It amazes me, as we age, how each day is an adventure unto itself. For over 10 or 15 years I have allowed this 5 acres of mine to slowly and meticulously take control and replace me as the "master". Now it tells me when to weed, when to mow the lawn, when to water the garden, when to be creative. Alas, I have taken back control.
Since returning from my walk-about I am, once more, engaged! As I take control things are happening: a new orchard of 27 fruit and nut trees have been planted, 8 new grape vines, 4 new blackberry bushes and a new irrigation system to take care of all of them. Water from the storage tank to all of the bubblers, throw one valve and in one hour they are all watered with water provided by a solar panel to the pump that fills the tank.
Finally finished removing all of the sand from the volleyball court to make the new beaches around the pond. Managed to strike one of my 2" water lines while tilling the court to get ready to build up the soil to plant. It is amazing at how much water can flow out of a 2" pipe at 50 gallons per minute. What a spill! Water everywhere and polluting my hard clay. I thought about calling the White House and FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program to see what help was available. The lines were busy so I was able to find the valves and shut it down only to have another project to add to my day, fix the broken pipe.
I spent time on my knees this week planting some 167 Photinia plants around our fenced property. A hedge is a coming sometime in the future! My wife, Barbara, asked if I spent any of the time in prayer while I was on my knees. It was just shovel and dig and plant. God will give the increase after I put them in the ground.
So much has been accomplished. My children voted me out as Chief Financial Officer so now I am just Chairman of the Board without voting privileges. But I only have to show up for 1 day of work per week. Love the fact that the paycheck keeps coming. Of course I am available to them when the need arises.
More time in the yard, more time to cook, more time for the chickens, ducks, birds, trees, vineyard and to mow the lawn.
Just plain more time. I do think that God wants us to take more interest in our immediate environment but not to neglect the needs of others that surround us....
Good times!
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
I've Been Away: There & Here!
So, I've been gone thither to Maui, to my chicken coop, to my lake, to my ducks, to my garden and I almost forgot, to work early in the mornings!
The "there" was Maui and the refreshing was great. Although it was an insurance convention of sorts, the meetings were short and sweet leaving much time for relaxation. Nothing much changes in Maui, it is the same everytime we go. Even those born on the Island seem to never change. Mitch the bartendar is still at the Grand Wailea as happy as ever. Most of the islanders we meet are happy, contented and just good people. I am sure they have their worries but they seem disconnected from mainlanders. I think they are brought up that way and they protect their way of life.
There is not a whole lot of interest in what we do over here. They say that we sure have a lot of problems. I love their simplicity, the sun rises and the sun sets and for everything else just "hang loose"!
But now I am back, tackling the day to day with the same sun rising and setting. Nothing has changed. There is nothing new under the sun. God knows! Same struggles, same new/old news, problems come and go, eat, drink and be merry.
Chicken pen is almost complete, ducks are in the lake with the fencing company coming on Monday to surround it with 6' of chainlink. I will beat those pesky coyotes to the punch. Planted reed bushes in the lake, ducks uprooted and ate them the same day. Now I have pesky ducks, bought them when they were a day old all spray painted different colors for Easter, now they are just big white ducks bent on destroying my hard work.
Gardens begin and gardens end. My beginning this year was the start of the end. The weather was great and warm and it was time to put those tomatoes, peppers and eggplant in. You know, the ones that I have been growing indoors since February. All placed nice and neatly with loving care, just before the desert hurricane hit. It sneaked up during the night and the wind began to blow and the huskies began to howl and were all in a row when coming over the hill was Sam McGee from Tennessee where the cotton blooms and blows....sorry I got caught up in a Robert Service poem.
Anyway the winds fed on my plants and when morning arrived the wind was gone taking a full belly of vegetable stock with it.
Tomorrow looks like a possibility. Clear, warm and promising. Have to buy those commercially grown tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Oh well, if I lose these at least there will not have been the love and nurturing that went into the last ones.
The plantation is coming together slowly but surely and soon it will be hot and the pool will be warm!
Good Times!
The "there" was Maui and the refreshing was great. Although it was an insurance convention of sorts, the meetings were short and sweet leaving much time for relaxation. Nothing much changes in Maui, it is the same everytime we go. Even those born on the Island seem to never change. Mitch the bartendar is still at the Grand Wailea as happy as ever. Most of the islanders we meet are happy, contented and just good people. I am sure they have their worries but they seem disconnected from mainlanders. I think they are brought up that way and they protect their way of life.
There is not a whole lot of interest in what we do over here. They say that we sure have a lot of problems. I love their simplicity, the sun rises and the sun sets and for everything else just "hang loose"!
But now I am back, tackling the day to day with the same sun rising and setting. Nothing has changed. There is nothing new under the sun. God knows! Same struggles, same new/old news, problems come and go, eat, drink and be merry.
Chicken pen is almost complete, ducks are in the lake with the fencing company coming on Monday to surround it with 6' of chainlink. I will beat those pesky coyotes to the punch. Planted reed bushes in the lake, ducks uprooted and ate them the same day. Now I have pesky ducks, bought them when they were a day old all spray painted different colors for Easter, now they are just big white ducks bent on destroying my hard work.
Gardens begin and gardens end. My beginning this year was the start of the end. The weather was great and warm and it was time to put those tomatoes, peppers and eggplant in. You know, the ones that I have been growing indoors since February. All placed nice and neatly with loving care, just before the desert hurricane hit. It sneaked up during the night and the wind began to blow and the huskies began to howl and were all in a row when coming over the hill was Sam McGee from Tennessee where the cotton blooms and blows....sorry I got caught up in a Robert Service poem.
Anyway the winds fed on my plants and when morning arrived the wind was gone taking a full belly of vegetable stock with it.
Tomorrow looks like a possibility. Clear, warm and promising. Have to buy those commercially grown tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Oh well, if I lose these at least there will not have been the love and nurturing that went into the last ones.
The plantation is coming together slowly but surely and soon it will be hot and the pool will be warm!
Good Times!
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