Debs- Farm

[Guest guest]

Hi Debs,

I am getting ready to close up " shop " here at work to start my 2

week vacation. I am going to work hard at the farm over the

weekend then head west on Tuesday to go rock hunting.

We are in a middle of a severe drought so things are hard on us,

time wise. We have to haul all the water that we need by garbage

bins in the back of my pick-up. So every spare minute for the last

three weeks has been dedicated to watering. I am trying to keep

our ornamentals alive while my husband is working on the

veggies. This weekend will be early morning til dark, hauling

pails of water. I guess we could give up, but I hate to cave in now

after all our work so far. All it needs is one good two inch rain fall.

I am kinda in that gamblers obsession: the " all we need is one

good pull on the one-armed bandit and all my troubles are

gone " .

Other than the rain problem, everything is going really well - the

best that it has looked since we started this 8 years ago. We

have some fruit (blueberries, strawberries, some raspberries)

but mainly veggies (sweet corn, tomatoes, cukes, peas, lettuce,

peppers, pumpkins, etc) and lots of ornamental flowers, shrubs

and trees.

We are not capitalists so we rarely except cash payment for our

produce. We barter or trade or just donate. As long as we have

enough money to eat, stay warm and have clothes, that is all we

care about. But my goal is to eventually have it self supporting so

we don't have to work a " real " job in order to pay for the farm.

We currently have 5 cats....2 inside, 2 outside and a stray that

was abandoned that we recently befriended. We get alot of

abandoned cats by us and I can't stand to see them alone and

out of their element so I look after them as best I can. I just don't

understand people who would do this to an animal. And all of

them that I have taken care of are so sweet. Tame and

gentle...so you know they were someone's pet......

I have been keeping up with your experiences and while I am

glad that you are finally seeing someone who is helping you I

still feel bad that you are suffering so much still. But I am happy

that you are able to do things that you love too - like your

gardening. I find that this is what keeps me going....doing " fun "

stuff, even though I disappoint myself at times at how tired I get

or not being able to do what I think I should be able to.......

So, I will be away from my computer for the next 18 days..........so

it is not that I am boycotting the board, just that I am on my way to

Montana to look for rocks!

Laurie