Time is spinning past.

3/13/07 Tuesday
Time seems to be spinning by fast these days. Hard to believe it is already the thirteenth. That means it’s eighteen days till our next check. I so look forward to not depending on that check and that requires making this farm produce enough to live on. Of course we will be raising much of our food so that will help. Plus it’s going to be some healthy, good tasting, fresh picked stuff. Eat better for less. I can live with that.

It was raining when I got up this morning and evidently has been most of the night. This place is going to blow to life now. Everywhere there is evidence of things coming to life. Of course the weeds lead that race, popping up all over the place and putting out the first flowers. There are little buds forming on the branches of the pecan trees so they will leaf out soon. The fig bush is moving the fastest in coming back to life.

This is an exciting time for us and me in particular. Ever since I woke from the coma I have experienced many first times. When you no longer remember what tiramisu taste’s like, or for that matter anything, eating it is like you have never had this before. So much of the world was brand new to me because of the memory loss that it was like wandering around like a child in wonder of everything he saw. That doesn’t happen much anymore but this is the first spring for us in West Texas and it promises to be a great one. The birds are all over the place now, sending their songs into the wind with the hope of finding a mate. We have some dove, who’s mournful calls I particularly like, hanging out here. I haven’t seen the quail for a few days now. Wonder if the coyotes decimated that population or drove them away.

The coyote pack was close last night. About as far away as I could once toss a baseball. They seem to follow a howling and yapping ritual when the sun goes down and it starts to get dark. What a racket they made. Cherie heard them in the house and had to come out and investigate. I think tonight I will dig up that digital recorder and see if I can record this. The odds of them still being there are slim in my mind.

There is tons of work to do. With spring comes the time to invest in our future with a little sweat and a touch or two of pain. With the goal of being self sufficient in mind there is much for this city boy to learn. We need to go online for each one of the plants we have seeds for and download how to plant and care for them. I just thought of using the wood slats in the old fencing as markers for the crops. Got to go see what it takes to get them out of the fence.

The corn will get planted today. I have to take out the ones I planted in the seed starter out and put them directly in the ground. We will run into Midland and get some more seed starting flats and some other basic supplies we need. I’ll probably let Cherie do that while I prepare the garden areas. Lots of hoeing, raking, and digging to do there. I am pretty stiff this morning and will start with a pain pill to keep things manageable. I love the workout I get from doing things like this. I go strong for a short while and then lean on the shovel to rest and have the pain settle down, then go again. As my body strengthens I suspect the pain may decrease, or at least hope it does. Regardless, it will be good to get some of my old strength back.

Euphoria ! That’s the word I’m looking for. The definition of euphoria today is “What you feel when everything seems right,
when the sun is shining on you,
when the symphony of birds songs comes with a gentle breeze,
when you understand,
How blessed you are”

That’s today’s definition of Euphoria. I so enjoy working on the front yard and planting and all of that. As I looked around at the house and the land it was an emotional moment, you know the kind that you can feel on your skin. Everything is all right and there is a life to be lived here, a good life. One we will sculpt out ourselves.