Lynelle in Arcadia

Got to the farm in the middle of the night, two nights ago. Luggage includes one suitcase, a large camera bag, a book bag, a project bag, and yet another camera bag. Spent the first half of yesterday getting all of Mom’s instructions on how to take care of the animals, grandma, and the gardens. Spent the second half teaching Dale how to use my Canon 20d. He was a little bit disgusted to find that I had lost my user’s manual. But life goes on.
Saw the ‘rents off to Africa at 2:30 am. That, and my horrible cough, made it a rough night. Up at 6 to feed the horses (Chief first, as he bites you if he’s left waiting) then the chickens (hens out of the coop and into the henhouse yard, then the roosters, then Bob, the little half retarded rooster who is cooped by himself.) Then the dogs. Wally on the back patio, Zena and Bella on the side porch, and Velvet in the kitchen. Then off to water the garden.
Did the orchid house first, and spent a few minutes hunting for the little tree frogs that live there. I consider it good luck to see one. Then part of the veggie garden - I save the other half for tomorrow.

And now it’s 8:00 and Rene makes me try driving to town for the post office and to put gas in my moms car. The reasons why I am 32 and still don’t drive will have to wait for another blog. It’s a round trip of about three miles but I still find it harrowing.

Breakfast: fresh eggs, whole wheat toast and huckleberry jam. Yay, breakfast. Which, I have come to realize, is my favorite meal of the day. The eggs are fragrant and so flavorful, and very small, which makes them cute.

9:00, and we go into the orchard with one of Dale’s bows, and practice some archery. I don’t actually hit the target, but one of my arrows comes close. Good enough for me, and I call it a day. The quince is blooming, something I’ve never actually seen in my adult life. The grass underneath it is covered in a snow of white petals. Nothing else in the orchard is quite in bloom yet, so this is pretty magical.

After Rene takes his turn, we gather up the arrows and put the target away and I see him off, back to LA to care for my cats and help Master Lam in kung fu class. He’ll be back in a week or so to check on us.

Now I get a lesson from Grandma on how to take care of her, and the animals, and the place, some of which directly countermands Mom’s orders. I nod and smile, but I give nothing away: I know which side my bread is buttered on.

A two hour nap follows the lesson - I know, it’s hard work, country livin’ is - and now I’m up. The dogs are sleeping, Grandma is puttering (she insisted on burning the some of the trash, but I was able to make a compromise with her - no Styrofoam will be burned today, thank you very much) and I’m trying to decide what to do with myself….

Pictures will follow in a week or so - I forgot my card reader at home. I am sheepish.