THIS & THAT
GLIMPSES OF LIFE AT WORLDS END FARM.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Resolution
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
A Come to Sandra Conversation
We have a neighbor who was a professional baseball player. He bought land and built a house 15-20 years ago. We don't interact with him, or is it he doesn't interact with us? He called me about a dozen years ago, wanting to buy my land. Very friendly. There is a large brick house down the hill from my west pasture that butts up to my land that he was wanting to buy. But only with my land included. Nope. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't sell the bulk of my property, which is all fenced pasture land. I asked him where he thought my horses would go? When he realized he wasn't getting what he wanted I never heard from him again. Fast forward to yesterday. My phone rings, don't recognize the number. Then Mark's phone rings with the same number. Then I get a voice mail. He's back. Said he saw a large tree down in the yard and to call him. I don't like him much after that first interaction and I can let it show in my voice a little too easily, so Mark called him and I listened. Just what I thought. Saw the tree, assumed it hit the house. No, it was felled last winter and there hasn't been time to cut it up. Oh. So, you know the properties that have been sold around here lately? Yep. So, the tree didn't damage the house, are you living in the house? (I told Mark the place looks abandoned). Have you thought about selling? Nope. He approached it a couple more times and then the conversation ended.
He looked at a place he sees as abandoned and was looking to pick it up on the cheap, put a little into and sell for a lot. Mark got a talking to after that. I know it's a lot and we are dependent on another person, but I want this cleaned up. Long grass, a falling down fence, a huge tree laying in front of the house and to top it off... mailbox that had been hit by a plow and is well-tilted forward. Mark gets focused on one thing and can't be moved from it. Lopping saplings. Necessary but there needs to be room for someone else's priorities. To his credit, he looked sheepish. Now let's see how this plays out. He doesn't want to ask the son for help. We will see. I did come out of my stupor!!
Other than this, all is well.
Monday, May 29, 2023
Things
Memorial Day. June right around the corner. Where has the time gone? My paternal grandparents had three sons in WWII, in the Navy, Army and Air Force. They all came home, which seems something of a miracle. The Air Force son was also in Korea, as was the youngest son, Navy. Everyone came home.
Nothing much happening. Mark is still engaged in the Battle of Trees and Vines. He is losing. I'm still engaged in the Battle of Ennui. I'm also losing. We are in for about ten days of hot weather, which certainly doesn't help either of us in our battles. We have both become extremely heat intolerant. So is Keetah, so we make quite the threesome.
We did get the grill working and I made a spatchcocked chicken on it yesterday. A rack of ribs will happen today, just for the two of us. I think a potato salad would be good, too.
Friday, May 26, 2023
Petunia
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Orange and in Charge
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Bits of Nothing
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Sweet and Sorrow
Monday, May 22, 2023
How My Garden Grows
We got a lot done yesterday. Mark tells me I am walking better. You couldn't prove it by me, but he says I am. So I'll take it. Today will be planting the veranda pots. I called it that once and now Mark insists that is what it is. So, we have a veranda. We also have a large flower box in front of the barn which is completely engulfed in weeds that I will need to clear out before I get the geraniums in it. I stopped buying them years ago because they got way too expensive, for me. I found them on sale at a good price, so my flower box will have its old standard once again. We will going out to buy grain and cat food this week and I will check out the garden center for whatever I feel I want (need) to finish up. There is an enormous amount of weeding to do, but Mark, who is a champion weeder, is busy being a world-class sapling lopper. I never was much with the weeding, even when I was in shape to do it.
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Cycle of Life
My son got some sad news last week. He has another family through his bio-dad, my first husband. His aunt from this family has congestive heart disease and is in hospice with very little time left. He said she isn't conscious but seems peaceful. I always liked her. She was a force of nature. Actually, I liked them all, there were eight kids and his mother, who was probably the kindest person I ever knew. Sally was the rock in this family. I was divorced in 1976, so my contact with them pretty much stopped then, but I have fond memories of a welcoming group of people. My first husband was a good guy, just terribly addicted to drugs and alcohol. Matthew says he is falling apart, Sally did a lot to take care of him. I guess he's hitting the bottle hard. It's tragic all around.
On to a lighter topic....we did get most of the plants planted. Mark has office work to do this morning but will give me his undivided attention after lunch, replenishing the soil in my eggplant tubs and some flower pots so I can plant. I found I can sit on the stool, that was used as a mounting block, for weeding, which is a huge help. The past three years of neglect have done a number on the plants by the barn. It sure did feel good to accomplish something, even something as small as this.