I admit that this summer has been without pauses. Much of the blame rests with the unexpected shift in Ed's schedule. I did not help matters by including three summer travel adventures this year and by being content (hungry?) to spend many hours with Snowdrop.
Honestly, I liked the pace and for the most part, stayed above water! I feel we accomplished a lot. We learned a tremendous amount and we grew more patient when the days didn't always turn out the way we may have hoped.
When things get crazy around the farmette, what does suffer is the land. Not my flower fields -- I keep an eye on those and do spot weeding and pruning as best as I can. I should have transplanted more and I probably wasn't aggressive enough in the side beds, but for the most part, they're doing very well.
What we neglect are things that we can't immediately see. The grass doesn't get mowed regularly. The orchard didn't get pruned. The grapes are crazily branching out in a very unprofessional manner. The tomatoes? Well, we're picking a lot, nearly every day, as every year...
But they have to grow in chaos because we've stopped tending to the bed a long time ago.
All that is not too important. By next year, the veggie patch will be moved, we'll plant again, the cycle will repeat itself.
Where our lackadaisical manner really has a cumulative negative impact is in long term projects that we start with great visions and aspirations and then we let run away from under our control in subsequent years.
We worked so hard to clean up the raspberry beds the past two years! It takes only one summer for them to get weedy and overgrown again. The same with the asparagus bed which, after all, is a many year investment.
All this to say that after breakfast...
... Ed goes off to work and I attack the raspberries and asparagus. And so my arms are scratched, my back is stretched to the max, my hands pick up a few tough calluses.
But at least I will be able to say that we did not lose our grip on the berry canes and the asparagus stalks this year.
In other farmette news, the two new girls, Oprie and Apple are still huddling together and keeping close to the coop. Which is a good thing. The two big girls pretty much ignore the newcommers. I expect as the new ones get bigger and gain confidence, they'll tag along with Butter and Scotch. For now, Oprie and Apple have each other. And me. I do check on them constantly -- from misty sunrise...
... to dusk.
In the afternoon, I'm back at the house of Snowdrop. Does she wonder -- where has everyone gone? Ah well. The cats remain. Are they her friends?
She thinks so. And I don't think she's wrong.
I resume the mush feedings. Since she is wearing a Helsinki dress, I reach as well for the Helsinki bib.
Snowdrop is enthusiastic, eager, messy and playful. In other words, she eats about as much as she did before: just a few spoonfuls.
She is, as before, energetic, adventurous and very curious. She requires constant oversight!
And finally, one more photo. From our traditional walk around the little lake. The photo shows, I think, that even fast growing Snowdrop remains our own girl -- the one we know and love.
Good night! We all need a good rest tonight. Sweet sweet dreams to all.
Honestly, I liked the pace and for the most part, stayed above water! I feel we accomplished a lot. We learned a tremendous amount and we grew more patient when the days didn't always turn out the way we may have hoped.
When things get crazy around the farmette, what does suffer is the land. Not my flower fields -- I keep an eye on those and do spot weeding and pruning as best as I can. I should have transplanted more and I probably wasn't aggressive enough in the side beds, but for the most part, they're doing very well.
What we neglect are things that we can't immediately see. The grass doesn't get mowed regularly. The orchard didn't get pruned. The grapes are crazily branching out in a very unprofessional manner. The tomatoes? Well, we're picking a lot, nearly every day, as every year...
But they have to grow in chaos because we've stopped tending to the bed a long time ago.
All that is not too important. By next year, the veggie patch will be moved, we'll plant again, the cycle will repeat itself.
Where our lackadaisical manner really has a cumulative negative impact is in long term projects that we start with great visions and aspirations and then we let run away from under our control in subsequent years.
We worked so hard to clean up the raspberry beds the past two years! It takes only one summer for them to get weedy and overgrown again. The same with the asparagus bed which, after all, is a many year investment.
All this to say that after breakfast...
... Ed goes off to work and I attack the raspberries and asparagus. And so my arms are scratched, my back is stretched to the max, my hands pick up a few tough calluses.
But at least I will be able to say that we did not lose our grip on the berry canes and the asparagus stalks this year.
In other farmette news, the two new girls, Oprie and Apple are still huddling together and keeping close to the coop. Which is a good thing. The two big girls pretty much ignore the newcommers. I expect as the new ones get bigger and gain confidence, they'll tag along with Butter and Scotch. For now, Oprie and Apple have each other. And me. I do check on them constantly -- from misty sunrise...
... to dusk.
In the afternoon, I'm back at the house of Snowdrop. Does she wonder -- where has everyone gone? Ah well. The cats remain. Are they her friends?
She thinks so. And I don't think she's wrong.
I resume the mush feedings. Since she is wearing a Helsinki dress, I reach as well for the Helsinki bib.
Snowdrop is enthusiastic, eager, messy and playful. In other words, she eats about as much as she did before: just a few spoonfuls.
She is, as before, energetic, adventurous and very curious. She requires constant oversight!
And finally, one more photo. From our traditional walk around the little lake. The photo shows, I think, that even fast growing Snowdrop remains our own girl -- the one we know and love.
Good night! We all need a good rest tonight. Sweet sweet dreams to all.
