4-29-03: Chirping, Braying, Bleating

Tuesday April 29, 2003
7:25am  I’m in the sunroom, wrapped up in a blanket (it’s 58*) and looking outside from the comfort of my brown recliner. Seems it rained a little overnight—just enough to wet the fields that the farmers planted in the last couple days. We’ve been interested by the giant rig we’ve seen working the field to the west and north. They must have known about this rain coming, because the other night they were plowing or seeding or something at 10:00pm by the light of bouncy headlights.

I’m still glad I watered yesterday, though, because everything was very dry. Just unbelievably beautiful, sunny days! Yesterday was gorgeous, with tank-top temps near 80—David broke down and wore shorts. Some of his projects included washing windows in the sunroom & kitchen, chainsawing the logs in the W field “burn pile”, and digging a trench between the pier & the house to run an electric cord underground.

As you can see, we were quite the
expert sod cutters by this point.

I puttered around watering things, especially the area I seeded (grass) under the two big trees in the front. Then I worked on the *compost pile; finished prepping the 2nd & 3rd bin ground area, turned the first into the 2nd, and started a new pile with stuff I had on standby. 

David helped me finish chipping & shredding a small pile I had set aside (we’re having some mechanical issues with that unit, so it’s good he is nearby when I use it) so the two giant piles we accumulated since moving here are now officially dispersed. I shouldn’t have to turn the bins again until mid May—need to get a thermometer to stick in the pile (needs to get @ 150-160*) The strawberries are doing well. Not growing tall but looking stronger every day.

We are loving our patio. Were worried a bit that being on the north side of the house might be a problem, but it gets plenty of light in addition to the shade that moves in early from the shadow of the house. We have tikki torches, although there was a little trouble keeping them lit last night in the breeze. David worked outside until @ 7:00pm, and was filthy from the chainsawing and digging. He showered & scrubbed, then I served up BBQ’d steaks and brown rice.

I love how bright & sunny it is so early in the morning. Near Seattle, the marine clouds/fog/rain clouds rarely “burned off” until afternoon. Tessa is having a nice nap on a blanket on the floor next to me. Vince wanted to go sleep with David, and Pav’s in his usual spot. Birds are chirping, donkey braying, lambs bleating. 

I’m keeping an eye on Cocoa Chanel (‘Sassy’), the mini that shares the field with Sam. I had a hunch recently that she is pregnant, and neighbor Don confirmed it. Due in @ a month, but I’m on alert because yesterday she kept neighing at the boy horse across the road in Don’s field. He’s the daddy, so I guess she’s keeping him informed. The apple pie I made is tasty, although I didn’t hear the timer go off & it got a little overdone. The crust look nice but the apples were a bit soft.

Projects for today? I plan to plant a flower mix in the back yard flower garden ($1 bag closeout from Home Depot) and lay out the proposed outline for the flower bed in the front yard, near the porch. Oh, yesterday we placed and planted 3 trees by the pond. Two crabapple and one dogwood. There will be a willow at the east end.

8:20am  Tessa’s awake & sitting on my lap now—guess I’ll play with her awhile and then get going.

7:10pm  Just finished dinner (spag & toast) and thought I’d note some of the things we did today.     David: made pancakes & coffee, paid bills, ordered shredder parts, upgraded satellite service, then outside to: mow front yard, used tractor to dig post holes for the greenhouse, worked on tractor, plowed W field garden (again & again), hauled cut wood from “burn pile” to by the barn, showered.
Tina: wrote in journal, ate breakfast, kitchen cleanup, folded laundry, planted flower mix, derocked the driveway, made pathways in the garden, de-rocked the garden, misc watering, showered, made dinner.

New “Frasier” on tonight.

*compost: After I found an example online of the 3-bin compost system I wanted, David built it for me, with improvements of course. It was awesome. Can't seem to locate any photos of it just yet.


End of Entry

4-27-03: Run, Leslie, Run!

Sunday, April 27 2003

1:32pm  Just a quick break from outside stuff to jot a few notes. Today was Leslie’s 10K—hope she did well. Would have gone to see her but she had a social function to attend right after.

It’s a beautiful weather today! Full sun and warm enough for a tank top while working, although a light breeze keeps things moving. I’ve been weeding the plant bed along the corral, and earlier David & I planted evergreens & some misc trees in the front yard. He’s out planting trees in the north field now—I packed him a lunch and misc beverages so he could work uninterrupted.

Some cars running at *Mid-Ohio yesterday & today; you can hear the sounds but it’s not loud and not annoying.

Dad called @ noon today from Destin. It’s been a week since we last talked, and it sounds like their trip has been a blast. It was a brief chat just to get in touch—I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time later to swap stories.

1:41pm  daylight’s a wastin’! Back outside.

7:52pm  Just finished dinner (bratwurst and Caesar salad) and are relaxing now. I’ve asked David to write about whatever he wants:

“Planted trees in the N field & front yard today. Also watered trees in W field. Observed a turkey vulture while I was eating lunch. Very huge bird. Soared very high on the thermal air currents. Stream is almost dry already. Pump cycles on & off depending on depth of water in “hole”. Pond looks great—hope to keep at full enough now. Tina worked all day outside—cleaned up front flower bed; planted trees; prepped compost pile, etc. Lovely weather, light wind.”

10:22pm  Made an apple pie after dinner and I’m waiting for the timer to go off. Watching Dennis Quaid in “Everybody’s All American” on TV. Pretty decent movie. David’s watching “Star Wars” downstairs, and I can hear R2D2’s beeping (or is it C3PO?) (the sound travels a little too well through the ceiling/floor.)

Talked to Leslie @ 9:00; she said she ran 2 minutes faster than her time last year, and was fairly pleased. Said it was cold, @ 42*, as they were running right near Lake Erie. I think I like our temps & weather around here much better…More good weather forecast for tomorrow.

Photos Du Jour

Beautiful results on the back patio!

Nicely graded walkway

This cardinal drove us NUTS for days. He would rap on the window repeatedly,
and sometimes attack the "other bird" in the window. I think we blocked the windows
with something so he couldn't see his reflection, so he moved to a different window.

David & Vince relaxing after a hard days work

*Mid-Ohio: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH

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Against the Flow

Yesterday and today the deep freeze temperatures gave way to 40-plus degrees. I celebrated the temperature, sunshine, and sweet blue sky by taking a walk during my 30-minute lunch at work. I've been going through some difficult emotions lately, and this outdoor time is crucial to my well being.

Thanks to several months of snow and ice, my usual walking path was off limits. So, I walked on the road in the business complex. As sometimes happens during my lunchtime walks, I was struck by a profound thought: 

Walk with the flow of traffic, and you risk being struck down from behind by someone you didn't see coming. Walk against the flow, and oncoming traffic automatically gives you the right of way, sometimes going well outside their bounds to make sure you can continue on safely.

Pretty good thing to keep in mind when you're striking out on a new life path, and fear having to go against the flow of things for awhile to get where you're going.

Random List: Winter Sound Effects

Sounds I hear only in Winter (and a couple I imagine):

• sleet rat-a-tat-tatting on the metal barn roof
• icicles shattering into oblivion after falling onto the walkway 
• boots punching through ice-crusted snow
• tv/radio droning on with school delays & closures
• cacophonous bird shrieks as they swarm seed-filled feeders
• full length zipper on snowsuit growling up and down
• heavy hush inside snow-covered greenhouse
• crackle of ice coated branches as they shiver in the wind
• hollow thump of snow plow knocking mailbox off post
• whir of electric meter spinning wildly

4-26-03: Gravel Down, Groundhog Out, Greening Up

Saturday April 26, 2003
11:00am  I’m sitting in the sunroom watching David lay plastic & gravel on the patio site. He picked up some very pretty pea gravel yesterday—kind of has a redish/ivory hue that looks good with the bricks. I’ve been picking up in the house and starting some laundry.

Tip: watching gravel be unloaded is easier than doing it

We actually got up early this morning (early for us…) because there was an auction around the corner on 50 that we wanted to drop into. No intentions to stay, just wanted to looky-loo at all the stuff listed in the ad that this one guy had accumulated. David kept pleading with me to kill him if he ever started collecting so much stuff. The farm was so big, but the house quite small, and we kept trying to guess where he’d stored all that crap. Our barn was visible in the distance, past a giant cornfield.

All the farmers in the area have been plowing their fields this week. A few fields have a crop started, but it seems for the most part just old corn going under.

Farmer working the land that abuts our west and north fields

It was supposed to rain yesterday—I guess it finally did in some areas near Columbus—but our ‘banana belt’ syndrome continues to hold. I was really hoping for rain to water all the newly planted trees. By the way, I just read where I wrote that planting 40 trees “wasn’t too hard” and I laughed at myself because my body was pretty darn tired that night. What I meant was that each individual act of spading open the ground, maneuvering in the tree roots, and closing the gap, was not in itself difficult; it was, however, a hard day's work.

Anyhoo, due to the ‘promise’ of rain yesterday (it was a bit chilly) we made it a shopping day. Talk about Ma & Pa Kettle Go To Town! The Volvo was loaded with fencing, project supplies, grocery items & beverages. We are doing well at ‘stocking up’ and have really minimized our shopping trips.

[David had most of the gravel laid out, now has decided that the plastic gets too exposed when the gravel squishes aside, so he’s out there undoing all his hard work… I think I’ll go make him a tasty sandwich for lunch in a little while.]

Big News! Yesterday was Groundhog Day! No, not February 2nd, but the day our dogs brought down a ground hog. David & I do not know any of the facts surrounding the death, but David went to find Tessa yesterday in the back yard where she hangs out, and found a newly dead GH on its back. Dead, but no blood. He said Tessa made like she was going to grab it & bring it to him, but he called her off. 

He brought me out, and after looking at it closely we decided possible broken neck or back, plus there was a small stomach puncture. David said Pav was in the area at the time, so for all we know it was a group effort. No marks on the dogs, so we’re acknowledging the possibility the GH crawled out & died of old age. As proud dog parents, though, we prefer to believe Tessa waited by the hole (as she will for hours), pounced when it showed its head, and shook it hard.

The landscape is really greening up, and the view just keeps getting better & better. All of David’s hard work on the pond has paid off, and the level seems to be holding well. The little tree outside the kitchen window that Dad & Elsie say is a dogwood has not bloomed yet. Either it’s not a dogwood, or maybe they bloom after they get their leaves. The “temporary garden” is doing well, and it’s fun to guess what the heck all those things are that I transplanted into it are. There’s one plant David is convinced is a weed, and I say not, so we’ll see how it turns out.

11:36 am  Well, I’ve got a lot more trees to plant today and apparently need to water all. Tessa is still sitting by the GH hole—been there since we got home at 10am. 

[Looks like the plastic is all out, so I’ll go whip up some lunch.]

End of Entry

4-24-03: Cleveland vs Seattle

Thursday April 24, 2003


10:42pm Watching the Cleveland vs. Seattle baseball game on TV—fun to see some of our old favorites. We’ve decided to root for Cleveland in general this season, but anytime the Mariners are involved they get our vote. We’d really like to see them get to the World Series—especially while *Edgar is playing.

Yesterday was chilly but dry, so David dressed in layers and mowed grass for hours. I did some housework then went outside and placed markers for the trees to be planted. Hard to make decisions on something that will change the landscape but fun, too. We also marked an area in the N field that I’ll use for dog agility stuff. Dinner was pan fried Tilapia and fresh veggies.

This morning (& yesterday) there was light frost on the ground but no trouble because the sun shone bright & early. Nothing delicate is planted yet, and the strawberry plants are small but strong enough to stand some cold temp. It became yet another beautiful day, and David split his time between lowering the pond ledges by digging out very heavy clay dirt, and continuing to prep the patio area for the gravel we’ll be bringing in.

I planted 40 trees… It wan’t too hard and the suggested planting method (from a SWCD flyer) worked well. A spade and a boot, and a dog to supervise my work.

My supervisor, Vince, is sleeping on the job.

Give me a wheelbarrow, dirt and kneepads,
and I'm a plantin' fool. 

11:00pm  4th inning, 2-1 Indians

*Edgar: Edgar Martinez (we named our male sheep after him!)

End of Entry

Random List: Noise Pollution

From left to right, sounds I could hear today while taking my lunch 

break at the employee picnic table in the warehouse: 

• Tech's van radio (pulled into shop bay, rock guitar)
  
• Shop Manager's boombox (hip-hop)
• Testing equipment (powerful metal-on-metal strike, intermittent)
• Fire extinguisher having pressure leaked off (piercing, loud hissing)
• Shop tech's radio (sports "talk" radio--more like shouting)
• Equipment cart with uneven metal wheels being pushed around on concrete floor
• Shop Manager's desk radio (different talk radio station)
• Shop tech and customer laughing
• Different tech's van radio (in other shop bay, pop rock)

Can't wait for better weather so I can go outside for lunch and hear myself think!

4-22-03: Cape Cod My A$$

Tuesday April 22, 2003

7:35pm  Vince is like a Fountain of Love. You can tap into him anytime, anywhere. Unlike humans—or any other creature—who can be distracted or unreachable due to their own circumstances, Vince is always available to give and receive love. He is a sweet, original, uncopyable being that brings so much joy & sensitivity into our lives. I can’t imagine there ever being another Vince.

This morning we picked up our tree seedlings from the SWCD. Due to the cold temps predicted for tonight, we’ve left them soaking in a bucket in the garage until tomorrow. It was a chilly, cloudy day, and after arriving home with the trees David suggested we take a day drive to look at the two properties of interest for Lars. Nice drive, not nice properties. On the way home we went through Marysville and picked up listings from two real estate offices, and have since highlighted some properties. (The 2nd ‘possibility’ gave us a real laugh—1920’s “Cape Cod” style dump—no wonder they didn’t include the house in the picture, which was taken from a far distant corner of the property…)

Tacos for dinner (homemade) and a new Frasier on at 9:00pm.

*gave us a real laugh: Not nearly descriptive enough. As I recall, we sat in the car, parked down aways from the place, and HOWLED with laughter. The kind of laughter where you can no longer breathe in, and you're nearly choking to death and not minding. Tears from the eyes, sore belly muscle laughter. Fantastic!

End of Entry

4-21-03: Meeting More Neighbors

Monday, April 21, 2003

10:40pm  Just got off the internet, searching for realtors that service the area we’re looking toward *for Lars. Two possibilities surfaced, one in Marion & one near Marysville.

The vet called today & said that Tig’s blood test came out normal—he told David that "Tig has the blood of a 2-year-old cat". Pretty neat, except not much help explaining why he was vomiting so often. But, he is still doing very well and barf-free since being quarantined in his room. I had him on his harness & line last week in the sunroom when it was so warm & sunny, and later he barfed for the first time in weeks. No access to plants, so maybe it’s from drinking from the dog water bowl. Who knows; just a guessing game.

Today I finished sewing pouches for the tractor & the mower, to hold a walkie-talkie and a tool or two.

David finished prepping the patio area today—tilling & grading. His big accomplishment is the brick border/retaining wall. He has a beautiful curve in it, and he was so careful to level and align each one. Next step is to add gravel, and decide where a concrete or stone pad will be for a table and chairs.

The back yard garden and walkway is also in the final stages, with the site mapped out and awaiting the placement of stepping stones (taken from their previous spot which will now be patio).  Also awaiting plants to plant.

Speaking of plants, the trees we ordered April 1 from the SWCD are ready to be picked up tomorrow! 105 seedlings—boy are we going to be busy. Mostly evergreens & flowering trees. No idea when the trees & plants from mail-order will be arriving, but I hope not tomorrow!

We finally had some April showers over the weekend—thunderstorm last evening. We thought is was pretty funny to actually be wishing for rain in April. Columbus, or parts of, had damaging hail storms yesterday, with some places getting 6”. No word from Lars, so I’ll assume he’s okay.

Yesterday was Easter (big whoop) and Dad’s birthday. He & Elsie were in Cape Canaveral, FL after staying overnight while enroute to Orlando. They’ll party at Disney with *Elsie’s daughter & kids, then off to Destin.

Saw the Easter Bunny through the front window on Easter morning!
(He must have put out out the baskets and candy already...)

Saturday I delivered baked goods to [K, neighbor] & got a tour of their house. Met [P] and [A]—neighbors to the east with all the horses—and talked horses (saw 5-day old foal!) Met [L]’s wife [S] and their daughter. [G] and his wife [R] not home (R in hospital w/ kidney probs).

I was telling them about delivering goodies to their people

The donkey was watching me slog through the stream like a pack animal

*for Lars: We were still hoping we could find my brother a better place to live and work, and convince him to make the change.

*Elsie’s daughter & kids: from Sweden

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