Saturday, September 18, 2021

Trials and Errors

 Life is filled with frustrations - sometimes of our own making - and usually they can be mitigated with a bit of patience. I'm having to learn to slow down and take time to figure things out before I act. I have always been able to just move ahead with whatever I wanted to do, especially when working outside; but now I find it's best if I have a plan before I get too deeply into a project.

Example: When I set the pole for my solar light on the back lawn, it would have been less frustrating if I'd probed a bit more thoroughly before I began digging. However, the pole is set and the light is working flawlessly. 

Yesterday I decided I wanted some large flat stones to place near the porch steps where the ground is so solidly packed from workmen tromping over it, I'm pretty sure it will never support a decent thatch of grass. So that meant I had to retrieve some of the stones Ben had dug out and stashed for me. I learned a while back that the wheelbarrow does not work well on the newly seeded area. Right now, almost everywhere I want to go is newly seeded. After a little thought, I remembered a very large plastic sled that Fred used to haul wood out of the woods in the winter when we were burning wood in our Vermont Castings stove. I figured that would work to load up with stones and, since it was down hill most of the way to where I needed them, hauling would be easy.

I found several good-sized flat stones and heavy as they were, I was able to use a "roll and drop" process to get them to the sled. However, I miscalculated and tipped one too soon and it gave my leg a painful scrape as it landed. It was just an abrasion, no blood involved, so I kept on working. (It is now very tender and black and blue, but I'm probably fortunate I didn't bang up my foot or break something). With the sled loaded, I pointed it down the hill, remembering to stay to one side in case it began sliding on the dry straw covering the grass seed. One winter years ago I volunteered to take a load of wood down the hill from where Fred was cutting, and as I headed down the hill in deep snow, the sled became a missile on a mission to get me, and I barely escaped being run over. I landed in a snowbank, lost some of the load of wood, but learned to never, ever, get in front of a loaded sled!

 I didn't need to worry about my sled full of rocks sliding free. It was so heavy I actually had to drag it down the hill, and on the level, it was a real beast to move and I had to tug it with all my strength to get it moved just a few inches at a time. Lesson learned: next time I won't load it so darned heavily.

I've always liked working with stones, so in the interest of less work for upkeep, I decided against flowers by the light pole, and I'm picking stones for a miniature stone wall instead. I try to take a different path every morning when I go out to check the water level in the pond, and I find stones along the way. Here in Vermont, stones have a way of working their way to the surface where you don't want them, but disappear under a mat of grass on patios and paths where you do want them to show. 

All my activity yesterday meant that today I had to recuperate. I had good intentions of heading into town to pick up some groceries, but sometime around 11 o'clock, I realized all I wanted was some lunch and a nap. During the day I got great news about our book - our editor confirmed that she expects the formatting and design will be finished by November 1. That means we could see our first printed copies before Thanksgiving! We are working on getting the list of potential buyers in order so that anyone who has expressed an interest now will be among the first to get their books. So, if you haven't already put your name on our "Wish List," do it now. The address is book@danvillevthistorical.org. We just want your name and contact information. You can pay later, when the book is available. We will let you know as soon as it is ready and give you instructions about payment, mailing, etc., as needed. You can also indicate if you want your copy autographed. Many of you won't be here for in-person book signings, if we are able to have such a celebration at all because of the Covid upsurge, but Patty and I will be happy to sign copies if you just ask.

That's it for now. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather we're having here if you can. There are patches of color showing up here and there, and I think we are going to have a nice stretch of sunny, warm weather ahead. It's a great time to be outside or to take a road trip through the countryside.

Oh, yes, don't forget about the chicken pie supper at the North Danville church on the 25th. You have until the 22nd to put in your order for take-out only.  See the poster I posted a couple days ago for details.


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