A Son’s Spring Break

Usually Spring Break brings visions or memories of sunny, sandy beaches or long-awaited vacations. We are very grateful that our elder son was willing to give that time to us this year.  And not only that, he had some landscaping ideas tucked away in his creative brain.

I have been talking about a different landscaping plan for our front yard for several years. With stringent watering restrictions very possible this summer due to an extremely dry and warm winter, I really didn’t want to think about watering a front yard that has never been very pleasing anyway.

Once we were all agreed on a plan, Jeff started to work (and I helped as much as I could). We rented a sod cutter and a tiller and then Jeff started to work, cutting sod. Very soon there was no turning backJ  

I started rolling sod and he joined in when his cutting got too far ahead. It was soon apparent that we needed to find some recipients for the sod.Thanks to FaceBook and replies we were able to take care of that particular challenge.

Next Jeff had to till and contour the now-bare dirt. All I can say is it was a good thing he was in good physical shape. 

After using those two machines plus moving the decorative rocks he’d ordered into place—and then shoveling sand after rolling out the landscaping paper, Jeff was one tired fella’ each night. (So was his mama, but I was just two willing, but unskilled pair of hands).  

Turns out we weren’t able to get the gravel from the place we wanted, but Jeff  ran out of time anyway. The gravel spreading and finishing touches will make up a future blog post. 

The trees now have berms around them with an artistic snaking of rocky ribs joining them.

This was an interesting experience for me (however, not one I intend to repeat), a creative exercise for Jeff (as well as more physical exercise than he bargained for) and we can feel like we’re being good stewards of our water resources this year and into the future.

Nothing New Under the Sun

I wasn’t going to write a blog post this week since it’s not been a stellar week consisting of extra time nor was I feeling inspired. But as has been apparent previously, I sometimes read something in our newspaper’s weekly “archive” column that piques my interest. That just happened.

I don’t think anyone would disagree that our weather this winter has been freakish—from shore to shore. Our Ruby Mountains have very little snow depth and I have scooped snow twice this winter, consisting of 3-5 inches. That’s pretty puny snowfalls for us.

In contrast, I just talked to my son who lives in Ft. Worth. He was working in 80 degree weather yesterday and today it was 20 degrees! He had considered leaving his dog outside last night because it was so warm. Good thing he didn’t or he might have had a mighty big pup-sicle this morning L

So getting back to the archive’s news column.  One hundred twenty-five years ago on March 1, 1889 the Elko paper stated, “The weather continues fair and mild as May. There is very little snow in the mountains and the valleys are dry and roads dusty.”

It goes on to talk about a “ball” held in Deeth—which is now pretty much a ghost town—with 40 couples in attendance who were fed by a Mrs. McAdams who provided “all the delicacies of the season.” I’m really curious about what kind of delicacies one would find in March of 1889 in Elko County. (But I just threw all that in for free.)

So returning to my premise that there is nothing new under the sun, including our aberrant weather patterns, I’ll sign off with this thought. As far as I know, King Solomon was the first to make the statement that  “there is nothing new under the sun,” in Ecclesiasters 1:9. In reading the context of the verse, the Preacher (Solomon) reminds his readers that these things have happened many times before. So take heart, bundle up, or put on your rain boots and slicker, or whatever works for your part of the country. And stay thankfulJ