Our new neighbors

So today we're walking the property. It's our new/old routine. Just like in Edina, after we eat breakfast and play our daily Sudoku, we take Nick for a walk. These days, we tend to walk the property lines, trying to learn the trees and landscape. So today we're in the farthest corner away from the house when we hear a car coming down our drive. We haven't got many (OK, any) visitors, so we sprinted back toward the house, only to see a pickup drive past our lot and onto the next property, which shares the same drive. So much for a visitor. We continued our walk, only to meet up with the truck once again as we walked up the drive.

His name is Phil and he owns the place down the road, and apparently he used to own our house, before he traded it in as part of a deal for a better house near the gate welcoming folks into Flat Top Association. He kindly filled us in on the locals, the critters (only one bear sighted in 2 years, so that's good, but lots of bobcats), and a few details about our new house. After he pulled away, Mason asked me whether I had noticed the pistol (a .45, it appeared) that Phil had tucked into his front seat between the console. I hadn't. Nonetheless, I was happy to finally met another neighbor.

As for that militia tease ...  Yesterday, we were driving off Flat Top, still on the dirt road, to head into town when we passed by a friendly looking man, toting a big-ass rifle. Then came two small kids -- I'm talking no older than 6 -- and they're toting shotguns. Then a teenager, with a rifle. And another adult with a rifle. Mason turns to me and comments: "Now did you ever think you'd drive by a bunch of men with guns as you left your house and really not be concerned?" I'm not sure what it means, but he was right, it didn't really faze me. Did we mention we live in a big hunting area? We've seen deer, but not one turkey, which we were told are prolific here.

Today was spent cleaning up the property ... again. Mason, above, used no sense whatsoever as he climbed a debris pile to chain-saw a huge tree tree trunk for firewood. The man is nuts.