Catching mice in the fall

Since our return from the U.S.A., temperatures have been warm, hovering in the mid to high 20's Celsius. We've enjoyed wearing T-shirts and shorts and not having to turn on the heat. Locals tell me that while we were away, it rained incessantly and was quite cold. Although they didn't have much of a summer, the rain refilled water reservoirs and brought ground water levels back to normal.

Yesterday, the weather started changing and the temperatures became more fall-like. I look forward to the disappearance of fruit flies.

Neighborhood children have been setting traps for field mice that have been making mounds of dirt in the meadows. One can see their many little white flags marking the location of their traps. Every evening after school, Ramon, the 14-year old next door, makes his rounds, collecting mouse bodies and cutting off their tails.  Did you know that our commune pays SFr 1 per mouse tail? These children are making a fortune!

Last week, I was excited to meet Jason Donald,  a novelist from South Africa who lives in the same valley as we do. Our book club has chosen his debut novel Choke Chain to be the January book.

I am looking forward to tomorrow's hike up to the Glacier.