Peevish Pen

Ruminations on reading, writing, genealogy and family history, rural living, retirement, aging—and sometimes cats.

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Location: Rural Virginia, United States

I'm an elderly retired teacher who writes. Among my books are Ferradiddledumday (Appalachian version of the Rumpelstiltskin story), Stuck (middle grade paranormal novel), Patches on the Same Quilt (novel set in Franklin County, VA), Them That Go (an Appalachian novel), Miracle of the Concrete Jesus & Other Stories, and several Kindle ebooks.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Two Wishes: Mowing and Growing

For a while, I've wished that John would mow more of the trails along Polecat Creek. I'd like to have Claudia and her dogs over to walk with me, or Debi and her daughter to ride their horses, or some other buddies over to explore. I've got a a few trails open, but I've wished for more.

But it's been too hot or too wet, or else John was too tired or too achy to get any mowing done. Meanwhile the weeds grew too tall.

This afternoon Mitzi the foxhunter called. "Do you mind if I mow your trails?" she asked.

"Go ahead," I said. And so, this afternoon, my trails were mowed.

Here comes Mitzi's tractor. She's already mowed most of this little bottom.

The access trail that Smith Mt. Hounds use is to the left and beyond the trees.

Now she's approaching the creek.


You can see the mowed trail across the creek and heading for the woods.

Now I can walk to this farm's southern boundary or across Polecat Creek and up the hill to the eastern boundary. And the Smith Mountain Hounds can foxhunt without fighting wither-high goldenrod and ragweed.

Another wish I've had for a while is to have a line of white crape myrtles along the side of our front yard. But crape myrtles cost a bundle. When I priced them two weeks ago, they were over twelve bucks apiece for a small container.

However, from Kathy down the road, I've learned that Lowe's offers some good bargains on its less-than-perfect plants from time to time. Kathy has gotten some great deals in the past, and I've gotten a couple OK deals. The trick is you have to check periodically at their discount shelves around the side of the garden center. Today—after we'd done the Senior Citizen's Day at Kroger's—we stopped by Lowe's on the way home so I could check.

Six white crape myrtles. One dollar each.


I'm pretty sure I can get them to live and grow.

Two wishes fulfilled in one day. Not bad.
~

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6 Comments:

Blogger Claudia Condiff said...

Hey, since your on a roll, why don't you wish to win the lottery???
Just a thought...

8:29 PM  
Blogger Amy Hanek said...

My mower is in the shop and so I watch, helpless, as my grass grows and grows.

10:09 AM  
Blogger CountryDew said...

Wow, that is a bargain on the trees! Hope they live for you.

10:45 AM  
Blogger Les Berkley said...

Sigh. Haven't been on a horse (except for an hour on a balky stallion) for about two years now. Those trails look and sound like heaven.

12:35 PM  
Blogger Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

I'm thinking of taking advantage of Mitzi's good work next Saturday. (I'll probably be working the whole week.) The horses need it. They're getting tired of my little farm here.

www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com

9:50 PM  
Blogger Becky Mushko said...

The Smith Mountain Hounds hunt on Tue/Thur/Sat mornings. They're out pretty early, so if you want to join them, come over really early—like 8 AM or earlier.

I don't know which of those days they'll actually be on my property, though. They have several other places where they ride.

10:03 PM  

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