Clementine and the herd

Clem is spending time off leash in Poplar Folly now, along with her best friends Bear and Baloo Corgi. She’s curious about the equines but does not approach them, and if they start running she comes to my side and sits. 

The big lesson for Clem is “leave it” when it comes to horse manure. We’re working on it. 

It’s fun seeing her learn the ropes of living on a horse farm. She’s already a superstar when it comes to going out in the world. I feel sure she will be the same here as she gets more exposure. 

Deep work + grocery bag = outline for new writing project

After taking three dogs for a romp in Poplar Folly, doing my morning chores in kitchen, living room, and laundry, I dug in for some deep writing work today.

Once I had my paper and marker my brain focused in on the project at hand. My novel trilogy titled Arrow of Time seems to me upon editing to be better suited for the screen, so I’m giving it a shot. It’s been years since I wrote screenplays and pilot episodes but my head is full of this story and these characters and I’m ready to go with this.

Normally I would have closed myself into the garret upstairs but I needed to keep an eye on the pup, even though she was conked out from the romp. Our dining table offered a nice space to settle in for the work at hand.

Buttercups need mowing, barn surely needs cleaning, but both my farm helpers will be here tomorrow due to a schedule glitch so I opted to keep my deep work day and let them deal with the outdoor chores when they get here. 

I’m happy I did. It feels good to make progress with this project and filling in all that blank space is one joy of the writing process. 

When the things that you want appear before your eyes

Yesterday I was thinking (after seeing two mice in the barn) that we needed a resident black snake to move in. Husband sent this photo to me while out feeding last night:

Today I suddenly remembered the Welsh hutch I found online months and months ago, from a custom furniture shop, $3000+ which is why I never followed up on it. This evening I went onto Craigslist and found this, very close to the one I found, nearby, $400. Picking it up Saturday morning!

I’m redoing the laundry room at some point and this will be the first step of that process. We have two long tables that came with the house and they have served us well functionally but are not that attractive and take up too much space in a small room that gets used a lot. I’m looking forward to bringing this piece in. 

Though it’s a game of dominoes, as usual. Now that this is coming in I’m thinking, well, we should go ahead and paint the wall before moving this in so we don’t have to move it to paint later. Isn’t that always the way it goes? 

Happy, in any case. :)

The solace of quiet mornings

For the past week I’ve been taking the time to stop and appreciate the beautifully quiet mornings on November Hill. Quiet meaning no sounds except for the birds singing, the tone of their song held close and perfect by the tree foliage which surrounds us in spring and summer.

Our house is on a hill, and at eye level with the thickest foliage of a number of trees, so the birdsong is nearer and I think held in almost as if in a contained space. It is marvelously peaceful and so welcome right now.

The quiet time is precious.

Even these three appreciate it.

The pollinator garden beds, second year

The Virginia sweetspire we planted last fall in Poplar Folly, doing very well and blooming soon!

Golden Alexander, year two, also doing well.

The old clematis that was here when we bought the farm. I finally gave it something to climb and it’s looking wonderful this spring.

The old rose bush, framing the coneflowers in year two. They have spread this year and I can’t wait to see them bloom.

The second Virginia sweetspire. As the two grow, they’ll fill this corner of Poplar Folly.

Red columbine in the foreground - I planted it in the fall and this is its first year. Behind are the pitcher plants, which really need a wetter space but have managed quite well with all our rain.

The Baptisia, a favorite.

Irises, from our neighbor.

Little bluestem, which has spread and is doing exactly what I wanted in this front corner. 

Another shot of the rose bush.

I’m forgetting what these next two are...

The persimmon tree we planted last fall in Poplar Folly.

More baptisia.

I missed a number of things but ran out of time!