My weekend was delightful, albeit a battle of priorities.
Modern technology, touted to make our lives simpler and less stressful through electronics, is a double-edged sword, and at least in my household, a mixed blessing. A balanced existence comprised of high-tech gadgets, human interaction and simple machines requires dedication and patience.
Anyway, the best part of my weekend began on Saturday as I arrived at my daughter’s house with a pint of freshly picked strawberries for each of the four grandchildren. There is no substitute for bribery and strawberries win the day every time.
Lucky for me, Marley, the oldest granddaughter, had finished her chores and was permitted to spend the day and the night at the farm with me. On Sunday, I would exchange her for my only grandson and a trip to the movies.
They say confession is good for the soul and here is mine: I am an email addict, checking it multiple times throughout the day. I have no idea if it was caused by Friday night’s storm or some elfin –like creature that lives behind the thing called a firewall, but alas, connecting to the Internet was not happening!
His or her royal Googleness allowed me on early Saturday morning, but no such luck when I got back home. Of course, all plans were put on hold while the problem was solved. To my horror, the realization struck hard: I was obsessed. The ominous pods that one did not dare sleep beside in the “Body Snatchers” had transformed into a laptop and were taking over the world, one crazed human at a time. Enough! I shut it down.
Marley and I set off for a road trip in search of unfinished furniture, unknown bargains, yard sale treasures and special plants for the front of the house. It has been three long years, since I began a landscaping project off the front porch. There was nothing there but monkey grass and I wanted color, fragrance and the birds and bees. Thwarted by a severe lack of funds, the three years had been utilized well to research the options.
After more than a few delightful hours of treasure hunting, we returned home with a few trinkets, supper, four beautiful plants and happy spirits. Marley headed for the pool and I, for the shovel.
I could have worked well into the night, but having my granddaughter nearby reminded me of such things as eating and sleeping, and so we did.
The first half of Sunday was spent sharing with Marley the responsibilities of caring and nurturing the well being of the place we call home. We had a fine breakfast, strolled through the garden admiring the plants and vegetables, played with the dogs, sprayed for weeds, chatted with visiting friends and finished planting the new acquisitions.
It was time for Marley to go home and for her brother and me to head for an afternoon at the movies.
The Internet problem? It got fixed on Monday morning.
Until next time, be well.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Summers without AC
Though summer does not officially arrive until June 21 and recently we have had a few bizarre cold snaps, it is time to get the house ready for the oncoming Virginia summer season.
For many of you, it is simply a matter of switching the thermostat from “heat” to “cool,” but at the Nelson household things are a bit less modern.
My first child did not tolerate the heat well and when she suffered, we all suffered! On a particularly hot and humid day, she began to fuss and fume very early and within hours a large window unit was installed.
In time, she acclimated and the window unit was removed, never to return.
~~~~
The “storms” have been pushed up and the “screens” pulled down. This annual early summer practice contributes to a healthier environment and just as importantly, to my pocket book.
There is no mechanical AC here at the farm-just nature’s own. Except for perhaps one week out of the entire summer, it is a comfortable climate.
Frequently, guests comment on the cool temperatures in the house and marvel that it is not the result of conditioned air. My recipe for keeping cool on a hot Virginia day isn’t rocket science, but it may give you some ideas of your own.
It helps if someone 30 to 40 years ago planted trees that now shade the house and capture the breezes. If you are building, think twice before clear cutting the lot!
Porches: big and lots of them. It is like adding several rooms to the house without the large square footage expense of climate controlled space. They capture breezes, shade the house, protect from winter weather and provide a lovely place to enjoy that first cup of coffee or a summer evening.
My cat, Hank, is a huge fan of porches; daily, I open the screen on a window leading to the front porch, and he can come and go at his own discretion. I should tell you that I had to rearrange the porch furniture to stop Scout, the Jack Russell, from using that same mechanism to get in the house, whenever she thought it necessary.
Draw the curtains during the day to keep out the heat and open everything at night to let in the cooler air.
Fans are OK and use very little electrical current; the ceiling fans simply keep the air moving, but a box fan placed in a bedroom window may send you scrambling for a light cover during the night.
And during that one week out of the summer when the heat is stifling and there is not a breeze to be found, consider the following:
• Before bed, reduce your body temperature with a dunk in the pool or creek or consider a serious dowsing with the garden hose.
• Put two or more fans in your bedroom.
• Sleep outside.
• Stay with a friend
• Suck it up and remember how you hated the 15 degree weather last winter.
Until next time, be well.
For many of you, it is simply a matter of switching the thermostat from “heat” to “cool,” but at the Nelson household things are a bit less modern.
My first child did not tolerate the heat well and when she suffered, we all suffered! On a particularly hot and humid day, she began to fuss and fume very early and within hours a large window unit was installed.
In time, she acclimated and the window unit was removed, never to return.
~~~~
The “storms” have been pushed up and the “screens” pulled down. This annual early summer practice contributes to a healthier environment and just as importantly, to my pocket book.
There is no mechanical AC here at the farm-just nature’s own. Except for perhaps one week out of the entire summer, it is a comfortable climate.
Frequently, guests comment on the cool temperatures in the house and marvel that it is not the result of conditioned air. My recipe for keeping cool on a hot Virginia day isn’t rocket science, but it may give you some ideas of your own.
It helps if someone 30 to 40 years ago planted trees that now shade the house and capture the breezes. If you are building, think twice before clear cutting the lot!
Porches: big and lots of them. It is like adding several rooms to the house without the large square footage expense of climate controlled space. They capture breezes, shade the house, protect from winter weather and provide a lovely place to enjoy that first cup of coffee or a summer evening.
My cat, Hank, is a huge fan of porches; daily, I open the screen on a window leading to the front porch, and he can come and go at his own discretion. I should tell you that I had to rearrange the porch furniture to stop Scout, the Jack Russell, from using that same mechanism to get in the house, whenever she thought it necessary.
Draw the curtains during the day to keep out the heat and open everything at night to let in the cooler air.
Fans are OK and use very little electrical current; the ceiling fans simply keep the air moving, but a box fan placed in a bedroom window may send you scrambling for a light cover during the night.
And during that one week out of the summer when the heat is stifling and there is not a breeze to be found, consider the following:
• Before bed, reduce your body temperature with a dunk in the pool or creek or consider a serious dowsing with the garden hose.
• Put two or more fans in your bedroom.
• Sleep outside.
• Stay with a friend
• Suck it up and remember how you hated the 15 degree weather last winter.
Until next time, be well.
Spring is on the Way
Note to friends: Obviously Spring has come and almost gone, but thought you might enjoy the missive anyway. Sorry, my blogs come in fits and spurts. :)
Mother Nature has redeemed herself with the glorious temperatures and expansive blue sky, fulfilling the seasonal expectation that spring is waiting around the corner.
The vigilant voice of caution whispering constant admonishments of the dangers that lie in hope and fruitful expectation was for once silent. Tentatively, I stepped onto the dead grass of the lawn, now pleasingly absent from its winter coat of snow and proclaimed, “Yes, winter is over!”
It was time to don the gloves and show the wintry world of dark, heatless days, slippery footing, spoiled food and agitated attitudes that I was better than that; with the assistance of spring, I rise to survive.
Even the tractor was back in the game, once my son-in-law blew the debris from the fuel lines, that is. Don’t you just love the merits of skilled know how? Finally, the scraper blade was attached, and I was ready to tackle the road.
It is a little like washing your hair before going to the salon or cleaning and straightening the house before the cleaning service appears. The road had to be prepared before the gravel trucks arrived. Some of the stone was salvaged and all the ruts, bumps, and holes were smoothed beyond recognition. I was even able to rebuild the crown, well, somewhat.
The road was ready and the gravel company promised they could get the job done before the predicted monsoon commenced. As I write, I am waiting for the last load and occasionally walk to the front door to admire the improvements. But, wait, there is more.
The onset of spring brings a very busy part of the year, on the farm, around the house, in the classroom or in the office. With a high level of activity comes the inevitable gremlin known far and wide as STRESS.
We just cannot escape all of it; like a parasite, it thrives on a host body. Some use eradicators and others simply get sucked dry. My solution is diversity; I close the computer, hang up the phone and hit the dirt, literally.
No master gardener by any stretch of the imagination, but I find it extremely therapeutic. In a 24 hour period, the rose bushes were thoroughly pruned- they will either be brilliant or succumb to sudden death syndrome- and the yard was relieved of several truck loads of limbs.
The flower beds were next and the task was to rake away the dead foliage from the last season. Once again, I was reminded of my failure to do the desired separating and transplanting that I always plan to do in the fall. As I pulled last year’s lifeless growth from the plants, I thought, maybe, it was not too late.
But, then, I saw it, the most remarkable discovery of the day. Nestled just beneath rotting debris of 2009 was the new growth and promise for my 2010 garden. My day was complete.
Until next time, be well.
Mother Nature has redeemed herself with the glorious temperatures and expansive blue sky, fulfilling the seasonal expectation that spring is waiting around the corner.
The vigilant voice of caution whispering constant admonishments of the dangers that lie in hope and fruitful expectation was for once silent. Tentatively, I stepped onto the dead grass of the lawn, now pleasingly absent from its winter coat of snow and proclaimed, “Yes, winter is over!”
It was time to don the gloves and show the wintry world of dark, heatless days, slippery footing, spoiled food and agitated attitudes that I was better than that; with the assistance of spring, I rise to survive.
Even the tractor was back in the game, once my son-in-law blew the debris from the fuel lines, that is. Don’t you just love the merits of skilled know how? Finally, the scraper blade was attached, and I was ready to tackle the road.
It is a little like washing your hair before going to the salon or cleaning and straightening the house before the cleaning service appears. The road had to be prepared before the gravel trucks arrived. Some of the stone was salvaged and all the ruts, bumps, and holes were smoothed beyond recognition. I was even able to rebuild the crown, well, somewhat.
The road was ready and the gravel company promised they could get the job done before the predicted monsoon commenced. As I write, I am waiting for the last load and occasionally walk to the front door to admire the improvements. But, wait, there is more.
The onset of spring brings a very busy part of the year, on the farm, around the house, in the classroom or in the office. With a high level of activity comes the inevitable gremlin known far and wide as STRESS.
We just cannot escape all of it; like a parasite, it thrives on a host body. Some use eradicators and others simply get sucked dry. My solution is diversity; I close the computer, hang up the phone and hit the dirt, literally.
No master gardener by any stretch of the imagination, but I find it extremely therapeutic. In a 24 hour period, the rose bushes were thoroughly pruned- they will either be brilliant or succumb to sudden death syndrome- and the yard was relieved of several truck loads of limbs.
The flower beds were next and the task was to rake away the dead foliage from the last season. Once again, I was reminded of my failure to do the desired separating and transplanting that I always plan to do in the fall. As I pulled last year’s lifeless growth from the plants, I thought, maybe, it was not too late.
But, then, I saw it, the most remarkable discovery of the day. Nestled just beneath rotting debris of 2009 was the new growth and promise for my 2010 garden. My day was complete.
Until next time, be well.
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