Joe called this morning, he’s coming out later with a project. I need to go to the farmers market and it’s late, just made it with coffee. A little melon, an onion from Steve, two small summer squash from Moreen and a chayote. At Safeway I picked up stuff for a spaghetti sauce and pasta, ground beef, O tomato sauce and paste, mushrooms. A stop at Salvation Army for a new round cooling rack to use in the canner, a thin spatula and tongs, all for a buck. Home.
Joe’s here, out back working on a fountain. I recognize it, the one on his fence with a lion head, looks like rock but plastic. He’s bought a new better pump, adapters and tubing. They didn’t have a half barrel he wants to use so we rig up the water trough I have for baskets and outboards with a cabinet door to hold it up. It works, but the lions head isn’t pumping, a wire up it, that hose is kinked. We replace it temporarily with one of Gary’s respirator hoses he saved for me. Now that works too.
Meanwhile, I’m cooking sauce for spaghetti. Mushrooms in olive oil, set aside in a bowl, onions in the deep stainless pan translucent, add the ground beef and garlic, mixed until lightly browned. Drain off the excess fat. Celery awhile, bouquet garni (rosemary, sage, thyme, basil tops, a pinch of tarragon and oregano) from the garden then the summer squash, organic tomato paste mixed, a bit of water in the can added and O tomato sauce. Set on low to simmer. A big pan of water for spaghetti, olive oil and salt on high. Spaghetti in, sliced up the 33 cent panacita roll. Lunch is ready, served in the back yard room with a view. It’s really good.
Joe wants some rocks from the river for landscaping. I want some willow. We dig out the wheel barrow, the tire is flat, fill it up with the compressor, now it rubs, smack the bucket with a big hammer to free it up. Off too the river.
Joe picked out rocks as I snipped willow branches for a basket. He pushed the wheel barrow full up to the bank and carried the big ones up. He pushed the full barrow to under the cable and we walked home sampling the good granny apples.
Back home, I showed Joe how to start a basket using the rattan soaking in the bucket. We need to move the Vardo.
I drove my truck around backing in to place on the hitch with Joe’s guidance. We actually got it right the first time, amazing. Lowered and on, we back and filled until clear of the plum tree and garden. Getting it back in the driveway took a lot of back and fill, but finally it’s back in the right place in the driveway. Joe thought to put the steps and tarp in the back of the truck before we moved it. The vardo is on solid ground in the driveway, ready for winter unless we choose to move it.
We drove Joe’s truck around and picked up the stones and wheel barrow. He shoved off with a frozen chicken as I need freezer room and the tomatillos as I have so many volunteers.
A fun day!
8shotoflove8 