The Beast on the Deck

We have a small deck off our bedroom. 

Mr. O and I end most summer evenings on the deck sitting, relaxing, enjoying the view, and sipping some wine.

This summer we are sharing our space with a view blocking visitor.  We jokingly call the visitor: The Beast.

The Beast has been around for about 4 or 5 years, but this year The Beast is spreading her wings - or should I say vines.

 

 

 

The Beast overtaking the deck

 

So our evening conversations this summer often focus on taming The Beast.  Mr. O is quick to suggest a trim.  On the other hand, I would rather wait to give the hair cut. 

 

You see I have a soft spot for The Beast.  In a month of so, she will be gloriously covered with dainty white fragrant flowers.  The smell is intoxicating.  A dead tie in my book between The Beast and lilacs.

 

The Beast is actually a clematis - sweet autumn I believe.

 

But anyway, last night a very cool thing happened.  The Beast appeared to have repeat visitors.  We sat very still.  We watched.  We waited.

 

 

Chipping Sparrow Visiting The Beast

 

Both the male and female sparrows ventured in and quickly out of the bowels of The Beast.  Worms wiggling from their beaks each time they entered - gone on their way out.

 

In between one trip of the parents, we ever so gently moved vines,........and look what we found.

 

 







A Nest of Babies!

So for now The Beast is safe from the barber shears.  We will continue to share our space with The Beast and the family she is housing.

 

Makes for a delightful evening of watching, enjoying, and sharing our space with a blocked view.

 

Lucky to live where we live and definitely noticing the little things this week,......... 

 



Beautiful Evening

Not every July evening has picture perfect weather on New Leaf Farm.  Tonight was AWESOME.

No humidity and in the lower 80's - all we can say here is ahhhhhhhhhh.

Quietly brought home some loads of hay and equipment.

Here is my driver's view.

 

 

Wind in my hair, cool air on my face - taking a look around from the tractor seat.

 

The view beyond the hood of my old M.

 

 

Lucky to live where we live.



Bearing, bales and a little irony

Enough time has went by to now look back on 4th July working holiday.  We have licked our wounds long enough and can now share the experience.

All I can say is we should learn NOT to make plans on New Leaf Farm – gets us every time!

 First there was this: All systems ago!

Baler greased, oiled and ready to roll up some hay.

 

Things went smoothly for awhile. Then the world BEARING came into our vocabulary.

 



Will not bore you with details, but behind this gear is a bearing and it is broke.

 

Without this bearing, no bales can be made. In fact this broken bearing started the hay around it on fire.  Quick thinking Mr. O extinguished it with his always present, always available, (you guessed it) human male anatomy part. This is true - really.  How can one make up something like THIS?

So bad baler bearing at 7pm on July 3 – change of plans.

Out come tools

 

No luck. Shaft will not budge. Cannot get to the bearing to replace it.

Now enter Craig's List. 

Believe it or not we found the exact same model baler for sale within 30 miles. Well maintained, fairly priced and field READY.  So on Friday, July 5th, we are back in the haying business.

Way behind “the plan”, but back in the game.

It was bliss! We were rockin', rollin' and makin' hay.  And then as quickly as things were looking up – it changed.



One of the front tires broke off the tractor.

No. Craig's List was not the answer to this break down.  Mr. O assured me the solution was simple: Get the tractor to house and weld the %&*!* thing.  But how to get it up the hill?

Semi-wrecker to the rescue (apparently they can go off road - through the woods and through the stream to retrieve broken tractors)



 



Now, do you want to hear some irony?

Best as we can decider – our superman to the rescue and tow truck driver is the great grandson to the once owner of New Leaf Farm.

Would this previous owner, who we are sure toiled to squeak a livelihood from these beautiful hills, be proud?

Yes – for sure. But proud of WHO?

Those who continue to look over the grass and woods? Still trying to squeak an income from the steep terrain?

Or his offspring, smart enough to find another means of livelihood - one who drove off in an air conditioned cab and not having to do this before getting out a welder?

Balancing act before the welder comes out.

 

All let you all answer that question.



Hands: working hands - working on the farm hands

Just want to share a quick snippet of the summer activities at New Leaf Farm. 

Needless to say, the "holiday" weekend was eventful, but we can definitely add not so productive, and definitely NOT as planned. 

We will share our adventures, but honestly more time needs to lapse and the psychological wounds need to heal a bit more before we divulge the farm work over the long weekend of the 4th.

Enough of all that.  Soon we will write the details up and add historical details directly relating to New Leaf Farm.  No that is not meant to be a trailer!  Lack of ambition is the reality.

ANYWAY,...........

Today let's focus on hands.  Specifically, working hands - working on the farm hands.

Grease monkey hands from working on *&^~*%*! equipment

(don't you love the worn out jeans?)

 

 

Hands keeping a low profile picking black raspberries as grease monkey hands are working on *&^~*%*! equipment

 

 

My Mr. O pointing out my constant lack of planning. Living proof in a sunburn AND poison ivy.  Got to love the contrast. 

 

 



Good news!  At the end of the day, we still have all 10 digits!

 

 

But now think of this,......what would it be like if Mr. O and I did not have working hands - working on the farm hands? 

 

 How would that look like? 

 

What would we do with all of our time?  Watch TV?  Shop?

 

 

 

He would be crowing and I'd be a cluckin after 'em. 

Enough said.