Trips to the land have increased as the frenzy has also grown more intense. To work off some of the stress, we are working out daily-when possible, though that is easier for me to get done while Woodchuck is at work. He likes to work out together, I like to workout alone and walk or bike together. I have my reasons for that.
And we checked on the deer carcass (see previous post), and within two days, it had been completely utilized and stripped clean. I found a lot of turkey vulture feathers around it, so they did their job and did it well!
It was time, after 5.5 years, to move the gate back farther from the road. We were having issues with people driving around it anyway, because Heaven forbid they park and walk a few feet, and with larger deliveries coming now, it was time to move it. That soil out there is healthy!
And this place just makes my heart so light. 💚
That was enough for today. Things are going to start happening quickly now, and of course, because I have to keep offering my support to other people's projects out here and spent so much time getting the current house ready, I am so far behind on my land projects again. I am just going to put it out there that I never would have thought that a yearly project, such as phragmite control, Fallopia removal, etc. would be so hard to keep up on. But I also didn't anticipate not having help, and being pulled in so many other directions for others. By the time you realize some things, you're already up to your neck in quicksand with no way out.
I did a couple of hours of work on the phragmite on one trip, but I knew this was too much for me to do alone or get done within a couple of trips. Still, I chipped away at it and was able to fill a couple of contractor bags.
What started off as a foggy morning in some spots (corn fog).....
Ended up being a glorious day to work outside
Thankfully we had stopped to get me some tougher muck boots, since my lightweight ones were not water tight. I knew the area I was going to be working in was flooded, but I didn't know how deep the water was.
Fox tail
Aside from the phragmite and canary grass, I did find some good things too, including some pokeberry.
And I found some turkey tail mushrooms hiding out beneath the vegetation. I left them for the wildlife, as I have enough from last year still.
One our next trip out, we met with the foundation/concrete contractor and they spent a little time mapping out where the house would go so they would know where to start digging. While they did that, we put together the engine lift that Woodchuck picked up.
Before we leave, we walk. It's one moment to slow down and I've been practicing seeing what needs to be done and not having a reaction to that.
On another trip back to the land, the digging had begun! I had no idea just how different things would look after this stage!
I am always surprised by how different it looks each time!
Woodchuck was actually going to help me with the phragmite this time! So we left them to do their things and headed into the flood waters. Because the ground is incredibly uneven over here due to pushed soil from the pond work, and holes left from trees that rotted, etc., some spots of water are deeper than others. It doesn't help that the watershed pond sits on higher ground than this flood area, so anytime the pond leaks, all of that water comes into this spot.
That is well above my ankles! You have to be very careful and look where you are stepping before you do it. More than once we stepped a good twelve inches down and about twisted an ankle or fell in the water! Woodchuck sounded like a damn water buffalo sloshing around out there!
He likes to rush through, and made a good dent. I like to work at a good pace, but also pay attention as I go along. I pulled other invasive plants as well while I was out there. For now we cut the phragmite tall, which can pose a risk! It has a very tough stalk, similar to bamboo and if you cut it a certain way, and fall on it just right, you could impale yourself....or at the very least cut some skin and get a heck of a bruise. Between this and the Tree of Heaven that I pissed off, I feel like I need to hire a professional.
Looking across the pond to where we were working, I can see a difference! Woodchuck couldn't though.
On another trip back, the foundation looks different again! Remember how in previous posts I stated that I hoped we wouldn't have issues with the contractors since we had so many with the bank and housing factory along the way? Nope. Like my mama used to say, wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which one gets filled faster. If you don't get anything out of what I say other than this, that is okay, because this is important to the max. Just because your foundation is approved in inspections, does not mean it was done right. I will repeat that. Just because your foundation passes inspection, does not mean it was done right. Keep that in mind when I post some future pictures of the actual foundation. I don't know anything about this part of the process, so I have to take everyone's word that this part was done correctly. And before you say anything, I do understand that the foundation passed because they were probably only looking for certain things, and the things that were done wrong were not something they check for. That means you need eyes on it during every stage.
My heart breaks less when I am out here.
During the day, while Woodchuck works, I am trying to knock out a to-do that to most would be unrealistic. It is unrealistic for me as well, but it must be done. So I do what I have always done and push through the mental and sometimes physical barriers to achieve what I can. Music some times helps me stay on track, get motivated, and lightens my mood. When I am inside, occasionally I will use the old 1974 console stereo. I don't use it enough now that the boys are grown, and is something I am hoping to use more once we get moved and settled in.
I have painted, painted, painted, packed, re-packed, cleaned and then cleaned the same things every day since the first cleaning, I have cleaned out cabinets and scrubbed out the fridge and oven. I literally have nothing left in me and yet I still have to do this every day AND contend with the building of the new house. I need an end-sight soon.
I pulled weeds from the garden/wildflower boxes twice along the way (and the feral cats appreciated those new litter boxes), and started pulling up this Creeping Charlie. The bad thing about this stuff is that when it's on our ground, the green makes you think everything is healthy and grass-like.
But as I got into it, what it does is mulches your grass, or whatever it is growing on.
And when you pull it, it leaves you with only dirt. If you want grass, you have to make sure to pull all of this Creeping Charlie up, and then re-seed for grass while also pulling any sprouts up along the way of the CC. Don't let it grow like I did!
I saw this adorable mushie family! A mommy and twins. I don't know what these mushrooms are, but I call them Sulphur Mushrooms only because of their color.
My cat, and lots of crying, are about the only things getting me through each day. Now that it is cooling off, we are each following the sunshine and laying down in patches of it. It's a total mood boaster and helps keeps aches and pains away as well.
She's a smart girl and knows how to get what she wants. If I don't give her the attention she is asking for, she will either start "yelling" or will go in another room and do something naughty. This time she went into the living room, because I was in the kitchen, and started scratching on the storage ottoman. She stopped when she heard me get up and start walking into that room, and this is what I saw when I peeked around the corner 😼
I step outside of our current home each morning, light a stick of incense and give thanks for another day. Some times Pierogi and I will sit at the East window together and watch it for a bit...though I suspect she's actually looking for squirrels and the feral cats and not enjoying the time with me, lol.
In between showings, I took more time to clean all of the nooks and crannies. This Bold Jumping Spider was helping clean up by taking away the stink bugs!
I don't see these kinds of things as issues or things to be cleaned up. I see them as art and homes for other creatures besides ourselves. We can absolutely share spaces!
I also took the time, though initially I didn't really have it and had to haul ass, to spruce up the picket fence area at the end of the driveway that holds the bins. I didn't want to replace anything because I don't know that the next owner will keep it, but I had the same paint on hand from when I originally did this project and gave it a fresh coat! I had to do work on this in spurts, since I am out of time on this day because I need to take Woodchuck to town for an appointment! I did get the side closest to the road, and the side along the driveway done......and found out that while I was out here hauling ass and melting in the hot afternoon sun, Woodchuck was inside taking a nap. Sigh.
At least I wasn't completely alone! That is a dangerous thing right now with all of the time I spend alone daily and working on these projects and getting all up in my head. An acquaintance from town was out on a walk and stopped to chat, and this kitty that is being fed by the lady behind me hung out with me until a squirrel ran by.
On another jaunt out, I was able to get more of the pickets done, and I believe it took three (maybe four) separate days to get it all finished. I was furious that I am the only one doing all of this work, that Woodchuck has let it go for so long that it's taken me twice as long and twice as much energy to get it taken care of now. Luckily, my chainsaw was still in the shed and not out at the land, so I was able to cut down a juvenile Elm tree that was growing out from between the pickets. When I get angry, I get even more determined. For as much as I've been angry with him lately, I am holding myself back from making the decisions that will burn this all to the ground.
Those concrete pillars were so much heavier than I expected! I just had to muscle them over, paint, then stand them back up. They are there on the back side of the pickets because before the Arborvitae grew, the West winds would tear the hell out of the panels. Then we just left them there. I thought it would be cute to put some small pots of mums on them, or tiny pumpkins, but we have some new pre-teens to the town who would bash that all to hell in a moment. This was a bitch to get back here, because someone hasn't been weed whacking it like I've asked him to keep up on. I laid the tall grass down and walked back and forth to flatten it.
And done! Thank you, Jesus, it is done! But unfortunately, I literally have to wash this paint brush out, grab another paint and brush, and head up to the deck to finish that on this same day. Your girl is running on empty.
So when I read at the last minute before bed one night that the Milky Way was visible, I told Woodchuck we should go outside and look. He said no, he will do that kind of stuff once we are at the land (which I do not believe in the least), and so I stood outside by myself looking up at the stars and longing for home. Longing to be back in a place where I don't have to do this human thing anymore, be hurt by others, make all of the wrong decisions, or walk around with a broken heart every day. I long to be Home, among the moonbeams and stardust.
