My computer has generously offered to give me “content suggestions” for this effort, and I’m curious enough to click on the form, but I think I’ll just rely on my own observations and experiences to write a few lines. I do wonder if I’ll remember how to haul photos onto this screen, but perhaps AI will come to the rescue if necessary.
Anyway, what’s up? Have I found my voice? For some months, I believed that there was nothing new to report. The point of this whole exercise is, basically, to create a record of life on The Hundred Acre Wood. That is, not to entertain an audience. Or so I thought until I sat down this afternoon and realized, more or less, that an audience, even one of my own imagining, is necessary to the enterprise. Otherwise, why wouldn’t I just write a journal in a notebook on lined pages. Right. So here we. Here I am.
Today is, of course, election day. I’m having a difficult time keeping my computer turned off all the news coming in on Sub Stack. Yes, we voted, although Larry had an odd notice requiring him to return to the election polls with an example of his signature. Seems someone thought that his signature on the actual ballot didn’t match that which they had on record. What? They really look that closely at the signed ballot envelopes? Guess so. Anyway, a short trip into the County offices, and a kind woman behind the window confirmed that his signature was valid, and assured him that his vote would be counted.
So that’s good. Still, some nail biting going on here.
Sometime around noon, Ben, of Rainbow Landscaping rang the doorbell. Yes. Larry has actually agreed to hire some help maintaining the acre or so that surrounds the house, and today was their first day to work for us. Well, wow. Ben and his Dad, who own the operation showed up to get the basic work started. They pruned, mowed, shaped, edged, I don’t know what all, but it looks awesome! It’s my hope that Larry will feel free to pick up his golf clubs every now and then, going forward . . .
And here’s just a little story about yesterday. My friend/neighbor, Marjorie, has been in the market for a horse. She says that I got my “little house in the country,” and she’d like, similarly, a “horse of her own.” Seems she grew up riding — fancy stuff, dressage, you know, where the horse learns to perform dance-like moves with his rider controlling the moves with subtle changes of weight. After a few disappointments, she’s arranged to share a horse with the owner of a nearby stable. I was eager to have a look at this James creature, so was allowed to come over to the stables to watch her groom and tack up the animal for some exercises.
First, the horse is beautiful. A Thoroughbred, (I think you’re supposed to capitalize that). I had taken a couple of apples to give the horses, but, um, have you ever looked a horse in the mouth? Those are some teeth! Marjorie guided me — that is, cupped her hand under mine — while the beast chomped at the fruit. I survived with all finders intact.
There’s quite a lot of work for her to get the horse ready to go, including (this is nice) warming the steel bit with her own breath before pulling it into the animals mouth. Marjorie has her own saddle, but it is not shaped to James’ back, so she has to use the saddle already there in the barn. There are devices one straps onto the horse’s ankles to keep his “shoes” from injuring himself as he trots, gallops? Some other horse in the pasture had recently kicked James, cracking his scapula, so she had to take care that the saddle wouldn’t ride up onto his shoulder. I asked how they knew he’d “cracked” this bone, but that was a stupid question. I suppose they x-rayed it, but how?
I believe you know that we’ve engaged Phoenix for habitat restoration. They’ve been at work this summer, and after I post this, I’ll run a practice entry to see if I can successfully post photos. In the meantime, they, Phoenix, have been working to improve the soil in what they call the “meadow” in front of the house. They’ve buried logs, dug shallow pools, pulled tansy, sprayed, and are preparing to plant an array of native plants in the space. One of my earlier objectives when moving to the country was to pay attention! Observe! Given a list of the natives to be introduced this fall, I am making an effort. The first plant on the list is Grindelia integrifolia. Commomly known as Puget Sound gumweed. I’ll have to say that doesn’t sound too lovely, but I looked it up. Well, turns out it acts as an expectorant, antispasmodic. Supposing you make tea of it or something. But it’s yellow, quite tall, belongs to the sunflower family. There. Class excused.
It’s only 4:30 and getting dark already. Okay, I’ll post this and go see what the election accomplished. Fingers crossed!!!
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