CONTINUED COOL AND RAINY

One minute it’s chilly, the next quite seasonably warm. Anytime the sun shines, it warms our world, but we’re never quite free of the rain -- Or our sweatshirts. It’s become a problem for me since my sweatshirts are seasonal. The autumn and Christmas themes that I manage to wear through March now look totally ridiculous.

We had planned to return to the farm last Friday but stayed in town due to chilly temps. Our arrival there Saturday morning was followed closely by that of Neighbor Pete, who wanted to talk about that ferocious hail storm we experienced last Tuesday evening (April 24). He showed us the damage to the hood of his 2001 Dodge Ram – small indentations – with damage estimated at $5,000. Insurance will cover it.

When that storm hit the farm with great clattering on our metal roof, Mike immediately thought of protecting our Dakota. Hail pelting him, he sprinted out to the pick-up and drove it up under the pines in the grove. Apparently it was a good idea, though Pete pointed out a small dent or two on our hood as well. (Really – you have to look for them.)

 

A place on the lane is sloughing. Pete helped us with it last year, and he and Mike discussed methods of continuing the stabilization effort. It’s always something.

No thrilling mouse stories this trip, but when Nellie stepped into the kitchen Monday morning she immediately advised Mike of the presence of a mouse which was subsequently found in the live trap. I also removed from the trash can the doll bedding I had tossed. “I remember this stuff,” said Nellie, demanding to examine it again. I washed it and hung it out to dry. No sense to be reactionary on account of the mice.

 

Sunday was a lovely spring day, warm and dry enough so that we were able to prepare and plant the raised bed garden with peas and spinach. In Ina’s day – even in my dad's time – planting was delayed until the first of June, but we decided to give it a try. What are we out if it fails? -- just some seed and effort. If it doesn’t freeze but continues cool and rainy, these cool-weather garden crops may prosper. (When my back was turned -- before I started planting, thank goodness -- Nellie buried her bone in the nice soft dirt.)

Saturday Mike finished his first mowing of the season. He had just gotten cleaned up and ready for bed when a neighbor dropped by. We love to see people but Mike wears odd combinations of bed clothes. It doesn’t really matter – except when someone comes. The neighbor’s German shorthair, apparently afraid of water, laid aside his fear in order to retrieve one of Mike’s duck decoys from the pond. The decoy serves as a float to mark the aeration hose from the windmill. Oh well -- we have others in storage.

Rain commenced again in the wee hours of Monday (April 30), so we packed up and returned to town. KW