MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, CON'T

Kathy & Mike measure for fencing.

For quite some time, I have wanted to fence a strip of the farm yard (south side below house) to protect three lilac bushes from the deer and also provide additional protected garden space. I finally convinced Mike that I believe such an area would actually be easier to mow and trim than leaving it open. Sunday (May 24), with Mike leading the work, we were able to finish the fence. I’m challenged now to remove grass and weeds from the area. It’s an ambitious project. I know I will be less inspired as the summer heats up and the ground dries out.

Mike drives post

Hallie brought her new bedroom drapes, and we shortened them by removing the grommeted header and folding a new header. With Hallie and Nick cutting and pinning, the stitching went quickly.

On Saturday and again on Monday, Hallie and Mike rode the pavement out to Nezperce and back. Hallie was a strong rider as a teen-ager, and Mike comments that she is still a strong rider. She said Mike passed her on the hills and she whizzed past him on the flats.

Sunday, Hallie and Nick ran to the mailbox and back. Surprisingly, both dogs went with them. It’s no feat for Bess, but to hear that Nellie trotted along the whole way was heartwarming.

Cuddling after a busy day

On a previous visit, Nick noted a gooseberry bush beyond the north field, and he took the dogs and hiked out to find it again. He found that one and even another. We’re anxious to see if they bear this summer.

Monday (Memorial Day), we visited the Gilbert Cemetery where we placed artificial bouquets on the family graves. In a week or so, I’ll retrieve those flowers, discard any that are bedraggled, and put the rest away for next year. We met our neighbors at the cemetery and had a nice visit.

Then, having obtained permission, we picked rhubarb on nearby property. I have never seen such large stalks! I froze 16 quarts. Sadly, that rhubarb grove is endangered by invasive blackberry bushes and wild roses.

Ship's clock on Tudor mantle

Tuesday morning, I had Hallie help me carry two boxes from the attic, and we had a good time going through them. They were full of the kinds of things it’s easy to leave in storage – collections of bottles and old-time crock pots – but we agreed that these things are interesting and should be left out. I gave Hallie a ship’s clock that had belonged to my dad – probably something he came by when he lived on the Washington coast. It seemed fitting it should return to Seattle.

Newly fenced garden

And then it was time to say good-bye. “Tell Nellie ‘good-bye,’” I advised Hallie, “but don’t linger over it. She doesn’t like ‘good-byes.’” Nellie totally got the picture and commenced to tremble as Hallie and Nick said their farewells. Bess took the news in stride but seemed a bit bewildered. Why did something so much fun have to come to an end? Both dogs have eaten little since the departure, but things will return to normal. KW