Tag: chores

Vernal Equinox aka First Day of Spring

It dawned clear and very springlike warm. The large flock of turkeys were in the hay field, but moved to the house side of the fence and strutted and swelled doing their mating ritual. A zoomed shot, cropped and zoomed again shows a Tom strutting his stuff. We had some clouds later in the day, even some misty sprinkles of rain. To wet from prior days rain to work in the garden, but not to wet to play with deck pots. Rosemary and thyme were put in pots, one half barrel planted with Mesclun mix, radishes, and Chinese cabbages. Some weeding around the barrels and the back bed.

Exercise yesterday was rock moving. When we rebuilt our deck last year, it is smaller than the original. You can see the original bottom step with the terra cotta pots on it. Daughter in law has built a stone wall from the edge of that step to the base of the retaining wall. There are still lots of stones that were under the old deck. The larger flat ones are being used to create a path to the step and will be expanded to make a small patio for the grill. Several of them were jigsaw puzzled together to extend the first part out a few more feet.

The hens got a spring cleaning on the first day of spring.

Unfortunately, there was only a slight half bale of pine shavings so there isn’t a very deep layer. Since we are self isolated, I don’t know what I will use when it is soiled. Maybe after a few dry days, I can go rake oak leaves to use.

The hay man sent the Southern States truck out yesterday to spread fertilizer and lime on the hay fields. Since winter was so mild, the grass is already growing. Normally, the first yard mowing isn’t done until May, but working in the back today, that part of the yard already needs to be cut. I guess I will have to go down to the village general store and pump a can or two and hope that the riding mower will start.

Though there is a fair amount of rain due in the next 10 days, the temperatures will remain mild to warm. It is a good thing, my favorite WoolX hoodie had a major zipper fail night before last. I want to commend the company. When I contacted them, they sent me a label to return the damaged garment and shipped a new one to me immediately. It isn’t the same color and for that I am disappointed, but I will order another in the gray next fall when they are again in stock.

Podcasts – 10/30/2019

I am a recent listener of Podcasts. The first one I heard was an edition of 99% Invisible while riding in the backseat of eldest son’s car on the way from their house to the Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA to see my first play there. I am not a daily listener, I don’t follow but a few and I don’t listen to all the episodes, I pick and choose. I follow 99% Invisible, The Moth, The Way I Heard it, and some of the Ted Talks episodes. I also follow a local sustainable farmer’s podcast, Can Your Beans Do That?

Some daily/weekly tasks around the house I enjoy and find meditative, cooking and the prep is one. Some I find very onerous, laundry being one. Some get neglected until I can’t stand the dust or dog hair bunnies and then pull out the dust cloth or vacuum. That task is one that is neutral. To get through the more onerous tasks, I often listen to a Podcast. Folding T-shirts and socks seems to go more quickly if my mind is otherwise occupied.

On morning when I am up a couple hours before my spouse, and have finished the daily animal tasks, I will sometimes sit and listen to a cast or two through headphones so as to keep the house quiet until we are both moving about. When I am home alone, the television never is turned on, instead music or podcasts provide my entertainment and sometimes a level of education.

On a visit to son’s house, I asked how he downloads them to listen offline as in the car. When traveling I listen to NPR until I lose the station and then switch to downloaded music. I thought listening to a few of my favorite Podcasts might make the trips seem shorter. He gave me a lesson, I thought I had it and prior to my last trip up to help them, I downloaded 5 podcasts to help pass the 3 1/2 hours it takes to reach them. Alas, as I stopped for an iced tea to travel with, I turned on my Podcasts to play through my tiny Bluetooth speaker, the only way I can hear downloads from my phone (my car is 14 years old and the sound system lacks Bluetooth, the cassette play no longer works, the CD player is intermittent) . There were no downloads there. I must not have learned the lesson well. I guess I will get him to try again next time we are in the same location together. It would have been nice this morning as I cleaned the chicken coop. My WiFi doesn’t reach that far, so the one I was listening to while folding laundry was suspended until I was back in the house.

When time comes to replace one of our ancient vehicles, it will come equipped with technology that far exceeds our current knowledge and a new learning curve will be presented.