Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Phil puttered around the farm on Saturday, doing little odd jobs that need to get done, like scything and mowing. In the late afternoon, he headed down to the unfenced section of lower pasture and began to clear along Hog Creek. I went down later to stand amazed at the dense thickets he hacked through, the junk trees he'd cut down.

His time was cut short by cutting through (near?) a stinging insect home. Whether ground bees or hornets or what, he didn't stay around to find out, but turned off the chainsaw and ran.

When we went back later, he cautiously grabbed the chainsaw, as angry stinging insects continued to fly about. How to proceed? We shall see.

I spent time continuing to clear up my poor, neglected garden. I picked a single cabbage plant and was astonished at the number of orange and black cabbage shield bugs. Blech! I squished and squished, and finally carried the whole plant to the compost bin, where I trust the chickens made short work of eggs and caterpillars.

I planted some winter greens (collard greens, mustard greens, kale), and planted another bed, today, to beets.

On Sunday, we carted, as usual, many dozens of eggs up to church. We have faithful purchasers there, and that is a great encouragement, to have friends who buy our eggs and love our eggs.

We stopped at Whole Paycheck (er, Whole Foods) while we were in town, and I found a homeopathic remedy for bladder incontinence/bed wetting. Alone among our children, Joe has struggled with bed wetting. I do realize that children grow out of it at some point in their first decade, but if a homeopathic pill will help him, I would appreciate a less-stinky mattress. I'll keep you posted on whether it works.

I've been amazed at times with the immediate efficacy of homeopathy. Whether oscillococcinum (ah sill o COX i num) for the flu, or aconitum for general ill; whether arnica for trauma or arsenicum for food poisoning (for our roommate in Boulder, not for us!); whether apis mellifca for bee stings or nux vomica for stomach upsets: these are inexpensive remedies that do no harm and do much good.

Today started blazing hot. We've had a few cooler days, and we huddled inside. I went out around noon to get some fruit, and wondered if I should water my garden.

Within fifteen minutes, we were having an incredible downpour. I mean, I know it rains in Virginia, but we got over an inch in about half an hour. Water was streaming through our A/C, running down the walls. We could look through the sheets of water on the windows at the woods, tossed by the most wind we've had since we've been here.

And then, a half hour later, the sun came out and the heat was gone.

For dinner, we had rice bowls, with garlic, onions, and okra from our garden, pork and eggs from our animals.

I am getting chubby, eating so much delicious food. I keep thinking, "I am really only hungry enough for one small helping." But then I'll have three. Or four.

I've never been prone to gluttony, but I am becoming acquainted with that vice, I fear!