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Tearing down Greenhouse and Old Shed, Birthday dinner, and more HEAT

7/28/2010

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Whew, dear Reader! It's hot!

Yet I'm as happy as a clam in cool ocean sand. We're supposed to be warm in summer, so I am enjoying this weather. Come January I will look back at this and sigh...

Much has happened since I've talked with you last. Both the greenhouse and old shed are demolished, thanks to Dave (and his "dummy" ...me). (See photos above) The Land looks horrible with junk sitting all around...rakes and shovels and plastic pots, etc. etc. etc., just waiting for a new garage to be built. How nice it will be to hang tools on garage inner walls and have a place for everything. (Everything that doesn't have a place is going!) I feel so good about it.

What I don't feel good about is the fact that my big heavy chain in the old shed is missing (among other things). Previously I've had my jewelry stolen from my house (among other things). When I realized the sheriff wasn't able to do much about it, I put an ad in the Chicago Road Shopper, and lo! and behold! my jewelry returned to the same place a few weeks later. The deputy and I searched the entire bag so we know it wasn't there, and then ... it was ... not long after the Chicago Road Shopper offered a reward for it. Should I put another reward offer in the Chicago Road Shopper for the heavy-duty chain - and missing gasoline containers filled with gasoline, dear Readers? Or should I just leave it alone until more things are missing or broken or ripped, then run the ad? Again your opinions and suggestions are most welcome (privately).

Back to what's happening now... the septic will be next, and then the well. Yippee!

Meanwhile Michael's birthday was Saturday and we celebrated at Chef Amaury's again. I don't want to make your mouth water, but I will say the seared sea scallop and sweet corn soup with cilantro oil was superb! The macadamia nut crusted Colorado Rack of Lamb wasn't bad either...and the roasted rhubarb creme fraiche tart with roasted strawberry sauce was out of this world.

The great blue heron has been visiting the lake often as you can see from the above photo. He is majestic. I've also included photos of my apple tree with apples on it, but the leaves are missing. Strange, n'cest pas? And last but not least, I've included a photo of the cottage taken 'way up on the south hill behind where the house-on-the-hill will be built. I was amazed as I walked up from Beemerville and could see the cottage from so far awy. What a neat view!

Stay as cool as you can, all the while enjoying summer, dear Reader! I'll keep you informed with the progress!

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History of the Land, Relaxing on the Beach and HEAT HEAT HEAT

7/22/2010

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Yesterday, Wednesday:

"This is so cool back here," exclaims neighbor David Armitage, as he arrives to chainsaw some wood on The Land.
"Have you had this property long?"

"Since 1973," I answer proudly. (See photo#1 taken in 1973 from the hill on the south side of the lake looking down on the lake. See how small the pond looks.)

""Did you dig out the pond when you bought it?"

"No, it was a small sand and gravel pit. In 1983, a company came in and took out gravel for the I-39 overpass on Beemerville Road, making the pond into a lake." (see photo #2 taken in 1983)

"Was it covered in woods when you bought it?"

"No, there was nothing here when Jack and I bought it - just open areas around the pond. "

He nodded. He and his wife love it back here. And who wouldn't? It IS beautiful! (see photo #3 taken in 2003, 30 years after photo #1)

David is here to cut the downed trees into firewood (photo #4) and then I'll burn the rest. Aaron, his brother, will continue to drag the scarred earth around the lake, smoothing the sides and readying it for grass seed. (Photo #5)

I''m grateful the box elder trees sprang up to save the soil when we first bought the Land, and again in 1983 after the sand and gravel company left, but now it's time to remove them (over a period of time) and replace them with much better trees.

Yesterday I purchased 2 crabapples and one autumn maple from Randy at Ekana Nurseries in Mendota. Since Randy's visit here last winter, he purchased a new house near LaSalle on 2 acres with huge oaks and hickory trees... and gotten married! Congratulations, Randy and new bride!

I tried out the new beach. (Photo #6) Not bad! Life here is hot, hot, hot, but still a great place to be! Or should I say "bee?"

The heat builds up during the day, beating down with no let up. The sweat rolls down my back. Just as I think its almost too unbearable, the sun slips lower in the sky... and I feel the first hint of relief from the intense heat. I rest in the screenhouse looking at the bright red impatiens around the cottage. Birds sings happily by the run-off creek. Squirrels rustle in the underbrush. Tiny cymbal crescendos tell me the locusts are back in full force. Theirs is such a tinny sound! The little woods by the creek keep this area of the Land relaxing and fairly comfortable.

It is the middle of summer. What do we expect? I take a deep breath, enjoying as best I can - this hot summer day.

May you,.dear Reader, enjoy these hot summer days in the Midwest!

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Moving Bees, Promotion, Lake Cleanup, Septic, Guitar friend

7/17/2010

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Saturday night:
It's been so long, dear Reader!

As usual, much is happening. I've had to move my bee hives to the road around the lake - on the east side. They were a bit too rambunctious, so they had to be moved. When moving bees that far, the "field force" bees can't find their hive and, unfortunately, die. That is what is happening as I write this. Sad, really, but can't be helped. The field force are the bees that bring in the honey. The hive still has lots of brood for more bees, so the field force will build up again, but these poor bees won't make it.

As you know, dear Reader, I am putting in a septic for my present cottage. Yep, the house-on-the-hill will have to wait until next year, so I can finish making the improvements to the cottage. That's why the bees had to be moved.

Did I also tell you I bought a old glass storm door in Hinckley some time back? The gentleman who has the antique store there realized I wasn't going to pick it up any time soon, so on Thursday he brought it out to me (when he was doing some other errands this way). His name is Rick, and I invited him into the screenhouse (the cottage was 'way too hot!), where he was kind enough to play his guitar for me. Rick plays often and writes his own material. I was quite impressed. I asked him to play when we dedicate JJ's chapel, and he said he would be happy to do so.

Wednesday I had dinner with David and Ken, and on Friday I had lunch with Michael. What would life be without my friends? And family.

Speaking of family, I have wonderful news! Jeff was promoted this week! He is now a senior analyst! His company had an annual meeting this entire week in Breckenridge, Colorado. Right during the last dinner, his boss got up and started talking about this wonderful person , etc etc etc, and when he said Jeff's name, Jeff received a standing ovation. He was overwhelmed. Last year he won one of DeVita's core value awared (for Service), which was a real honor, too. Congratulations, Jeff on your promotion! And on your birthday, too!!!

Oh, and by the way, the lake had high fecal count last time I wrote. A few days later when I took another sample, the fecal count was zero! Never has that happened so soon after such a flood. It is a wonder how a body of water this big can go from fecal colonies "too numerous to count" to zero in a matter of days. It simply can't be done, unless that chlorine I smelled had something to do with it. All I can tell you, dear Reader, is that the lab tester was completely shocked. Too many samples being too erratic, I'm afraid. But it isn't Rochelle Wastewater who is "off." In fact, IEPA (I just talked with them) praised Sharon and her lab for the work she does. So... I will take random samples of the lake water, to make sure it really is cleaning up. Previous floods took weeks and sometimes months to clean up. It is amazing how things are changing in my lake and on my property this year.

Those dear bees wore me out today, so I can not stay and "talk" with you, dear Reader. I miss you, so I will try to write more often. Keep your eyes open for any kind of windows that would work in JJ's chapel. Along with the septic, the well, the new garage, a real furnace (!), a utility room and an extra room where the garage used to be...I do have my hands full! But the chapel is my focus, too. So keep your eyes open, dear Reader!

Nighty-night! Keep cool!

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Scenes on the drive to Dixon, Dirt Delivery

7/8/2010

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Thursday evening:

Such beautiful vistas today as I drive to Dixon along Flagg Road, a scenic country route. Multitudes of blue cornflowers line the roadside, like parade viewers. In the fields, the corn grows so tall entire farms look as though they are somehow sinking.

In the distance, the dark rounded green forests stand between the corn and the sky. Gigantic red-tailed hawks balance on telephone poles looking for food. Farmhouses are dressed up with daylilies and hollyhocks. Large red historic barns with white trim stand majestically over the landscape. Horses graze calmly in meadows and the sky lightens up and sunshine comes through. There's a soft laziness now that it's the middle of summer.

I meet lovely landowners who let me take photos of their hard work, like the older couple at "Flower Lane" farm, (photos 1 and 2) and a lovely Ashton garden (photo 3) on the way home. A part of my trip back from Dixon followed the old Lincoln Highway. And horses! Lots of horses, even if they aren't real! A horse painted on a barn, tiny horses pulling a wagon in a garden, and metal sillouette horses. I thought you would enjoy them, dear Reader.

And, would a trip be complete without flags - especially near the Fourth of July? As you can see from the photos ... other flags are represented, too. After all, we ARE in Illinois! What would a true Cub fan be without displaying his favorite team flag on his porch? (Jeff, this photo is especially for you, as an early birthday present. Just because you're in L.A., doesn't mean you can't pretend you're in Illinois!)

Dear Reader, so much is going on I can hardly keep track of it all. I am getting closer to having a septic put in. I have received a quote on a cement slab for the new garage. Little by little, step by step.

I had black dirt delivered (and some clods of clay, I'm afraid) on July 4th (see photos below). That's how Dave and I spent the holiday...sweating and shoveling dirt. It was the only day Dave could work here. Notice the pile of metal taken from the "dump." Dave will take it to be recycled. If worse ever comes to worse, I know I'm sitting on a gold mine (so to speak). It's right beneath the surface. After the earthmover's roughing up the soil, amazingly Dave found a small china bowl all in one piece. He suggested I clean it and put it in JJ's chapel when the chapel is finished. I found two small bottles, perfectly intact, too. The chapel photo below was taken in the early morning, July 4th. Very relaxing there.

Most of the Land is ugly right now (yep! sorry to say). But it will come around, never fear! It IS paradise, after all. And I have so much more roughing up to do...I am about to tear down the greenhouse, dispose of the old shed, keep the new shed (but move it)l, and build a small garage. I have to move my bees, who won't appreciate it, so they will be out of the way of construction. It is a busy summer!

Kary, Dan and family can't come out this weekend as planned.This gives me time before they come out to clean up the Land...or maybe make more of a mess! These things take time. And I haven't yet found the right windows for JJ's chapel, let alone started on the "house-on-the-hill!" No shortage of work here, dear Reader! But it's all fun!

As I write this blog tonight, I hear rustling right outside my long windows. I stare out at a very nice looking - and very lethal looking - skunk! I am not moving at all right now...and scarcely breathing. I wouldn't want to upset him, would I dear Reader? And don't expect a photo, either.

A few nights ago I saw Mama Raccoon in the backyard with four - count them! - four little babies. All the babies ran away as soon as they saw me, but not Mama. She continued to eat as though I wasn't there. She knew I wouldn't hurt her. We mothers stick together!

And last but not least, did I mention that two Great Blue Herons magically dropped from the sky right in front of my windows several morning ago? One never knows what to expect out here in Paradise.

These last few nights have been really sticky and humid. It's especially sticky right now, but I'm not sure if it's the weather ... or the thought of upsetting the skunk that has me sweating!

Sleep well, dear Reader, sleep well!

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Ode to My Friends Who Demonstrate All That America Is

7/5/2010

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Monday night:

Dear Reader,
I have written the following thoughts down and want to share them with you as I consider you a friend. Please realize when I say "friend" I mean my family as well.

Ode to My Friends: You are America

As we celebrate the birth of our country, I find myself thinking about this wonderful society we live in. Although many people are worried our rights are being affected (for the worse) in America, I find myself grateful for all we have.

I realize it is my friendships that show I am truly an American. My friends are good people - not perfect, for who is? Good people just trying to do their best to live the best way they can, helping others when they can. I love them all.

I have friends who are arch-conservatives; friends who are ultra-liberal. I have friends who are somewhere in the middle. I love them all. The United States of America accepts them all.

I have friends who are union men and women; I have friends who hate unions. I have friends who protested the Vietnam war, and those who fought hard in the same war as others were protesting. I love them all. The United States of America accepts them all.

I have international friends; I have local friends. I have friends with whom I have traveled abroad, and marveled at other countries. I love them all. The United States of America accepts them all.

If one of my friends brings up some subject they are adament about and I don't agree with them, there are three ways I deal with it. I gently disagree with them, change the subject or - if I don't feel up to a disagreement - just nod and let it go. My friends are entitled, as Americans, to have their opinion and to express that opinion. As an American, I accept this (also knowing I have the same privilege), and love them as they are.

I don't like people who lie to me or try to hurt me in some way, but I have learned to let it go and not let their problems become my problems. I am free to do this in America. Surrounded by my friends, I realize how fortunate I am.

I am happy I live in a country where I don't have to pick and choose my friends based on their beliefs - which must align with a dictator's beliefs. I would have far fewer friends if I had to like, and associate with, only people of a certain political stance or religious belief. My life would be much less enriched.

This openness that is allowed and encouraged in America transfers to perfect strangers. Last year I started talking with a young man who said he was at Northwestern Law School. He worked with Bernadette Dorn who now is working to free young, underprivileged people wrongfully accused of a crime. That famous Bernadette. I did not, nor do not, condone or agreed with what Bernadette has done in the past, but perhaps today she is atoning for her mistakes of the past. I nodded and praised Bernadette as this young gentleman talked. I am thrilled that in America, one can change; one is allowed to change to go on to stand up for the downtrodden. America gives us the right to change - for the better.

My friends - and perfect strangers - represent an array of people from all walks of life, from all social strata, from all ideologies, from all races. They are America.

You, dear friend, are America.

Thank you to all my dear friends for making me aware of your wide-range of beliefs, thoughts and c ares. All of you embody America. With all of you as my friends, I am America, too.

Happy Birthday, America!

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Earthmoving again, Polluted lake, and new Creek Beach

7/2/2010

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Friday night:

Had a lovely lunch at FoxFire in Geneva with Michael. I love being spoiled! I had a delicious blue cheese encrusted filet mignon. But what we especially go for is the Ahi tuna appetiser. No one does it better! It was good to get away from my rather sick lake (more about this later) and laugh, wine and dine.

You can see by the photos above that Derrek was here to finish up around the lake. (Photos 1 and 2) While he was here I received a call from Rochelle Wastewater Dept who does my water samples, and the news is not good. They want me to retest, because the numbers are "too many to count." I do believe there is a feedlot somewhere which is polluting Willow Creek, which just polluted my lake. Hopefully it will clear up soon, because I don't want to disappoint my extended family who is expected here next week. I have included some lake pics of some of the pollution. (Photos 3 and 4) Sometimes the lake looks almost clear, and then - when the wind dies down - it looks really bad. So I've included both types of photos. The good photos give me hope. (Photos 5 & 6)

While Derrek was here, I asked him to clean up the weeds in the sand down at Willow Creek (which is now running fairly clear ...well, at least it looks a lot better than the lake). This is the area 5-year-old Jake has already deemed "The Snow Hill." (see photo#7). Before the snow flies, though, if we can't swim in the lake, Willow Creek is my Plan B. Derrek made a nice beach (see last row of photos). I plan to add a screenhouse next to the sand, and voila! we have a swimming hole once again! The Land always provides. It is Paradise!

Oh, and by the way, I talked to Otterbach who originally had just received a job by me so he could do my concrete work for "next to nothing," as you'll remember. Now he hems and haws about it being put out "to bid"...ah, maybe, maybe not being able to do it...so dear Reader, by now you are probably getting as cynical as I am. Here is a man who is a farmer and flies planes only several miles away from my property, yet specifically brought up to me the fact that he doesn't know my neighbor who is a farmer and flies planes. I am having a hard time believing anything these pilots and concrete guys say - with the exception of William Charles. Do you suspect as I do, that no concrete will be forthcoming from this bunch of fellas? Derrek, who has been through this whole concrete business with me, as he waited to get in to work on the Land, summed it up by saying, "Pardon my language, but I think they are bullsh....ers." I told him if I said words like that, I would definitely use that same word!

Dear Reader, no one is worth bringing cynicism into my life - or yours. It is most certainly time to leave all this behind us and march on!

I talked with my son, Jeff, today. He and Angela are so dear to me. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends!

I'll keep you apprised about the lake and high e-coli numbers after my next sample to Rochelle Wastewater. The sunny days will help reduce the numbers. Smitty and Chris say that nothing keeps them from fishing! Great attitudes, guys!

Nighty-night, dear Reader, sleep tight!

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Tearing down Greenhouse and Old Shed, Birthday dinner, and more HEAT

History of the Land, Relaxing on the Beach and HEAT HEAT HEAT

Moving Bees, Promotion, Lake Cleanup, Septic, Guitar friend

Scenes on the drive to Dixon, Dirt Delivery

Ode to My Friends Who Demonstrate All That America Is

Earthmoving again, Polluted lake, and new Creek Beach

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