4/14-16/03: Beautiful Weather Keeps Us Outside

Monday April 14, 2003

11:22pm Tired from another great day. David went to town this morning while I stayed home and did housework. Today’s big purchase was a KingKutter bush hog. So, this afternoon my farmer husband plowed in the west field and bush hog mowed in the north field. I’m proud and amazed at how he is taking on all these new skills. He said yesterday that he feels he was cut out for this stuff and is really enjoying everything. These warm temps (70’s) are probably unusual for April, but who cares.

Farmer David cleaning up the North Field

Looking good

Site for large garden plot in West Field

Ready, Set, Go

My favorite farmer!

I was pretty excited,
until I realized I would have to deal with all those clumps of heavy dirt...

Tessa is collapsed on our bed, exhausted yet again. Have to send her to her bed soon. Final notes: Made a roast in the slow cooker yesterday after browning it the “Good Eats” advised. Really enjoying the hot tub. Supposed to hit 80* tomorrow. No word on Tig’s blood test.

Wednesday April 16, 2003

9:02am Ah, nothing like 10 hours of sleep to rest a tired body.

Yesterday was another gorgeous, abnormal April day, with 80*+ temps and blue skies. Rain is being forecast for tonight and tomorrow so I’ve planned to do some baking during the wet spell. But dry as a bone yesterday, so I spent @ 4 hours in the north field clearing brush and cut wood from around the fallen trees and removing large branches from David’s mowing path.

He had the bush hog out again, but was having trouble with the tractor so he went to town for spark plugs, and later again for some other supplies, and put the tractor in the garage for a tune-up. He roared back out to the field around 5:00 and got quite a bit of mowing done before hunger forced him in @ 7:00. I made turkey meatloaf so I wasn’t worried about holding it for him. Half beef, half turkey, and uncooked oats instead of breadcrumbs—turned out good!

I was tired from my field work but I spent some time spading out sod in the back yard while waiting for David to finish mowing. Getting the grass out is laborious, but will really pay off when we’re able to finesse the landscaping ideas we have.

One highlight from yesterday: I was way out in the field, working hard in the heat and getting very thirsty. David was due back from one of his town trips, and I decided to ask him for a beer delivery when he came home. Then I had a GREAT idea! So, when David arrived and walkie-talkied to me that he was back, I told him my idea.

Soon enough, he was letting Vince out the west field gate, and Vince made his way through the multiflora all the way out to me. His backpack had beer in one pocket and snacks in the other! Very cute, very convenient, and the cold beer didn’t last long. He headed back across the field @15 min later, so I radioed to David who let him in the gate. Tessa was pretty cheesed about the whole thing, but oh well.

9:24am David is mowing the front yard—rider mower must feel tiny compared to the tractor—and planning to fertilize before the rain tonight. I’ll probably dig more sod and play with plants. TIME TO GET UP!