A Sunday Walkabout 8-2-2020

A quiet life in the country…

It’s a lie, I tell you.

Before the sun even rises, it begins. Mourning doves are on our roof cooing, the “hot weather bugs” are already tuning up in the trees along the property line and at least one lovelorn bull south of town is calling for his lady-loves. There are even a couple of roosters on the other side of town who have a contest to see which one greets the dawn. And, once the kitchen light goes on, our own animals add to what some mornings can only be described as noise.

Nope. No quietness around here.

As day progresses, the sounds change. The hens continually comment on the events of their day, and egg laying creates exultant outbursts. While the sheep generally graze quietly, bedlam ensues when one gets left behind thus causing it to believe it is the last ovine in existence and human intervention is absolutely necessary. Woken from their slumber, the dogs feel the urge to comment on the activities of the neighborhood or tussle with one another.   Then, man-made noises join. There’s the particular whine of the tractor as it makes as its way up the hill, the buzz of neighbor’s four-wheeler as he heads out to check calves, and the distant hum of a haybine or harvester to let us know that the season is progressing. On summer afternoons, there is an entire choir of lawnmowers as the entire village hurries to mow ahead of the next thunderstorm...

None of these sounds is particularly annoying or bad…(okay, lost, screaming lambs are annoying)…but, these are the sounds of life.

We’ve become pretty adept at identifying all these sounds. That’s one of the things our brains need to do…make sense of things. Which, to be perfectly honest, is a real challenge in these weird and unsettling times and perhaps why I’ve fixated on identifying all the things.

I can tell you that “squeee-eeeek ka-bang” is the opening (and rapid closing) of the back gate. We should probably oil that, although I kind of like knowing when someone enters the garden. The “someone” should be human, but if there is a thunderstorm brewing somewhere in the lower 48, all bets are off. I don’t know if Gus is that concerned for our safety or he is just a big baby. (after numerous large dog romps through the garden, we installed a latch on the gate that Gus doesn’t know how to open---much to his dismay)

Gus trying to open the gate
due to an impending storm

Then there is a particular thunk, thunk that is a hen getting the last tasty morsel out of the scrap bucket. A certain scraping noise lets us know that one of the ewes scratching an itch against the metal gate. And a rumble out of a clear blue sky is not thunder but a guardian-dog uttering displeasure, generally at the other guardian dog for taking the prime napping location. Definitely NOT quiet, country life or not.

I do NOT want to
"wait for mama, Karma!"

So, when the Boss asked “do you hear that?”  I was not out of line demanding a little specificity.

That was a dull thump, thumping. But, not one of the thumps I could readily identify. It sounded like some weird kind of Morse code.

“Sounds like a woodpecker is on the barn” he said.

Come to think of it, that’s exactly what a woodpecker on the barn would sound like! But, a woodpecker on the barn? Seriously?

Not a woodpecker in sight.

Throughout the week, we would hear the strange thumping, but never saw anything.

Until one day it flew into the lawnmower shed and I actually photographed it. But, that raised another question. It didn’t look like any of the woodpeckers I was familiar with.

Hairy Woodpecker
looks a lot like a Downy Woodpecker, only bigger

And, I was off on a crash-course of woodpeckers. I had no idea we had so many different kinds here on the hill.

Leading me to my next point…”quiet life in the country” does not mean there is nothing to do, that it’s all about front-porch sittin’ and taking it easy.

you never know who you might meet at sunrise

the early morning light made this doe's ears look bright pink

That’s a long way from the truth, too. Although, I will admit to spending more than my fair share of time sitting (sidelined by chronic pain/exhaustion) and spending valuable work time photographing and researching the odd and random. But, oh! the things I have learned.

But this in some ways this is still a going venture…a working farm after a fashion. So, there is always something that needs our attention.

In the past week, we’ve worked the lambs, hauled lambs, picked up those same lambs (as meat), sold lambs (again, as meat) and next week that cycle will begin again. Tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, we will start the process of making new lambs. Well, okay, OTIS will be taking care of that for us. (much to his great pleasure, I am certain)

this is Otis...

And, the garden…

working in the garden

red pontiac potatoes

Oh my!

corn pollen means fresh corn-on-the-cob is right around the corner!

As we stepped back from Market production and attempted to down-size, we knew there was a very real possibility that we would still grow far more than two old people could eat. But, we like growing food. We’re good at growing food. So, we planned specifically to have some to share, knowing that the Mission or church ministries could always use the extras. We feel strongly about giving back and helping others and have done so for years. Although, I’ve always thought it was rude to tell of one’s attempts at philanthropy…it seems rather crass and self-serving.

lettuce transplants

hoophouse in the early morning

However…

The pandemic changed everything. When in doubt…grow food…I guess that’s our motto. Instead of really down-sizing, we added onions, sweet potatoes, more, more…more.  I do not know why that response is so deeply ingrained in us. Sometimes I think we’re like squirrels hoarding food for winter. 

But, again…we were planning on sharing, so lots of food would be okay. Although, I am truly disheartened to learn the pandemic didn’t necessarily bring out the best of folks. As the situation has worsened, contributions have diminished, some ministries have been shuttered and there is a lack of care and concern for the safety and well-being of others that is horrifying. And, here’s the thing…true human need is only going to get more pronounced in the coming months. In the US, our government (particularly our president and his administration) has failed us all miserably and is bent on pursuing and promoting themselves and their agenda through racism and misogyny…otherwise known as hatred. Pure, cold hatred has become part and parcel of our world, no one seems to take any measure to cloak it in any way anymore. They just don’t care…they don’t give a damn about those in need… These are truly disturbing times.

And, things are about to get real bad…

But, you didn’t come here to hear me opine on the mess of the world today.

So…onward…

The garden is definitely keeping us engaged, busy and finding creative ways to deal with the abundance.

onion relish
this got me thinking about hotdogs and potato salad
and off on another research project
WHAT did I do with that LAMB hotdog recipe?

the onion harvest

putting the onions out to dry before storage

I didn't hold out much hope for the peaches
first we had a late frost
then the fig beetles arrived

but, again abundance!
canned peaches, frozen peaches...
we had enough for pie and crumble and even
peach preserves

the last of the peaches turned into an upside-down cake

I am so happy every time I look at all the little jars of peaches
(there are a lot more)

We’ve not only picked veggies, we canned, frozen, pickled and dried some, too. And yet there are still buckets and bags and piles of excess on nearly every flat surface, in the cooler and on the kitchen table. There is no denying it, 2020 for all its weirdness and stress is a great year for garden abundance! Looks like a donation trip is in order again. (and, again, I wonder if I should even share that fact)

In my last post, I mentioned the plague of potato beetles…

it wasn't enough that they ate the potatoes...
they moved into the tomato patch

Honestly, it was like the biblical hordes of locust. They were everywhere, leaving a trail of eaten destruction behind them. After 3 different attempts at potato beetle eradication that even included an emergency Sunday trip to Lowe’s, we got the bugs under control. Sort of. But, the plants were stunted from the attack. Of course that meant that the weeds took over and we had to set out on a priority weeding venture. Whew! What a mess! Then the warm weather and the near daily rains meant that the weeds rejuvenated and somehow the bugs revived…this is no longer fun or funny. But, finally, after a little more bug eradication, some tilling and hilling, those fall ‘taters are looking pretty good. I don’t think we’ve ever put so much effort into a late crop of potatoes. Or, perhaps any crop. These will provide our seedstock for next year as well as food for those in need. At this point, I certainly hope it was worth the effort!

after the rains

Then, as we were headed out the other day, the Boss was just sitting there looking rather bewildered when I climbed back in the truck after latching the gate. “Hey, what’s that in the tree? See that caterpillar?” We had noticed leaf damage but blamed it on the marauding deer. Because, the deer eat EVERYTHING. But, this was different…

Oh. My. God.

catalpa leaf damage

the culprit
Catalpa Sphinx moth caterpillar

There wasn’t just one caterpillar, there were hundreds! (no exaggeration at all) We had no idea what they were, so, off to investigate once more. (gotta remember…this is keeping our brains sharp)

Catalpa Sphinx. Did you know there is a moth whose “babies” feed solely on the catalpa tree? Since the moth is nocturnal, few people are aware of it. We certainly were not.

Now, I realize the catalpa tree is not going to provide sustenance for anyone (except the caterpillars). But, I raised that tree from a seed and feel rather protective of it. Plus, it looks pretty up there at the top of the lane. And, in this weird time of loss and uncertainty, keeping something, anything, the same has become increasingly important.

So. New project. Save the catalpa tree from the marauding caterpillars. But, the constant threat of thunderstorms may keep the spray from having any effect. And, the zucchini need picking, the okra should be weeded and something has been tunneling in the hoophouse…

Good lord. It’s always something.

Just as we were starting to work on some of those things, I heard another unidentified sound.

Ding…ding…ding…

Nope. Not the icecream truck or the Avon lady (oh, wait, that would be ding-dong).  There was the woodpecker again. This time, he was pecking at little bugs on the underside of the metal barn roof!

So much for a quiet life in the country!

he's back!

If only we could get him to eat the catalpa sphinx caterpillars!

And, that’s how it’s been going around here.

That was supposed to be the end of this post…

common wood-nymph butterfly

It is far too easy to get all caught up in our funny little life on our funny little farm. We quickly get caught up in our own cares and concerns. A natural reaction to the pandemic is to become far more insular and isolated, narrowing our focus considerably. But, real people are facing real crises in the world, and we shouldn’t get so distracted that we fail to see the issues and find some way to help. And, the pain and suffering and issues of the world have weighed heavily on my heart and mind of late.

The late John Lewis made it his life's work to make the world a better, more equitable place. And, he did it with love and peace not hatred and violence. Last time I left you with one of his better known quotes. This time, I'll leave you with the last piece he ever wrote, posted in the New York Times the day of his funeral.  You can read it HERE 

Or, you can listen to Morgan Freeman read John Lewis’ words here. (have some tissues handy)

 https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/morgan-freeman-reads-rep-john-lewis-last-words-89332293780?fbclid=IwAR33mVUcpKr7Tb5UQ6IWCRwem1Q9MQDItUnN6MBKiv2qkcYgKYzOTwV97Kg

 Here is the part that spoke to me:

“Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.

When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war.

So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.” -John Lewis

dewy spiderweb at sunrise

I’m still trying to find the “highest calling of my heart” and figure out how to “stand up for what I truly believe”…but, thanks for reading and taking part in this journey with me.

Have a Happy Sunday! 

I hope you’ll come back and “visit” again soon.