As Our Life Goes On

As I weeded around the large rock in my garden I caught a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye. This snake slithered out and headed to a spot under a nearby tree. It looks large enough to eat baby mice and perhaps even some larger size mice. It curled up in a strike position as I approached with my camera. I left it alone after snapping a picture as I do not want it to move away from the spot in the garden. 

A weed is a plant that is not wanted in the place that it is growing. We have no weeds in our yard. There are plants that are not grass all over our property but we don't feel that they are out of place. The picture above shows clover, dandelions, ground ivy and a taller mustard plant in addition to the grass. There are Spring beauties blooming in many places in the yard. The violets will be blooming soon. These beautiful make our walks around the yard so much more interesting. We have a honeybee friendly yard. Also if we wish to dine on dandelions cut from the yard there are no worries about the very dangerous weed killers and fungicides having been used in the yard. 

The kitchen and bathroom areas in the van have been shown in another blog. The picture above shows the middle section of the van. The back seat top is right against the side of the stove in the kitchen area. The front seat reverses to face the back if a person would want to set up the table, in background under the windows, to eat or play games. We have never put the table in place. Too much work just to take it down when you want to sleep. The seats both lay down flat to make a bed that is satisfactory for 2 persons. There is storage under the seats.  There is also storage above the cab of the van that is accessible from the middle section. One cabinet has no door and the other has a locking door with a mirror. These little spots hold our bedding. There is  a very small storage spot next to the bathroom in the back of the middle area.  The cab of the van is as cramped as it looks. The passenger side has a very small space for feet. The engine is unde

Wet weather is on the way and there are some signs of roof leakage in the odd little shed that will probably be our last vintage shed purchase. We have seven vintage sheds at this time. A friend says that it looks like we have a migrant labor camp on our property. He has actually pointed out the shed that he would prefer to live in.  A temporary tar coating on the suspect area of the roof should hold until a new layer of shingles can be added. This oddly shaped shed was built to fit over an old round top trailer home. The little shed is not pretty at all. It appears to have been built from found materials. The window does not fit well and there are many gaps in the boards where one can see light from the outside. It is very serviceable as a storage building however. Mice are a real problem because of the accessibility to the inside. 

The dust and grass fragments were flying on Easter Sunday as Russ used the warm sunny day to mow the tall decorative grass patches scattered throughout our property down to the ground. It is a job that is done yearly in the Spring before the grass starts to sprout again. This grass grows very fast. The old Yazoo mower was up to the job which was finished quickly. The meadow areas were also taken mowed down which took a bit more time. New growth will be popping up soon. The weather is improving and perhaps Spring really is here to stay. 

The weather changed quickly last Fall from a warm Summer to a non-stop Winter. The camper did not get cleaned before storing in the barn for the Winter. The interior had acquired an odor that could only be described as a muted body odor. The stored bedding has now been removed and is being washed to freshen it for our next trip. The old high top 1971 Dodge Van has just about everything that is needed for short trips. The picture above shows the rear of the van. Big door on the left is the bathroom, porta-potty style. The sink resides above a mini-fridge and the 3 burner with oven gas stove is to the right. The stove uses propane and the refrigerator uses battery power from one of the two batteries. The little fan and lights also use the battery. The camper could be hooked up to electricity but we have never camped in spots where that would be available. Water is carried in a jug and waste water is caught in a larger container below the sink. The clock always says 12 o'clock be

The cold temperatures were relentless last Winter. Moisture got under one of our cast iron fence posts and froze lifting the heavy cement encased post up high enough so that the gate on the fence could not be closed. The post above the ground is attached to a 42"  post below the surface and cement surrounds the post that is in the ground. The force of the water and ice amazed us. There was no other way of correcting the problem other than digging into the dirt in order to level this section of fencing. It is propped into the proper position until we decide what to do next. Fortunately this section of fencing involves only one section of fence plus the gate. The warmer weather has allowed yard cleanup and other projects such as the one above to go forward. There is no lack of things to do. 

Last year the first daffodil in our yard opened about a week earlier than this date. Two warm sunny days in a row helped the flowers and my mood. Sunny, bright and happy are the words for today. 

Last Sunday was warm and sunny. Coltsfoot had popped up next to the driveway of a friend in Mantua, Ohio. The bright yellow color was a stark contrast against the leaves that lay elsewhere in his woods.  Our friend is also a military vehicle enthusiast. Parts bought in for his most recent restoration project also lined the old utility service drive that extends down into his woods. The vehicle below is one of three that were bought to restore a fourth truck. 

Mounting tires can be an easy job if the right equipment is at hand. We do not have that equipment. The beautiful day inspired us to go visit friend Jim who lives in a city that is not too far away. He has all the right tools for the job. The tires were mounted quickly with two people working. We then took a short walk around the woods following Jim across a high foot bridge over a stream. Water trickled slowly over the solid rock bed of the stream making quiet relaxing sounds as the water headed for the Cuyahoga River. The hemlocks, moss and some ferns supplied the only greenery in the mature wooded area.  Sunshine warmed my body as we climbed in the Suburban to come home again. 

Buzzards sit and wait They're about ready to fly I dare not stand still -Caroline

My morning walk was rather enjoyable. A few birds were voicing their enjoyment of the sunshine but the swampy wetland areas seemed a bit quiet. This evening however I could hear the chirping songs of the Spring peepers. Ducks and geese were busy honking and quacking as they walked around forming pairs. I found a cicada shed and a very small bird nest that seemed too intact to have been under the snow. It probably fell from a tree where it stayed until the brisk winds yesterday dislodged it.  It is not yet warm enough to open the windows or they would be open. I love to listen to the sounds of the little frogs singing in the wetlands. It can lull a person to sleep quite quickly.