July 01, 2012 Sunday

July 01, 2012 Sunday The crows have eaten every single corn plant. Very discouraging. I don’t think I will try to replant, it is so late now. The cabbages are badly damaged by something, slugs I think. I dusted them with DE and sprinkled Sluggo around them. My first calendula opened. I have a nice row of them and they are doing well. The tomatoes look good. I visited the lower garden very briefly. Eventhough I sprayed myself well, the mosquitoes were terrible. I raced around picking a few last asparagus spears and ran for cover. I have certainly never seen them this thick. The planters on the deck that Sally planted with carnations and nicotiana are blooming splendidly and scenting the night air. I had a box of exceptionally good strawberries and decided to make biscuits and make myself strawberry shortcake with whipped Jersey cream for a lonely supper. Delicious. Sally called. She told me that her DS Rafe in Haines AK is getting a new tractor tomorrow. There are many bears around. Shireen called from work when her shift ended. The campers are having a bonfire and she wanted to join her friends in the company of a young man. July 02, 2012 Monday It has been another blistering hot sticky humid day with clouds of mosquitoes. But nothing like the suffering in some other parts of the country. However there is something about too many mosquito bites that fries my disposition. Fern gave 2 ½ gallons. She and the two young ones are beginning to accept their new reality (separation!) and are doing less bellowing. Fern went farther out in the pasture to graze. She has been hanging close by. The lambs are getting a lot better about charging in with their mothers instead of orbiting off in silly directions when I open the door to let them in. I am going to let out my hen with 10 chicks tomorrow. They are getting restless in confinement even though it is a big airy room. Some of the chicks keep squeezing out through cracks to explore. DD Marcia in CA now has layer pullets, ducklings and bees. She is about to get meat birds and after her visit here next month plans on rabbits. She also had a veg garden and is canning wild fruit. She has a big crop of grapes coming along too. But there is a pack of coyotes in the surrounding woodland. DD Sally in Haines AK was walking along the beach yesterday watching her feet and almost ran into two young male grizzlies. Maybe she should just move to Tia Juana where it is comparatively safe. July 03, 2012 Tuesday Not so hot today. Mitra’s folks, Marie and Alex, came over with Shireen’s new car so she could test drive it. They will keep the car during their stay in Maine. We had tea and cookies that Shireen made. The baby chicks and their mother did not choose to go out after all so tomorrow I will just keep them shut in. Nancy thinned out some trees near the road. Wednesday, The Fourth of July The day started out rainy but cleared about 11am.Holly and Richard picked me up and together we went to Martin and Amy’s camp for a cook-out. Holly brought quinoa salad, Richard brought strawberry buckle, I brought ground beef, beans, ice cream and raspberry sauce, Marie brought pre dinner snacks, Mitra brought potato salad and cole slaw, Martin and Amy had local sausages made in Biddeford. Martin took people out for boat rides. Roshan played with the little kids for hours as usual. Shireen was able to break away briefly from work in the kitchen at Kawanhee Boys’ Camp. Everyone had a fine time. Neither the heat nor the mosquitoes were so bad at the lake. It started to rain again about 4pm after I was back at the farm. Neighborhood fireworks caused me to bring in both dogs and hold Willie in my lap. July 05, 2012 Thursday Hot and sunny today. My grandson-in-law, Ernie, arrived for a 10 day visit with the commission to pickup one of DD Marcia’s Chihuahuas that she is getting back. Friends dropped him off here. Mitra stopped in as did Shireen, and they went to the DMV for their licenses. Afterwards we all harvested a big bag of comfrey for Nellie. The consensus among experts studying her symptoms is that she has a uterine infection. While in the garden I was able to pick some marigold flowers for my tea. The chickens are really hiding their eggs. I only found 3. Nancy came for a few hours and vacuumed. She even vacuumed the driveway where I broke a glass jar. July 06, 2012 Friday Today went well. Ernie setup my A/C window unit. I had him put it in my office window. Now my fingers don’t stick to the keys as sweat runs down my face. The unit easily handles this little room. What with the A/C and taking showers, I gained the courage to suit up in mosquito proof pants and shirt and worked in the garden for nearly an hour. So far this year the potato bugs are few. The Japanese beetles are hitting the roses. I observed the chickens springing into the air, pecking at a rose to knock loose the bugs, then all pouncing on them. Useful chickens! I have to get up early tomorrow so as to be at the fire house by 9am. Saturday is Carthage Old Home Days and Dot Mason and I will ride in the flivver. ©Copyright 2012 Joann S. Grohman