10/30/19
(Above: Jacobhouse as seen through a haze of garden fencing, spraying water, and blazing afternoon sun.)
Active Summary: This morning began with a ride around the beef pasture, but before tending to the daily creative writing, I decided to work on the garden while it was still cool outside. This work consisted primarily of turning the soil and extracting grass tubers. At about 9:00 AM, the sun came out and began to really heat up the outdoors, so I ventured inside and wrote.
Padre arrived outside via payloader as I wrote, and I got to witness him dumping a large bucket of composted cow manure right in the middle of the garden. I tended to the pile after I had concluded my writing time (both creative and school-assigned), spreading it via rake and shovel across the entire lot.
(7:23 PM Update:) From Madre, I procured a garden sprinkler this afternoon, and from Padre, a garden hose. Now, the soil-moisturization process has begun. Also, after the evening beef pasture check, I made some bread dough with the remainder of my available flour, Parmesan Reggiano cheese, olive oil, (salt and yeast), and some leftover fresh basil from my pesto-making two evenings ago. By the end of my putting together this entry, I shall know how the Basil-bread experiment has turned out.
TIL: Over the past 24 hours, I have learned that the rake I utilized yesterday to even-out the soil and to remove roots from it, has a fiberglass handle. This would ordinarily not be a problem, but seeing as that implement is an old farm rake that has been in the sun for many years, it is quite splintery. So, last night I got to wake up with some very itchy hands. The sensation has since abated, and at present I have borrowed a wood-handled root rake from Madre.*
Another matter of interest was my learning of what exactly a Heat Index is. I already knew that weather stations arrived at ‘feels like‘ temperature by using a humidity-to-temperature formula. What I did not know was that for the temperature portion, they use only measurements taken from shaded areas. Thus, the heat index can and often does provide much lower temperatures than actual conditions of outdoor activities. According to the national weather service, exposure to full sunshine can increase heat index values by up to 15°F.
Commentary: This was another pleasant day, but I still say the weather is quite anomalous. It is two days from November, yet the temperature this afternoon was in the high 80s with a heat index of 94. Knowing what I do now about the heat index, that temperature is made even more ridiculous.
As for highlights, I will leave two quick ones. First , the sushi lunch from Sushi Bistro was delectable (as always), and second, Jacobhouse smells tremendous right about now. The reason can be seen just below:
Final Note: Tomorrow or later this evening, I plan to shop for seeds and a few garden implements online. This will be accompanied by more soil turning and garden layout planning.
*If she didn’t know about this borrow, now she does!