Wednesday, July 22, 2009

By the sweat of your brow

7/22/09 Wednesday
This morning my bones tell me there is a change in the weather coming. I knew it anyway because while at the laundrymat I was able to watch the news on one of the three televisions they have mounted so everyone can see. It was nice to watch the news and get a glimpse of what’s going on in the city. In the weather segment he said that there are some heavy rains coming. Because of that I hurried to plant the hay seed in the apple tree area. Ran the tiller till ten o’clock last night to cover the seed I’d sown. That fisherman’s headlight is getting some use. What a valuable tool it is because it allows me to work after dark, which incidentally is when things are cooled down so I can do more. Don’t know if the rain will hit our particular piece of real estate but if it does I want to be prepared.

There is some seed left so I will sow the rest today. This is the Sudan stuff that I use as a border/hedge around the garden plots. It grows about six feet tall when not mowed and is an effective wind break. In order to do that on the remaining plots I have I must install more drip irrigation tape. A primary area for this will be the second blackeyed pea area I need to plant for fall. There are tons of peas still on the plants that we haven’t been able to pick. That will be a loss for we don’t have the ability to get to them with everything going on. Just too much to do that must be done now.

I work hard, from morning to night when I’m able and sometimes late into the night. I believe this is good for idle hands find trouble. It is the way God intends. Not to work late into the night but to not be idle and lazy. When Adam and Eve were ejected from the garden of Eden God told them that “by the sweat of the brow you will eat your food”. I sure sweat a lot out here in the desert.

Times awastin so I need to get out while it’s still cool. No time to chit chat.
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Well, I’m wet. Not just a little wet but soaked to the underwear wet. I got to work getting more hay seed sowed and then running the tiller, set at only an inch or so deep, over it. The ground has a hard crust on it despite having been disced because we had some rain after I did so. It’s critical that the crust be broken to have any hope of the seed germinating. While running the tiller it started raining but I wasn’t willing to stop. To do so would risk losing all the seed I put out so I kept going. I quit when I finished the next to last plot because the tiller was going to run out of gas. Rascal and Trixie are as wet as I for being loyal dogs they never left my side no matter how hard the rain fell. I didn’t make it to the last plot. Now it’s so muddy that the tiller will just sink and spin it’s wheels. But I did my best. Came in and took my clothes off, wringing out the t-shirt and setting them in the tub. Hope the papers in my wallet didn’t get too wet.

I fixed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. Now that I’m in the tiredness is coming as it always does when I slow down. Plus it’s that time of day. I’ll take a nap. After that this would be a good time to work on the business plan and do some other writing. See ya next time.

2 comments:

clumsyraine said...

Hi Bob, will you let me know if you do get some more blackeyed peas picked? I think we live not far from the laundromat you are mentioning (on Oak street?) and would like to buy some... what quantity/price would you have?

Bob Westbrook said...

We've got tons of them. They go for five bucks for a two pound bag. If you want to come out and pick your own they are $1.50 a pound. That's the laundromat we use. Send an email at bobcarver2@yahoo.com