January Walkabout

Old shed in WV

Although I am at the farm quite often, I only do a real walkabout once every month or two. I check the outbuildings for damage, do a quick inventory of the chores that need doing, watch for trees than need felled before they come down where I don’t want them, and get a feel for the land in every season. That way I am more aware when things look out of the ordinary and I can fix them right away. I’ve noticed the old tool shed has tipped more toward the barn so this summer I’m going to have to get down under the back corner with a hydraulic jack to even it up. The yard is yet again full of mole hills. I need to spread something to kill the cutworms they feed on and that will send them on to greener pastures. I need to get ahead of the poison ivy in the spring. It’s easy to spot the vines when the leaves are off. The vines are “hairy” and often grow up the sides of buildings and other trees.

Boy cat

Yesterday, Boy Cat accompanied me as I meandered about the lower land around the farmhouse. His soft mewing and purring let me know he was glad to see me, even though he rarely comes close to me. I am nothing more than his Food God…”The One Who Opens the Can”. He is very sweet and I’m always grateful nothing has gotten him in the surrounding woods where he hunts. I still mourn for Old Mama Kitty. The sad thing about losing farm cats…there is seldom “closure”. Kitty Boy, the youngster, has grown into a sturdy, sleek, shorthaired version of Boy Cat. He is as aloof as ever and will not be on the porch at the same time as me. He will sit still and look at me if I stand in the kitchen and look out the back door. Nothing I have ever done has won him over…he is truly a wild boy.

Winter hydrangea

The hydrangea is heavy with dried flower clusters…some as big as luncheon plates. The tubs that caught rain at the corners of the house got caught in the freeze and unfortunately have burst their seams. I want to get a couple plastic fifty-five gallon drums to catch the rainwater. Here in West Virginia, you can have cisterns to filter and store rainwater for washing, cooking, and drinking if you boil it. In Colorado, it is against the law to catch rain because we do not own that water. It has been sold to drier climates downstream. They are dead serious about it, too. I noticed several honeybees in my bird feeder yesterday. The weather is warming up and they are browsing for something to eat. I’ll look up what to put out for them and do that the next time I’m at the farm.

 

Deadfall in the holler

Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can spend the weekend out there. Mr. Fixit built a dam in the stairwell going to the basement to keep the water from flooding in like it did week before last. We are due for some heavy rains in the next few days and we need to make sure that protects the basement before we leave for any length of time. Ahhh, the downside of country living…there is always something needing built, rebuilt, repaired or torn down.

Moss on the old furniture up behind the barn

Oh….and an update on the snowy owl. The rescue folks got his weight up and his wing healed nicely. They took him north to the south shore of Lake Erie over the weekend and released him back into the wild. They posted a slow motion video of him taking flight and heading off into the distance. It was a beautiful thing. He was a magnificent creature and there is every hope he will thrive as they released him in the southernmost region of his winter territory. Several other snowy owls were reported in the region so he should do well.

Boy Cat

That’s all from West Virginia today. I hope you all are well and maybe enjoying a little “spring-like weather” before the next cold snap. It was in the mid-60’s yesterday. I’ll take that any day of the week over the frigid temps we faced at the first of the year. ❤️

“Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭13:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

14 thoughts on “January Walkabout

  1. Thanks for the update on the owl. He has been on my mind and I was hoping he could be set free again!!❤️❤️

  2. I’ve never heard that it was illegal to catch rainwater!!! That’s interesting. Can’t believe that I used to drink cistern water!!?

  3. I’m so happy to hear the snowy owl has flown the coop. I agree with you on the always something to repair or keep up on older homes.

  4. I love the pictures with the story. Made me thing of the farm I grew up on. We now live in the country of Missouri and we enjoy it. Greg and I even talked the other day about catching rain water and using it to water the yard or in case of an emergency. Love your stories. The Lord has given you a great talent and you are using it. God Bless You.

  5. Colorado finally passed a law that allows 2 -55 gallon rain barrels to collect rainwater as long as they are sealed to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Took forever!

  6. You’ve inspired me to take my own walkabout along Fishpot creek this afternoon. It’s so important to get out and commune with nature. I always feel a little lighter. And grateful for the freedom to do so.

  7. When I was a kid my mother always used rainwater to wash our hair. It made our hair soft. But, in the winter when ice cycles formed and hung down from our roof, Mom wouldn’t let us break them off and suck on them. She said that they might have dirt in them. Go figure. It was the same source of water that she washed our hair in!?!?

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