BLM SURVEYORS

We came to the farm at Gilbert yesterday (Thursday, May 8), knowing full well that by today we would see rain, wind, and unsettled weather, so we hurried to take advantage of Thursday’s sun. I hung out two large loads of laundry, weeded the raised beds, and planted spinach while Mike mowed and trimmed the yard and then took himself on a bike ride. He says he’s in training for the annual “I made the grade” race on the Lewiston Hill next month.

We had an interesting interruption in the noon time frame, however. We had been contacted by a surveyor with the Bureau of Land Management out of Lapwai who stated his project was to locate original survey markers. (There’s more to it, having to do with land owned by the Nez Perce Tribe.) He was interested in any information we might be able to provide with regard to our property boundaries. Mike said he would call the surveyor when we were at the farm, which he did yesterday morning. As it happened, the survey team (three guys) was working on our neighbor’s property and arrived here about noon.

The team carries with them the original surveyor’s field notes. He made notations as to what he saw as he surveyed, and these can now be accessed online. One particular point of interest was a notation that the line passed within 30 feet of a cabin, which was the first family home that Grandpa Julian built. The lead surveyor was interested in the location of the cabin, but all we could say was that it was on the flat where the lane comes into the yard. We looked for pictures but unfortunately we couldn’t find any that were adequate for the purpose. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. We know that the established farm yard sat – and still sits – close to the boundary between June’s place and ours.

Mike went with the trio of surveyors to explore the northern boundary and spent an hour with them. Having the original notes, they know what to look for in order to find and confirm the original marker. They were having a good time being marker detectives.

 

Bess just loves playing in the yard, especially at the barn and the pond. And Nellie, too, has stayed out to play, perhaps because Bess does. At suppertime last night they were both hungry. Bess finished her rations and dove into Nellie's, so Mike gave her more. Then they curled up to nap near the fireplace.

And now we’re at today. To warm the house this morning, I baked cookies, using up several dabs of raisin bran. I don’t like to eat cereal that has become just crumbs in the bottom of the bag, but they made a tasty batch of cookies. I froze two dozen. I’ll thank myself some hot summer day when I don’t want to turn on the oven. KW