Zebra Horse, First Frost and Lookout

Zebra horse is a bird.  A flamingo actually.  He cannot fly, and likes to talk on the phone to both of my children.  Whenever they are playing with the phone, they say very seriously that they have to talk to Zebrahorse(I have not yet decided how it should be spaced.)  He showed up at least a year ago, originally, he was Dumpling's creation, but Pea has definitely hopped right on that one.  He sleeps next to Dumpling, who sleeps between Jesse and me.  When he visists.  Sometimes he lives in Myrtle Beach.  Sometimes he lives in the shed.  Dumpling was telling us a lot about him this morning, which was so much fun.  I hope they never forget him.  I hope I never forget him.

Oh, and sadly, we had our first frost last night.  I don't know why I was surprised, because this is the weekend when it happens every single year here.  I thought I would be happy, because I really needed to clean out the garden and pull out these enormously long pumpkin vines that had spread out everywhere, but I found myself near tears as I did so.  All of those baby pumpkins--I planted this fabulous French pumpkin that sent huge roots down every foot or so, and had about five babies on it. (I know really good gardeners would be horrified--I am pretty sure you are supposed to limit the babies, especially in October, but I couldn't do it.)   Apparently, it needs to go in in April.  Next year, next year. 

And, more fun, my brother is here.  My children are finally at an age when they totally love him, and really just want to play with him.  I do notice him getting into these complicated stories that are way over their heads from Greek mythology or something, which I find myself doing with them too.   Yesterday, Pea noticed the King Arthur flour, and asked about it, and suddenly I was talking about the Roman Empire and fielding confused but totally intrigued questions about empires, and armies, and the Dark Ages, and then I just wanted to take a nap. And I couldn't quite remember the whole story, especially as most of my knowledge comes from Rosemary Sutcliffe.  He was telling the something about Hercules, and they started asking him all about the monster, and why the monster was mean, and why Hercules had to kill the monster.  It must be a familial thing.

But he and I went up Lookout Mountain, this totally short but straight uphill hike near here.