Doctor Who fans will have begun grinning as they read the title to this post. I hope they heard it in a Jamaican accent.

It’s also part of my excuse for being absent without leave. Work became, how shall we say, challenging. I began to feel like Bilbo Baggins: needing a very long holiday. Wanted to see mountains again. And the bastards had closed the vacation calendar, but I finally said fuck it and took a mental health day. I wandered down to Snoqualmie for a look at the Falls in fall, when the volume of water is lower, because I plan to do you up a nice set of posts on the place. Eventually. And I dropped by Three Forks Natural Area whilst there. The views of Mount Si will make you sigh with happiness, even when the air is hazy from fires burning on the other side of the Cascades.

That one isn’t the best. I’m saving the best for another day. Also, three stages of bullfrogs. Oh, my darlings. One of the happiest end-of-summer days is the one spent on the bank of a slough, watching baby bullfrogs.

Next day, it was off to the Snohomish Pumpkin Hurl and Medieval Faire to see Trebuchet live up to his moniker. I forgot to ask him outright how he feels about having his mug plastered all over the intertoobz. I know he gave blessings for the video I shot (which you will soon get to see), but as far as stills, he’ll have to let me know. So I’m holding back his triumphant photo and substituting moi with trophy for the mo’.

Got to pull the firing pin on a record, I did, because Trebuchet is awesome and lets other people play with his toys. His lovely machine hurled farther than it has ever hurled before, and Trebuchet won third prize – not bad, really, considering – we’ll, you’ll see what he was up against soon.

And yes, it is indeed a damned lot of fun launching pumpkins from trebuchets. I admit this. I don’t see any point to it, even now, but that’s all right because there is no point. It’s launching pumpkins from trebuchets.

Also, meeting one of my favorite commenters in ye real worlde was much fun. Trebuchet is a wonderful human being. If you get a chance to come help him hurl, do so. 412 feet is the number to beat.

I’m afraid I didn’t give him and my intrepid companion my undivided attention, however, because after the trebuchets finished launching, the jousting started. People. I am one of those folks who goes weak in the knees whenever horses are involved. I grew up with them, I miss them desperately, and these were so much more than the run o’ the mill quarterhorses I’d grown up with. I got to drool over, in person, an Andalusian. I have always wanted to see one. They are my favorite ever. Okay, after Arabians – I loves me some Arabians. However, I’ve met Arabians. Hadn’t met an Andalusian, and hadn’t even heard of a Warlander, which is an Andalusian with a Friesian boost. I abandoned my friends forthwith.

Got me picture with the winner of the joust, didn’t I? Here’s a lovely Warlander and a noble knight (Sir Charles, I believe, of the Freelancers).

You will be seeing quite a few photos and some video from that portion of the adventure, someday soonish. I got some beauts. And now I’m determined to go back next year, especially since the black powder folks didn’t get a chance to strut their stuff. Also, if I come into unexpected money, I’m taking up jousting. With horsies.

Today, I did a long wander up by North Creek, hoping for some early migratory birds. I didn’t get much on that front, but I did see a darling woodpecker, who was kind enough to star in a film for us, and who shall be premiered after I’ve cleared some of the reader UFDs. I got footage for our next installment of Odonata porn – this time, damselflies ensuring that next summer will have more damselflies in it. I spent a considerable amount of time down by that pond, part of it shooting some interesting water birds. They were at it the whole time. Bow-chica-wow. Good thing Eric granted me rights to use his song whenever. At this rate, we’ll need it often.

Other than that, I found a few items of interest. Also, this lovely heron:

The gentleman was enormous, and showing off his plumage to good effect in between cleanings.

Got you this nice pea sort of thing, too, complete with the curly bits:

I’d swear you’ve identified about a thousand of these, or at least close relations, but I’m buggered if I can remember the name of it just now. Anyway. There it is. Flowers.

Curly bits.

And some primroses getting ready to put on a grand finale.

And that’s to say nothing of the gingko, the partridge family, and so many other things. We’ll get there. These brilliant, beautiful days don’t last. Soon enough, clouds will hide the sun, and it will be cold and damp and dark, and I won’t be tempted out of the house every thirty seconds to do something other than write.

Enjoy the last fleeting days of summer (except my southern hemisphere readers, who should be enjoying spring about now). And enjoy the scarcity of posting round here, because that’s not likely to last much longer.

Go. Adventure.