Kelly in Kansas

It's the end of summer, or at least the end of "summer vacation". I'm trying to get everything caught up while also starting off the new year ahead of the game. This time last year I was busy getting ready for a non-academic job interview and that consumed quite a bit of my energy - considering changing course and all of that. (In the end, it all worked out and I didn't make the move. But I'm a firm believer in knowing that it's possible to make a change is what makes you happy in your current position. Feeling "stuck" is what makes you unhappy and it seems especially prevalent in the ivory tower world of tenure.)

Big book project has an imminent deadline and I made significant progress the last two days on a variety of tasks about which I was waiting to hear back from other people I'm also trying to keep the return to campus work at bay given that some of us don't realize not everyone is actually back. Usually I am on the road this time of the summer since it's my first chance to get away but I effectively managed that last month so I felt ahead of the game.

I'm at the farm right now. The only down note being that one set of folders was accidentally left behind but I made it less of a deal and will just have to do that catching up Thursday and Friday instead. At least I didn't leave behind the main laptop. That would have meant a return trip and I didn't have the energy for that.

I fit in some swimming today. I couldn't work outside because it was raining cats and dogs this morning and that made it take some effort to get Molly to do her morning thing. And now that it has dried out it is back up to almost 90 degrees so I will see what tomorrow morning holds. I didn't put out the granular weed killer given I was afraid the 30% chance of heavy showers might materialize.

Out here, I am trying to catch up from not spending much time out here since Thanksgiving. It was just too lonely without Shadow and, after adopting Molly, I had to give her time to adjust before going back and forth. She loves adventuring out here - I just have to keep her from straying off the beaten path too far since she's not aware that there are many more critters out here that would consider her a good snack.

I have a personal situation that is forcing me to be more patient than I've ever been and to NOT be my usual self and plan too far ahead. When I feel overwhelmed by it, I just try to concentrate on the task at hand and give myself a short time frame to make the next step and then it all seems to go away. I'm so used to just going after what I want but it's certainly not appropriate in this case nor will it achieve desired results. It will be an excellent lesson in not feeling like all of the responsibility is on my shoulders.

Meanwhile, back to school prep.

Labels: Molly, summer, swimming, vacation, weeds

I was working in the back of the yard where the city finally (after almost 2 years) cleared out the blocked drainage to continue to clear out the sticks and vines, etc. Never before have I angered a stinging insect but apparently this time I did. And I couldn't get it away from me so there's about 5 sting marks that really scared me. Luckily, the neighbor was outside and was able to help me make sure it wasn't still in my hair or clothing - it kept stinging me on my back.

My guess is that the city digging down stirred up a nest underground or I pulled on overhead vines in a different way. I went back to get the box I was using to collect everything I was picking up and was stung again so the other neighbors will wonder why a box is just sitting back there.

I was only stung one other time and that was over 20 years ago. My parents were glad I was finally stung given that my dad has severe allergic reactions to any stings. I can still remember going down to Neosho with him every once in awhile to get his shot and how he was supposed to keep a remedy shot in his car but it was usually outdated and, if not, probably useless given all the car heat it experienced at least during the summers.

I don't think I still have any stingers in my skin but I guess time will tell. In reality, the fire ant bites I experienced in Pensacola were worse - especially in that the bite hurt worse as time went on - esp. the first time since I didn't know that ants weren't harmless (the Midwest doesn't yet have fire ants although they are marching this way.)

It's been long enough to assure that I won't have an allergic reaction. I was curious given that I didn't used to be sensitive to poison ivy and now I am very sensitive (and that was actually my main concern when I was out digging around in the weeds and vines back there).

So, live and learn and take insect spray with me next time. I did get the mowing done thank goodness but know the high heat and humidity is not adding anything to my sunny disposition. Now, I'm getting some much-needed computer work done.

Labels: bee sting, bees, lawn, mowing, outdoors, stings, weeds, yard

It rained a bit overnight - not enough to keep me from weedeating and just enough to put the weedkiller down without having to haul the hoses out.

Molly is feeling more comfortable out here. She did great on the trip even though she had a few intrusions into her comfort zone that were a bit too sudden. It is funny, tough, how she still barks at the ice maker when it drops ice.

I have some work to review and chapters to review but the best news is that the larger project is now much more manageable.

I went to the farmers' market on Friday and Thusday went to the orchards in Missouri to get peaches for Mom. She even felt good enough to make peach cobbler for Dad.

Right now, the last part of Smokey and the Bandit (#1) is on - what a fun movie - and now it tells the story of a different time in lots of ways.

Time to get some breakfast.

Labels: farm, Molly, saturday, weeds, work

As the calendar turns to the second half of 2008, it's clear that this summer is not only flying by but is ultimately less stressful than almost any in my adult memory - which includes going to graduate school, sponsoring cheerleaders (what seems a lifetime ago), making major life changes (school and jobs), and running teacher institutes.

The biggest lesson I'm still learning is to find the line between what situations I can improve and those over which I have no control.

Thanks to the growth of area farmers' markets, especially a farmer near Lamar and the market in Webb City, I'm eating much healthier - at least when I'm home.

I'm gradually winning the weed war at the farm and think I am winning the water war at home given that it looks like the city is finally fixing the 2-year-old drainage issue well beyond my control.

It's still a weird feeling, however, given that every summer since 2002 I have had something in July to be in charge of. Instead, this year, I am attending a conference on games and learning and evaluating a grant plus taking care of other mostly fun business in New York City. Then there is still almost a month before school starts plus another birthday to celebrate.

Perspective really does make a difference in how we view and deal with life but why do we have to learn the hard way - through time and experience?

Labels: grants, life, teachers, weeds

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