The Old Folks Home

[bobbi-j]

We can't get ATT out here. The only 'wired' phone available is through Mark Twain Communications which handles a lot of the areas rural phone. We called around early on and were told by all the majors with the exception of Verizon and US cellular that we are so fringe where we live inspite of being able to see two distant towers that they couldn't guarantee us service. US Cellular was a joke. It would drop call like fall leaves. Verizon is a touch better but is still a pain in the pa-toot.

Just came in from outside. Had to put up a new sun shade for the birds as we have had high winds here for the past two days and the old one got shredded. Stopped by the orchard on the way back and discovered that something, probably with four hooves and antlers, ate every freaking peach off of very tree we have in the yard.I have been checking them every other day and the last check they were just starting to have a little give to them. These are the wild variety of peach. Small as apricots but very sweet and make great jam which was what I was planning to do to them this year.

Oh well, less work I have to do except to go out and gather pits to plant for next year's trees.

Verizon is our only option here. We have a tower 5 miles away, yet we still have to be standing on the back deck, leaning over the railing, wearing a tinfoil hat and holding onto a wire coat hanger to get any kind of reception. Needless to say, we have a landline for use at home. Our telephone company is a co-op.

I could probably put fish line around the trees. Hardest part would be that they are about 6 foot away from the barbed wire fence at the south side of the yard. Deer can cross the road, run up the slope and jump the fence.

Wouldn't be so bad if the cloven hoofed devils would show themselves during deer season so I could get a shot off at them. But no, they have to disappear in those deer caves.at the sound of the first rifle shot.

I think ours have calendars, as they also seem to disappear right when the season starts.

It is miserable hot again.

BF built the turkey and chick a ramp tonight so they don't sleep outside. We went out to install it together. After installation, I very meekly pushed the turkey with a toe to try and get her moving. She got up and let me grab her chick. Plopped it into the coop, turkey jumped into the pop door after the chick. No digits, eyes or skin were harmed. Easy, peasy. BF thinks I've been lying about the assassin turkey, now.


Also found a missing cemetery today. Last directions were:
Cemetery copied by Norman E. Fossett of Vassalboro 1957-58. Rechecked in mid 1970s by members of the Vassalboro Historical Society. Located in deep woods between old Rt. 201 and Ian & Ann MacKinnon property and the Kennebec River approximately due west of their house. [This forgotten graveyard is in deplorable condition. Due to a logging operation in the area most of the stones are broken].

Great directions. Tracked down the MacKinnon homestead to the current owners. Drove by their house last week to find 2 loose dogs, cones across their driveway and a no trespassing sign. I sent them a USPS letter and heard back from her yesterday.

She knew exactly where it was, and had been curious about it.

To say it's in deplorable condition is being kind. That was mid 1970. I'd say time hasn't improved it.

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I did some very brief research and this was one of the founding families of the town. The guy on the tablet stone was one of the first selectmen, the first town treasurer and one of the first town postmen. His daughter, Sarah, was the first "white girl" born in the town (that's a common saying from back then, hopefully it does not offend as that is certainly not my intention - unfortunately most of the previous inhabitants of the town didn't get to write their history down. I did find mention of an "indian burial ground" and "slave burial ground" in the town archives and will do my best to look for it, but suspect it is long since gone. I also live on the old Town Farm property [since split up from the original acerage and know that there's also a destitute/insane unmarked burial ground somewhere around here that I'm trying to get Ripley to find]). I suspect Sarah is one of the fieldstones in this cemetery as she is not on the 1950's transcription, but her (I think) daughter Sarah is.

Trying to decide whether this graveyard can be saved. I think parts of it could be. One of the descendants lives nearby and also does cemetery work, so I think together we could make some good headway.

SCG, I love that you restore old cemeteries! So much history there.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Did my good Karma deed for the day. Noticed that one of the nesting boxes was blown down off the tower my husband made for me not long after we met as a Valentine Day gift. The mounting wire had broken in the storm and when I picked it up three half fledged blue bird chicks started peeping to me from under the box where they had fallen out and were laying on the ground. Mom was in the brush squawking her brains out at me. I stuffed the chicks back in the box. Thankfully all three were uninjured, a miracle really and looked healthy. Silly little pin heads. Got the box's wire reinforced so it will last a month and hung it back up till I can get it properly repaired. Mom was still scolding me from the timber so hopefully all is well with that little family now.

The State of Missouri is always sending out information on how to make nesting boxes for blue birds and how they only like those that are mounted on fence posts and they have to be this tall and this wide. HA! I have two mated pairs that choose standard bird houses mounted on my 'tower' every year to nest in and they raise multiple broods in them.

Not the brightest birds in the forest though. We usually have to rescue a couple each year out of the wood stove when they decide to fly down the chimney pipe. There is a cap on the pipe so we don't know how they get in but they do. Okay, maybe they are bright, just not discrete.

Maybe put mesh over the chimney?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Good day all I was up at 9 been on the phone or watching news all morning some of it planning dinner .... I admit do not like blue jay's robber birds have been known to take a few out .. Have not seem magpies or crows but may too far inland ?

 

[getaclue]

 

[superchemicalgirl]

For the first time in probably 8 months I actually had a good day at work.

Perhaps it was ducks in cupcakes.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Have to admit the ducks in cupcake paper made my day also hit that one on the right time and space @getaclue

 

[chickadoodles]

Clue those ducks are so dang cute!

 

[microchick]

Oh that is just too adorable to be legal!

@superchemicalgirl, haven't you worked in the medical field long enough to remember that you NEVER NEVER NEVER say that you had a good day! Girl you just jinxed yourself. Quick! Take it back!

Also never admit it's quiet. Sure death.

I sure hope Ma Nature holds off on the pyrotechnics tonight so I can get some sleep. The three inches of rain we got was well needed as is the rain they are calling for starting tomorrow night through Sunday. But it's the town's Soybean Festival weekend this weekend so naturally it's going to rain. I saw where the local fire dept was selling Pizza!

We get a few crows around here. I like to watch the birds dive bomb them during nesting season.

Our hummingbird feeder is being bombarded with hummers. I counted 7-8 this afternoon all doing aerobatics around the silly thing after I filled it. One little male and the rest females. I thing it's probably a family group as they aren't fighting, just jostling around for position. I make the nectar a bit sweeter this time of the year as they will be migrating soon but they are so freakin fun to watch. DH was out today taking loads of pictures of them. I'll have to see if he won't post a few so I can upload them.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Love when we get the indian summer as known here stays in the 70's till mid October

 

[microchick]

No Indian Summer here until after a killer frost. Hopefully that won't happen until mid October. Just not ready for the summer to be over. No spring, a blazing hot summer and drought. I want do overs!