June 22-23, 2012

What a different feeling being at the farm after Amanda and John's wedding the week before -- kind of empty and almost eerie. So many friends and family and such excitement, and now back to quiet solitude with just Sally, Tender and I.

Firsts

I failed to report previously, but we had three firsts the weekend before (other than a wedding). On the 15th when taking Tender out in the morning I saw a chipmunk in the garden. He scurried into a hole that took him into the garage. Second, when heading to the Lovable Loo we walked up on a skunk that had just emerged from a hole under the big slabs of limestone there. He didn't see us, and thankfully Tender didn't see him. He shook and headed up the hill into the woods. And then Sunday Sally reported two cows just down the hill from the house. This was the first sighting (on our property) for all three of these since we bought the place. I checked the fence line and found a big hole in the very old field fence running up the hill underneath where the power lines cross. Before coming back to town I drove around to the east and reported the cows to the house just down the valley from us. They said they were probably Janice's and they would call her.

Weather

Still no rain and more hot weather. One gauge registered 100 degrees. The only thing that looked like it was dying was the Alberta peach. All the peaches but one had been cleaned off before the previous weekend. I picked the one left and ate it -- very tasty, but I am almost certain we will lose the tree. We spent most of our time watering, and I never cranked up a piece of yard equipment. I cannot imagine what August will be like.

Garden

The garden was looking great. We presumed it might have been due to the frequent watering it had received over the four days we had been out the week before. Sally swears she did not miss this zucchini the week before, but it had grown into a uneatable giant. The tomatoes are great, lots of green beans, and we had plenty of basil for a double batch of pesto. Sally picked most of the onions -- two big box fulls which we estimated at 75 lbs. I strung many of them up downstairs at the house. They say to store them in old nylon hoses, but who has those anymore.

Sharpen Mower Blades

My old Murry mower takes such a beating due to all the rocks. I had really abused it the previous weeks trying to get the grass cut close for the wedding. So I pulled the blades (getting harder and harder to get them off) and sharpened them with my grinder. I also noticed the front left tire was low, so had to air that up. (I believe that is the one that went flat on me over the winter.)

Trailer

I went down to the old home site and pulled the trailer back up to the barn. While there I hiked up to where the power cut crossed east onto the Clark's (Janice?) property. The hole in the field fence was still there, but we didn't see any more cows. I may have to get some tools (fence puller) and fix it myself.

Blue Birds

I drove to the pond just to check it out. It looks good but is very low. It doesn't look like any water is running. I checked the blue bird house there and there are small birds in it, but they didn't move. I'm guessing they died for some reason, but just left them for now. I also checked the house half way up the hill. Since it was unoccupied, I cleaned it out. The bird house out back still had babies. (And, the baby wrens born in the nest sitting on top of the pile of gloves in the garage were there the day of the wedding and gone the next with no sign of foul play.)

June 14-17, 2012

The big day finally arrived – Amanda and John's wedding at the farm. Ann and I arrived first on Thursday. I mowed around the house, around the barn, and across the spring where we were to park cars. Ann finished painting signs and decorated two grapevine wreaths. Sally, Sarah, Dave and Alice arrived late afternoon.

Thursday evening we had a pizza party on the deck of John and Amanda's cabin at Red Bud Valley. John's mom, brother and sister were in the cabin across the road; Charlotte and Dwight in another down the road; and Ann (to be joined Friday by Lou) in another. It was the beginning of a great weekend. So many people made it all happen. It was wonderful being surrounded by family and friends.

The tent arrived Friday morning and we were busy doing all sorts of stuff. Charlotte and Dwight made the Sangria, we hung signs, hung the wreaths, and spread the pine shavings for an aisle at the ceremony site. After a big lunch of cold cuts and cherry pie we had a rehearsal. That night we had a huge crowd in town for a dinner at De Vito's. It was crowded, but wonderful.

Saturday came and went in a flash. The service was beautiful with the string quartet and Dave doing an awesome job. I loved the barn swallows flying about and singing in the background. Jeremy (Green House Grill) did a fabulous job with the food and the cake was devine.

The road, my biggest concern, turned to dust and loose rock but we got everybody up the hill. I think we ended up parking a half dozen cars at the top. Jason ran the shuttle with Jerry at the top with a walkie-talkie and Dwight at the bottom with the other. It was a beautiful and joyous day.

June 8-9, 2012

Only a tenth of an inch of rain, in-spite of Fayetteville receiving well over an inch. Drats.

More Plants

We brought out more plants, plus stopped at Blooms and More and bought 4 more. Three were caladiums, and Sally had to hold one in her lap and another between her feet. We were loaded down.

Birds

The bird feeder on the post below the house was gone, stripped from the post. Raccoons must be getting up there even though we have coon guard on it. I found it down the hill, pretty much intact though portions of the wood had been chewed off. I put it back up with longer screws. All the bird feeders were empty and it wasn't until Saturday that we began to see birds again.

The wren eggs in the garage (nest built on top of my pile of gloves) had hatched. I never saw the mom, but the babies would be there with mouths wide open. I hope she is taking care of them. Sally also reported a second set of blue bird eggs in the house out back, and noticed blue birds checking out the house in the front. In front we have yet to have a nest this year and Sally swears there is something wrong with that house. I think we have just provided too many other houses for them, though we have chased wasps out of it a couple of times. Maybe we will have a nest in time for the wedding. Here garden under neath it is looking nice.

Weed Eating and Mowing

I ran through three tanks of fuel in the brush whacker getting everything cleaned up for the wedding. I did the road to the cattle guard, around the swing and the parking area, out back, the hill, around the barn, and the road from the house to the barn. This should be it for the weed eating. I mowed to the pond and around the spring. Thursday I'll do around the house and the barn and the parking area on the other side of the spring.

Baking Mix

We mixed up four more batches of baking mix and ended up with over 25 bags of mix. That was 14 cups of pecans, 28 cups of 7-grain flour, 14 cups of corn meal, 14 cups of buttermilk powder, 10 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, plus buckwheat flour, soy flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (and I probably forgot something).

Burn Thistle

I had quite a pile of thistle in the fire ring and needed to get rid of that unsightly mess, so I burned it in-spite of it being so dry. It didn't take long, but did make me nervous.

Pond

The pond looked good, with only a little grass visible in the shallow end and few clumps of algae. A good rain to wash it all out would be great.

June 1-3, 2012

We had a half inch of rain in the gauge and received another tenth of an inch right after arriving, whoppie!

Plants to Farm

We brought plants out for the wedding. We also brought two cars as Sally did not want to spend the entire weekend out. These pictures were taken in the Sam's parking lot where Tender and I waited while she grabbed a few things. I am hoping people will take a plant home with them.

The blower was to blow out the barn and to blow out the chips that got embedded in the firewood stack. The chainsaw I had used to cut a slice from a dead fir tree in the neighboorhood, for possible use as a cake stand. (That one we decided against.)

Baking Mix

Since it was too wet to mow, we decided to go ahead and mix up some of the baking mix that will be provided our guests as favors. I thought I had enough for four batches, which we could make and then judge how much more was needed. But we rain short of 7-Grain flour and could only mix up three batches. This made 11 of the coffee type bags, and we figured we needed 4 more batches, which we would do the following weekend.

Clean Windows

After that, with the ground still wet, I cleaned the windows. I thought they looked really good until the end of the day when looking through them into the glare of the setting sun and noticed lots of streaks. Oh well.

Log Cake Stand

So we were having trouble coming up with a log large enough and in good enough shape for a cake stand. This one has set just inside the garage for about 5 years. I have used it to set my chain saws on as I sharpen them -- kind of a work bench. Since it has been basically out of the weather and was cut green, the bark was still adhering well. To get a clean straight cut I knew I would need to use my cross-cut saw. I told Sally it would take me an hour, and I was pretty much right. I did get impatient near the end and cut from one side and then the other. That was a mistake as it left an uneven triangle there.

Sally was anxious to get this project finished though, and accepted my flawed product. She put 2 coats of polyurethane on it that afternoon. (With the help of a bottle of wine.)

Wren Nest

A wren had built a nest right on top of my pile of gloves just inside the garage door. It has been there several weeks, with the momma flying off as I would enter. This week there were four eggs. I've been careful not to disturb the nest.

Barn

I moved my un-split logs around again and spent lots of time trying to blow out all the chips that were driven in between the logs in the firewood stack. I now wish I had draped a tarp over the stack. The stack did prevent the chips from blowing everywhere, which was good, but I will never get all the chips out without removing and re-stacking the logs. Sally was pleased in the end, and my arm was sore from holding up the blower. We also raked more of the chips around, still leaving the east end to be covered. Last, I loaded the truck with the trash we had stashed in the trailer (to be brought home and disposed of).

Pond

I had picked up more Cutrine Plus on the way out, and so Saturday morning I went down and made two more applications. The grass and algae was spotty, so I know I was doing good but hadn't yet licked the problem. I am hopeful that things will be looking up the next weekend.

Sunday I brought my high wheel string trimmer down and cut all the high grass around the south and east sides. The grass and algae was already looking better. I wish I had had my camera after finishing this effort.

While at the pond I checked the blue bird house. It looked like another nest had been built on top of the previous, and there were 4 more eggs. This will be the third set of eggs in this house this year (though the first babies were robbed).

Thistle

Coming back from the pond the last time I noticed a patch of thistle, so I returned with a bag and a shovel. I needed at least two bags. I kept spotting more and then more. After I bagged what I could, I just made a pile and using the shovel carried it back to the truck. I barely made it as my arms were about to give out. This was on the same spit of land that juts out between the two creeks where I have found thistle the last several years.

Move Bird Feeder

Sally didn't want the bird feeder next to the wedding site, so I dug it up and moved it up to behind the house. It will be easier to fill there.

Spray

Sally purchased some kind of green spray for ticks, three bottles. I sprayed one out front where the tent and reception will be. We will use the other two the next weekend.

Weed Eat

Using the brush whacker I did some weed eating on the hill behind the house, under the big oak in front of the barn, and then along the road up toward the house.

May 25-27, 2012

No rain and another hot weekend with highs near 90. Though I had picked up another battery for the mower, I never bothered to put it in as there was no need to mow as grass does not grow without water (although weeds do). We are hoping for rain in the coming week.

Fish

Dunn's Fish truck was in town Friday morning at 9:00, so I took the entire day off. Due to the grass problem we have in the pond we felt we had to get some more grass carp. We had ordered 4, which they packed two per bag. I also got 25 catfish, which they split between two more bags. These I dropped into two ice chest with frozen water bottles and headed straight to the pond with out delay. It's really too far to be taking fish, but they seemed to make it. The grass and algae is still bad, so I plan to spray again the next week.

Chipper

I lined up this chipper from Worley's in Berryville. After releasing the fish and unloading, I headed for town to pick it up. I forgot my gas can, so had to stop at Wal-Mart for one and then fill it with gas at their station. This was a 31hp beast, that once started could really chew through limbs and debris.

I got it turned around behind the barn (I'm not any good at backing up a trailer), and situated it heading out and beside the pile of limbs I had accumulated. I blew the chips against the wood pile, which was good because it kept them from scattering everywhere. I had the whole pile chipped by the time Sally showed up (from Harrison) around 5pm. She wanted to see it in action, and I didn't think I had enough chips for the back of the barn, so I went up the hill gathering the smaller cedar trunks I had left scattered. I would drag them down and toss them over the bluff. I also had some more oak limbs I had drug up from the tree in front of the barn I had trimmed a week or two before. Sally helped gather the limbs as I feed them through. We even chipped balls of briars, leaves, and bark. That chipped cedar sure smelled good. I hope the aroma persist for three more weeks.

Saturday morning I moved the chipper over past the spring where I had a huge pile of ice storm limbs. It is such a beast to move, I had decided this was all I was going to do. It started up, I chipped a limb and it died. I could not get restarted. I noticed it was low on gas and on an incline, so I added gas and straightened it up and leveled it by backing it up on some rocks. I still could not get it started, so I went in and called Worley's. They suggested several things including checking the shut-off (it wasn't that), fiddling with the wiring harness because it could be shorting out (why didn't they tell me that when I rented it), and spraying starter fluid into the breather. I didn't have starter fluid, but I did have carburator cleaner. I got it to almost run by spraying the cleaner into the breather, but not too much at once. I then was able to fiddle with the harness and found a position where it would run on its own. Apparently the short is in the line that controls the fuel pump. Once I got it running, it was only about an hour and half and I was done. It was so nice to get this pile cleaned up, and now I want my own chipper even more. I had it back in Berryville by 1pm.

Couch

Sally has been wanting to get rid of this couch for months. So once I had the chipper off the back of the truck we loaded it up. I hauled it into Eureka to the Echo Thrift store. They seemed glad to get it – at least up until my comment about no guarantee that it was brown recluse free. Sally had followed me into town with the intention of doing some shopping. But she was back out the house not too long after me, saying the traffic was backed up so bad she lost her interest.

Nectarines

We kept picking ones as we would pass the tree. Most were still tart and green, but some were juicy and sweet. And after noticing broken limbs (critters climbing out the thin limbs), we decided to go ahead and pick them – at least 200 (we left some). They are small, but tasty just the same.

Briars

I still had briars to cut out, the ones I had sprayed and were partially dead. Some were half way down the bluff, and the others were in the way back behind the barn. Some got chipped, but most ended up in another huge ball that I rolled down the hill and tried to hide.

Spread Chips

Sally helped me spread the chips in the back of the barn Saturday afternoon. They went further than I expected. We didn't get them all spread, as I still had some large cedars in the way (ones to split into rails to outline the area). I also want to bring my blower back out and see if I can now clean up the wood pile, because the chips are in every nook and cranny.

Rails

Sally headed back early Sunday and I staid out to turn the cedar posts into rails. My froe did not work for splitting them, I used a wedge and then my splitting mauls. A few split straight, but most had a twist to them. It came out pretty good, although they are not all that stable (they could easily be knocked over). We'll see if I need to wire them together – Sally thinks not. Its really beginning to look nice. I had 4 large posts left over. I just rolled them to the side, which may not meet with the wedding planner's approval.

Weed Eat

With the cedar posts out of the way, I came through with the weed eater and cut the grass that had grown up around them. I also got the high grass all around the barn, and on the spit that sticks out in front of the house.

Compost Bin

I needed to empty my Lovaeable Loo bucket, so I have been anxious to get the compost bin built. Getting a level spot (moving rocks) was the only hard part. I used these two pallets and parts from the double pallet I had disassembled. I think its fine. Sally's worried about it smelling. I've told her it won't. I hope I'm right.