"A glorious day is dawning"

We were at the farm ten days. If I had realized we would actually stay that long, I would have taken a lot more food and perhaps more books and projects. This stay was proof that all of that is unnecessary if we’re willing to make do. Yes, we had to go to town for staples, but even that is less stressful than trying to anticipate all of our needs.

In previous years, other activities have prevented our visiting the farm during the weeks of springtime bloom. This stay was memorable for the progressive bud and bloom of the fruiting trees. (At this altitude, spring comes several weeks later than in town.)

I’ve already mentioned the serviceberry bushes. I saw them in full bloom and now that phase is passing. . .

 

.  . . and the hawthorns are coming into bloom. I discovered hawthorn jelly last year. I suppose it’s questionable that it’s worth the effort – the flavor is rather insipid. Still, I feel virtuous making the stuff.

 

I don’t recall ever seeing the apple trees in bloom but before we left, they were beautiful. I didn’t know the blossoms were pink. The “awesome” apple tree at the bottom of the lane was – well, awesome.

 

And my favorite “pine-apple” tree on the lane showed beautiful pink blossoms amongst the pine boughs.

The pear tree came into full bloom the other day and not to disparage its beauty or sincerity, I have seen it more gloriously full of blossoms. Undoubtedly some cold spell affected it. If the crop is reduced this year – good! I’d rather buy pears than deal with the temperamental fruit.

Judging by the blossoms, we’ll have Italian prunes this year. Some years we don’t.

I had a great crop of raspberries last year, but at the end of the season, I didn’t think the plants looked so good. I don’t want to move the patch and start over. This has been hard enough as it is. So, last fall we expanded the present patch with some new starts. This year the plants look good but the berry crop may be decreased. I spent a lot of time weeding the patch so that I was able to fertilize and water.

Finally the lilacs I’ve worked so hard to establish are beginning to bloom. It’s been one step forward and two back for years. Apparently our deer don’t know that they aren’t supposed to be interested in lilacs.

And last but not least – our little Montmorency cherry tree. Last week I was concerned about it, but before we left, it rewarded me by showing forth more splendid blossoms than ever before. Last year’s crop was a cup of cherries which I made into a sauce and served at Christmas. It was delicious. This year, we might just get a good crop of cherries – perhaps enough for two pies and some sauce.

Thanks for stopping by to visit. Have a good day! KW

OF RUST AND DUST

Monday (May 12), the lead BLM surveyor returned and brought Neighbor Pete with him. We discussed again the placement of the “old house” at the corner of the yard, right at the top of the lane. We had a party here in 1971 and burned it to the ground, and being a foundationless building, there’s just nothing that marks the spot today. Even the lane has been altered a bit. 

The exact location of the old house seems to be important because the original surveyor James Robb (1897) mentioned in his field notes that Jack and Ina’s cabin (the old house) was a half chain (33 feet) from the north-south line. Eventually our present surveyor realized that he has some aerial photos taken in the 1940s from which he could triangulate off the barn and the farmhouse a good approximation of the location in question.

Then the survey crew went out to the canyon rim due west of the house and Mike accompanied them. With a metal detector they came up with some rusty old artifacts – a wash pan and a frying pan without handle. The next day, Mike went back and got them. I figure they must have been near an old dumpsite. (You gotta wonder about that broken frying pan. Did Ina throw it at Jack?)

Mike put us to work yesterday (Thursday, May 15). It was time to wash windows, he said – inside and out. So we did. He did all of upstairs and the downstairs exterior while I cleaned inside windows downstairs. And one thing led to another. It always does. I vacuumed out a corner or two, put away this and that, washed some knick-knacks.

And then, of course, the big dust-makers came through. Never fails. But I suppose in reality it doesn’t much matter. There’s always more dust.

Unfortunately, I didn't take the camera on yesterday's walk. We saw four Canada geese in the road. I tried to get a picture with my phone, but I'm not sure you can really see the geese.

One last story before I move on for the day. At Christmas, the Mile High Warnocks sent us a game via UPS, and it didn't come before we closed the house for the winter. We knew we were expecting a package, and when we didn't find it on the porch, we asked the neighbors if they knew anything about it. One of the boys said he had seen the UPS truck turn around at the bottom of the road.

Fast forward a couple of months, and we heard our lane had washed. We asked Neighbor Pete to look over the damage, which he did and then reported back. "Weren't you expecting a package via UPS?" he asked. "-- because I found a box in the ditch by the lane. It was in a plastic sack and the sack was full of water." He said he would open it and check it out. If it was all right, we could pick it up in the spring.

Mike rode over to Pete's this morning to retrieve the game. After all that box had been through, it actually survived. It's called "American Trivia" and the board, the cards, and the playing pieces were intact. So, we didn't get to play it with Nick and Hallie at Christmas, but we can play it over Memorial Day weekend in the cute little Tudor. KW

A TRIP TO THE "BIG" CITY

“Let’s go to Nezperce today, look around and get some supplies,” said Mike yesterday (Tuesday, May 13). WooHoo! Shopping! We were out of milk and some other staples, too. I was ready with list in hand. Mike loaded Bess and Nellie in the back of the Dakota and we headed out.

 

The thing is, Nezperce is a tiny community – pop. 466. The business section covers three short blocks with the school at one end and the fairgrounds at the other. In between sits millions of dollars of agricultural inventory – new and used – belonging to two implement businesses.

   

We parked in the middle of town and began our tour. We passed the bank and the fire station and crossed the street to the old hotel, a neat-looking building now home to a title business, an attorney’s office, and a restaurant that’s open Sundays and special occasions. Oh – and if you need a hotel room, call one of the three names posted in the window for assistance.

 

At the post office we mailed a card.

Then we came to one of the four (or is it six?) big equipment lots, this one bordered by used John Deere lawnmowers. Mike couldn’t resist. He was on one in a flash and had it running. (Good thing he wasn’t in the market for a combine!) I walked on as if I didn’t know him, but in such a small community I’m sure no one was fooled. Did I think they’d want $500 for the lawnmower, Mike asked. More, I said. The actual asking price was $900. “I’ll keep my old mower,” Mike confided as we moved up the other side of the street. “It sounds better anyway.”

 

We passed a pizza parlor and a bar, both closed and devoid of any sign of life. We wondered if they were viable businesses. A cute little park looked fresh and inviting. We passed another attorney’s office – at least one – and a credit union.  

A weekly newspaper is published here. The sign on the door announced their hours: “When the door is unlocked and someone is inside. When closed, shove news items under the door.”

Nope – no big box stores here -- not even a general store. No pharmacy, no cute little boutique, not even an antique store. Clearly, it’s the place to go only if you’re shopping for a new combine (or maybe an attorney), but you won’t find much else.

Arriving at the grocery store, I took one of their big carts. “Are you getting that much?” asked Mike. Well, I was certainly getting more than I wanted to carry in my arms – bananas, a lemon, a bag of spinach, a head of lettuce, creamer, a loaf of bread, juice, two gallons of milk, and a birthday card for a grandson turning ten. 

“Do we need two gallons of milk?” questioned Mike.

“I think we do,” I said. (One gallon is half gone already, by the way.)

It costs a bit more to buy in a small town, but we agreed it’s good to support the service. KW

IN SEARCH OF SERVICEBERRY

It commenced to rain Friday and the weekend was cold and unsettled, all but confining us to the house. “Decidedly unpleasant,” said Mike as he brought in more wood for the fireplace. When the sun did peek out, it felt warm, but it has been mostly hidden behind the clouds.

Still, we got out for our walks, and Bess especially has enjoyed being outside regardless of the weather. She runs here and there all over the yard and hardly ever lights. She’s gotten downright skinny, and I could Hallie saying, "Dad, Bess is too skinny; you need to feed her." So this morning I slipped her extra food. She thanked me with three little hops.

 

Frankly, I’m surprised that we outlasted that spell of rain and cold and remained at the farmhouse. In fact, I didn’t bring a lot of food – or anything else – because I know Mike. I just knew that sometime during the weekend he would say, “Well, there’s no use staying here. Let’s go back to town.” Boy! Did he surprise me! Not only are we still here, but we’re going to have to go for basic food items, although we really have plenty. It would be a long time before we’d starve.

 

Today dawned bright but cold – 34.7 when I got up at 6:00. The sun is shining and the air seems to be warming quickly. So, I’m washing again, especially since our supply of rag towels is dirty, having been used to clean the dogs when they come into the house.

The serviceberry is in bloom, and I’ve had such fun seeing how much grows here. I just don’t remember seeing it in bloom before, but maybe I just wasn’t alive to it. Naturally, down in the valley it blooms earlier. Looking for it in the summertime, I found it difficult to distinguish it from other bushy trees. The blossoms are distinctive, though, and on our walks I’ve made note of where it grows.

As I recall, serviceberry fruits rather early, so I must take care not to let “Serviceberry Fest” pass me by. The jelly is really quite tasty, milder than elderberry. I have friends who prefer it. KW

 The pictures: 1) A storm silhouettes the old barn. 2) Bess on point. Her enthusiasm in the field warms her master's heart. 3) A serviceberry tree in "the park." 4) A serviceberry grows behind the apple tree in  the lane. Who knew? 5) Serviceberry -- closer up. 6) Serviceberry on the canyon rim.