Beyond

I hope I never lose my sense of wonder. If that makes me naive, then so be it.

Monday 13 August 2007

chippity-chip-chip

For those who were always wondering, that is not the noise a chipper makes. It's more like BRRRRRRRCKZZZZKKKKKZZZKKPTHTHTHTH. It's in all caps because it is ridiculously loud. It's also very effective, thanks to SRH and the gigantic-industrial-strength-needs-its-own-trailer chipper. This thing can take trees up to 11 inches in diameter. We were shoving small logs in there. Much sweat and many leg scratches later, we got through almost the whole pile of brush. The weekend also saw some chainsawing and the cutting of the goldenrod field. I'm finding the smells as I mow interesting. Nothing disgusting, just distinctive. The goldenrod smelled not unpleasant, then a different part of the lawn apparently had chamomile because it smelled for all the world like a cup of chamomile tea. The smell at the chipper was reminiscent of wood shop in junior high school, and of damp cedar.

Lunch on Saturday included the freshest corn we've ever had. Ten minutes from cornstalk to pot is definitely the way to go. Tender, sweet thanks to the sugars having no time to turn to starches. Tomatoes are growing but not yet ripening, beans are still producing, herbs are lovely as always, peas seem finished for the year, peppers are looking good.

Sunday afternoon was a fun time with a whole bunch of friends from church at Serendipity's cottage. It smells right - anyone who has walked from the summer afternoon into a small, oldish wooden cottage built by someone's uncles and grandpas with open windows serving as the only air conditioning knows what that smell is. Slightly warm, a bit musty and yet dry. Kids and D swam and swung on the tarzan rope, D manned a paddleboat filled to overflowing with small children, and I spent some time getting to know a mom of three young (3 years and under) kids who has been recently widowed. I came away from our time talking reflecting on her amazing perspective and her gentle spirit.

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