Last Thursday, Sylvan’s friends Viggo and Helen invited us to cut some zinnias and dahlias with them. We didn’t need any flowers, but Sylvan enjoyed teasing the goats (“dogs,” in Sylvanese) with his tasty fingers and patting the sweet mules (also “dogs,” since they, too, have four legs and fur). It was our first real autumn day, so, true to Oregon form, the heavy gray clouds split time with brilliantly bright sun.