July 08, 2012 Sunday

July 08, 2012 Sunday
Saturday was so full of adventures that I did not have time to write. I got the milking done an hour early. In fact I could have skipped it entirely had I known that I was to discover Ella in with her mom. She and Milton had escaped their paddock and she had of course drunk most of the milk. She left me three quarts.
Nancy came down at 9am and drove me up to the village to Dot Mason’s house where Steve Brown picked us up in the Model T. There was a little parade for Carthage Old Home Days. Martin and family and Shireen were among the onlookers. There was an extensive flea market but the sun was so hot that I did not shop. Martin returned me to the house.
At 2:30 another 200 square bales arrived on two wagons. Holly and Richard, Martin and Amy and their friend Brett and of course Ernie, who is staying here, were a wonderful crew. All I had to do was make lemonade. I also had a big bowl of Mitra’s Kettle Corn popcorn for them.
Then as if that weren’t enough, Martin and Amy invited me out to the lake to have supper with them. Martin took me for a sail in the Hobie Cat. There was a brisk breeze and we skipped along amazingly. Henry (4) was with us maintaining a tight hold on the tiller.
Brett’s wife Sarah joined us for dinner bringing a beautiful quiche-like tart and we also had some sausages and ground beef patties and salad. Hannah and Eli, Sarah and Bret’s son, served a gelatin dessert they had made.
Sarah had just returned from nearly a month in Tanzania where she is working with a group attempting to establish schools and libraries. They are pretty much starting from zero. Few know how to read and that includes all of the women. The women are virtually slaves. The men get all the meat. The women are given only the guts. The dogs are fed better. The women do beautiful bead work which the men sell and then keep the money. One good thing; quite a few of the homes have cows provided by Heifer International. Things are better in these homes.
Back home, I succeeded in getting Ella into her old calf pen and this morning got about 1 ¾ gallons of milk, what Fern had accumulated during the night. I let Ella loose for the day but separated her again around 3pm. I need someone to find the breech and repair the fence.
The weather today was very lovely. I went to the garden to weed and harvest but could only take the mosquitoes for 15 minutes
July 09, 2012 Monday
We had beautiful weather today. For much of the day there was enough breeze to dispel the mosquitoes. The only gardening I did was watering my many potted plants because the hay crew was here again and I made lunch for them. I made a big batch of mac n’ cheese. I got another 75 bales. Holly and Richard helped out again. They spent a few minutes picking currants and gooseberries. I am hoping to have enough time to make a pie.
I now have over 500 bales.
Ernie repaired the paddock fence and he and Martin’s friend Brett got the critters sorted so that Ella and Milton are once again confined. Fern is very upset about this.
Shireen has gone home for a couple of days (her days off).
July 11, 2012 Wednesday
It was a sunny day and reached about 80F.
Fern is still doing a lot of mooing for Ella thanks to their two days together. They can touch noses over the fence but that is not good enough it seems.
It was so sunny that I had to water everything on the deck twice. Sally’s pot of fluffy carnations and the nicotiana and scabiosa are all blooming well. My Peace rose has its third big bloom. The sweet peas are struggling in the heat.
I am now leaving the door open for my family of hen and chicks and they are beginning to emerge but all scuttle back when they see me. They expect to be fed in their room.
The sheep are so funny. They want desperately to be let into their loose box by 6:30 at the latest even though it is still broad daylight. Two of the lambs, the twins I think, are a bit foolish and don’t come with the others. Instead they run under the ramp and I have to reach under with a broom and poke them out.
Ernie and Shireen were both here for supper. We had pork chops cooked by Shireen. Ernie brought a bunch of live crawfish from the river and boiled them. Apparently the river is full of them. Who knew? I had never eaten them before and had to be persuaded. Of course they were very good.
July 12, 2012 Thursday
It was hot again today, quite debilitating. Yesterday Nancy staked up the tomatoes and today I carried water to them. The plants look good and many have green tomatoes. Such a thrill to see them.
Ernie left today for California taking the little dog, Whiskey. I never got to see the dog.
Old friend Lester Averill dropped off a huge amount of rhubarb for me. I somehow missed seeing him.
Don Houghton, who has been bush hogging the fields, reported that one of the front tires on the Kubota degenerated around the rim and must be replaced. So no more field work until Martin gets a replacement. In fact he intends to replace both of the tires now. Martin and the kids came by on their way to camp and picked me up to join them for supper, once again a cookout with the Shifrin’s. It was lovely at the lake, not as hot as here. Amy stayed back in Biddeford so as to attend her exercise group that meets on the beach, and a board meeting. Shireen brought me home when she got off work.
July 13, 2012 Friday
Another very hot steamy day.
Fern is back up over 2 ½ gallons.
Nancy worked today, mostly weed trimming. She also cut out most of a rapidly growing patch of sumac and pitched it over the river bank. I did not get down to the lower garden but worked around the house a bit mostly watering. I stewed one of the Coburn Farm roosters from the freezer and cooked garbanzo beans. I am making progress in the A1A2 book, Devil in the Milk by Keith Woodford.
Shireen has been lent a very nice viola by Laurie K. She immediately began practicing when she got home from work at 9:15.