Sometimes the Old Stuff Still Works

Today started out like most days at Memory Lane.

Lately there haven't been many hummingbirds around the feeders. I'm not entirely sure why.

It could be because I've been getting outside earlier than usual.

It could be because the nectar was getting old.

It could be because two of the four feeders were completely empty.

Or it could be a combination of all three.

Whatever the reason, the first task of the day was taking down all the hummingbird feeders, cleaning them thoroughly, and refilling them with fresh nectar.

While I was at it, I refilled the bird feeders with seed as well.

With the birds taken care of, I headed over to the garden.

Everything looked good.

The plants continue to grow and things are finally starting to look like a real garden instead of a project.

Before I could water anything, though, I realized I still needed to reconnect the hose.

And before I could reconnect the hose, I got distracted.

That seems to happen a lot around here.

I decided it was finally time to test the washer and dryer in the bunkhouse.

These appliances were left behind by the previous owner and haven't been used in at least five years, maybe even ten.

Based on their appearance, I suspect they date back to somewhere in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

Normally that would concern me.

But honestly, things just aren't made like they used to be.

So I headed over to the electrical panel, flipped on the breakers, and crossed my fingers.

The washer immediately sprang to life.

Water started flowing.

The drum started turning.

And just like that, it was working.

At least mostly.

During the first wash cycle the water looked pretty dark.

Almost black.

At first I was concerned.

Then I reminded myself this machine has been sitting unused for years.

The more likely explanation is dirt, sediment, and who knows what else that accumulated inside the machine over time.

I ran it through a second cycle and the water looked much better.

I plan on running several more cycles and putting some laundry sanitizer through it before trusting it with clothes.

But so far, so good.

The dryer was a different story.

I only let it run for a few seconds.

It was clearly heating because I could smell dust and debris burning inside the vent system.

That was enough for me.

I shut it down immediately.

Before I test it again, I'll thoroughly clean both the machine and the vent line.

The last thing I need is to start a fire trying to save an old dryer.

Around that time my partner started texting me and suggested I test the toilets.

Personally, I'm not sure why.

We're replacing them anyway.

But I figured it couldn't hurt.

I was wrong.

The master bathroom toilet leaked all over the carpeted bathroom floor.

And yes, somehow there is carpet in the bathroom.

That's a problem we'll happily solve later.

A closer inspection revealed a large crack in the toilet bowl.

My guess is that it froze sometime during the years the property sat vacant.

The second toilet wasn't much better.

It leaked from the tank.

Fortunately it was only a small leak.

I flushed it once, shut off the valve, and decided there was no reason to investigate further.

New toilets are already part of the plan.

While I was inside, I also tested the HVAC system.

Unfortunately the air conditioning isn't working.

The heat relies on propane and we don't currently have propane service.

Thankfully, none of that really matters.

The long term plan has always been to replace the system with mini splits, so discovering another broken component wasn't exactly devastating news.

Before heading back outside, I noticed Wyatt sitting quietly on the deck waiting for me.

That may not sound like a big deal.

But it is.

There is still broken glass around parts of the property and there are endless opportunities for him to wander off.

Seeing him calmly sitting there waiting for me is a reminder of how far he's come.

Once I finally made it outside, I connected the hose and watered the plants.

Everything looks healthy.

The onion growing in water continues to thrive and has developed a nice root system.

The asparagus cutting isn't doing nearly as well.

It's beginning to wilt and still hasn't produced any roots.

We'll see who wins that experiment.

The next project involved tick control.

Anyone who spends time outdoors in the Northeast understands the challenge.

Ticks are everywhere.

While we try to be mindful of pollinators and beneficial insects, we also have to be realistic about protecting ourselves and Wyatt.

Over time we've used a combination of tick tubes, Permethrin, NexGard Plus, and Sevin Dust.

Today the plan was to apply bifenthrin granules around the areas we use most often.

Before doing that, I used the leaf blower to disturb the leaf litter around Memory Lane and the buildings.

The goal isn't necessarily removing every leaf.

It's lifting and disturbing the material so the treatment can penetrate down where tick larvae like to hide.

Since rain is expected tomorrow, today seemed like the perfect opportunity to get everything down before nature watered it in for me.

Before I could finish that project, I needed to head into town.

Laundry wasn't going to do itself.

Neither were the groceries.

On the way, I stopped by the workshop, dropped off a few things, and took some photos of the flowers that are currently blooming around the property.

Then I headed toward town.

Halfway there I realized I had forgotten something and had to turn around.

Of course.

On the way back to camp, two deer casually crossed the road in front of me as if they owned the place.

Honestly, they probably do.

After grabbing what I needed, I headed back into town again.

When I returned later in the afternoon, it was getting late but I still wanted to finish the tick treatment.

I loaded the spreader with bifenthrin granules and mixed in some Sevin Dust to make sure I had enough product to cover everything.

I treated around the main house.

The coop house.

The workshop.

The Quonset hut.

The barn.

The garden entrance.

Memory Lane itself.

The motorhome.

The bunkhouse.

And the pavilion.

Once that was finished, I headed back to the workshop.

Tomorrow the mower repair technician is scheduled to arrive first thing in the morning.

The least I could do was clean up before he got here.

I used the leaf blower to clean out the workshop and blow off the mower.

Hopefully that makes his job a little easier.

With that done, I picked up the truck and headed back toward camp.

Along the way, a large tom turkey crossed the road directly in front of me. Sorry No pictures.You'll just have to trust me on that one.

Back at the motorhome, I finally saw what I had been waiting for all day.

A hummingbird.

Just one.

But after not seeing any all day (really the last few days), I was happy to know they hadn't abandoned me completely.

There was no campfire tonight.

No big dinner.

Just a quick hot dog and a quiet evening.

Tomorrow the mower gets repaired.

The rain should activate the tick treatment.

The garden keeps growing.

And hopefully the hummingbirds decide to come back.

~ Making Memories.