Fingernail Brushes and other unnecessary things
After we married, I told my wife “Honey Bunches”, I needed a fingernail brush. (If you have read some previous posts, you may have noticed I am from the country and she is decidedly not.) “Where do you find them”, she asked. I had always grown up with a few around. Are they endangered now?! I wouldn’t know where to look either. Is there a fingernail brush section at Wally World?
rub a dub dub
I still don’t know, but I do know my wifey found one somewhere.
She was unaware of the cleansing power of that little brush. Often, I am sent to the cleansing station (bathroom) when I have been working on greasy equipment, fighting cows, playing in the mud, etc… I emerge squeeky clean and ready for civilized living. The energy required to keep a farmer clean was thrust upon Honey Bunches today.
I return from bean planting and am quickly informed pulling weeds stains her fingers. Appearently dirt and other irremovable stuff get on her hands. I ran some hot water in the clawfoot tub. As if tricking a cat into a bath, I stand behind the door,”come here sweetie” I call convincingly. Like a cat who is being tricked into a bath, she peers cautiously into the bathroom.
After some soap, hot water, and some serious scrubbin, her hands are clean, but pink. Appearently apricot and sugar scrubs are no match for farmin dirt. Old fashion brushes work wonders. I think she is surprised. Like a cat, she retires to the couch to admire her clean paws.
Snakes on a Lane
While disking, I recieve a message from “Honey Bunches”. Seems she and my mom can no longer stand the hay field my yard has become (see dang old tractors). Mom has brought an extra push mower and the duo proceed to weed whack the yard back into shape.
I return (with another broken tractor) to a freshly mowed and as close to a professionally manicured lawn as they could muster. I thank my mom, load her mower back in the truck, and she heads off to do more good deeds elsewhere. Honey heads to the kitchen to start supper (Mmm Ribs!) and I head for the garden to get some veggies. Since it was warm and the house windows were open, I left the inside door open and the storm door slightly ajar.
As I am returning with green onions in one hand and a hoe in the other, through the window I hear a very agitated but surprisingly calm bit of info from my wifey. “There’s a snake trying to get in the door!” In my mind I picture a garter snake halfway under the door and myself quickly dispatching the intruder with my trusty hoe.
As I round the corner of the house, I am surprised to find a 6 foot black snake 3 fourths of the way up the crack in the door, using the handle for extra leverage! I flung the door open and the snake droops over the fancy $50 door handle designed for human use. With a slip and a slither he hits the ground and dissappears under some bushes. I have learned a few things from this adventure;
- When used properly doors separate the great outdoors from indoors
- Don’t let your yard get overgrown
- Snakes like BBQ pork ribs
Rough Gardening
This spring was cold and rainy, not the best for growing my own veggies. After hauling and spreading manure, tilling, and fertilizing, the ground teperature hovered around 50 degrees. Beans; green, lima, and horticulture, refused to germinate and were replanted. Onions dutifully shot up and were almost drowned by all the rain. The decorative corn is holding up well, but will probably need nitrogen soon. Potatoes also fell victim to the cold wet ground. Out of two 50 foot rows, five plants made it. Undeterred, I fill in the blank spots with new varieties and hope for the best. There are bright spots. if I can keep the bugs away from the squash and cucumbers, they stand a chance.
Thats a good looking cabbage
Since it is raining this morning, I took a peak at our local advertising section of the paper. 25 pound bag of potting soil for 20 dollars. 25 pounds of potatoes 10 dollars. I call to my wife in the kitchen, “Hey honey, can I borrow 20 dollars!”
Salt Creek 