Reflections on Life at The Acres: December 21, 2017

Reflections on life at The Acres:


I wish I could paint. Some of the pictures I take are lovely (Personal bias), but to be able to paint them would add the permanence of imagination to their beauty and longevity. After all, as someone has said, "A painting is a declaration of love."


My favorite bird sighting at The Acres: Baltimore Orioles. I love the others, but that feathered-friend is just stunning. Two years ago he landed on the hummingbird feeder that was on the door...window. Breathtaking.

I am never less alone than when I am alone at The Acres. In a related heresy, I wonder if I love baseball so much because it is a team game that you play all alone.


My favorite singers at The Acres: The peeper serenade in spring. The bass choir in the pond all summer. The Chickadee rap. The kingfisher has a great one as well. Can anyone out volume a robin? The wood wind moaning in the bare branches of winter. The cymbal solo of a thunderstorm--and the lighting effects aren't bad either. The running brook sounds of a flock of goldfinch. Shadow mouthing off everytime I feed him in the morning or go for a walk that he can't keep up with. The silent whisper of falling snow.


The expectations of spring--I know, today is just the first day of winter.


When my students ask me where I would go I could travel anywhere in the world, I always tell them--Home, at The Acres. I love the old and familiar--and every walk is entirely new.

This Week at Iten's Acres: Solitude December 1, 2017

I have returned to the world from my week of wilderness solitude. Actually, I returned yesterday. Had a delightful lunch with the family. They even gave up most of the OSU game to dine with the old man!
It was, though, a marvelous week to rest at The Acres. No phone, no computer, no television. Life at its quiet and serene best. Rest, of course, requires some work--work that you love. I finished up the fall bulb plantings--had to wait until the hole for the well was ...refilled. Moved a few things as well. Mulched a little. Any excuse to spend time outside. Multiple walks are always at the top of the agenda. A few things are actually still blooming. Dianthus and snap dragons love the cooler weather. And the pansies naturally. The flowers--dusty something or other--also love the chill air. It's as if I have areas where the snow has already fallen when I wasn't watching. Small, gorgeous white plants scattered here and there around the property. One forsythia even decided it must be spring and bloomed. And--believe it or not--an iris has a bud on it. I doubt it will stay warm enough to actually bloom, but I appreciate the promise.
The weather was delightully changeable. What a gift that we so often take for granted. A monsoon last Saturday. The swamp went from mud to five feet of water and over the road in one evening. It was a joy to spend the evening watching the rain cascade, the clouds light up, and to listen to the sky applaud it's own fireworks display with the moaning wind as its approving audience. Days of cool sun, blue and gray fighting for the ascendancy in the skies, dark nights for brilliant star gazing, the birds enjoying the feeding station under the Ancient Maple. If I'm good--think still--they even let me sit on the bench and watch and listen--see cover picture above for seating arrangements. I can do still. The goldfinch are pale now, the cardinals never give up their red, the chickadees and titmice active and vociferous. Afraid of no human ever.
The cats enjoy the extra time to boss me around as well. Homesteader on the inside. Shadow on the outside. Both gorgeous, affectionate--and mouthy.
All in all, it was a splendiferous week. But now, back to the world--to loving on young people and trying to sneak some wisdom into their brains; to convince them that "no one ever cares for them like Jesus." Rest again--a different work that I enjoy--another labor of love. Thank you Lord for a week of serenity in the wilderness. Thank you, Lord, for weeks of chaos among those that I love--some of Your other kids.

Backroads of Morrow County Update

Backroads of Morrow County Update:
The last harvest has begun. There are several harvest times here in the country. The first one starts in late spring and is, in a sense, perpetual. Hay. Whenever the grass in a field gets high up, the hay bales appear. I love them. Sitting on the hillside, complimented by a cloudless blue sky, beautiful. Restful even. The symbol of the serenity of the backroads. A second harvest occurs mid-summer. And I don't like it. Wheat. I lo...ve the golden fields of wheat reflecting the sunlight. But, alas, they disappear. Usually, the stubble is turned into hay as well. I wish the gold fields rippling in the country breeze never needed harvesting. The third and last harvests at times overlap. Soybeans and corn. They, too, are more beautiful in the summer. The tall green corn reaching for the sky is particulary lovely. But they both dry out and need gathering. Usually the beans go first. Nightime harvests this week. In the morning it's as if the fields never had a thing on them. Magic. Flat contours reaching for the horizon. The corn, which has just started to be harvested, will leave a stubble--often through the winter. I do enjoy cruising the backroads watching the monster machines devour the harvest. And I love the emptiness they leave behind. The world grows larger in the fall. The backroads now have hills with bales of hay, empty land that once held soy beans, and the stubble of old corn fields. And except for the monsters at work, i love the beauty of it all. And in the night, even the monsters have an eerie beauty of their own. Backroads. Remember, drive slow.

A Pheasant Fellow September 10. 2017

Always something new at The Acres. Today, I either picked up a friend or a stalker. This afternoon I had lunch with Brad--always a good time. Then, I came home and mowed the front of The Acres. Tomorrow, I'll do the back. After the mowing was done, I forced myself to take another early evening walk. Myriads of things are still blooming. A few things are "new"--the asters have started, a few new gladiolas have yet to bloom, the bachelor's buttons have started. The dwarf yellow iris are starting to re-bloom. I'll try to get some walking pictures up later. But here's the awe moment. I'm looking at one of the beds near the front of the property and up walks a pheasant--a female I think. Walks right up to me. Hops in the bed and checks me out. At first, I was afraid to move thinking I would spook her. Finally, I just started to walk slowly away. And she followed. I walked from the very front of The Acres all the way to the back of the wild area. She followed right behind me all the way. Walked right by Shadow without a bit of fear. Well, on her part. He took off a little intimidated. Finally, at the back of The Acres, she slipped into some brambles. Yep, at The Acres you never know what beauty will show up next. But always something. I either look like a giant pheasant or . . . who knows? Anyway it was a humorous, strange, but lovely walk.

This Week at Iten's Acres: The Demise of The Posse June 29, 2017

The Saga of The Posse:

Early this week The Posse disappeared.  Something must have scared them.  The problem was Psyche left the kittens behind.  She must have really been panicked.  And what was I going to do with three kittens who were so tiny they could barely walk.  I tried giving them milk on a plate, cat food from a can--whatever I could.  One of them died.

Then two days later Shadow returned--no Psyche.  I tried to get someone to adopt the little critters but no one was able or willing.  I didn't think the last two would survive long.  And Shadow kept drinking the milk.

The evening of the third day, Psyche returned.  But she was spooked big time!  Kept looking around, edgy.  At least mom was alive and back.  The kittens should be fine, now.

But the next morning Psyche was gone and one of the kittens as well.  The poor little guy she left behind was miserable.  He just sat in the driveway and cried.  No response.  His bosom buddy was gone--I assumed mom took him--and, of course, mom was gone.  I did get him to eat some canned cat food.

The next evening Psyche was back again.  Ate some cat food Shadow had left and slipped into the bushes.  In the morning she was gone and so was kitten number two.  For some reason, mom has decided Iten's Acres is not safe for her or the kids.  There was a fox around last week so maybe he was the culprit.  Anyway, The Posse now is only one in number.  Shadow remains.  He is really lonely--follows me everywhere crying for attention.  Ahh well.  A posse of one I guess you just call The Sheriff.

Today at Iten's Acres: Questions June 27, 2017

As I stroll The Acres, questions pop into my brain.  These are the earth-shattering, mind-boggling, essential questions I've been asking myself lately:

Ticks? Mosquitoes? Japanese beetles?
Why does a food named "sauerkraut" taste so good?
How may people think that God gave us the Bible so that Bible scholars would have something to do?
What day of the week is it?
Do the Amish rent out their horse and buggies? Could one make it all the way to school? Where would I park it? Who would do the clean-up?
Why isn't "eucatastrophe" a real word? Or is it?
Why is my computer so slow all day long and fast as lightning at 3 a.m.? What am I doing on the computer when it's 3 a.m.?
How long will I have to live to get all the beds re-done at The Acres? Can I be lazy and still get them done?
Can Americans be more narcissistic? Is that a self-centered question?
What do you call a posse of one?
What are the chances of starting a one-room high school?
Who made hardy hibiscus so hardy--they grow anywhere and spread like crazy everywhere?
How can a baseball team be excellent for over a decade, just two years ago win a hundred games, and now be so incredibly flawed?
What day of the week is it again?

My poor, tired, over-worked brain. Sigh?

This Week at The Acres: Another Walk June 25, 2017

The lilies have taken over.  The nice thing about them is that they will keep blooming for a month or so at least.  Yes, the day lily "lose" their bloom after one day, but there are always others to follow.  And the Asian lily just bloom and bloom and bloom.  It has been a rainy week, but I think it has stopped so enjoy your walk!

This Week at Iten's Acres: Odds and Ends June 20. 2017

The German iris are gone; the lilies are just beginning. Lots of odds and ends blooming at The Acres despite the heat. Heat and humidity limits my workload--old age, old heart. Still get early morning walks and late evening walks. And the back of The Acres--the "park" got mowed. Sitting on the riding mower is not too strenuous--as you know, I love the mowing. Hope you enjoy today's walk.