Feb. 15, 2003 ~ Rain
It's raining. It rained yesterday. It rained last week. Yes, sir, the farmers need the rain. After living through several serious droughts, we know better than to complain about wet weather, ever. But it would be awfully nice if we could get a load of feed today. Or yesterday, that would have been good, too. But you can't haul feed in the rain. Oh, they put four fifty-pound sacks on the front seat of the truck yesterday, and I paid for a half ton. We already had a few sacks, so we're good for a few days.
"I'll be back for the rest when it stops raining," I said. "Maybe Tuesday."
Several times yesterday and today there were brief moments without precipitation, and I considered, just for a second, the possibility of going after the feed. Apparently, just thinking about that is enough to trigger rainfall!
Something is going on with my voice. I can barely speak, and it hurts when I do. So I'm trying not to talk unless absolutely necessary. The laryngitis started in December, and at times has been much better, but it has never completely gone away. Then it comes back with a vengeance. I'm on my fourth round of antibiotics for a chronic sinus infection... I assume the sinus infection is causing this problem, too. But I'm beginning to wonder if that's all it is.
The rain pours down. So, it's good for the ponds; they weren't quite full. I wonder about our road, though. A neighbor is doing some work on his property. He cleared out all the trees and brush along his side of the road, and is planning to smooth it out and put a pipe fence all around his place. Some of the other neighbors are pretty upset, and I can't say I'm crazy about it, either. When you turned down our street, it was like entering a whole different world. The canopy of mature trees made it seem like driving through a tunnel into paradise. When you rounded the bend and caught sight of our farm, it was such a welcoming sight. My brother used to talk about the sense of peace he felt when he turned down our road. Me, too. It was pretty; in my eyes it was beautiful. But that other property had been on the market for years. Several of us had considered buying it, but the price was too high. When it finally sold, we hoped and prayed that it would stay pastureland. So the other day when Susan and I were walking down the road, we watched sadly as they took out the tall pines and old oaks. She said they were probably getting it all ready for the public housing project. Or maybe a trailer park. Nah... it will probably be a combination apartment complex, public housing project, trailer park and homeless shelter! I don't mean that to sound unkind. Those things are all important. It's just that when people move to the country, they usually hope it will stay rural. We found out that the new property owner (we call him a neighbor, but he doesn't plan to live there) just has a different view of what's pretty, and that's okay, too. It will take some getting used to, but I'll bet eventually we'll come to appreciate this new sort of beauty. I think I will always miss those trees, though.
I wonder if our road is covered with mud, from where they did all that tree uprooting and digging in the dirt. Guess I'll soon find out. Plan to run some errands... if the water slows down a bit. It would be nice to be able to see to drive!
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