New Tranquil Moon Clearings

Hadn't been out in so long I'd almost lost site of the work that needed to be done. 

I started the other day by clearing the area around the electric pole that will eventually provide our electric service.  As it started out, the orange stake marked the spot where we would put the pole we were to drop.  I had to clear the entire area around it and the primary pole.   The shots here don't really show the area before the clearing, but it's pretty close.  As you can see from the brush I cleared out, there was a lot moved from around the pole when I finished.

We're moving!

Yesterday our landlady called and said the long lost sister of her deceased husband had finally been found . . . and she owns the part of the land we're on . . . so load 'em up, Henry!  We're moving ASAP!

Fortunately, the day before I'd done my taxes and my refund will more than cover the moving, and we'd already begun to plan.  We believe we're about six weeks out . . . and no one will EVER tell us we have to move again!  Tranquil Moon here we come!

As Spring Break ends, I'm a little depressed.  I've enjoyed my time off very much even though I've done a lot of school work during the week.  Just being able to set my own hours  has been a treat.  When we get to the new dirt, I'm sure I'll really want some more time off . . . I can hear trees and flower beds and Jay's salsa garden calling me now!

The briars have died off nicely and are ready to be skid-steered into a huge burn pile.  The 25' driveway is first on the list, with the nearby electrical pole location included.  Then the spot we've picked for the trailer will have to be leveled and cleared as well.  Jay will be contacting the well man to see how long it will take him to sink the well etc.  As soon as we have electric, we'll be ready to roll.  We can tote water for a few weeks, if necessary, and our "blue tanking" can start any time.  I wonder what it's going to be like to sit in the midst of our trees and drink morning coffee . . . I wonder, but I'm anxious to experience the reality . . . we've waited so long for this to happen.

Our Lizzie baby was diagnosed with diabetes three weeks ago.  We've almost lost her twice to diabetic coma due to spikes in her blood sugar, but $1,000 later it seems we may be on the right track.  Everyone has been switched over to the new "prescription diet".  Insulin shots have given way to pills, which she readily takes without problems.  March 10 her blood sugar was 368, but the vet says that's progress.  She's lost an awful lot of weight, but seems to be comfortable and is finally moving around the place more.  We've had to keep her confined to a cage for two weeks while she settled in, urine output was monitored, and the new food was introduced for all.  She slept with Jay last night, so I feel hopeful.

Off to Bobbie and her college paper . . . tutoring!

Continuing the intro of our babies...

Sure haven't done much on the property in a while.  Weather has just been too cold and wet.  Hoping to soon get out and begin working again.  Until then I spend a great deal of time on the PC learning Adobe Illustrator.  I'm not bad with Photoshop, but I've really wanted to expand my art techniques to include vector art so taking the time to learn Illustrator during the poor weather is a good opportunity.

I had introduced some of our babies earlier, but didn't have photos of the others until now.  So, I figure it's a good time to get at least two more of them into the blog

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A little beauty is one we named Dusty Rhodes.  Actually, the last name had been Roads - since that was where I found her; on a dusty road - but Cara preferred the Rhodes Scholar address.  So a scholar she is.  Dusty was on a dirt road being friendly to anyone who would pay attention to her.  I had held her as had a few other friends, but when I tried to walk away and leave her, she followed me to the truck.  I returned her to the group I had been with since one lady remarked that she might take her home, but again when I left, she followed me and beat me to the truck.  I figured after that, that she had to go with me.  Cara was reluctant to take in a new cat and was trying to be adamant about me returning her, but alas, Cara is weak and she fell in love with her.  Dusty is sweet, still small, the youngest, and lively and has become one of Cara's favorites.  Dusty loves to sit in her lap while she's working on the PC.

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Lizzie Boots is one of the few we've adopted off the street.  Cara and I were out running errands and we happen to see someone giving away kittens in the parking lot.  We went over to see and immediately saw two that looked like they needed us for parents.  Lizzie was an orange one and the other was a calico.  Both girls had white boots on each of their four feet, thus the last name attachments of Boots to their names.  Unfortunately the calico didn't make it; she died within a few weeks.  But Lizzie stayed and earned the effable nickname of The Napster because of her knack for grabbing a quick nap with me as soon as I laid down.  She now gets quite upset if her position is usurped by any of the other babies.

Not much work lately...

Weather has been poor; cold, rainy, miserable. Not very good for working on the land. No progress has been made for a few weeks - well, since Christmas I think. Hoping that, with the rain, the burn ban will be lifted so I can, at least, get in to do some burning. Since we sprayed a large area of the rose bushes are dieing out as hoped. Those will have to be plowed down with a skid-steer in order to make way for the RV.

Camera has been malfunctioning so I haven't been able to load any new pictures. Hopefully that will be corrected soon.

More briars . . . and I'm winning!

The briars (wild roses . . . whatever!) I sprayed on Dec. 27 are showing significant brown and wilt.  The wood remains green, as I broke off some twigs today, so dead roots are probably still awhile off.

I have now gotten the wild roses up our path from camp to the projected RV location.  From the front of the property (where we marked off our 25' road last week), I have thoroughly sprayed roses where the electric pole will be installed (come on $600!!!!) and up the proposed road to where we'll make our turn for the RV location.  From our trail on the other side, I've worked my way back down to the turn on the proposed road.  So . . . . I have a complete loop made of roses having been thoroughly sprayed.  I hope we can rent our first skid-steer around the 20th, so we can begin pushing those dead briars aside.

Victoria has a burn ban in effect, so only the Goddess knows when we will be able to burn.  Some areas cannot be burned because we will damage healthy trees, so I guess we'll keep renting the chipper until we get them ground into mulch.  In the meantime, we are dragging the cut materials we can handle to a large burn pile which will probably be the biggest bonfire in Victoria County history when the ban is lifted!!!!! (As a retired firefighter, I know we won't be burning anything not in a ring or fire pit until we have water on the scene!  Just don't tell Jay!  (Come on $700 for the down payment on the well!)

School starts again Monday.  Part of me is missing my kids, but I have enjoyed the stress-free physical work at Tranquil Moon.  I am reluctant to see these days go.  I have resolved to spend a full day out there EVERY weekend working, however; I hope it serves to help me keep my stress level down for this last semester.  This semester spells PDAS observations and more conflict with the AP, but she'll be gone next year.  So, as I see it, I just have to tie a knot in the rope, expect to get chewed on . . . and name some briars after her when I spray . . . "I win! HAHAHAHA Take that, you ol' sticker!"

Until next time . . .