It is a delight to be the spouse of a hard working, joy-filled, dedicated man.



Monday, March 30, 2009

The Farm Tour Begins


I would love to take you for a tour of where I live. This is my world. Please go see some more of the_world, when you're done here. Hope you brought your boots, we're mighty soggy right now.

I decided to begin the tour not in the driveway as if you came here by car but in the far corner as if you came here by camera.

This is the northwest corner of the farm that we have rented since August 1985. At that time we were a family of three, Phil Dirt, Stephanie, and myself. As soon as we arrived I decided that my idea of having only one child was rather silly and our second daughter was in the making.

This is the gate that you can see in the first picture. Across the state highway you can see a big white rock and a driveway, this gate was put in when our second oldest girl was big enough to come down here and cross the highway with the horse so she could ride with her friend and practice gaming in their sand pit.

Now our youngest two use the gate to go ride with their friends. Every once in a while when God wakes me up in the middle of the night to pray, I think he might be waking me up to check fences and gates. So I trudge out here in my evening wear to make sure no one has cut through the lock. It makes for great prayer time.


This is like we are walking backwards from the corner, don't get dizzy and fall into the pond. This is all dry by late summer and then fills up again usually in the fall, this year it waited until February. We have had a lot of rain in the last sixty days, or snow that melts quick.

This is the approach to the bridge that Dirt built over the little seasonal stream of water that comes from across the highway. We happen to be the head waters of Horn Creek, the water wonders all start right here.

As you can see from this shot the bridge isn't nearly as dilapidated as it appears on the approach. I love the rustic things Dirt builds. He built the bridge long before he put in the gate. We needed it to check fence lines in the winter and spring.


If we swing around and face east you might see our driveway just beyond the fence and the buffer piece. Here in the pasture you see my roadside pumpkin patch, this has been a challenge. Timing is everything, this year Dirt made sure it was plowed and tilled before the water came.

All this water now and then in the summer I load hose on my trailer wagon and spend a good portion of the day watering in the seedlings. Another great time for concentrated prayer, not sure irrigation pipe out here would be a blessing. I'll get it worked out yet. I may be a procrastinator but I'm no quitter. These beds aren't raised yet, but I still use the wide bed concept. Everybody walks on just the grassy parts, right Fluffy and Martin?


A couple of years ago the farm across the highway was developed and now we have folks living way out here on house lots barely bigger than in the city, inches away from a state highway that has, on occasion, taken the traffic from Interstate 5 when Chehalis floods. When I work out here in my roadside patch I wonder if they enjoy the sound of logging trucks and bass blasting cars mixed with the smell of exhaust and rotting possums.

If we turn a little more and look south east you can see the "compound" in the distance, our farm buildings and our house. The log barn has brown metal roof and the house has green. In the next week or two you will see the barn up close when I take your for a tour of the barnyard.
I'll do a big swing over to the south west and you can see the spot where the girls went ice skating this winter with their nephew, Kai. Yes, that is a tire swing.
This is the deeper end of this pond and in the summer when the girls aren't taking the horses into the pond for a swim they swing on the tire swing, not for the purpose of letting go and falling into the pond, no one would do that on purpose, but they are always sporting smiles when they come in soaked accidentally.

I leave off here in the pasture with a note that, although so far it looks like an idyllic place to be, with the work, coyotes, cougars, bald eagles weasels, raccoons, possum and occasional bear it can be a back and heart breaking place to live. Intense. Yet, I am not sure I could get used to living anywhere else and there will be tears when God tells Dirt and I it is time for us to go do something else. Tears will spill even from the queen of change.


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Next week's tour will be the animals' barnyard and the back pasture (unless of course I change my mind and show you something else), until then be sure and go see some other parts of this great world God made. It is amazing, the mighty hand of God.

22 comments:

LindaSue said...

Wow - that is a lotta wet! I think you get multiples on your steadfast gardener points by working the pumpkin patch. Thank you for taking us on the tour - and whispering to myself "glad we don't have cybersmellovision 'cause I don't like rotten possum smell" :::waving graciously bye bye for now!
Actually very cool to give a tour - thankee

Anonymous said...

the tire swing just completes the tour for me. very nice post. thanks for the tour.

Jane Hards Photography said...

I loved thise reflections. I have walks like these, muddy boot days.

Sparky said...

That was an enjoyable tour Lanny. Sure looks like Heaven to me ... like our place (only drier)! I love living in the country. When we get home from the Texas Hill Country, I'll try to make a My Home post for everyone to see. Since it *finally* rained, it should be green by the time we get home.
Thanks for showing us y'alls home. Bet you wish you could buy it. ♥ ∞

Guy D said...

I really enjoyed the tour, great photos.

Have a great week!
Guy
Regina In Pictures

deedee said...

I enjoyed the tour. That looks like a lot to take care of. I bet you have a never ending to do list!

Karen said...

Reminds me of Papa's farm. I like the smell of spring in the air. I remember when it was FUN to jump into the puddles rather than tip-toe around.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Lanny: Thanks for the look into your world. You certainly have enough water. I thought that bridge din't look safe in the first photo.

Anonymous said...

So very nice to take the tour with you Lanny. I know you love each and every corner of the place. You must feel very blessed to raise your girls in such a special place.

Susie said...

Thanks for the tour Lanny, it was great! You certainly live in a beautiful place. Love the tire swing!

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

well that was fun lanny! thanks! i'd do the same but it would all fit on one small photo! ha ha ha

smiles, bee
xxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Arija said...

You are lucky to have so much water. We are heading for our 7th year of drought. If I may make a suggestion about your pumpkin patch, cover the whole patch in 6" of mulch, preferably lucerne which can be ploughed in next season and will nourish the soil, sow the pumpkin in little holes in the mulch just before the last frosts, it takes about 10 days to come up and the mulch will protect it. With the mulch on the wet soil it will not need watering until quite late in the season as there will be minimal evaporation loss. When the plants are little some diluted Seasol mixed with a little fish emulsion will stimulate root formation and growth. Good luck.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

This was great! I enjoyed the tour and look forward to the next part!

KathyB. said...

Lovely tour! I did not have to put my every day mud boots on for it either. I did notice as I drove by your place last week that your pumpkin patch is now "Pumpkin Pond'!

Oh Queen of Change, say you're not changing too soon!

Anonymous said...

Lucky kids to have such a great place to play. Thanks for the tour.

Lisa @ Life with 4! said...

what a beautiful place you live. it's very similar to our home. don't ya just love the Pacific NW?

A. Joy said...

Even though we've been there lots and pass by often - the tour by camera was really fun and your place is shown in a whole new light! Loved it!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Great tour, I so enjoyed it. I really like your raised beds..that was a great post. It is a very pretty area that you live in:)

Ethel said...

thanks for the tour!!

The Good Life in Virginia said...

enjoyed the photos and commentary of your world today...lovely area there. i love the valleys of washington state...so beautiful.
have a blessed day.

Tipper said...

Loved the tour-soggy and all!

Connie said...

I enjoyed the tour, Lanny. That was fun to see. :D