Recent Doins

We had a great Labor Day weekend, and now, it’s time to get back to work.  I wrote a nice little short story called “A Soldier, Always,” and hope to get it in the mail soon to one of those wonderful publishers of literary magazines.  That’s a hint, my editor friends; watch for it.

We bought a new (slightly used) wood splitter and knocked out half a cord of wood Saturday morning.  I was afraid it would be too small to do the job, but this thing kicks ass.  In our area, to rent a wood splitter costs about $100 per day.  I paid $400 for the new one, and it will be paid for on our next trip for wood.  We make our wood cutting excursions into play days, with a picnic lunch, cold beer, and many rest periods.  We usually bring home one tree per trip, and need about three or four cords to make the winter.  The Peavine wood cutting area is less than ten miles from the ranchette, so it becomes a fun day in the woods.

July and August went by that quick this year.  No rain, no thunder storms, no nothing but lots of heat and some damn cold mornings.  We managed to go camping for one long weekend up Dog Valley, and one short weekend at Davis Creek, and here it is September already.  Picking beans, squash, cucumbers (not too many of those this year), and tomatoes.  We’ll have fresh corn on the table within ten days.  Everything has been very late this year because of the bitter cold early spring.  All the chickens are laying regularly except for the white leghorn.  She doesn’t understand the program and may end up as a late summer bar-b-que.

Went to visit a friend of a friend on Monday, Labor Day, and picked up two young goats, a doe that we’ll breed for next year, and a buck that I will wether and put in the freezer when he bulks up some.  I did a leg of goat in the Weber one year that would knock your socks off.  Maybe Christmas, eh?  Many years ago I raised La Mancha goats.  Those are the earless goats, and I love goat milk and meat.  We’ll get all the equipment back in service and start making cheeses and butter, probably late next year.

Back to the grind.  There are stories to be told and editors to read them.  Until next time, read good books and stay regular.