Sunday, July 15, 2018

A Long Week and a Long Day

I admit it, the heat has been brutal. 


The dogs are in most of the time in this heat. 
Jester, on top of it, had a bad bout of pancreatitus this past 
ten days.  We visited our dogtor, and he got some medicinal help. 


The deck plants were struggling, I literally water them 
several times a day.  I probably will not plant a dahlia in  
a container again, (dark plant with yellow flowers) as it 
must be kept wet constantly or it droops into nothingness. 

Oddly, the green container behind it, with ornamental peppers and 
lantana, is thriving on the heat. 

More of them next year. 


The zinnia beds were looking decent until the last three days, which is odd, 
because we had a drop in temps and some rain for a short time, yesterday. 

They are full of weeds.  Remember that I put bird net on top of them 
when I planted, to keep the chickens out.  BIG mistake, and one I won't 
repeat.  It kept me from weeding as they grew... and now it's a mess.  
I won't use netting again. 

The sunflowers were volunteers in the back bed. 


I have ONE vegetable, a tomato, growing in a container on the deck. 
I cut the bottom brown branches off of it yesterday, and I have picked one 
tomato, that had blossom end rot.  This is a Big Girl, and should be much 
bigger.  I would call the tomatoes bigger than cherry size, but they are not big. 

Probably my last tomatoes, and I used to grow many plants. 


Two nights ago, I unhooked the mower from it's cart, and took it to 
the small garage to put it in for the night, in case it rained. 
I found this. 

They do what they want to around here, obviously. 

Case in point. 


Note stink eye. 

Same bird as previous picture. 


Here are my beautiful babies as I filled the pools the other day. 
Remember that I lost one about ten days ago, disappeared without a trace. 

Last night, I lost a second.  
I still think it's an owl, because I don't see how a raccoon could 
carry a 3/4 grown duck OVER the six foot fence without it losing a feather. 

I found nothing. 

I have felt awful all day, it was the female Cayuga I had raised from 
a day old duckling. 

So, they are four. 

I had a camera in the hen yard, and FORGOT TO TURN IT ON.

The grass has pretty much stopped growing, and I am going to try to 
catch the owner of the sheep to see what he intends to do.... I have them 
grazing in the yard at the moment, at risk to my gardens. 

Hay will be expensive this year, we have had so little rain. 

I want to talk for a moment about something serious, because I usually 
don't address anything seriously on the blog. 

It sucks being widowed.  In some ways, it's better, because it 
was horrible seeing Keith fading, and knowing there was no way to stop it. 

But, if I am tired, I still have to take the trash out to the road. 
If something needs fixing, I have to fix it or find someone to do so. 
Those someones are NEVER dependable... I found someone recently to 
do some things here and well paid the person... and have never seen or 
heard from him again.  This is typical, I'm sorry to say. 

I am not complaining, this is life.  It's just that sometimes, I want to 
go out to the pasture and scream for a while. 


Some things still bring a smile.  Granddaughter Paiton is loving her riding lessons, 
and we look forward to them every Monday. 

The outside of a horse IS good for the inside of a little girl, still, 
in this day and age. 









8 comments:

  1. I have a hen – one of my favorite Australorps – that does not look good tonight, very weak. I don't know if it's our extended hot spell (it hit triple digits today) or what. I ran water all day on garden, landscaping, watering animals, and Brian washed my car. Tonight when filling buckets, our normal clear, sweet water came out cloudy. I'm trying not to panic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hari OM
    As I went to bed last night I thought to myself "Havnen't seen a post from the acres this week" - and there you are this morning! Maybe I was picking up on your 'ether scream'. That's what we are here for y'know. To listen. And if the paddock is far enough from neighbours, why not just have a go? It can be very cathartic to let it out. Having been single all my life, I know exactly what you mean about having to find others who can help and then discovering you were probably better off without them after all. Disappointment like that is its own kind of grief.

    The heatwave seems to have hit most parts of the Americas - and even over this side of the pond. (Tho' not so much round the Hutch.) The farmers are desparate for a break of weather - it might be on its way here in the Bonny Land, but probably not enough.

    Sorry to hear another duck gone. I do hope it is an owl - somehome then, some small consolation that another fine bird is benefitting... Sending Love and Cool Thoughts! YAM xx

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  3. Aw Mary Ann, yes it does suck not being able to depend on some one. That hen is doing whatever she wants to. I'm sorry about the loss of your duck.

    It is so miserable outside right now. I've been trying to stay in as much as possible. Even though I have a huge list of things to do.

    Plus the ankle is finally at a point where I'm going to go back to the Ortho. Can't stand the pain any more.

    I'm always thinking of you. Take care,

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  4. It's no fun at all being a widow and having very little help at all. I've done things I never thought I could do. But thankfully yes, we do have our loved ones and those grandchildren that delight us with their sweet smiles. On my own now for the better part of 24 years. Life goes on and so do we...

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  5. Poor Jester, that is painful! And scary for their human. And I'm so sorry you lost another beautiful duck. Life can be heartbreaking. Mary Ann, I'm so glad you wrote freely here about the struggles of being left alone without Keith. Because it really scares me, the thought of it. And then the problem of no one wanting to work there, even well paid. I think back to all the Gladys Taber books and all the neighborhood boys and adults who pitched in to help her as she grew older. That doesn't happen much anymore, does it? I wonder how I would ever cope with yard work if left a widow. And I wonder how RH would cope with paying bills, something he has never done, not ever even using a computer. And then I tell myself that God knows, even if I don't. I hope you can figure out how to make things easier on yourself in the future, while still living the life you love to have. I can't even begin to imagine you in an easy to manage apartment someday, not with your love of animals and gardening. There has to be a happy medium for you someday.

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  6. Being widowed (or single) is hard. Some people will readily take advantage of you. Sad to hear Jester has been ill and you lost another duck. You could easily have a large owl or eagle nearby. One foot in front of the other...one just keeps going.

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