On the Porch
Onisha Ellis
I can’t believe March is flying past. We decided to depart Florida early to address a mud slide issue on our property in North Carolina, as well as get a head start on greening up our neglected grass. The first week we were here was spent enjoying time with our daughter and visiting the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. After she left we began to plan how we were going to address our issues.
Phone calls were made, lists were started, prices were checked and then we seem to have stalled. One of our projects was to have a walkway poured from our drive to the front door. We have stepping-stones but we want to be proactive, should either of us need a walker in the future. It turns out that folks who create walk ways are not fond of returning calls. Fortunately we have a Plan B. Today my husband and I removed the stepping-stones and stacked them to repurpose into stairs to husband’s shop.
We did receive call backs on Wednesday from two contractors but their price was too high for our shallow pockets. Fortunately, we know a handyman who works at an hourly rate. Our current plan is for my husband and the handyman to build the forms and pour the concrete themselves. So hopefully, we will have a lovely new walkway before we return to Florida.
We have yet to buy fertilizer, lime and grass seed. We made a trip into town to buy them at Ace Hardware only to discover the local Ace does not carry them. We had priced them in the Georgia town that is south of us when we were down there for breakfast. We held off on buying and spreading the seed due to a cold snap. We hope to have them purchased and spread by Monday.
Of course the most important project, the mud slide has yet to be figured out. Our last plan is to rake the mud area smooth and plant Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue and hope it will hold the hill. I am wondering if those stepping-stones we moved could be used here in some way.
All of this must be wrapped up in one week. I feel as if March came in like a lion and is going out like a lion. The only lamb in sight is the Holy Lamb of God whose resurrection we will be celebrating this Sunday.
UPDATE 3/28/2016
After writing this my husband’s nagging cough turned into a full blown sinus infection. On the bright side,the weather here in the hills is beautiful with highs in the 60s, coaxing buds and blossoms from their winter’s slumber. The high 80s and possible 90 degree temps are going to be a shock to my senses when we return to Florida.
Old Things R New 