The railroad spike is from our Landon Trail. Seems impossible to pick them ALL up. They're sneaky. When I do find them, I carry them out so bicyclists and horse riders don't get hurt.
Now I need to bind my next sketch journal. This sketch is just on a sheet of drawing paper. We'll see if my binding notes are good enough to do it again. It's been quite a while.
We once owned a tiller. That rascal was a maintenance nightmare. I spent more time tending it than using it, and it was far from dependable. When it finally aged out I decided to simply rent every year. The frustration is gone. The cash flow is reduced. Yes, I have less control over my time, but that's a small price to pay. I've sketched about this before.
Everything is waking up around here. I love Spring! The hummingbirds are back. Flowers are up. Wilma's flower and veggi gardens are planted. We're starting to eat fresh veggies.
Sometimes things happen that seem bad initially, but have some merit in the long run. For example, this bruised fingernail. It will take months to heal, and is a constant reminder that patients is a nice virtue. Every year, before the snows come, we like to till the garden with organic matter so it can rest the Winter. I had problems with the roto-tiller (again) and I worked myself into a frenzy. Slamming that nail between a flying strap buckle and the utility trailer rail came along to refocus my attention.
Last weekend was the big start of Spring around here as far as yard and garden work. Wilma tended the garden. I hit the yard and took her car in for new tires, while taking some fun time, too. One morning was clear and warm enough I could eat breakfast out on the front porch and watch the country wake up. Always like that. Each year I pull some pasture cedar seedlings. This time of year the ground is moist and loose and the grass isn't green and thick enough to hide them, so I can pull the out, either by fingers or with pliers. Usually I bag them up, but this year I just threw them in the wheelbarrow for the burn pile and counted them . . . thus the title of this sketch. Got more than I figured. I found the youngin's to be very graceful and attractive, even if I hate them. The donut shop just opened up this year. It's open 24-hours a day with drive-up service and can seat probably 100 people. What a business model! Hope they make it. Need to rest up for next weekend.
Well, I think Spring has arrived in eastern Kansas. I think that deserves a journal entry. Never know in the future when one will ponder historic trends. The wife is getting antsy to plant the vegetable garden so I dashed out last night and tilled the garden. I feel it's going to be a good year for growing things. Soil looks real nice, assuming you like dirt.
Too much yard work lately! Just no time for fun stuff. The grass needs to slow down someday. Maybe when the snow flies. I have a bike ride in a couple weeks with a brother and my daughter and her boyfriend. Happens every Fall. That's one reason I do like this cooler season. Things to do outside.
More garden produce sketching. We had some good looking cabbage this year. A little cabbage goes a long ways, so a couple heads is enough. Wilma cooks up a big batch of bierocks and freezes them for quick meals. Can't beat them! Once in a great while I'll find a restaurant that gets close to their quality, but not often. This is a dish I got introduced to when I married her. Glad I did . . . both.
So far this summer I've had two batches of these chili peppers, a.k.a. Anehiem or banana pepper. It's not my German heritage that got me into these things. I guess I've adopted them. It's not universal for the household, either. Wilma can tolerate them in small doses. That's meant preserving them in small portions so I can play with them for Saturday lunches, etc. My favorite is to make a smothering sauce to serve over burritos we buy as fund raisers for school kids around here. For as good as these peppers are I have yet to run across another person who grows them and processes them. Can't figure it out.
Love this time of year. The air warms up, rain storms begin, everything greens up. Our first produce this year is the asparagus and it's growing well. Wilma has been picking enough this week that we can freeze some for later, too. Rhubarb won't be far behind.
I can't help it there's been a lot of stuff to sketch lately. It's been a dry spell lately, but I figure I sketch when I see stuff, and I cool it when I don't. We finally had a calm dry evening so the wife and I jumped at the chance to spread weed killer for the dandelions. It's an annual ritual. I question the results, but we have piece of mind knowing that we did all we could to keep the weeds under control. Done 'till next year.
Well, my sketching has been sidelined a bit lately. I'm trying to replace the two garage door openers that the lightning killed, and the project just seems to keep growing. Stay tuned . . . sketch to follow. But, while doing yard work lately these darn tulips kept insisting that I sketch them. The yard isn't really green yet and the trees aren't awake yet. Kinda blaa. So, when these darn tulips spring up with the hyacinths they radiate color on steroids! You just gotta stare. Told myself I really didn't have time now to sketch. That worked for two days. Third day . . . I'm out there with my journal sketching. While doing my first mowing of some of the yard I see other things going on, too, that needed some sketching. Now that this sketch is done, I'll finish up on the garage openers.
