Never thought retirement would be like this

[NancyNGA]

Thank you, Meanderer. I read those dos and don'ts.

I posted the perimeter last winter. No way I'd try to detain anyone. Don't want anyone to get hurt over this. And I've learned about self-imposed time-outs to prevent overreaction. There are a couple of neighbors who have called me over the years to tell me other neighbors are trespassing, but they wouldn't name anyone and wanted to remain anonymous themselves. So I'm not sure a no-trespassing cooperative would work. Lack of communication is a problem, but communication doesn't work too well either, because what I tell them I want, they just don't seem to want to hear.

I'm actually more of an optimist than my posts might reflect. Really think this might do the trick, at least for a while.

Btw, on one of the 3 new signs I wrote:

HAVE YOUR FISH SCALES
CALL NANCY X: XXX-XXX-XXXX, OR
COUNTY SHERIFF: XXX- XXX-XXXX

(I never called the sheriff, but do have a bit of a sneaky streak myself.)

 

[NancyNGA]

All was peaceful and quiet out at the pond this afternoon.

Here are some of the bluegill eating catfood, from 2 or 3 days ago. They are pretty small.

Must not feed the bass.

 

[NancyNGA]

Since last time it's been very hot and humid. AC finally died upstairs and they are coming tomorrow to fix it. Did just a fraction of the hedge and the clippings filled the back of the truck. That's how overgrown it is.

String trimming around the house and garage at the farm this afternoon. Set up a cattle rub for the goats. Afternoon thunder popped up out of nowhere, but just a sprinkle, so took off down to the lake.

[BTW, in Ohio everything was called a lake. It was only a pond if you could wade across it waist deep. In Georgia, everything is called a pond, unless it is really huge, like Lake Erie, and I've tried to use the right term down here, but it never sticks, so I give up.]

No signs of activity. The only thing of note was two high-powered rifle shots coming from the side where the fishermen are entering the property. Not trying to hype anything---rifle fire goes on almost every day somewhere out there, so you start to not even notice, but these were loud. The neighbor's property on that side is up for sale. Could be no one is living in the house now and might explain some things.

Apparently the power went off briefly while I was down there. The well water is loaded with iron that settles in the pipes. When the pump starts back up, the rust comes pouring out of water lines, and you have to run all that rust out. This is what the water from the hose looks like when that happens. Can you believe it!? (Sorry, I can't help myself. It is just too easy to take pictures with this darned phone.)

 

[NancyNGA]

A very good day today. AC contractor showed up.

Verdict on upstairs unit (air handler in the attic): Capacitor melt down. Didn't even need Freon (miracle).

While they were there, downstairs unit started dripping water into overflow pan---frozen up from leaking Freon, and maybe from overworking it, too. Had no idea anything was wrong with it. Saved a second visit, maybe for the rest of the summer anyway.

An afternoon thunderstorm popped up and wet everything down big time, so I didn't have to finish mowing back lawn or trim hedge. Loafed the rest of the day and caught up on some sleep, in a very cool house. And why I'm up late tonight.

 

[NancyNGA]

The most exciting (not) thing that has happened since last time: Truck tire began leaking air badly Saturday at the farm. Lucky there is an air compressor out there. Located screw in tire. Limped to service station today and got it plugged.

We are now fully into the season of the dreaded Scattered Afternoon Thundershowers (SATs) in Georgia. Probably had those in OH and NC, too, but didn't notice or care then. They pop up out of nowhere and create steam bath conditions afterwards. Too many jobs on the to-do list that require no rain and no lightning, so a lot of wasted time due to poor planning on my part.

Tomorrow starts a whole week with no SAT's predicted, but very hot, peaking at 99F Sunday! Regardless, I've got to take advantage and get busy. Too much loafing lately.

 

[Meanderer]

Nancy. be sure to check the ground around your latest outdoor project for more screws. You don't want Deja-screw! Also use caution working in the extreme heat, alone. Don't take the weather personally.

 

[NancyNGA]

Jim, funny you would happen to mention that. It was a sheet metal screw, and I don't do metal projects (yet ).

Driving out to the farm the truck didn't handle very well. Turns out they left that tire with 45 lbs pressure in it. On the side it says NEVER use more than 40 psi!

Checked the fence today and sprayed weeds growing on and around it. Cut limbs hanging out over the road so you can go faster without getting hit in the face if you forget to duck. Only got half done. Will try to finish tomorrow. Found where the fishermen are entering and put up 2 more signs, one right where they come over the fence. Met 4 new neighbors along the way---guinneas. What a racket they made! Same neighbors had a peacock a few years ago.

Next I'd like to remove the trees and bushes growing on the dam, but it is also covered in briars. That is a really unpleasant job, and all out in the direct sun. Wish I could find my dad's scythe. (I think he might have sold it in a garage sale.) I'd learn to use it or die trying.

The two neighbor ladies out there mow their lawns as much as my mother did. What's with all the lawn-mowing?! Now I've got to keep up with them.{sigh}

 

[NancyNGA]

Ta-Da!

I found it! It seems sharp, but maybe not sharp enough??? It's obviously been used many, many times. Have a sinking feeling this may be one of those things I just can't ever learn. But I'll give it a try on the briars on the dam, maybe tomorrow, if there is time left.

Finished the fence spraying today. This is a once-a-year job, and it gets easier every year. The weeds and vines seem to have finally just decided to surrender, after all these years. layful:

 

[Pappy]

Glad you found it Nancy. My grandfather was a master with one of these cutters. He would be out there swinging that thing in hot weather. He always wore long sleeve shirts at it seems like he would roast.

It needs to be sharp to do the job. He had some type of stone he ran across it to sharpen.

 

[NancyNGA]

Thanks Pappy. I'm looking around the house for a whetstone or file or something. I never could sharpen anything either, so I've got two strikes against me.

Here we go.. And she does it barefoot, too.

It should be easier with tall thick stuff (maybe?)

 

[Meanderer]

It's a perfectly safe tool, Nancy.....just don't go and cut your leg off!

 

[NancyNGA]

Jim, thanks for the video. I think I know why guys in those videos sharpen their scythes so much. It's in order to take a break and still look cool. Name a muscle group and you need it. Just a few minutes and it's time for a break.

These briars are as big around as your pinky finger, and they *are* easier to cut than grass. Still can't do grass. But who wants to do grass anyway. Was only going to make a few swaths down to the base of a half dozen trees that need to be sawed off, but once I got the hang of it I couldn't stop. The dam now looks like a wave of destruction hit it, and still didn't quite make it to the trees. Will get there next time.

Mixed in with greenbriars, and just plain old sticky briars, are volunteer blackberries. They taste better than commercial ones, but they are smaller and don't all get ripe at the same time. Had to stop and eat all the ripe ones. Another good excuse to take a break. Blackberries are my favorite.

The job I went out to do didn't get done, but it wasn't that important.

 

[Meanderer]

(Substitute "Scythe" for "Axe")

The Wood-Choppers Contest


Once upon a time there were two men in a wood-chopping contest. They were tasked with chopping down as many trees in the forest as they could from sun-up to sun-down. The winner would be rewarded with both fame and fortune.


From morning till noon, both men steadily chopped and chopped. By noon they were neck and neck, but then one man took a break and stopped chopping. The other man saw this and thought to himself: “The lazy fool, he’s probably taken a break for lunch. He’s given me a chance to get ahead of him and I will without doubt win this contest!”


A while later the man got back to work. As the day continued he chopped more trees than his hard-working (and hungry) competitor and by mid-afternoon he had taken a clear lead.


When sundown came, the man who had taken the break at noon had chopped almost twice as many trees as the other man, who was drenched in sweat, hungry and exhausted.


“How did you beat me?” he asked puzzled. “You were lazier than I and even took a break for lunch!”


“Ah,” said the other man, “I did take a break, but it was during that break, that I sharpened my axe.”


Moral of the story:
Taking time out to sharpen your axe is worth many hours of hard toil.

 

[NancyNGA]

Moral of the story: Taking time out to sharpen your axe is worth many hours of hard toil.

Those were great stories!

BTW, I *did* sharpen that scythe---three times in 3 hours. And I think I did it right, too.

Could have written 6 pages on all the details of the day yesterday, but controlled myself, and left that part out.

The problem with cutting grass is that you need smooth level ground, with no rocks, so you can keep it low to the ground. That doesn't exist in NE Georgia, except in the city.

 

[Pappy]

Sorry, Nancy. I couldn't resist posting this.
Accuracy matters.

 

[NancyNGA]

Accuracy matters.

It sure would!

:lol1:

 

[Meanderer]

Look sharp!

 

[NancyNGA]

Nice picture of the old man.

Blackberries always remind me of the neighbors who lived across the street in town years ago---a young couple. She was from Chicago, he was from rural NC. She and I tried jogging early in the mornings for a while. Didn't last long. When I told her there were blackberries out at the lake she was bound and determined we all go out and pick berries. In my mind there may be no more miserable job than picking blackberries in the Georgia heat with long sleeves and pants to avoid the thorns, but we arranged it.

Just before we started out I brought out a can of insect repellant---for the chiggers and ticks. She said she wasn't going to put any chemicals on her body and refused, in spite of pleadings from her husband. She had never heard of chiggers before.

In a day or two, she came by and her legs were almost like one big continuous chigger bite from the ankles up. They usually crawl up under your clothes to you armpits and around your waist, too, so I can't even imagine how miserable that must have been. Her husband and I had none. I got a half dozen from the last few days out there and even those drive you nuts with the itching. I bet she never went berry picking again.

Went out very late yesterday because of the heat. The dandelions have blossomed all over the lawn, and at an angle it looks like the lawn is overgrown, so I mowed them. That was the most fun mowing yet, because I set the blade up high and could go at top speed. Then finished a job that involved taking out the boat. It is really nice out there just before dark. The wind usually stops, the water is still, the frogs begin. Haven't heard Mr. Bullfrog lately.

 

[Meanderer]

 

[NancyNGA]

RE: Seamus Heaney - Blackberry Picking

Oh my! What a nice poem, but such a surprisingly negative ending.
.
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[NancyNGA]

Here is another one, Death of a Naturalist, by Seamus Heaney, about bullfrogs! What a coincidence!

"...The warm thick slobber of frogspawn that grew like clotted water in the shade of the banks."

Update: Scattered afternoon showers are back, but it's starting to get dry so that's good, and I got the front lawn and half the back mowed. Quick trip out to the lake to check on the goats. Really loud rifle fire just before dark on the back side---five shots. I don't know how the folks out there can afford all their guns and ammunition. Tomorrow will try to finish back lawn, if it doesn't rain.

Once-a-year jobs that still need to be finished:
Front and back sides of the dam. (2 days)
Major hedge cut back (2-3 days, only because of hauling off of limbs)
A few more bushes cut around the lake. (2 days?)

As usual, putting it in writing again because I want to get it done and off the to-do list.

 

[Meanderer]

Thanks, Nancy, for the great poem about frogspawn, by Famous Seamus! He is a newly discovered favorite of mine. I think you should go out in the evening, and fire off your shotgun a few times....to mark your territory!

 

[NancyNGA]

...I think you should go out in the evening, and fire off your shotgun a few times....to mark your territory!

Funny you mention that. Last week I did answer with a couple shots with my old trusty .22, just to let them know someone else was nearby, but the pitiful little ping it makes was so pathetic. Actually they stopped for a while, then resumed. I'm trying to learn how to fit in.

 

[NancyNGA]

Phone call today. Man said he was an "engineer" and wanted to set up a time to look at the dam for the new drain system---Friday afternoon if possible, but next Tuesday for sure. He didn't mention the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service). He said the contractor told him I had set aside a certain amount of funds for the project. This is rather odd, and makes me think he was hired, instead, to estimate the total cost of the project.

No need to speculate any more, I'll see him by Tuesday. It's just that I like to be prepared for spur-of-the-moment decisions. I'm no good at those.

Do I dare get optimistic?
.
.
.
ps. Finished mowing back lawn this evening. Phone said it was 97F at 7pm. Skeptical of that, but it was tough going. Otherwise loafed around all day.

 

[Meanderer]

When you meet with the "Engineer", follow John Wayne's advice....Talk slow...and say as little as possible. I thought I remember you getting into the boat with a shotgun, to check on fishermen across the "pond"?