Finally bringing a few projects to their ends here! The new work space, aka the second garret, is painted and after a few finishing touches will be ready to use, just in time for the start of fall semester for my daughter. I’ll add a few photos once it’s all set up.
The new sliding glass door has been measured and ordered and is set to be installed in about 8 weeks, which seems like a long time from now but at least we’ll be out of the summer heat by then. It’s a fairly massive job, as the entire door frame and indoor/outdoor trim plus weatherstripping will be replaced. Pella actually had me hold off on the laundry room door as they are making some changes in how they do the ordering for entry doors and didn’t want me to get caught up in glitches. So that’s another project that will get done another day.
We must have something going on with doors, because one of our garage doors came off the tracks and we are awaiting a warranty claim approval and repair for that. As my grandma always said things come in 3s, I’m not going to look for a third thing other than Keil Bay’s stall door, which he rammed and splintered (again) and that just brings up the fact that I have an entire barn door project that needs to get done, but really has to wait until the horses can turn out in the daytime again. I have most of what I need for this to get done, so maybe by the time the sliding doors are installed, I can move on to the stall doors!
In other news, we finally have a date for the electrician to come do some updating of wiring in the barn, and although not a date, I had a call-back from a recommended plumber who at least asked for my info so he can get us on his schedule. We need new spigots installed outside the house. It seems like all the recommended people are booked way out, and it also seems like the 25-year old house has made a plan to need many little and some big repairs done.
My farm helper is coming on Wednesday to tackle another hot spot for me and help bring some order back to our driveway and front/side yard spaces. Our muck help has been a bit difficult; it’s hard to find someone who has attention to detail and the focus it takes to do exactly what is asked. We started out with the idea of every day, and quickly reduced to MWF, as the disruption to our daily life was just too much with someone coming on the farm daily at 7 a.m. I’m not sure what we have in place is going to work for the long term, but after this second week’s trial period, I should be able to make a decision.
The horses and pony and donkeys are all hanging in there with the heat and insects. I hope we have an early fall as I’m ready to move on from sweaty grooming and fly spray and salve applications and I am sure the horses are as well! Though they get peppermints with the fly stuff so they tend to be very cooperative and in the case of Rafer Johnson and the pony, actually follow me around waiting for their turns.
The bee nucs have done excellent jobs building out comb in their new hives, and since we’re approaching our fall nectar flow, they’ll have a nice, last burst before winter season to hopefully get everything ready for wintering. What this means is that they can begin the spring flow in 2021 with plenty of comb in place to store honey, and we can possibly add medium supers on top to get a little honey for us. We will see - I’m not in beekeeping solely for honey, but it will be nice to have a few jars if they can spare it.
The pollinator beds are readying for the fall plants to pop, and the wonderful buttonbushes are gearing up for a huge second bloom. The brown-eyed Susans have been and continue to be lovely, and the narrow leaf mountain mint is still going strong. I’m seeing the ironweed coming out and the goldenrod is in some places on the farm starting to bloom as well. The asters and the spotted horsemint are still to come, as is Joe Pye weed and a couple of other things. Right now the busiest part of the garden are the spent coneflowers - the goldfinches are loving the seed heads and I’m happy to see them in the garden.
Cats and dogs are good as well. They too will be happy for fall, I think, though the cats seem to enjoy laying out like rugs on the very hot front porch when the afternoon sun hits. Bear Corgi is not always eager to go out on the farm romps with the heat, and he’ll enjoy the cooler season to come.
The humans here are hanging in there as well. I had an appointment on the phone this week with my ND and have scheduled a chiropractic adjustment in two weeks. The Covid numbers here are finally stabilizing some and while I feel we all need to stay very cautious, the chiro is only having one patient in her office at a time, and I think it’s time I went and addressed the pelvic rotation I am certain I have!
Good books, a prolific garden, virtual writing retreats and a wonderful Zoom-based writing class, and the comfort of family and friends is keeping me happy, as is the knowledge that November is coming and I hope a big change in our political climate. It’s been a long spring and a long summer and in some ways, a long four years. I’m ready to move on.
