Sigh. An end-of-school party, apparently. Hot dogs, corn, chips, pop, beer, marshmallows, cookies. What, no baby carrots? It was still smouldering so I couldn't do much but spread it out a bit and wait for the rain we're expecting today. At least they didn't write on the signs. It's too bad those police officers don't walk their dogs along here on a Friday or Saturday night.

If anyone knows Emil, I'd like a word with him ...

Having tidied up what I could, I returned to the tansy patch and cleared out a section. By the time I've laid waste to the tansy, Queen Anne's Lace and thistles, there's not much left in places.

(There are some little sumacs getting started in there, and fleabane and a few other things that belong, so maybe they'll have a better chance now.)

Those of my readers who aren't in the Toronto area may not know we're in week one of a strike by the garbage collectors. I expect there will soon be a lot of illegal dumping in the valley. So far it's at a level I can tolerate ...

... until the animals rip those bags apart and scatter the contents, of course. Also involved in the strike are city-run museums like Todmorden Mills, city daycares and daycamps, ferry service to the islands, and park permits for things like wedding photos and the upcoming Canada Day celebrations. (BTW, if you were hoping to attend the local Environment Day at Riverdale Park, it's been postponed to October 17.) Oh, and one more thing that hadn't even crossed my mind until Don Watcher mentioned it -- the stewardship program is on hold. Of course, as a "guerrilla steward" I'm not affected. Now not only am I the only steward at Beechwood, I'm the only game in town! Well, perhaps some of the others have turned rogue as well and are continuing work at their sites -- I wouldn't like to speculate. The dog-strangling vine is not going to wait around while we resolve labour disputes.