OF DOGS AND NAPS IN THE GRASS

“We need to watch the dogs for ticks,” I casually observed.

I don’t remember what Mike said. Perhaps he just grunted, or snorted derisively, or maybe he said it was too soon.

At any rate, I was scratching Bess’ ears for her on Sunday after our trip to the farm when I found a tick on the underside. Then I found one crawling on the wall in the bedroom.

“Are you sure?” asked Mike. “Maybe it was a little spider.”

I assure you -- I know the difference between little spiders and ticks.

The next tick I found was crawling on Mike’s biking shorts as they hung in the bathroom. I don’t know where all these ticks came from. Perhaps that nap on the lawn at the farm had something to do with it.

Then, on Monday, as I was again scratching Bess’ ears, I picked another tick off her.

“Oh yeah?” said Mike. “I haven’t found any on her but she has a wart behind her left ear.”

“No, she doesn’t!” I answered, knowing full well that that was a tick, too. I dug deeply through her thick fur and confidently pulled the “wart” off.

“Okay,” said Mike. “I’ll treat her.” Out came the Bio-Spot and little Bess had her first tick-repelling treatment.

We haven’t found any ticks on Nellie, but when we go back to the farm, she’ll get a treatment, too.

Bess is such an energetic pup. Nellie is a bit of a “pillow potato.” Even in youth, she appreciated her morning nap on her pillow and extra recovery time after a hunt. Not so Bess. She’s excited to get out and participate in whatever is happening. If she gets a little tired, a short nap will bring her back to life. KW

"In your Easter bonnet . . ."

Last weekend at the farm, while Mike was outside hard at work on his spring chores, I was focused on making an Easter bonnet “with frills upon it” for granddaughter Emmy’s American Girl doll.

I finished the dress last week from a pattern I purchased through Pixie Faire called “Jennifer and Kate” from Jelly Bean Soup Designs. The pattern is simple and the design flattering to the doll's rather blocky shape. I used scraps of cotton fabric for the bodice. The ruffled skirt is an eyelet border. I loved that the bodice is lined and all seams enclosed.

 

(I requested and received a picture of Emmy's Easter dress (right) so that I would have some idea as to style. I would love to have more nearly matched the fabric and colors but couldn't find that in this limited market.)

Well, after I finished the dress, it had to have a bonnet. I get these ideas, and then nothing is right but that I follow through. Sometimes I forget that these are issues only within myself. Is that what it means to be obsessive?

Anyway, I couldn’t find a hat pattern that fit my conception of a little girl’s Easter bonnet in my rather extensive pattern collection. What came to mind were the thread hats that my mother crocheted as Christmas decorations. What would happen, I asked myself, if I used one of those patterns with cotton yarn (such as we use for crocheting dishcloths) and a bigger hook?

Mother’s collection of thread ornament patterns is stored at the farm, so as soon as I could get to it, I sought them out. Yes – there it was – a fine example of a frilly bonnet. (This instruction pamphlet is “Victorian Accents” from Annie’s Attic, 1993.) I grabbed my cotton yarn and a size F hook and started to crochet. I had to know if this idea was going to work. I crocheted now and then and it didn’t take long, as projects go. By Saturday morning I had finished the bonnet.

 

Come Monday, the dress, the bonnet, and a pair of shoes and socks were addressed to Emmy and mailed from Gramma’s Scrap Bin.

Oh – I could write a sonnet

About this Easter bonnet . . . KW

FIRST OVERNIGHTER AT THE HOMESTEAD -- 2014

The plumber repaired the pipe on Wednesday (April 9), and the farmhouse was good to go. So, Mike and I headed there on Friday (April 11) with enough stuff to make ourselves comfortable overnight. That included t.v. but not internet. (Yes, I did have “connection withdrawal.”)

We worked hard those two days, and when I say “we,” it was mostly Mike. Mike’s work was well-defined, as usual. He turned on the water and made sure it was okay after the repair work. The water line to the refrigerator was leaking, so he identified the problem (a crack in the pump). We found the manual, located a phone number, and he ordered the new part with a phone call to “Greg.” He tried to repair a toilet, but that will also require a new part. He serviced and lubed the lawnmower. I helped him pick up limbs in the grove, and he hauled them to the burn pile. (Some limbs were large enough that he cut them up for the fireplace.)

My work pales by comparison. I unpacked what we brought, cleaned the kitchen sinks and counters, prepared our meals and ran the dishwasher to make sure it was all right. (If it isn’t okay, I prefer to know in the daytime rather than at night.) I washed the interior of the refrigerator, and that was probably my major overall accomplishment. My efforts to pick up the house and put things where they belong involved many trips up and down the stairs. I dusted the master bed and bath, made the bed, set the clocks, etc. As evening approached, I made a fruit cocktail cake for dessert. I had no nuts for the topping – at least, none that I found until the next day -- but I threw in a handful of dried cherries, and that was a nice addition. And – I must have my little diversions, so I found a crochet pattern and began a project. (More about that in another post.)

I also assessed the pantry and started our list for the next trip – groceries and supplies we need to bring. We both add to the list as we discover or think of things we need. We keep the list in a steno notebook which (hopefully) travels back and forth with us.                                         

Saturday morning, the dogs were up at 6:00 and whining for attention at the door. Bess is a very vocal dog, but when it comes to whining for entry, she lets Nellie do the work. Later Mike discovered their sleeping accommodations probably weren’t as comfortable as they should have been. When he checked the dogloo, he didn’t notice a bag of extra wood shavings stuffed in there. We don’t know where they slept, but they didn’t complain until 6:00. Nellie did seem extra tired but Bess, being a young dog, was ready for anything “fun guy” wanted to do.                                                                                                     

Saturday Mike lubed the windmill, sprayed the lane and the drive to kill/inhibit the weeds (several hours of real work), and spread gravel where the wash in the lane occurred. 

 

We also transplanted some “Crown Imperial” frittalaria and hope that our work will be rewarded. We won’t know until next year. 

 

Yes, it’s true. What Mike accomplishes always sounds much more impressive than what I do. On the other hand, I do the packing and unpacking, the meal prep and clean up, and when we get home, I’m still have the unpacking and my evening chores to do. But – I have resolved that this year the house will get a good cleaning and that will start with the next trip.

 

Mike was so tired Saturday afternoon that before we left for town, he took a nap on the lawn. The dogs kept him company. KW

OPENING THE FARMHOUSE

As I mentioned in a previous post, Mike and I headed to the farm Saturday afternoon (April 5) in hopes of de-winterizing the farmhouse. The major task is to turn on the water and hopefully heave a sigh of relief that the pump, the tanks, the pipes, the faucets, etc., are all functional. Well, we didn’t get that sigh of relief this year. To continue and go on (as Ina would say) –

The situation was that the holding tank in the mechanical room would build pressure when turned off, but as soon as we turned it on, we could hear a rush of water. The pressure in the tank quickly decreased to the point of automatic shut off. Mike thought the problem was between the holding tank and the hot water tank. I wasn’t so sure. I thought I could hear water under the house. I sent Mike back down there several times, and he couldn’t find a leak.

Well, it was mid-afternoon Saturday and neither the pump guy nor the plumber were available, but it was clear that we needed more information. We hadn’t intended to stay anyway, so we set about our other errands. Mike got the 4-wheeler running and loaded it on the trailer so that we could pull it back to Clarkston. I unloaded the boxes of supplies and then prepared Hallie’s little mission rocker for the trip to town so that we can take it to her.

 

Of course I toured the yard, and Bess and I walked down the lane to inspect the water damage there. The lane did wash a bit during the run-off and will have to be fixed. However, it could be worse. We can drive over it.

First thing Monday morning Mike called the pump guy, who advised him to check a valve on the side of the hot water tank. We decided to return to the farm Tuesday afternoon (April 8), which was yesterday. It was a lovely warm afternoon – perfect for a trip into the upper country.

At the house, Mike found the valve on the hot water tank was closed as it should be, so that meant the problem was elsewhere. Therefore, he donned old clothes – really old clothes – and once again disappeared under the house through the access door in the mechanical room. This time he persisted until he found the broken line, which was under the kitchen sink in an area difficult to access. A previous repair on that pipe had come loose. Well, now we knew we needed a visit from the plumber. Arrangements were made before we left Gilbert.

I just feel at a loss without water. Water at the farmhouse still seems magical to me since I remember the years when we had to carry it. Mike was wet when he came up from under the house, so he went to the pond to rinse off. Rinsing off in the pond? You have to wonder about that.

And speaking of the pond, it’s full and there’s water in the spillway, but we notice that it’s dry towards the barn. In other words, we don’t have the standing water we have seen in the past, which is good – and bad. We may not have as much water in reserve this year.

Before leaving the house, we swept and/or vacuumed. Of course, Nellie and Bess enjoyed the outings to the farm. Bess runs all around while Nellie quietly explores. Yes, she’s slowing down, but she’s learned that you don’t have to rush around to be good at what you do. 

After completing chores, we drove back to town, arriving before suppertime. 

[Photos: 1) The farmhouse in the distance. 2) Daffodils -- the fruits of my labor last fall. 3) Crown Imperial Frittalaria. 4) The wash out in the lane. 5) More daffodils and Crown Imperial. 6)  Nellie poking around at the pond. 7) The barn reflected in the pond -- and if you look closely, you can see a pair of ducks.] KW