Friday, March 12, 2021

Hello From the Country!!



Wednesday.....

 It took us nearly all day to pack and load up the truck, taking just about everything including the kitchen sink! Our 'old' one which was really new!
We are planning on having a sink stand set up out in the garden using cinder blocks beside one of the faucets out there.
That way we can pick and wash produce later.


Louis Dean was looking pretty spiffy!
We left around 3:00 that afternoon and only stopped one time and that was at a rest area just past Hillsboro.


It's really country when we see the pasture lands....


We turn left on Walt's Road between the lone tree and the silo.
For the first time, we saw activity there!


I love Limestone County and this limestone county line road.


Glad we got down here before spring had fully sprung!


I am so excited!!
It's been a full six weeks since we have been here.


And here we are inside the gate!!
We arrived before dark!

We knew we would have some issues to deal with from the arctic cold a few weeks ago .....
and sure enough! No water in either the camper or the front cabin.
It appears the pump has cracked in the camper.....and a water line is broke somewhere under the 'shop' room. A line was busted outside and Louis Dean repaired that Wednesday night....thinking we might have water the next day when  he turned it on.......

Thursday.....

That was not the case!
I won't elaborate but, let's just say that I may have misplaced my Pioneer Spirit for a minute or two!
Louis Dean worked at figuring out the water situation - or lack thereof!


I tried to do the things I COULD do and not think about the things I could NOT do.
So I walked down and visited the ducks.
There are only 11 now.....but Dean says he's buying some more for Sherry....she so loves the ducks.


Sherry and  I walked up to Lake Toguchi......so peaceful......


and I checked out Sherry's new chickies!
Turkens.....with naked necks! They will have a ruffle of feathers at the base and on their heads.
Also some lavender ophingtons.....


The peacock was strutting his stuff!


And Remmie was being such a sweet girl!!
She and Rugar keep the ranch safe!


Tux!
Such a pretty girl!

I came back to the camper and admired my pretty girl!!


Tabitha is getting big!!


But Samantha eats more than she does and she's smaller!


I took this as I was walking back to the camper Thursday night.
I love looking in the window........
We went to bed early since Louis Dean had made an appointment with the power company to come out in the morning. He needs the electricity to be cut off so he can add 220 wiring.....

Friday........

and sure enough.....Louis Dean was awake before 6:00 and started setting things up and doing whatever it was that needed doing. I got up about 7:30 so I could get coffee before the power went off.
They arrived shortly after 9:00 and cut the power.....and then they lingered around while Louis Dean did whatever it was he did.....and they even helped him! Then they turned it back on! We had  thought they would leave and then come back later. LOVE the country way! Done deal in less than one hour!!
I had dreaded this - being without power. But after the arctic winter blast we had and being without power in freezing conditions.....ha! I wasn't scared now! But, then again, it wasn't 100+ degrees today but a pleasant 70!

For some reason, gardening seemed more important to Louis Dean than getting the water situation fixed. I needed to go to Waco to pick up a prescription, so he decided to go with me.
He'd been wanting to go to a feed store that sells seeds by the pound.
Son Dean told me where to take him so we stopped at the Brazos Feed Store on our way to Walgreen's.


We bought strawberry plants, banana pepper, two kinds of lettuce, lavender, rosemary, chili peppers, tomato plants and.....


seeds! By the pound!
Black eyed peas and purple hull peas - basically the same thing!


This bird lives at the feed store and is not for sale.
I think he took a liking to me and he was very interested in my purse.....
so I let him snoop around, thinking what can he do?
Well, I was watching him and he actially ate one of the teeth out of the zipper!


But he was very charming!!

We left there and went on to the drugstore where I bought some make up (foundation) and nail polish.
I had no idea how expensive things are now!
Must have been years since I have bought polish!
I have tons of it at home but I needed some here. Sooner or later I will have a supply of things here as well as at home. It's the little things I forget about.


And, then again, it's the little things I enjoy so much!
Like a trip to HEB!
Texas Pecan Coffee and a Made in Texas Candle with Texas Wildflower fragrance!

We came home and Louis Dean went out to plow the garden while I made a late lunch/early supper.


Salad using the roasted chicken from HEB along with strawberries, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, colored peppers, and anything else I could find!


Louis Dean loves his tiller!!
He tilled the rows and I planted.....
can I tell you how good it felt to walk barefoot along those rows of sandy loam soil??
I put every single plant we bought today in the ground.
I forgot to take a photo of the pond area which is where I planted the lavender, rosemary and banana peppers and lettuces.
But in the rows Louis Dean tilled up, I planted the tomato plants and strawberries and chili peppers.
Then I planted several rows of black eyed peas and purple hull peas.
Louis Dean watered them all in.


We had a couple of donkeys watching our progress!


We ended this Friday night with a campfire.
Campfires are a good way to burn the paper trash and it makes for a pretty fire.

I sit here inside the camper as I close tonight's journal entry.
I am listening to the voices of Louis Dean and his son visiting.


They made me think of the Robin Hood and Little John Super Bowl commercial of 2015 featuring Roger Miller.

While we still do not have water in the camper or the big bathroom,
I am still so thankful to be here.
Louis Dean always figures things out and today he needed to buy and plant seeds and spend some time working the land. His body is doing one thing while his mind is figuring out another.


My final thoughts tonight are with Susie.....she just lost her Teddy Bear....the love of her life.....
How trivial my daily dribble seems to be in comparison to her loss....
We  love our Susie Q and will comtinue to hold her in our hearts as well as in our prayers.







13 comments:

MadSnapper said...

So glad your Journal is coming from the country house and sorry about the water but I know Lewis team will get it up and running quickly. I know he enjoyed talking with his son. I got to talk with my sister-in-law for the first time since 2008 face to face she has an iPhone and I do not and we wanted to do FaceTime but I didn't have the right phone but then I found a way to do what they called Duo on my phone and she got her son to set hers up on her phone and we got to chat for an hour face to face

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

How wonderful it must be to plant things. We have to wait until the end of May here. It would be easier to work the soil and dig in it with dirt like that. I think I would be prefer to have water, but I'm sure Louis Dean has a plan in mind, snd he will get the job done. Hope it's sooner rather than later. Goodness knows after working in the garden, I'd need a shower. Yes, it is so sad to know that Ted died. Praying for them all. Enjoy your time in che country!

Changes in the wind said...

So sorry for your friends loss. Happy you are at the ranch and that Ld can fix anything!!!

Bluebird49 said...

So sorry about Susie's Ted!
I hope you get water very soon! <3

Ginny Hartzler said...

Wow, you both got so much done! I have never heard of a Turken! Are they when a turkey and chicken mate? You both look so good! You would never get electric workers to hang around like this in the city. Samatha and Tabitha have gotten so big!

Deanna Rabe said...

I hope the water situation gets figured out soon. I’m sorry about Susie’s Teddy Bear. Loss is hard.


Glad you’re well, with your sweetheart and his precious son and wife. I try not to take anything for granted.

Carole said...

That's a huge garden... will you be feeding the whole neighbourhood?? Cheers

Gert said...

Oh Linda, you both sound so busy. And I know how it is to lose water. Uggg We are so dependent on it aren’t we?? I just read sbout Susie, just brings tears to my eyes. I hate to hear this, I was praying he would survive.
You take care.
Blessings
Gert

Unknown said...

Linda, I enjoy your journal about your country life. I still love the country even though I have lived in the town all my married life. I felt for you when you went through all of the bad weather. I think Mother Nature was trying to say that she was not pleased with us. I love your country pictures. Take care, my friend.

photowannabe said...

Happy days at the ranch. I'm so glad you are there and life is good...busy...and sometimes complicated...
But with the love of your life it's all good...
I was so sorry to read about Ted's passing.. prayers for Susie and the family.
Sue

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Sorry to read the end of your post and about your friend Susan's loss of her husband, Ted, who did look like a lovable teddy, which I am sure he was. You and Louis Dean seem to take any obstacles in stride and your happiness at being back at the ranch does show through. Hope the water issue is resolved soon and that sure was a lot of planting!

Lisa said...

Great post. Thanks for taking me through the country. It looks so lovely and peaceful. Can’t wait to see how your garden grows and the new ducks.

Lisa

Judy said...

How nice to get outside, till the soil and plant the seeds. Isn't spring just the best? I wish I could buy seeds at that price up here! I pay that for a teeny envelope with a few seeds! Hope your water situation is soon solved and wish you both a wonderful time at your 'happy place' in the country!