This Week at Iten's Acres: Three Days November 28, 2014

Three days at The Acres. Ahhhh. Actually, it has been a good week. Had "dinner" with one of my students from the past on Monday. Enjoyed the time immensely. Katie and her husband Mitch are presently in Canada. She and Joel Walton were classmates back in the days. Rabblerousers all in that crowd.
But the long weekend at The Acres is marvelous. Planted ten trees from the Arbor Day folks. Do that every year. Usually, half of them or more will make it and come to life in the spring. I, no doubt, will be Home before they grow to maturity--but I will add trees to the world every chance I get. This year it was redbuds, hawthorns, crab apples, and dogwood. All will one day bloom and provide food for the creatures at The Acres--whoever is walking them 15 years from now will be a nature lover even if they aren't. Sneaky, eh? Actually, of those four types of trees that I've planted in the past all of them usually do fairly well except maybe the dogwoods. I was surprised with the softness of the soil considering how cold it has been already. I also added a couple of iris to the place as well. Lowe's was practically giving them away so I rooted around in the pile until I found a couple that still had green on them. Worth the risk. Actually, this is a great time of year to plant seeds as well. Nature's way--the first snow knocks them to the ground and spring brings them to life. I've been throwing phlox, coneflower, sunflower, dianthus, snapdragon, morning glory seeds everywhere. I'll give you an update in May. Just call me Al the Seed Spreader--if only my name was Johnny.
I am also thinning out the flower beds and getting ready to put in a new bed for next spring as well. In reality I'm just moving one of the old beds that has become too overgrown. I will spend the spring, summer, and fall moving whatever blooms from the old to the new. The new will be raised some to hopefully help with keeping ahead of the weeds. Then in the fall, I'll re-do the old bed--raise it as well. That will be a goal for every year that the Lord allows me to stay here. So, let's see, if I live to be 90, I should have all the beds redone by then. Throw in the ten trees every year and a pot bunker or so--The Acres could be even more spectacular. Accepting applications now for future ownership.
Well, I need to getting ready for the plumber. The cave needs a little work as well. And I need to get out on the land for a walk and some work. I wish I could hire myself to work for me. And Brad's coming over for some duck tomorrow--I need to get the bird out of the freezer. You folks enjoy your holidays. Ignore Black Friday. My lovely students--don't worry about your homework until Sunday evening--if then. Love you all!

Today at Iten's Acres: Thank You November 26, 2014

Thank You Lord for The Acres

I spent much of my life dreaming of life in a cave. Ten years ago the Lord gave me one.

I love the quietness. Oh, the birds sing all day. And hoot all night. The wind whistles, moans, rustles, claps--and loves to slam the door on the shed. And, wow! what it can do with a snowstorm!

I love the solitude. Oh, people drop by and visit once in awhile. I get to chat with my neighbors from time to time. The neighborhood dogs howl at the creatures of the night and kill skunks on my front patio. (No common scents.)
Occasionally they try to out siren a siren. Successfully in my opinion. Once in awhile my gun goes off when a rabbit or squirrel just happens to be traveling by. Mean spirited gun!

I love the beauty. And the place has such a multitude of "environments." Bright meadow. Glorious wild flower fields. A stand of trees. A bog. A pond. Lots of shady areas and dappled shade areas as well. The variety of the gorgeous is amazing. And though I have added a great deal to the beauty--and continue to do so--it came lustrous. The magnificent pine in the very front and the ones around the house; the ancient maple at the bend of the driveway; the old apple tree, the loveliest of dogwoods and the red crab apples up near the house; the quartet of white crab apples besieging the pond; the wildness of the pond and bog and wild area; the fern, bleeding heart, magic lily rock garden up by the house, and of course, The Sentinel--the beauty of impressive starkness. The Acres came beautified. Myriads of wild violets of every color, spring beauties galore, hawkweed's orangeness, monkey grass in the bog, a wild area full of dozens of unique beauties--all were here long before I came. And, no doubt, will be here long after I'm gone. The birds and the butterflies have prior claim as well. I am an interloper.

It is a perfect fit for my nature. As Wendell Berry would say "My place on earth." And, Lord willing, will remain so until my place on earth is empty. A gracious gift in my old age from the Father who is the Ancient of Days. And "above what we ask or think," it was the ideal place for Mom to spend her last few years on her journey Home. She loved it as much as I do. The unforeseen gift wrapped up in a gift. So much grace in life!

Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to find a quiet, lovely place to mediate on your beauty, your still voice, and your abundant goodness to the undeserving. I celebrate this gift you've given me every day. Thank You.

I love the quietness. I love the solitude. I love the beauty.

Walking Iten's Acres: Snow Walk November 17, 2014

Two hour delay this morning. Perhaps I'll actually eat breakfast. Definitely take a snow walk! It's a lovely snow--the limbs are covered in white fluff. Have to be sure to give myself a little extra time to get to school. Clean off the car. Slither up the backroads of Morrow County. It will be a gorgeous drive until I get to the freeway. Maybe I should give myself lots of extra time and take the backroads all the way to school? Hmm. Have to see how much snow we get out here--already have at least a couple inches, or so it seems from the chair in the library/bedroom. Beautiful!

Today a Iten's Acres: FAS Syndrome 2014 November 16, 2014

My Farmer's Almanac Syndrome is trying to deal with a puzzle within an enigma. I have not seen many snowbirds this year. I mean, there are a few of them hanging out, but not in the numbers to which I have become accustomed. The syndrome is this: Does that mean that the rest stayed up North because the winter isn't going to be so bad? Or does that mean the rest of them kept going farther South because they know the winter is going to make the Vortex of last winter seem like a heat wave? I hate my FAS.

Walking Iten's Acres: A Warm Chill November 15, 2014

Walking Iten's Acres. A cold day in November means a brisk but lovely walk. The pond has a thin layer of ice. Goldfish are happily nestled in the mud on the pond's bottom I would assume. I wonder what kind of crop I'll have next spring and when they'll "bloom"? Gus dropped by to join me on my trek. It has been awhile since the old guy did that. He's as bouncy as ever. His little sister Beagle is around often, but she's too busy chasing whatever it is she scents to do much but stop for a moment, jump up on my legs, and disappear into the brush "singing." Man, does she have a high soprano yelp. Gus just kind of shrugs and meanders on. It's a dog's life. Sure do miss Bonnie.
The bird feeders keep getting more and more customers. Are you strange if you find serenity in the "carry out" eating habits of the chickadees and titmice? Or the muted goldfinch and their gurgling brook song? Or the squawkish antics of the blue jay? Or the burst of color when the cardinals suddenly arrive in force? (May the force be with you.) Or the "I can eat lunch upside down" demonstration casually performed by the woodpeckers on the suet feeder? And, of course, I love the black and white beauty of the snowbird/juncos. I repeat one of my favorite quotes: "simplicity carried to extremes is elegance." The stars of this morning were the five or six pileated woodpeckers flitting--well, more like soaring--through the dead trees in back of the house. No matter how many times they drop by I am still impressed by their size--and beauty.
Believe it or not, some phlox still refuse to give into the cold. Aromatic pink is still available in a couple of places up near the house. Snow on the ground this week. I don't mind. Nature doesn't either from what I can tell. The pines and Lenten roses don their white sweaters indifferent to the chill. When the layer of snow melts, the iris in the pot bunkers are still there unimpressed it would seem by an early winter blast. A walk in the wild area is as quiet and still as always. Peaceful--gorgeous even in its winter garb of greens, browns, red thickets, and a dash of white sprinkles here and there. I'm sure the daffodils and crocus and other bulbs are busy spreading under the already frozen earth. I can see where the deer have been traipsing through the wildness on their way, as always, to shelter in Aaron's pines. Ella and Gage were out playing this afternoon--when has cold ever intimidated a kid's energy genes? Still love their "Hello, Al"--"I want to be your neighbor" in a small child's lingo. I have no doubt a soul can smile--no matter how old it is--at a child's friendly banter.
Life at The Acres. Can't think of anything I would trade it for--except Home, of course. Here, the cold of a November day cannot defeat the warmth.

Walking Iten Acres: Chill of Autumn November 8, 2014

Chilly day at The Acres. The birds are active at the feeders--usual bunch: cardinals, chickadees, snowbirds, downy woodpecker, nuthatch, sparrow of various kinds, not so gold goldfinch. Homesteader loves the show.
No sign of the goldfish in the pond. I guess they're heading for the bottom and digging in for the winter to come. Going to get a real shot of winter later this week if the weather folks have it right. Cold enough already for the birdbaths to freeze over; they did thaw out by afternoon. Been scattering seed--especially phlox, morning glory, sunflower, coneflower, and dianthus. It's always a pleasant game of expectations to sow seeds where those particular flowers have not bloomed before. Check back in the spring to see what took the hint. I have my eyes on the new pothole bunkers to see how the iris I moved are doing as well. So far so good. Another game of expectations. The one tree that is still brilliant is the pink dogwood on the edge of the back meadow. Gorgeous solo. Anyway, The Acres are at rest--unless you figure in the winds. (God doing some raking.) Still a delightful walk--even spent some time on the green throne. Just have to bundle up a little--mainly a stocking cap. It was a beautiful day. I'm ready for a good snowfall.

Today at Iten's Acres: Hallucinations November 1, 2014

I think I must be hallucinating or something strange. I have this thought in my old, tired brain that on Monday Tuesdayish it was 70 degrees . . . But tomorrow it's going to snow . . . Someone must have slipped some coke in my Pepsi. Weird dreams.