch of peaches in the refrigerator hoping to buy some much needed time. I have to go to the oasis and water for the next couple of days.

While walking out toward the peach tree this afternoon I saw a Crimson Patch butterfly, the first one I've seen outside of Marathon. I should have set my camera on automatic and gotten a picture, but I had it in my head to try closing the manual focus assist and never could get focused before it departed, not to be seen again. Tomorrow while watering I'll practice that feature but not on something I really want a photo of.

Now that my Mexican Amberwing report of July 17th has been accepted I'm going to try hard this weekend to photograph one again since my photo of that one is so bad. (post of July 17)

I'll find something wonderful to post pictures of tomorrow, but I'm exhausted tonight.

My son here in Alpine is in the process of a messy divorce which is why I haven't insisted he go to CMO and fix the pump. I'll be glad when that's over. It just adds to my stress no matter how much he tells me not to stress over it. Two things aren't for the weak-- parenthood and old age.