Summer, it's a Scorchin'
The past two weekends have shed some light on how difficult and rewarding changes in our new life really are. It has set the tone for the future in ways that I'm not sure I was expecting. Since our last post some monumental things have taken place. Corn has been planted, the chicken coop knows me better than I know myself, aerial drone footage, death of a slithering friend, beer has been consumed, smells have wafted, rock has been dropped, piles of trash have been removed, and the sun has tried to burn me to a crisp.
The weekend before Memorial day weekend, we made some of most visible progress we've made to date around the homestead. The chicken coop has finally undergone a major transformation. The south wall was completely removed and replaced and the roof began to be removed. Throughout the week I framed in the windows and removed the remainder of the roof. The biggest task seemed to be getting the shingles off of the old barn 1x10s and navigating them to the dumpster. I've never been simultaneously so dirty and sweaty. This project has pushed me close to defeat a number of times. With the deadline of the dumpster looming over me, the sun pounding down, and the humidity drowning me in my own sweat, I needed to get done. Due to years of sitting behind a desk, I find my joints creak and my muscles ache after this work.
Our driveway was also completely redone. 12 truck loads of rock were strewn about our 1000 foot driveway to mitigate the washouts and potholes. Now we need to try and contain the absolute jungle that is encroaching our only means of entry and exit.
The drone has arrived. Finally. It's a DJI Spark. It's small and capable. I am infatuated with the ability to see our property transform and now the transformation of our land can now be documented from on high. Technology is incredible isn't it?
CORN. The organic, non-gmo, sweet corn is growing. Currently it's about 2-3 inches tall. I never knew it was such a pretty light green as it sprouts. The growth pattern is uniform and delicate, almost like finely crafted artwork. They look so small and delicate that I find it amazing that in such a short time we will be picking ears off the stalks.
The corn and chicken coop progress is a juxtaposition against some of the let downs I've experienced. I have always held animals, especially wild ones, on a high pedestal. When I see a dead animal on the road I have always thought, "it would still be alive if we didn't build roads", etc, etc. When I mow the grass and notice a large katydid fleeing for safety, I stop and provide assistance. Reptiles have a special spot in my heart from when I was child so when they grace me with their presence, I love to soak it in. As I was cleaning up the trash pile I encountered a large bull snake. I believe we have seen this scaley friend last year and to see it again was a relief. The next day I was completing clean up around the chicken coop I found our slithering buddy had entangled itself in a clump of plastic thin chicken mesh. It baked in the sun and strained so much to free itself, the mesh, similar to fishing line, had cut through the scales. What if I had cleaned up the chicken coop the day before?
