Peter and Andrew hire on! They drove up from CA for the weekend to help the aged p’s saw some wood, mow some meadow, repair stuff, drive the ATV, burn slash, and provide some family muscle delivering firewood to the barn.

Our best apple tree has been dragging the ground with its load of apples. A chat with the nurseryman at Shonnards and Andrew’s 6 plus feet on the ladder (Of course, I mean 6 feet of height, not 6 feet on the end of his legs.)(How tall are you, anyway, Andrew?)

Resulted in:

Peter is indefatigable. A wood pile and a saw? Just try to stop him. Larry says Peter channels my dad, and it’s true he learned his farm skills out on Dad’s filbert orchard in Newberg when he was a teenager.

We couldn’t decide what to have for lunch until someone suggested that we run down to Safeway and collect some bread and peanut butter for sandwiches. Brilliant idea! Here’s the first meal prepared in our new kitchen.

I had been concerned about the taste of the water from our well, despite the chem lab out in the shed standing between the hole in the ground and the kitchen sink. We’d acquired some ice for our lunch, so were able to make a preliminary taste test. The builder guys had said the water was fine, but they were drinking it from the hose, proving that their taste would be suspect at best. I was prepared to buy bottled water to drink if it came to that, so, found a glass, tossed in a the ice, and took a provisional sip. Didn’t taste anything. Seriously, it is fine, apologies to Eric and Doug!

Peter had been anxious about the water since his days at Dad’s farm, which did not benefit from the chemistry we bring to bear, so I was happy to relieve his mind. Apparently the well people provide the service of checking the filter and twirling dials on a regular basis to keep the water tasting good. Or rather, not tasting at all. Whew. (Yes, I know, this does not happen by magic. We sign a contract. Come on.)

Andrew drove the ATV around the edge of the forest collecting windfall limbs to clear the land for the F&W project on the land adjacent to the house. Got a good fire going, and we ended the day, watching to be sure no cinders could ride the wind into the dried grasses. “You going to come back up and work for us some more?” I asked.

“Absolutely,” he says. I think he has fallen in love. With the ATV, that is. Whatever it takes!