Taking a break on the deck after barn chores, I saw what looked like an alien invasion on the forsythia. I'd never seen anything like the frothy white fluff with tiny black spots surrounding a tender center. Had a spider become rabid or simply berserk? A glance at the neighboring pot revealed the answer. Normally I deadhead the anemones as soon as their petals fall, but what with the rain and one thing or another, I'd not done that. It wasn't the forsythia but an anemone that had gone to seed. That would never have occurred to me because anemones propagate by rhizomes. Live and learn.
Pete, my volunteer worker for the day, arrived to check the Help Wanted board. A chore I'd really hoped to accomplish was resetting a number of latches on the goat barn. The building had settled out of alignment over time and it was either a struggle or the latches wouldn't connect at all. I'd put the battery for a cordless drill to charge the day before. Good luck with that. It's been years since that tool has been used and the battery was beyond help. Pete found another drill, but of course that battery was dead, also. I put it on a charger, but it was useless for the day. So much for Plan A.
Plan B was the seemingly insignificant but so necessary task of playing Pick Up Sticks in the front yard. A helper at my side made the job go fast. This was the third full cart to get hauled to the burn pile. The trouble with a really tall son is that he can lose his head when the focus is on the foreground. Sorry 'bout that. It would have taken me days to clean up what Pete and I did in an hour or two. Boy, did I appreciate the help. Pete is my electronics guru and he gave me a lot of advice on how to possibly fix some current computer problems.
After a snack and a bit of a rest, Pete took off. As much as I had needed the help, his gift of time meant even more. I was more than ready for a bit of sit-down after all that bending, but knowing that wet weather was predicted (again), it seemed prudent to get John Dear out and mow the yard before wind and rain brought down more branches. It looks so nice, if I do say so.
The rain began last night. I can feel muscles I didn't know I had. It will be good to take time off.
It was a super good day.
1 comment:
Drills and batteries can be SUCH a pain. I feel for you as I can get away with a corded drill and a looooong outside extension cord, but I bet you wouldn't want one as long as you need to get from your power source to the goat barn. How great that Pete was able to give of his time and talents.
Post a Comment