Land News, bad weather, Victoria, Grammy

Mama contacted a local realtor we have worked with in the past and asked if he had any leads on land near us. She specified twenty to thirty acres in her request. He was, as always, quick to reply to her. Yesterday morning, he sent her three listings. All of them would be nice properties, but all of them were too far out for us to use for the project we are planning. She replied with thanks and narrowed her request to land with easier access to our local highways. That land will not be as cheap as the initial offerings he sent, but there is no sense in buying somewhere too far afield for renters to come. People are funny that way. Just the distance of two or three miles makes a huge difference to renters. They are not looking for peace and quiet. They are looking for convenience. In order to attract the right renters, that is what we must offer. Regardless of the increased start up cost involved. As nice as it would be to get land for the price at which these parcels were offered, it would have been a waste of money to do so. We are not pressed for time. The realtor is not an anxious man. He will continue to give us listings until we narrow our search to the property the Lord wants for us.

Yesterday evening, I held off on dinner until I had worked a couple hours on the lot I am trying to finish. The weather is supposed to be bad today – thunderstorms, high winds, hail and periods of heavy rain. I will not be working outside tonight. But yesterday I was able to put up fencing on the long part of the lot. I have only to pull it taught to complete that portion. On Saturday, Lord willing, I will weld up the gate and finish the front with a cattle panel. Once I get that done, I will lay out a small shelter made from pallets, skinned with metal siding. That worked very well in the large paddock, but I do not need anything as large as the structure I built there. This one will be two pallets deep and three pallets wide. Tall enough for Mama and I to work in, but more of a lean to than a barn.

With the goats we have, it does not need to be a fortress. It only needs to be sturdy enough to endure the storms we have at the farm. I am trying to make all the structures I build suitable for stock other than goats in case Mama and I sell the farm at some point and the new owner has horses or other livestock that needs to be separated and sheltered. But I do not want to invest too much time or money in the shelters. I have rearranged portions of the farm enough to know that what we need today will need to be removed or repurposed to meet some future need. Everything I have assembled has been done so with that in mind – excluding the shop and the coop. Those are dedicated purpose buildings. Anyway, if we need to use the lot before the shelter is complete, I will put the large igloo now in the second paddock – which abuts the new lot – into this lot. That will be sufficient for a temporary shelter for the weanlings.

Mama is headed to Bowie today to get the oil changed in the Sequoia and, more importantly, to meet Victoria for a second birthday lunch. Today is her actual birthday. I get the impression that she is both excited and depressed about this birthday. Perhaps Mama and Grandma can cheer her up at lunch. Her pre-birthday lunch last Saturday was kind of a bust, so I think Mama is hoping to make it up to her. Last week at work Victoria was nominated for Tech of the Year by her boss. Again, she had mixed emotions about that accolade. Thankful for the recognition. Dreading the fanfare and the photos requisite with the nomination. Pray for Victoria. She is seeking purpose for her life, but I don’t think she is quite ready to find that purpose.

Sunday afternoon Mama will leave for a Brittany’s. She will spend the week there helping with the twins as Brittany continues in her new job. It will not be a hardship for Mama. She is looking forward to the extended time with Zoe and Sophia. She is not looking forward to the time away from the farm or from me, but we are both thankful for the fact that they are close enough that such a time is practical. We know that will not always be the case, so, for now we are taking full advantage of the proximity.

Go Grammy!