CORNER CHRONICLE
Day to day life stories
Summer Heat
Sweat dripping from my brow this morning as I was weeding in the flower beds. As much as I do not like weeding, it does remind me of time with my sweet mama. Oh, how I miss her! She loved geraniums and petunias on her back porch but the shade garden was a favorite spot. It was filled with a variety of hostas, lamb’s ear, lily of the valley, and many others. I don’t know how mama kept up on all the weeding and home management as well as helping daddy on the farm with mowing and chores. I now understand why she was always tired but tried to give us her best, even at the end of the day.
The summer heat reminds me of the days we spend baling hay. All my cousins would come over and my grandpa and we would beg for who got to ride the wagon. My daddy usually drove the tractor and we were to catch the bales coming out of the baler and then the boys would stack them. Once we filled the wagon to almost toppling over, we would head back to the barn to offload into the loft. We were blessed to have a hay elevator which made the job just a little easier for the one on the ground. But the real sweaty job was stacking in the heat of the hay loft. I”ll never forget that narrow ladder that was tucked tight against the wall, and you would have to practically jump over the open hole at the top so as not to fall back through. But once the work was done for the day, mom would have homemade potato salad and corn on the cob, sandwiches, and lemonade for all us workers. The best part of baling hay was the family around the table what had worked together to make things happen.
Riding bikes was another pastime in the summer, usually before we would head to grandma’s around the bend to hit the pool. But often we had to work before we could play. Grandpa and Grandma had a massive garden, so there was always weeding to be done but also peas to shell. My cousin and I were like “water dogs”; we couldn’t get enough of the pool so we did what we had to do to enjoy the pool. But, we had to make sure not to splash grandma or get her hair wet before church. If we were good, Grandma would send us down to the deep freezer in the basement to get her homemade zucchini bread…it was the best reward!
Up and Running
The farm life is up and running and busy as ever! The barn, arena, and fences were finally finished and the animals are home! Oh, by the way, we inherited a Dartmoor pony when we moved our Arabian gelding home. He doesn’t not enjoy sharing food but cannot stand for her to be out of his sight-such a goofball! They are enjoying their two acres of grass as well as their smaller paddocks in the backyard. The foxhounds are happy to run free in their fenced in yard! We have rescued a wren from inside the greenhouse who had knocked herself out as well as caught two twin fawns and returned them to the woods and back to mama doe. The horses and hounds all had a workout during that morning! The iris, peonies, and azaleas are done blooming but we are now enjoying the gladiolas, roses, and hydrangeas. We even had some surprise calla lilies we didn’t know had been previously planted! The greenhouse is a work in progress as it still needs painted and planned out a bit. The raised garden beds were put on hold for this year. The weeds have no problem growing even when the weather is not profitable for the grass, but alas, they will still be there tomorrow. I must say seeing our horses in the morning when we wake up is a joy!
Farm Life
So we bought a farm! It’s a manageable size and a dream come true! Having grown up on a farm, it feels like coming home. A small brick ranch overlooking fence lines while nestled among the pines. Being built in the 70’s, it needed a little refreshment inside but the majority of our plans will take shape on the acreage. We had to upgrade all the electric in the house and gave everything a fresh coat of relaxing gray.
We have been here just a couple of months and have already provided the landscaping some much needed TLC. There appear to be remnants of daffodils and lilies scattered throughout the flower beds…spring will be a pleasant surprise! Many trees have been trimmed and shaped, such as the big cedar up front and the overgrown rose of sharon close to the house. A recent wind storm gave us plenty of use on the tractor, having to cut down and clean up a white pine that took out a power line.
After pulling vines from the fenced backyard, I spent a month dealing with contact dermatitis of some kind. But, it looks SO much better along the fence rows. But there were days I wondered if the incessant itching was worth it. We cut up several branches off the apple tree for firewood. By the way, the firewood and wood stove saved our pipes and our sanity during that bitter cold weekend when the tree took out the power.
The quaint greenhouse, pieced together with antique windows, intrigues my imagination for the spring months that can’t get here soon enough. As well as the raised garden beds just waiting for new plants to reside in their fertile earth. Having fresh vegetables this summer will be work but a delight on the dinner plate.
The biggest project before us is adding to the temporary out building and creating actual stalls for the horses that will be coming in the spring. Expanding the riding ring, foraging trails through the woods, and adding an additional paddock are also projects on the near horizon.Ohhhh…it will be a day of rejoicing when I can look out and see our horse grazing, knowing he’s finally home.