The “week” began on Saturday the 26th, warm and humid cooling off a bit when a windy front blew through Monday the 28th. Sunday was a quiet day including: trying to clear out the ditch between the ponds at the back of the barn; weeding flower beds; sprayed fungicide on the hydrangeas for Cercospora leaf spot and roses; enjoying the herd of black feeder calves on the new green grass. There was one orange azalea bloom, many rose blooms, several gardenia blooms and the camilas were in full bloom.
Monday the 28th began very windy before day light as a cold front came in from the west. Finally arrived about 9am. Hard blowing rain as it blew through and the temp dropped from the mid 70’s to high 50’s. Met with David Clarkson about plans for remodeling the house.
PM washed the outside of the storm windows behind the security bars. Use solution of about 2T of Dawn and 2T Jet Dry to a gallon of water sprayed on with pump up sprayer after rinsing the windows and screens then rinsing that solution off. Re-sprayed the roses and hydrangeas with fungicide after the rain.
Tuesday was a beautiful blue-sky day, cool with a light breeze. Resprayed fungicide on roses and hydrangeas. Removed the extended part of the rotating tiller rotor embedded in pecan tree. Met Lucy Barr and she spent two hours offering new ideas on the porch roofs and kitchen areas. Moved water trough and bath tub from east drip line of barn and releveled dirt to hopefully stop water flowing across the barn. Went to dinner at Wintzells for oysters.
A lot of seedling pecans were washed into piles by the recent heavy rains but few had any meat in them.
Monday David Clarkson, recommended by Bob Caron of Lipford Construction, spent 2 hours with us on the remodeling plans. Tuesday Lucy Barr helped us for two hours with new ideas for the patio roofs and the kitchen/pantry/dining room. Wednesday Austin ___ of The Disaster-Smart Team’s Fortified Review did his initial review/inspection.
The drizzling and light rains began again Wednesday and continued through Friday. Mary was sick and I smoked a pork roast and chicken legs. Enjoyed all-day fires in the fireplace and a trip to the Grand Bay NWR, then to the 40 acres on Harry Pierce Rd. off State Line Rd.
Friday removed the rotten pole from the east wall of the barn. Used double 2×6’s and the big jack to jack the beams back up to level. Placed a 2×8 across the now unsupported joint in the single beams. The wood at the ends of the beams was fairly rotten but either side was solid. Nailed in one side and the other has lag screws. Placed 2×6 knee braces from the beam to the good poles with side of the now missing pole.
Saturday was a nice day spent on odd jobs and picking up limbs.
Sunday at 3:30 AM Duke’s barking woke us to find that Lady has diarrhea. So began the week of dealing with two sick dogs.
