Kelly in Kansas

I finally made it back to the farm for a few days. About 6am, I kept hearing something like a 3 stroke hammering outside. It was a bit scary to wake up to that given that there should be no people close enough to the house to be making that noise. When I went into the next room which seemed like it would be closer to the noise and had a window, I saw Mr. Redbird, once again, trying to get in. The little guy is tenacious but, after more than a month of this, it's slowly slipping into the arena of "not very smart." There he goes again - back to the kitchen window where I usually don't have a shadow down.

Two deer were out last night when I arrived - I had to stop to make sure the second one wasn't going to try to follow across the driveway and hit me. Then I saw them this morning- they are quite spectacular - the white tales are especially dramatic in the more earthy tones of the farm morning.

The approach to weed control I used on the driveway seems to be working and with some minor follow-through (less than 2 hours) today, I should be able to be mostly finished with that for the year - that's about two months of work savings. And, the weed control stuff we're using around the house is also helping although the ground cover is not quite where it needs to be to get that where I want it to be - but that will change in the fall with one more attempt at planting.

It's been unusually cool in the mornings for summer - esp. late July - and I plan to take advantage of that. I have some poison ivy that I "caught" in town and not here - that has been the case the last two times. So, I will obviously be especially vigilant on that.

I also have several projects and a vision statement to work on today. A friend is coming out so that we can do some collaborating and just have company while we work and enjoy the farm before the new academic year begins anew.

Labels: deer, farm, friends, redbird, summer, vision statement, weeds

Now that the waters have parted, I was able to get back out to the farm.

I was waiting for a repair person when I kept hearing something bang against the kitchen window. Mr. Redbird is back. Poor little guy is determined- it's like he's taking a running start at it and then sits on the window and tries to figure out why he can't get in. He worked on it for several hours today - even after I went out to chat with him about how he wasn't ever going to get in. I just hope I don't find him dead on the deck - poor little guy.

I finished the BIG project yesterday - just in time to go to dinner and watch fireworks. Today I was able to get quite a bit of work done on a syllabus (or at least course planning) and then this evening was quite productive outside with the weedeater and the sprayer for the weedkiller. I bought a little Black and Decker battery-powered sprayer - it's been great! I'll work outside again in the morning when it's cool. Now that it has quite raining every day, summer really is here.

Labels: projects, redbird, work

There's a cardinal outside the back of the house (mostly windows and a sliding glass door) who is apparently quite preturbed that he can't get into the house. I've heard various noises and now realize they were all him. His last approach was to perch on the deck post and just look at me with his head cocked. He is beautiful and one of my favorite birds but he is best left outside the house.

Labels: cardinal, deck, redbird