Mist-i-fying Mowing

I was trying to get our yard mowed before rain started falling again.  I have gotten the front yard completely done, and most of the back now.

As I was trying to keep mowing even when there were some drops falling I noticed a mist flying from the discharge of the mower.  I thought now that is mistifying [not supposed to be mystifying]. The spelling corrector tried to change my mistifying to mystifying.

At any rate, I did not get to complete the yard; but was mystified by the mistifying.  Maybe I should spell it like I did in the title “Mist-I-fying”.

from the banks of Flat Creek,

`tim

Tomato Plants

For where my wife and I live we planted tomato plants earlier than we probably should have.  We however had the opportunity to purchase some plants that were big and  healthy for a very good price; and I purchased ten of them; so they needed in the ground.

On Thursday April 09 I purchased 10 Hybrid-Big Ds from a former Cassville School Teacher, and Bus driver who had purchased several from someone he knew.  I was told these plants are selling in Walmart and other places for 6 – 8 dollars per plant.  He charged considerably less.

On Saturday April 11 in the early evening hours we (Madge and I) put them in our garden.  I have been concerned with frost dangers for the earliness of the time; but I thought of a very good cover for them.

We have a trampoline in our backyard, that goes unused for weeks on end.  I got to thinking;  “You know the grass grows beautifully under that thing.  Why not pull it down over the plants.”  I did that this morning.  Now no frost worry.  Now if there is a hard freeze or something, that will be a different story.

Looking forward to having some good tomatoes this Summer.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

-tim

Sunny Day

It is a lovely Spring day here on March 25, 2015.  The sun is shining brightly, the temp is at 64 degrees hear only the rolling Flat Creek.

This morning as Madge and me were eating breakfast I was looking out the patio door watching a couple of geese down on the creek swimming, frolicking around, and enjoying the morning coolness.  I told Madge, “It is pretty neat to be able to sit at the table watching wildlife at play”  or something like that.

It is.  It really is neat to watch God’s creation through our door, and it is even better to get out in it when we can.

I do enjoy Spring.  I can practically hear the grass growing :).  It is grand.

From the banks of Flat Creek

-tim

Spring Is On the Way

Here we are in the middle of Winter, and I am thinking of Spring.  I do not think that I am alone.

It has not been a hard Winter or anything like that, but I am still longing for Spring.  Spring is a time of renewal, hope, life.

Yesterday I went out to burn trash, and noticed the singing of the birds in the trees in our backyard.  My what lovely music they were making.  I then noticed hundreds of birds fly from the tree tops, and they were Robbins.  There were many of them on the ground.  I guess they were looking for food, or something.  I do not think I have seen a larger flock of Robbins together at one time as then.

There were many of them on the ground in the backyard today.  Not near as many, but several, scattered over the whole yard.

I always see the Robbin as the hope that Spring is just around the corner.  I know what Phil said the other day.  I however do not need Phil to tell me there are six more weeks of Winter.  If you look at the calendar for the year; Spring begins on March 20, and it is about six weeks from February 02 through March 20 with only a four day difference.  So what?  Spring is on the way.

I am very glad.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

Speaking with the Buckets

I have already written of the rain which came yesterday.  It was a real blessing, and we received an inch of blessings from heaven.

An hour or so after the rain had stopped I told my wife, Madge, that I was going to go speak to the buckets and find out how much rain we had received.  I returned into the house and told her I had spoken with the buckets, and they had told me “It rained about an inch”.

You see, I had several buckets, out in the backyard.  Some small, maybe less than a gallon, some medium size, about two gallons or so; and a couple of five gallon buckets.  I had left all of them up where they would catch water.  I had not really done it on purpose, but it had been done.

When I stuck my forefinger in the buckets, each of them told me the same thing.  The water in each of the buckets came up to my first knuckle; and that is an inch.  Buckets do speak if we will listen.

Having fun living on the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

A Pathway

For most of what this Spring has brought us I have been working to clear a path through weeds and brush to have Flat Creek in our backyard a bit more accessible.  It will also give a clearer view from our back window and door of the Creek.

We wanted to make it easier to get to the Creek for swimming for the grand kids and for ourselves; and maybe even easier fishing access.  There are fish in Flat Creek.  Some pretty good sized ones.  We have Carp, Suckers, Bass, Perch, even a lot of “Rock Bass” :).

It was warm around this place yesterday.  According to our thermometer it got up to 97 degrees.  It was 99 on Friday (May 04).  That swimming sounds pretty good when temps get that hot.

Anyway the path is getting clearer, a little at a time.  The next thing we will need to do is move the barbed wire fence.  We will not remove it but move to another location not far away.

Since this is Sunday let me remind you to be in your church this morning to worship our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  He is worthy of worship and praise.

-Tim

Frost on the Grass…

Wednesday morning when I arose from bed there was frost on the grass, on the cars, the trees, and the temp was 30 degrees outside.  It was not a heavy frost, but frost none the less.  We have had frost every morning since then.  And there is this morning as well.

I mowed the backyard yesterday afternoon.  It was needing it, the grass was still very green, however the tomato plants were wilted, so I pulled them, and dug the soil of our small raised garden we had on the East side of our house.  It never had much in it except tomatoes and onions.  Neither one did very well; though the tomato plants nearly diminished during the heat of the Summer, and grasshoppers demolished the green of the plants, they did come back when we got some rain.  The tomato plants were doing real well, just small tomatoes, and they should have been larger.

Just to let anyone interested to know; I am still writing in my journal; and almost every day.  I think I have missed one day since I first began on August 30.

I rejoice in knowing that the Creator of all that is is also my Lord and Savior.  Praise Him.

-Tim

Up and Hot

With the help of our eldest son we got the electric fence up and our son Timothy says that it is hot.  He tested it by touching it after I plugged it in, since we do not have a meter to read the wire with.

I have not seen any cattle around since putting it up, but I am sure it will turn them, and we will not need to fret about what they are going to do to our house or yard while we are away.  The meter on the charger is reading 13.5 to 13.6 most of the time.  On the charger is written that 4.0 and above is a good charge for turning large, longhaired animals…  With a 13 it ought to turn an elephant.

When I got home last evening from driving the bus I went down and fixed the downed fence by the Creek.  It had been leveled by the last big rising of the Creek which was back in April.  It is up now too.

The fence is up and one is hot.

-Tim

It’s Saturday

It is Saturday again.  They come around once a week; and most of us are glad they do.  They do for the living anyway.  It probably does not matter for those who have gone into eternity.

I just checked my online weather forecast for Cassville, MO. and there appears to be no rain in sight; and an expected high of 94.  Yesterday morning we had a low at our house of 51 degrees.  That felt good compared to some of the morning temps we had a few weeks ago.  As of this moment (6:23 a.m.) the low for today is 57 degrees.  Though I do like Summer and its heat I think I am enjoying the relief of approaching Fall, and its cooler mornings and days.

Without any rain today I plan on finishing mowing the yard.  I have an acre or so to mow in the back.  It is amazing how good a yard looks after it is mowed.  I have heard some make comments like.  “Why keep your yard mowed when you live back where no one can see it?”  Well!  My answer for that is, “I see it”.  I like a well trimmed yard; and my is a long way from well trimmed, but I am working toward that.

Today is also a day when I look forward to being in church and worship with the people of our local church.  My prayer is that the Lord give me the words for the sermon that will glorify Him; and work by the power of the Holy Spirit to draw every listener to Him.

As I write this morning the sun is starting to rise over the Eastern hills.  The banks of Flat Creek are still in a bit of darkness; but the light is beginning to appear.

From the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

After Mowing

I spent the day yesterday repairing my mower, and finishing up mowing my yard.  First of all when I was mowing the evening before the right front wheel fell off.  The cotter pin had broke, and thus left nothing to keep it on.  So Friday morning I drove into Cassville to get me some new bushings; which go inside the wheel slipping over the spindle/axle; also some cotter pins, and washers.  When I arrived back home I fixed the wheel, adding a lot of grease to the wheel and axle and bushings.

Even though I was using a rider the heat was putting a lot of stress on this decaying body, and I took several breaks.  If you don’t know – I have about 2.5 to 3 acres that I mow.  It was starting to look a bit scraggly, as well as brown from no rain.  It still looks brown, but looks much better with it mowed.  Anyway, I finished the mowing about 4:15 p.m., and a refreshing, breeze came up, with a little rain shower.  I just stood out in it absorbing the falling water.  It felt pretty good having the falling rain cool me off After Mowing the yard.

The rain, was what I said it was; just a little shower, because it didn’t last very long, or come down very hard.  It wet the ground; until the sun came back out,  then it was g-o-n-e.

I thank my Lord and GOD for the moisture, and refreshing that came After Mowing, along the banks of Flat Creek.

-Tim

Our Picnic and Family Area

In our back yard.  We have a large front and back yard.  Flat creek is  just through the trees of our back yard, and last night we had a birthday party for our 13 year old grand daughter.  She had several of her friends down and camped out.  We built a big bonfire and ate roasted wieners and such.

Understand my wife and I did not camp out.  We slept in our comfortable bed and rested.  Rachelle’s mother and father were here too, but slept on the hide-a-bed in the living room; and several other family members were here too.  It was a grand evening.

It made a great place for an evening under the stars, around a fire, and my the wonderful stories that young ones can use to frighten city girls from Springfield, MO.

-Tim