Mad Skills

I used to think "BOOM" meant a Very Big Noise. I  used to think "Bush Hog" was some weirdo farm type animal that would hide in the bushes and leap out at people walking past (if the Bush Hog was in a terribly bad mood that day, but I assumed they must be happy farm animals as I had never seen any leaping pigs or hogs).
This goes along with my thinking "Yonder" and "Down the Road" were actual towns as I had driven by String Town and Box Town and what would be so different to have a Down the Road Town? AMIRITE?

I learned all about booms (probably booming)  while Jim worked on the Lane for Alexa's wedding. His vision was a white board fence running up one side of the lane ending at the Barn's field gate. I should mention this is a quarter mile stretch. His vision also included me helping. Post hole tampers and levels became my best friends until I was introduced to The Boom. Coolest. Implement. Ever.

We needed The Boom to lift and carry rail road ties from the front field where they were dropped, around the ceremony site's field, past another field, through the barn's field, and finally to the far end of the lane, skirting the fence rows to keep the fields and lane pretty. These were interesting trips around the fields with a slight element of danger, what with this heavy pair of rail road ties swinging precariously behind us.

Once we got the tractor close to where a tie would be dropped the boom lowered the tie (snort-lowered the boom) to the ground and then Jim and I took it from there, placing them and making them level. Jim's vision had included a perfectly level fence and a level lane, which meant he had days and days of digging into the bank preparing it for the ties, and getting the lane smooth and flat for grass.

It was superfantastic when he was finished. The boards were all painted once installed, the plants grew back in the garden where they had been dug up, and as an added attraction, Jim took time out to make rail road planting beds near the steps he dug into the bank.

One man, the help of one minion for two days, and two or three weeks. Memory fades. Highly worth it though. This was taken shortly after he sowed seed in the lane, about ten minutes after putting away his shovel, and before the glass of Iced Tea. Note the fence going out of sight. Sigh...

Photo: Jenny Lindsey Photography

Unconcerned  Deer remaines unconcerned...

The Ant's Tale

This is the tale of My Husband, The Ant, who single-handedly (except for one very cold Christmas Holiday Weekend, when he had at his disposal,one male and two female ant minions) created a beautiful ceremony site for Ali's wedding.
Yes! It IS a Shabby Chic structure! But you're seeing it after the use of an axe, machete, hacksaw, chainsaw, (my personal favorite tool name the) Lively Lad, rake, crow bar, and first aid kit.
The approach to the stable was rampant with Thorn Trees (Yeah. I know. WHY does something like that even exist?), huge jungle like vines of poison ivy, blackberry vines, small trees, brush, weeds, all manner of brambley plants...let's just say NOT a paradise. or a Ceremony Site.
Once he was able to actually GET to the stable to start dismantling it, his knee went out, but he soldiered on, dragging one leg up and down the ladder as he pulled boards away, all oak, all with rusty 16d and 20d nails.

all of which were bent back onto themselves to prevent them Being Pulled Out. Some boards had "multiple" nails driven in (10 - 15 nails spaced a thumb's width apart, why? You've got me there).

Step One: Buy a shiny trailer!  Step Two: Begin making piles. Step Three: Move the piles to make different piles after sorting boards for future use, condition, length, etc. Step Four: Build a structure to hold the wood keeping it sorted. Step Five: Yes! Move the piles to the structure.
On and on and on all through a very cold early winter.

Note the ladder. Note the piles. Heh.

At one point Jim was wearing not only a knee brace, but a wrist brace as well, since a wrist manged to sprain itself. I did not ask about the different bandages he would be sporting on his visits home from this little project of love for Ali. I thought it was the prudent thing to do.

The stable poles rested on big limestone rocks and blocks, that at one time were flush with the surface but with time and weight, sunk in some places almost 2 feet deep. These were well worth the pulling and digging to remove them because they were perfect for steps in the lane, and a small porch for the chicken coop! "Dig away with abandon, Jim" I say. I helped too but gave up-they were heavy. I broke a nail. I got wind in my eyes. I went inside and drank cocoa. I have skewed priorities.

No humans were hurt in the collapsing of this roof. Jim is very nimble and quick.

There were many trips to the landfill, many side jobs, for instance, tearing down the board and (sunken in the ground) wire fences in preparation for the new fence Jim was planning on building to go up the lane and past the front of the house.
Not to mention repairing the tractor, cleaning the barn, working in the coal mine, coal mine, coal mine, working in the ... never mind.

 When the tear-down was finished he dug all the random pieces of metal, glass, old animal medicine bottles, pieces of old leather straps, the flotsam and jetsam of an earlier time and occupation.



After raking it smooth and admiring it for an hour or two he was back to work sowing grass seed.  But concerned with the amount of time for sprouting not to mention problematic weather and hungry birds, he ordered sod to be delivered when he had a block of free (hahahha I kill me) time to lay it.

Two days later, in the rain, a HUGE flat bed truck arrived on the road, blocking traffic, laden with the sod. (Not all ours, most was for another delivery and ours was on the way to that other job).  
 Jim was in the process of digging post holes (THANK YOU, ED! The loan of your auger was the best thing ever!) but the sod had to be dealt with right then. Long story short, we laid sod in the rain, had a blast and the results were well worth it!                            

Once upon a time there was a stable...

Slight element of danger for a ceremony, what with all the thorn trees, poison ivy, odd bits of metal sticking up from the ground, imminent roof collapse, and all.


Stable, you're going down!

Brightfield Farm in Tennessee...the beginning.

Our daughter started us on this journey when she wanted more than anything, to be married at the farm.

We, of course, tried to dissuade her with more enticing, already available, wedding venues. But no. It was The Farm.

 And after a lot of work by her stepfather, her aunt, her mother, herself, her brother, her friends, and little birds and little mice dressed in little outfits, our daughter had her elegant vintage farm wedding!

And we all had to agree, it was fun! It was beautiful! And, it was memorable!

Not bad for Rapture Day.