November Hill farm journal, 107

 The main thing I can report is that we’ve gotten some things checked off our list this week and last. The plumber was out and installed a hook-up for water to our camper, and then the well guy was out to install the hand pump so we can access well water when power is out. Yay! 

I’ve resumed work in the camper: moved some kitchen items from the house out there, and bathroom towels, and measured for and ordered a new/better mattress, bedding, and a little bit of decor. Some is already here, some is on the way. 

I also removed the dining table and have turned it the “long” way - until I can remove the bench seating and install a permanent meal/work bar with stools, this at least gives more room. I also moved two new yard chairs out there and I’m really excited to have made this progress.

If you imagine that the front half of the bench in the foreground is removed (I can’t remove the back half because the heat vents through there), and imagine the entire bench seat to the right is gone, you’ll get more of an idea of what my plan is. I’m going to get a new and slightly narrower table that will sit a bit further to the right all the way to that wooden wall, and two stools that will fit underneath, for the overall effect of a “breakfast bar” area for eating and for working on laptop. The metal pieces on the floor are over the vinyl flooring, so once I remove them there will be some screw holes that I can caulk and cover with a rug if needed. Changing the floor plan like this will open up several feet of floor space that will make the whole camper feel bigger. I think it’s nicer to face the window anyway, as it faces our barn, and who wouldn’t want to look out at Keil Bay’s handsome face? He and Cody go right up and peer in. 

Inside the house, I’m still waiting on the framed prints for the new work garret, and I have a couple of final, minor things yet to do in there but it’s for all practical purposes finished!

In other news I finally made it off the farm to a doc appointment for routine bloodwork and to my chiropractor for a much-needed adjustment. I was impressed with both places - one patient in the offices at a time, lots of precautions, including, of course, masks worn by all. I feel like a new person already - everything was out of whack chiropractically. I felt the endorphin buzz and odd but wonderful absence of “whack” after she was done. Whew.

Eggplants are getting ready to bloom, and we’re getting tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil. The kale and chard are actually coming back as our temps have cooled down some. I think the zucchini and yellow squash are done. Our fall CSA starts mid-September so we’ll be getting our extra large share of veggies each week until December, when winter CSA begins. 

I need to get the area for the new pollinator bed set up because planting and transplanting time will be here before we know it. So far I’m planning to:

Transplant tall goldenrod, purple coneflower, spotted horsemint, and rattlesnake master, and...

Add new Culver’s root, anise hyssop, blue vervain, and spice bush. 

Working on my order at the local native plant nurseries. 

That’s about it for the week. I’ve started my third remote session of Writing In The Dark with Jeannine Ouellete and Elephant Rock, and signed on for a ms revision workshop with her in November and December. I’m thrilled to have my writing time planned out for the remainder of this year.