Take a Walk with Me

Our property is an old, grown-over farm, a 10-acre parcel a quarter of a mile deep. This is the two-track that leads to the south end of it, all grown over by seedling maples from the five big maples along the western property line.

A lot of the grass is little bluestem grass, sometimes called "poverty oats" because it will grow in our sand-dune-y soil. The goldenrod will grow anywhere.

On either side of this trail are thin little maple trees that all grew up competing with each other for the sunlight. They are great for making a quick trellis for growing morning glories or beans on. And the dead ones are good winter kindling, too. Because they are standing up, they don't get so wet, and can be broken off and carried back to the house in the winter.

The sandy ground is thick with moss and next year's hawkweed plants. When the frost comes this moss will be even more beautiful. Under a thick snowfall, the moss will grow happily. It always looks amazing to me when the snow melts away, this under-snow greenhouse of low-growing plants.

I got back to my socks yesterday, and I worked a little on the Sampler M pattern. It is an interesting one, embossed leaf-like shapes on a purl background. I want to finish that one before the weekend.

The loft bed progress is slower than I expected. We took home over half the cut parts, and the plan was that my husband would paint them during the week. Well, I finally hauled them out of the van this morning! My dad is coming down tomorrow to bring the rest of the parts. And the assembly directions!