Hard to believe it was just a week ago that Brian was still scrambling to get as much of his put-off schoolwork done as possible before the day's end-of-year (end of HIGH SCHOOL) deadline and fighting with me about whether to do that or go help decorate for graduation (he wanted to do the latter and I wasn't taking him if he still had outstanding schoolwork). He did, indeed, graduate, and even got a 95% on his Physics senior project(!) – although that didn't bring his grade up above a D. 😒 The weekend was a rollercoaster, with a sullen student seated between us for the Senior Tribute on Zoom Saturday night followed by a glowing tribute he had written to us read at graduation the next day. He was also awarded a generous scholarship to the university at which he is accepted for his combined grades/ACT score (a little bigger than we expected), the weather held until after the ceremony and drive-through reception, and a lot of wonderful friends came to the reception, surprising Brian with their support. That included our friends who have Poppy's sister Penny; they parked so the girls could play together for awhile which was such fun to watch. They clearly recognized each other and act SO much alike – two "P's" in a pod!
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My 'tribute rose' with matching spinning project
The diploma hand-off!
The week since has been a bit of a blur. I had to work Monday, so Tuesday was a recuperation day – in other words, I didn't get much done! On Wednesday, our 36th wedding anniversary, Rick had to take his mother to Portland for a doctor's appointment and I had to take Brian to Salem for an eye appointment. (Rick's mother hasn't driven beyond her local community in a couple years because of her failing eyesight and finally sold her car this week – hallelujah! – and Brian isn't driving because of his grades and attitude.) By the time we got home from our various responsibilities, there wasn't much time or energy for celebrating, so we companionably watched a couple episodes of Doc Martin and called it a night. Rick did bring me a dozen roses and a new blooming orchid, though, both in "sunshine yellow," a surprising but beautiful choice.
Yesterday I worked at the office again, while Brian worked for Rick's client for the first time since March. He worked for her again today, so he has a good start on his share of the next installment of our automobile insurance. He is using his graduation money gifts to get the computer he'll need for his engineering program at college – and a .22 rifle he's had his eye on for over a year. Our gift to him was a big Craftsman tool set (and a pair of his favorite jeans), which he is thrilled with.
Graduation doesn't seem like it's changed anything as we head into another summer of parenting and trying to encourage our offspring to work hard, be responsible, and look to his future. Brian has a standing offer to drive combine for the same custom farming outfit he drove for last summer, but that doesn't start for at least 3-4 weeks so we've encouraged him to look for other work. But just like graduation already seems like a distant memory, so, too, will this last summer feel in just three months when he heads off to college. Days crawl, and years fly.
Fleece harvest is done for another year. I sheared Bittersweet on Sunday; he's so thin that I couldn't bear to take a picture of him. I picked up some supplemental feed for him today, and will worm him (and the other boys) as well; hopefully that will help him regain condition. (I guess I should take a photo so I have a baseline visual.) Yesterday I rooed Sarai, which was as long an ordeal as shearing. Her fleece did not have a good 'break' to easily roo her but enough of a break over most of her body that if I had sheared her, her fiber would have had a tender spot, making it practically worthless. So I persevered, apologizing repeatedly for the uncomfortable tugging, and then used scissors over her shoulders and neck where the fleece wasn't at all loose. She had quite a bit of new growth; next year it would be best to catch her before the rise and just scissor-shear her. Someone remind me!
The neighbors' new house is going up fast, a dominant feature to our north. They are such nice people but I still wish Rick had agreed to let me plant trees along our view line years ago when I asked . . . or even now.
The morning of May 27
This morning, June 4
Tuesday evening Poppy got to go over to play with Toby and I got a tour of the house-in-progress. Neighbors from the other end of our lane walked by with their dog, a beautiful young black tri-color Springer spaniel, and Toby's owner invited them in to let their dog play with the terriers. I think Milo was initially a bit 'terrier-ized,' but soon all three of them were romping happily.
I do worry about Poppy's leg. Rick is surprised that she is still having trouble with it. When she first gets up in the morning, or starts moving after a nap, she limps a lot. After playing hard with another dog(s), she limps more than at the start. Rick hasn't sealed the stock tank yet so I can't make her swim, and I don't want to give her potentially harmful drugs. Today I did order some turmeric supplements to see if that helps her. That bum leg doesn't really slow her down, though. She and my new mare both have more energy than I can cope with sometimes....
"Catch me if you can!"
Brian graduates on Sunday. It is a drive-in, invitation-only affair, followed by a drive-through, open-to-all 'reception.' He has one more final tomorrow, plus his open-book Pre-Calculus final to finish. On top of that he's pulling an all-nighter trying to finish his senior project for Physics, which he chose at the beginning of the year and started constructing less than 24 hours before it's due. At this point it's not even a given that he'll pass all his classes. Such has been his entire high school journey, in spite of us giving 'carrots,' 'sticks,' and everything in between that we could think of. It's kinda hard to celebrate (and I'm sure contributes to my lack of coping with other lively young creatures). College (especially taking engineering!) is likely to be a rude awakening....
Last bearded iris standing (with a yellow bud in the background)
Outside it looks like summer. We got a call from our hay guy; he has 500 bales of good horse hay put up. We don't need that much with what we have left, but we'll probably be hauling ten tons in the next week or two (maybe even on our 36th anniversary!). I've got to pick strawberries tomorrow morning; I may not have time to get much else done with various graduation 'stuff' going on.
Between Poppy's PT, the red-winged blackbird who is hanging around, and my black bathing beauty of a Morgan mare, I think it would be well-utilized. Unfortunately, mosquitoes would probably love it, too, and I'm not into bugs. Thankfully bugs aren't a big problem around here, like they are in Minnesota (no black flies, few ticks, normal-not-state-bird-worthy-mosquitoes; don't hate me, Mama Pea!). Still, I'm always tickled to see the swallows return every spring and bats flying around at night to eat what bugs we have.
I'm hoping these barn swallows successfully raise a brood this year:
Violet-green swallows have claimed our cream-colored nest box (I have no idea what that white rectangle is!):
Since we're getting a few summery days followed by a chance of rain this weekend, I decided to make the garden priority #1 today. I untangled the irrigation tubing and laid it out, noting the need for replacement parts. Then I planted the poor basil starts that I bought at least a month ago and kept forgetting to put in the ground. Next I planted hills of Red Kuri winter squash (thanks, Mama Pea!), zucchini, yellow straightneck squash, and burpless cucumber, followed by the two packets each of bush beans and sugar pea pods I bought this year. I still have lots of lovely tilled soil to work with and some Red Garnet yams that are sprouting, so I'm going to try rooting some slips to plant for the first time.
I had 'help.' Brian grumpily consented to pound in t-posts for my sugar pea trellis, and these two 'supervised' part of the time:
Two days ago Rick finally disconnected the power arm of our non-functioning electric gate so that it can be closed manually. With the perimeter a bit more secure, I decided to turn Poppy loose while I worked in the garden and hope for the best, and she enjoyed the freedom to snoop and chew and torment Chuckie immensely. Oh, and dig:
"Whaddya mean, my nose is dirty?"
She was pretty good about staying out of the garden at my request, but started excavating just outside the east garden fence. When I had finished planting and was ready to head in for a shower, I had to hose her off first. She didn't like that atall and struggled enough to work her way backwards out of her harness, but I managed to snag her collar and finish the job (after which I really needed a shower!).
Now I need to finish making supper. I'm trying an amalgamation of two recipes (here and here) from links that blogpal Debbie sent me. The seedless watermelon chilling in the fridge will be the perfect finale on this warm day. It's our first watermelon of the season; the chickens will be delighted to get the rinds.
Oh; while I've been relishing the last beautiful bearded iris blooms, the white flags snuck up behind me!
I'm a homeschooling, horse training, animal loving, garden growing, part-time business running, spinning and knitting shepherd who loves the Great Shepherd.
