Walking Iten's Acres: Nuance July 29, 2014

The last couple of days have been nuanced walks at The Acres. Misty rain, sunshine, shadows as it slips behind a bank of clouds, slate gray as a storm moves in to erase, temporarily, any hint of light. Beautiful changes--almost minute by minute. As always--rain or shine--there is color everywhere. Double orange day lilies everywhere--all along the front of the property, in some of the beds near the house, by the pond, along the driveway, in the meadow and the wild. Other day lilies as well--reds, maroons, creams, whites. Mom's tiger lilies are "kicking in" along the property line. The bog has its mallows and monkey flowers. The gladiolas--what a perfect name for a flower--are really starting to make glad The Acres. Such rich colors and height. Impossible to ignore, not that you would want to. The blue of the balloon flowers--everywhere. Cone flowers--such a subtle variety of pinks and reds are scattered in many places. I especially like the little pockets of them in the wild area. Their pink companions liatris are everywhere as well, in the beds and in the wild--tall, "fuzzy" pinks that bloom slowly from the top down. Still some bee balm--shades of purple. Roses blooming again--white, pink, yellow. Phlox--less than normal--but still plentiful, every shade of pink and white. Even have a couple patches of them in the wild area. Sunflowers and black-eyed Susans add the yellow. Queen Anne's lace dominates any open area. Mom's planter garden grows more luscious hour by hour I think. Somehow a hosta ended up in one of them. Rose of Sharon are starting to bloom as well--mostly pink and double pinks from Mom's to The Acres--special delivery. Morning glories living up to their name on the early walks, and rainy days fool them into thinking it's an all day morning. No complaints here. Expectations: hibiscus by the dozens, obedient flowers, magic lilies by the house, butterfly bush (surprised it survived the vortex), lobelia, cardinal flowers. They should all be blooming before I return to school--except for the cardinal and lobelia perhaps.
I even encountered a fawn yesterday. Seemed small, young--all spots still. Curious. No mom in sight. Eventually, he bounced into the thicket between Dennis' place and mine. And, of course, now that I am wise to them--the pond is sprinkled in gold. A nice colony of turtles as well. And the bull frog men's choir. Singing lustily each night to the cadence of their living strobe lights--the lightning bugs. July is almost gone. August will be here in a moment. The beauty of The Acres needs no calendar. They bloom when ready--the nuances of nature's loveliness, no apologies given, or necessary.

This Week at Iten's Acres: Gone and Back Again: July 25, 2014

I have returned from the tip---the very tip--of Ohio. George Washington and I both could have hurled a silver dollar across the river and into Kentucky. Shawnee State University was new to me. For a university, it's rather new as well--25 years old.
You missed your opportunity--at least for one week. The Homesteader is still here--and as demonstrative as ever. You will have at least one more chance to claim her as I will be on the road again for four days next weekend.
The Acres seem fine--phlox and rose of Sharon adding to the beauty. I do have some mowing to do. Feeding the Swallows later this afternoon; Feeding the Bluebirds tomorrow. Is it supposed to rain? Doesn't look as if it did while I was away. That has to be a miracle for this summer.
I survived my return to student days. The information was good and well-presented. Thirty plus hours of school in four days in one class was--different. Now, the tension sets in. And I hope it will be good tension. I have, as an old timer, an aversion to "teaching toward a standardized test"--even if it's an "elite" such test. And this is an entire year's course designed to focus on one standardized test. Strikes my soul as being very anti-education. And, of course, my prejudices lead me to believe that there is some literature and the ideas therein that the seniors should interact with and think critically about. I am not saying that the critical thinking lessons encouraged in the AP approach are negatives. They are certainly worthy approaches and writing techniques that all of our students need to confront. So the tension will be finding a way to allow my seniors--yes, I adopt each and every one of them as my own--to master the AP approach and still interact with literature that I deem important. Twill be another year of much planning! But I have some extremely useful tools to begin erecting a course to challenge the kids--and the old man.
Oh, loved the murals portraying the history of Portsmouth, Ohio, on the flood wall along the river. Fascinating. And I had a great reuben sandwich while I was there. I wonder where the name comes from?
Thanks for the prayers. The Acres and her feline boss both survived my absence. I am tired but enjoyed the brain work. Made the acquaintance of several fine educators and two fellow Christian educators from the Columbus area--one from London, one from Mansfield Christian. You never know who you will run into and where. Tried my best to convert WC fellow educator Trevor from the evils of science and mathematics to the joys and intrinsic goodness of literature. Alas, no conversion yet. Appreciate your prayers as I continue to prepare for the new school year--three weeks until start up. Egads! Did I just type "three weeks? Ah well. Off to the swallows I go!

Today at Iten's Acres: A Fish Story July 16, 2014

Another interesting tidbit from the tree guys encounter with The Acres. By the way, my house is so much brighter!!! Anyway, a couple of years ago my sister and brother-in-law, just for fun, put some goldfish in my pond. "Yeah right," said the bald headed skeptic. No sign of them--at least from my vantage point for the last year-and-a-half. So the tree guy is up on his lift, and he can see the entire pond from his sky view. "Hey," he says, " you have a huge school of goldfish in your pond." Amazing.

Today at Iten's Acres: The Tree Guys July 15, 2014

Well, the tree guys are here. Cutting up the fallen timber and the pine it destroyed--better than the house though. Then taking down three walnut trees! Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE walnut trees? There will be three less of them when the day is done! I will do my best to hold back the tears at their passing. Meanwhile the Homesteader is going a little insane. All that noise.

Some flowers and shrubs are smashed, but that was inevitable. Most should return next year as good as old. A couple are probably "history." It is more than worth it to get rid of those walnut trees.

I will save hours picking up nuts in the fall.

I can throw away my hard hat.

I can see down my driveway, and there will be tons more light on the flower bed by the house.

I don't have to worry about the monster behind my house falling on the roof.

Less food for the tree rats.

I will miss that beautiful pine though. It was a wreck thanks to the fallen tree. Oh well, lots of light now in the windows on that side of the abode. That's a plus, eh?!

I can always plant more stuff where the pine used to be, Heh, heh.

Today at Iten's Acres: A Plan July 12, 2014

After much agonizing, totally selfless, soul searching and deep contemplation, I have decided--the vote was unanimous--that we should just pretend to start school in the middle of August. I mean, some of us are busy with our families. Some of us still need to take a vacation. Some of us are busy doing nothing. Some of us have tons more reading we need--really, really, really want--to do. Some of us have more flowers to watch bloom. Mid-September is fine, isn't it? I'll come in one day a week and use a bunch of fobs at the necessary times, turn on the lights, walk back and forth across the street (slowly in order to irritate the drivers as required), even put fictitious stuff on Renweb. The Ohio Department of Education will never catch on. The kids can still do the fall sports stuff--it would greatly aide the coverup in fact. And coaches, think of it. No school work to interfere with practice. Nice, eh? (I know, some of us are losing touch with reality and dressing up like cows and stuff, but the extra days may help recovery.) What do you say? Anyone else want to volunteer to fake a day a week? I'll give you a case of Pepsi? Cold! A dozen donuts, too, if it will help persuade. Huh? Huh? Come on now . . . you were thinking it too.

Today at Iten's Acres: Serenity July 10, 2014

Today at Iten's Acres:
Began with an early morning amble. Dewy grass; sunshine turning the meadow into a sparkling sheen. Am I walking on a cloud? Ah, no. Blue sky above me punctuated with cloud puffs moving slowly, looking for company. The swallows are about. Field sparrows busy being watched by God. Song sparrows bragging. Robins trying to drown them out. A cat bird on the very top of a dead tree practicing his mewing. Met the doe for the first time this summer; Twins again. She checks me out. Leaps through the brush and into Aaron's pines. The twins, curious, stutter their way after her--eventually. Strangest thing. A small fox squirrel--okay, they're all small--scampered away from me and went down the muskrat hole. I suppose the "rat" has moved on. Are they vegans? Anyway the squirrel is moving down in this world. I sat on the green throne for awhile to embrace the stillness of the wild area. Lovely breeze this morning. Another singularity. Here I repose surrounded by white clover, and there is only one honey bee. Just one. How can that be? Must be too many "goodies" out here in the country to need the whole hive. They have by the way returned to The Sentinel. Their old branch is gone, so they've set up shop in a lower branch. Good for them. And The Acres. They will be out in force in September when the heath aster are abloom by the literal thousands. The wild area buzzes then.
Today, the wild area is still mostly greens. A few day lily here and there--orange, yellow, pink, purple polka dots here and there. And the blue patches of spiderwort are still active. A patch or two of black-eyed susans. A patch or three of bee balm--purples and the white loner. Additional whites--Queen Anne's lace, daisies, yarrow, the clover, of course, Mounds of meadow rose still--all the shades of pink. Makes for a lovely walk--like strolling on the Artist's canvas.
As always, you can be anywhere on The Acres and see His artistry. The day lily are the stars for now. Waiting in the wings for their cues are the morning glory and gladiolas. They have just started to "warm up" in the green room for their days to shine. Purple and soft reds ones are blooming in the bed by the house. (Can't reds be soft?) The first gladiola started blooming this morning--a rich deep purple. (I know purple can be rich. I asked Lydia.) This was the time of year when Mom early in the afternoon would have to be helped out onto the patio to sit among the container garden in her pink floppy hat, sunglasses, and swivel chair to enjoy the day and the beauty. The containers, of course, grow more gorgeous every day. The bed by the house is luxurious: a couple dozen sun flowers of different types, dozens and dozens of blue balloon flowers, tall red and even white coneflowers, a sprinkling of pinkish purple bee balm and hollyhock and day lily. She loved that bed. (Though she could never remember the name of the balloon flowers.) And then she could swivel and look at the day lily bed. It already has a dozen or so different varieties enjoying their day in the sun. A couple dozen more to come. I'll enjoy the loveliness for her--enhanced by the rich beauty of memory.
A day of slow meanderings, a still, quiet rest on the hillside, surround sound and surround sight beauty, the activity of God's creatures, and treasured memories--sounds like a "splendiferous" day to me.

Backroads of Morrow County: Knees July 8, 2014

I took my annual knee-high tour of the back roads. My FSA demands an inspection. The Summer of Thunder has done a marvelous job. The corn fields of Morrow County are way past the knee-high by the fourth of July cliche. The houses at the back of the fields are already starting to disappear into the green landscape. Going to be a banner year for the farmer. There are a few low spots in some fields that have been flooded into mud. The soy beans are doing well too. And the wheat appears to be ready for harvest--at least to this non-farmer's eye. I imagine, though, that the fields are a little wet for harvesting. I suppose the farmers will plant something else in those fields once the wheat is in? The only field in all of Morrow County that looks pathetic is the one across the road from my place. They planted it late per usual, and the rains have turned a great deal of into one of those mud holes mentioned above. Anyway, FS has been vindicated again. To your knees world.

This Week at Iten's Acres: He-Man July 2, 2014

Actually did some manual labor at The Acres today. Yep, real he-man work. Physical. Won't be able to walk for a couple days probably but . . . No, it wasn't mowing the grass--that's not really work. I just sit there, guide the beast, watch out for honey bees on the clover, try not to get stuck in the places that are still wet. Almost got stuck a couple of times. And left a part of the front unmowed. Way too submerged. No, the work I did today was rebuilding one of the pot bunker beds--raising it, moving some plants to better locations, and mulching. Hey That's hard work for an old man--my three score and ten will be up in a year-and-a-half. Old. Almost decrepit. I even did the hard stuff as well as taking my daily treks around The Acres You can start calling me The Incredible Bulk.
What did I move? Some iris and hibiscus to the wild area. Some lilies and hyacinth to the new bed I redid. Some blue flag iris to the front of the property. Some yellow flag iris to the bog. The lilies are really starting to show off. The bed by the house is turning blue with the hundreds of balloon flowers. Yes, hundreds. And this year there are a dozen or more sunflower islands in the blue sea. Quite striking. This week my Gardening Angels surprised me with some sunflowers in the wild area and by the pond. They've never been there before. I need to get some of those night cameras and see if I can catch the Angels on film. They have also planted a new kind of mallow in the bog of all places. Reddish. Love color in the bog! The great thing is that it's only the beginning of July--three months left of beauty to go, at least.
Anyway, I probably won't be moving around very well tomorrow. The old gray just isn't what he used to be. Of course, all that really means is that my treks will take a little longer and the green throne will come in handy. Going to be another fall day in July they say. Can't wait.