TBW Daily Diary

Judy Robinson has written from her modest estate in Juniata County that my adversary most likely is a six-inch female Downy woodpecker in search of dessert after attacking the distressed mountain ash in my neighbor's back yard. It may continue to visit but if scared away often enough it will probably desist in its destruction . . . made a half-hearted attempt to deal with my finances this morning. Apparently I was a bit too enthusiastic in ordering new merchandise last month. There weren't quite enough bucks to go around. ($500 in plumbing repairs didn't help) . . . Listened to Welsh radio's weekly program for rural folk. Part of the program dealt with green house gases and possible cures. But the proposal to move all the cows and sheep indoors seemed a bit extreme (imagine a building housing 2000 animals!). Plans to reforest barren ground with conifers made better sense to me . . . and it was eye-opening to learn that city trees aren't that effective in dealing with carbon dioxide. Their real value is their shade that allows us to lower the settings on air conditioners and save on electricity . . .