I got the swing leveled by digging holes for the front support posts. I cut off the extra chain that annoyed me when it *tink tink tink'd* against itself. I did collect some leaves and mulched them for one of the lower potager beds. I drilled more holes in the timbers and hammered some rebar. I took more cuttings and stuck them in the cloner. (I know, right?) I cut down some of the frost damaged annuals, pulled others and tossed them, seeds and all into the gully. I sorted and packaged another trade envelope that arrived this morning. I paid the power bill. I took the stovepipe down in the basement and cleaned it out. I cussed a lot trying to get it back in place. I spent some time online doing research for the plants I haven't grown yet, but have seeds for. I drank some coffee. And some sweet tea. By 3pm, I figured the gully had dried out enough to split some wood. Forty-five minutes later, I had split three logs. I was out of gas. The splitter was not.
I spent the next 30 minutes watching the sun travel low across the sky. It was a pretty nice way to end the day. I tried not to make notes of all the things I plan to do this winter and next spring. I can't even sit still without considering what I could do to make it better. Click to embiggen.
I got up to check on the fire I had built in the heater when I came inside to grab the camera. I couldn't help but notice all the things I did like.
Little bluestem glows in the late evening sun.
Mr. Lincoln might just open again before the cold, wet weather arrives on Saturday.
A single pink rose was pointing straight up.
Passing through the gate, the redtwig dogwood begged for attention.
A lady bug was sunning itself on the other side of the fence.
Another camellia bloom has opened. Lots more to come.
The neighbors drove past while I was bent down to examine something in the perennial bed. I'm not sure they know what my face looks like. I decided it was time to head inside. It's 71 degrees in the basement, 68 upstairs, and 61 outside. Last night, as the temperature dropped to 37 outside, it was nice and warm upstairs with just the central air fan circulating warm air from the basement. I'm hoping when the cold weather arrives that I won't need to run the electric heat except as a backup. I need my money for more dirt, seeds, and plants.
It was a perfect day. You're gonna reap just what you sow.
It's time for dinner, a shower, and some laundry.
3 comments:
Tom - that tree sure is providing alot of firewood! Splitting wood sucks big time, I used to have to do it as a kid. Do you have any "Queen Elizabeth" roses? The flowers are huge!
EG, there's a gas powered log splitter that I'm using. It was purchased when I was 15 years old by my parents. They no longer use wood, so they gave it to me. I'm 36 now. It came from Western Auto. Remember that place?
One log is about 18" long and 20" in diameter. I use 1 every two days right now, keeping the fire going all day and restarting it in the morning when I wake up. I figure that tree will last me 4-5 winters, just the part I can chop. The stack there is sitting on a pallet, so it's twice as much wood as you can see, all from three logs.
I haven't seen a Queen Elizabeth. I'll keep my eye out for one next year at the store.
Yes, I remember Western Auto - it was a pretty good store. I wish I had put in a fireplace when we built our house, there's plenty of trees around here.
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