September 21

We let the lawn grow long these past several weeks to strengthen the root stock (and because the dryness of late has made the growth sporadic).

Today was likely the last mow of the year, and the newly shorn lawn became instantly more yellow, as the lengthy green grasses have been duly clipped and mulched within.

The mowing was noisier out by the oaks, which have seen fit to drop copious acorns, particularly the southern of the twins as it is evidently in mast. Acorns would get caught in the mower frame and bang within while the blade spun mulching away.

Afterward, we were treated to a spectacle in the front; the lawn, now closely cropped, revealed two distinct quarter-sized holes roughly fifty feet apart from each other. Chipmunk den holes, and we had suspected the location of one, as the chipmunk would scurry to that general location only to disappear magically within the taller grass. Now, the hole is plainly visible, and as if on queue the chipmunk made an appearance from the garden, darting in a direct line toward the hole. Our dog Tag gave chase but was seconds too late as the chipmunk dove into the ground. Tag was resolute and stuck his white snout down into the hole, smelling so forcefully that we heard the puffs of breath and saw small clouds of dust billow around his face.

I kept expecting to see the chipmunk blow forcefully out of the neighboring hole each time Tag exhaled.