I get to fix fence today. No. Not the barn yard or the cattle fencing, the house fence. Turns out if you inadvertently pop the clutch in the old work Ute, that’s revved up so it won’t die (again), while reversing into the walnut shade next to the cedar fence…. That’s right, four broken boards, one lose upright.
The cedar is ancient. I acquired it from a cousin over 15 years ago when he was upgrading. I was just getting started and anything to keep the cattle and pigs out was a great boon at the time. My fledgling landscape was getting rooted up by pigs weekly and the cattle would graze through the middle of my yard happily whenever they escaped from the pasture fences. At the time, I didn’t care what the fence looked like, I was sort of hoping for razor wire and guard towers, but the weathered boards fit right in with the rustic farm setting and I’ve loved their versatility. I’ve treated them with linseed oil a few times, but cedar’s amazingly durable – until you drive into it.
To add injury to insult I bruised by ankle bone in the process of slipping clutches and brake levers, netting yet another ice bag and getting to go bootless for a while. After some choice words (darn it, golly but a new carburetor would be nice, ramrodding-this is new) I promptly left the load of iris rhizomes and went to the house (the dogs watched all this from the deck laughing and didn’t even offer to come down and help me up the hill). I came in and mopped the floors (sometimes a good cooling off period helps remind me how much I love fencing) before going back out with a new perspective.
Market Day in Lewiston – I get to cut all the last remaining blooms from the production field. Reminds me of a scene from Mommy Dearest where they shear down a garden full of roses…
Here’s looking forward to a Calamity Jane Free Day!
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