Today the men came for the well. Actually, there were only two of them, and they were very nice, at least so I shall think till I get the bill. This house, in the past 13 months has had: a new roof, a new furnace, and new water tank, a LOT of work done on the driveway involving gravel, ditches, and perforated pipe, and a rebuilt room. Now it has a new pump. It also has a number of small cultivated spaces, less iris, much less oregano (still plenty of that),and more hemerocallis. It has about the same amount of gaillardia, but I have moved some of them around. I did not exterminate for wasps, as the previous owner did, and so I suppose it has more wasps (of a generally very pacific disposition, thank St. Entymos*), but there were a lot of nests in the walls of the rebuilt room so I wouldn't be too sure. I believe I have cultivated goldfinches, rose-breasted and evening grosbeaks, and chipping sparows, but they have only cost the price of the sunflower hearts.
Ellie suggests that at least the house is in better shape if I have to sell it, but given all the things the house inspection didn't find, I doubt that the improvements will show up, either.
So the guys put in a new shiny pump, and filled the well up with chlorine, because apparently you do when you meddle with it. This means I cannot fill the frog puddle for a bit. They said to let the water run after a few hours, until the mirk and chlorine smell go away. Only it's not very murkyand it barely smells of chlorine at all, so I am somewhat at a loss. It was very pleasant to have an unpunctuated shower.
During the day, she worked on curtains (with a week to go before returning to college, these little summer projects become poignant) for her room and I made a tea cosy out of duck-inspired batik for the teapot she is taking with her. Neither of us knows how to square off the large pieces of fabric successfully, but we're getting there. And the tea cosy fits just fine.
*no, there isn't one, as far as I know, and I can't seem to find the etymology of entomology, so you will just have to bear with it. I figure some saint answers these calls. There must have been one with miraculous powers over swarms, right?
4 comments:
You are being VERY quiet about your birthday Ms Leo. Happy. Belated. Since we are now in Virgo territory.
One kind of chlorine is air dissipatible. One kind isn't. Letting an open container stand might help the frogs. Then again, the chlorine in the pipes might be gone by then.
Hi there - I came across your blog while looking at knitting blogs. Yours stands out - quiet, clear, very nicely written, not too much shouting, not too cloying, not too many photos of cats..
and the frogs are very dear.
Thanks for the cool drink on a hot day!
I was intrigued by your search for the etymology of entomology. My dictionary has entomology coming from the Greek word, entomon, meaning insect, + logy. So maybe not a saint but a god or goddess of swarms :)
Yep, frog entry was great, today's entry was even better. You've offically become a regular read. It's Christmas in August for an overly sociable blogista like me!
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