I have suffered from arthritis my whole life, and a yet undiagnosed auto-immune disease. They go hand in hand and it has been a long road to get some relief. The humidity the past few weeks has been nearly unbearable, and this coming from someone with a very high pain tolerance. My shoulders, my hip, my hands. Ugh. Working 7 days a week between my "real job", the land and my art catches up, and I needed a day of rest.
So while Woodchuck and the boy made a ramp into the storage container (for the tractor when it arrives), I rolled my work cart out to the prairie, intending to do some work at a very slow pace. I managed only to harvest some wild garlic, and tag the plants that I don't want mowed down. And then, I had to stop and rest. The energy on the prairie can be disorienting for me, all of the energy from the surrounding lands meets there. But I love it, because it's wide open, and when it's sunny, you get the sun full force! I pulled a wall from my cart and laid down in it. And then a green heron flew by to the pond. I could get used to this.
On this day I tagged swamp rose, which I finally took the time to smell and it was so intoxicating! The bumbles loved it, going into a frenzy and practically rolling around on them!
I also tagged the St. John's Wort, Bee Balm, harvested some more wild garlic, and identified more of the Yellow toadflax, which has now exploded around an Autumn Olive. I checked the blueberries, but they still aren't anywhere near ready and I just relaxed and enjoyed the land. It was too hot and muggy to force myself like I usually do. Once we got home, I did more of the same. Hubby filled up my kiddie pool, I mixed a drink, and lit my incense. I spent my 4th of July alone, nerdy and Indigenous. A-HO!
Fast forward two days and hubby and I went back to meet the company delivering our tractor. A much anticipated day! It was like trying to breathe thru pea soup, it was so muggy, and just standing still we were dripping sweat. The company was running behind, so we picked up garbage along the front by the road. I also found some animal bones in Das Zem (The Land). Just call me HexenKnochenjager (Witch Bone Hunter). I like that name! Spooky. Badass. Yet natural.
Also found a precious little snake that looks like I may have driven over when I pulled on to the land. RIP, little death noodle. 💚🐍
But the tractor finally arrived and a crash course in learning how to use it ensued. I let hubby have all of the fun, I was too sore to try and wrangle with a tractor. And I had flashbacks of my time working at the county parks, using all of that loud, obnoxious machinery that just seems so out of place in natural, quiet places. I know it's necessary to have it, and it will make our lives much easier, but my mind and heart still go to that place of feeling like it's wrong.
I haven't named it yet like I've seemed to name every thing else on Das Zem. But if I did name it, I'd name her Betsy. Welcome to The Land, Betsy. I'll try to keep hubby from breaking you....though I was a little slow about warning him to not try and take down that one tree....and then he stalled your blades...welcome to my life, Betsy. Welcome to my life.
On a side note, we are finally, FINALLY remodeling our kitchen at home. We've lived in this house 20 years and the kitchen was outdated when we moved in. The builder also used a lot of reclaimed materials when he built this place. It's been an adventure full of cuss words, let me tell you. So why are we working 7 days a week? Well, our youngest is in college, so there's the main reason; but also to be able to do work on the house that we never could when all of the money was going to raising our boys. Family first.
After leaving Das Zem the other day after tucking the tractor in to rest, we stopped at the place that we ordered our cabinets and countertop from. It had been so long since we ordered them that we couldn't remember precisely the colors to be able to pick flooring out that would look ok against it. So we stopped and got pictures. We had already decided on the paint color, a light sage called "Jitterbug". Not thrilled about the name, but the color is exactly what I hoped for! Hubby started painting the walls yesterday while the youngest and I were at work.
Once the kitchen is done, nobody is allowed in there! Well, okay. They can go in there and stand, but they can't touch anything, cook, eat, etc. I've waited a long time for a kitchen where we didn't have to rinse out a pot or bowl before using it because it had wood splinters in them and the guys will just mess it up!
Until next time..........
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