Dear Maine,
Sorry I missed you yesterday. It turns out that drinking half a bottle of wine and writing letters to you is kind of an "either/or" proposition.
I'm not sure what to make of your weather. We woke up to frost yesterday, which quickly melted, in most places, at least.
Then, frost makes way for sunshine, literally without a single, solitary cloud in the sky. But then there's the wind, without which it would be so warm, but alas, the wind seems ever-present here.
I spent another day helping Rose with the perennials. It's funny how we humans think we are in control. I spent my entire day yesterday in service to the plants. They need to have their winter straw cover pulled away so they can be rediscovered, weeded, and tucked back into their beds, this time nestled comfortably with the straw tucked all around instead of on top of them.
Tonight we had our first farm potluck. Dennis, Beth and Jane hosted us, and Jane provided the entertainment. Rose and her husband Jerry came, along with their son and Dennis' brother, Joe. Nate describes Jerry as a "salty old Marine". Joe seems quiet, the way I envision Mainers to be. And I am just in awe of Rose. I believe she is in her mid- to upper seventies, and she can run circles around just about everybody here. She has a wonderful sense of humor, an enviable work ethic, and a gentle, kind spirit. She is beautiful, inside and out, with her stylish silver pixie cut and dangly earrings. I hope to be like her one day. Rose is the person I've worked most closely with since I got here, so I've had the opportunity to get to know her a bit more than everyone else, but everyone here is warm, welcoming and approachable. I think it's going to be a good summer.
We also got to meet Lauren, a returning apprentice who is currently finishing her last semester of college. She plans to make farming a way of life.
We had lots of fun and good food at the potluck. Beth and Dennis delivered good news: since Thursdays are normally half days and they had plans, and we've already knocked a bunch of things off the to-do list, we could have the whole day off! Woo-hoo! That makes for an even better night's sleep!
Thursday, April 28 - From Hole to Pole!
Dear Maine,
We "slept in" till about 7:00, then did the chores, made breakfast, and got started on our day. We had two things in our to-do list today, and we got them done, and more!
First, we went to Home Depot for a 6x6x8 & 160 pounds of concrete. It was so windy! And cloudy! And cold! I mean, I know it's Maine, but is spring ever going to come?
Next, we went to our tiny post office. It's open from 8:30-10:30 & from 1:45-3:45. How's that?
Is everyone from Maine just super friendly and awesome? I have yet to meet someone rude, or pushy, or unpleasant. In fact, the other day at Tractor Supply, the lady in line ahead of us apologized for taking so long, which she really wasn't. And people drive the speed limit here, yield to you, and even wave you on when it's not your turn. I think Mainers are really cool. I like the way they roll.
Anyway, Paul at the post office was no exception. He got us all squared away with our post office box, and shared a little bit about his other work as a prison chaplain as well. There was no rush, and it was an entirely pleasant experience. I can't remember the last time I said that about an interaction with a government agency (or quasi-government...whatever the post office is these days).
So that was our first task. Check. Then we moved on to the next: the hole and the pole (or "post", more accurately, but that doesn't rhyme). Our 6x6x8 was destined to hold the gate we are putting at the end of the driveway. So we started digging.
And we made ourselves a pretty good hole. Fully three feet deep!
And with pretty good soil, too. Mostly sand and silt, with only a few rocks, and very little clay, which we encountered about 2 1/2 feet down. We set the post and filled it in with gravel, rocks and concrete. We did good work. That is one sturdy pole...er, um, post.
We discovered some frog eggs/tadpoles, too.
Our land has some pretty cool stuff! We took a little walk, and it looks like the beavers have been busy (I hear they're like that). Their lodge is still intact, and it looks like they've been pushing things around since we were last there in January. I don't remember all that fresh cut timber in front.
On our way out we stopped in to the town offices to update our address and get some information. It's hard to believe, but we also had a good experience there! TWO good interactions with government agencies in the same day. I can hardly believe it myself. We talked with Tori again, and we also met Colleen, or possibly Carline; it's hard to say given the strange things Mainers do with the letter "r".
On our way back to the farm, we did laundry at the Corinth Laundromat, which will be our new laundry facility, at least until we figure things out. $2.50 to wash in a top loader (Aside: Isn't that a little steep? Or have things really changed that much since I last did laundry at a laundromat ... in college... in 1997). 28 minute cycle, and boom! Done! (No dryer for us; we've got lots of clothesline here.) They had a radio playing country music, a puzzle in progress on the table and a shelf of books for borrowing. This is a place I'm not going to mind going once a week.
On the drive back Nate informed me that we were going to Four Points Barbecue in Winterport for dinner. Apparently it's going out of business because the owners are divorcing, so we had to get there before it closes. I am SO glad we did. Look at this:
And since then, it's just been a relaxing evening. I can get used to those. I'm getting pretty good at building fires in the wood stove. I enjoy coming in and being cozy after a day of struggling to stay warm. It's an adjustment. But maybe spring will finally arrive one day. I'd be happy with 60!
One final treat: after showering (boy, does that feel good!) and before dinner, we were going to do chores, but Dennis and Jane beat us to it, so instead, I got all the critters to pose for some photos.
These are the laying hens, a.k.a. the cluck clucks:
And these are the mini-clucks in their crafty little enclosure:
And finally, this is Pearl, the goat, with her Icelandic sheep, which are getting sheared soon:
No comments:
Post a Comment