“One of These Days”

“Do you see that grass near the flower pot near the front steps?”  “Yes, I said.”  Then I replied, “One of these days, when I have time…”  This is when my wife erupted and said, “Why don’t you write a story about that?”  I suppose this is due to her frustration about the tall grass near her flower pot, but by this point in our conversation, I know better than to inquire.  “Let sleeping dogs lie”, as they say.

Apparently, I have a tendency to not complete things as well as my wife’s dad, who was known to not only cut the yard, but to do all the border areas with the weed eater each time as well.  I have found the use of a weed eater to be both distasteful and difficult, so I save it for every 3^rd or 4^th time of the mowing of our lawn.  As a result, for a month the borders of the yard grow without restraint, but on the fourth grass cutting, I enjoy weed eating and mowing them all back down.  In this way, my back only gets strained once a month and I have a whole month to recover.  Otherwise, I expect I could hardly walk at all!

This past weekend, my brother and I went to Banner Elk, NC.  That was after the obligatory first day at the Antique Show in Blowing Rock, with our two wives, who planned the first part of the weekend adventure.  Since I was driving, I persuaded my brother that on Sunday morning an excursion to Banner Elk was needed to see the property our Grandfather owned for many years at the entrance to the town.  The lot was famous not only for the squatter who lived in the old house for a time, but also for the fact the Banner Elk Fire Department has the house condemned and burned it down.  Since it was the first sight anyone saw riding into the town, it was considered an eyesore and a blight on the town.  My grandfather owned the property for many years, but he never found the time to go and fix up the old house.  As it fell into disrepair, it was mercifully burned down.

My grandfather and grandmother vacationed in Banner Elk, NC each August, in order to escape the summer’s heat and humidity of York County, SC.  Once or twice, my sister and I went with them and stayed several weeks in Miss Fannie’s Bed and Breakfast on top of the mountain in Banner Elk.  Near what is now Lees-McRae College, I remember sitting on the porch, in the rocking chair, looking out across the western sky.  I never knew what we were looking for, but it was pleasant enough sitting there with my grandparents and my sister.  Since breakfast and dinner were served in the Bed and Breakfast, we only had to go downtown for lunch, which we did every day.  I learned there how to eat either apple or blueberry pie covered with vanilla ice cream, a treat I still enjoy to this day.  My grandfather never had a meal without a dessert, which must be the secret to a long life, as he lived until age 92 and still had most all his teeth and almost all his hair.

He shared with me once that the secret to keeping your hair into old age is not to wash it more than once a week, as he was persuaded the natural oils were best.  Of course, I never listened, which I suppose is why the top of my head is balding at age 63.  God only knows how much hair will be left over at 92, if God allows me to live to such a ripe old age.

Now, as to Banner Elk, NC, today, it is a most lovely, quaint and prosperous place.  In place of an eyesore of an old house, the town has placed a sign, proclaiming welcome in the entrance to the town.  They have built steps into the bank of the steep lot, so a person can walk up on the hill and meditate under the trees if they like, or simply view the oncoming traffic arriving into town.  In place of eyesore is now beauty par excellence! The small lake across the small paved road is a picturesque as can be found anywhere.

This could have been a place of beauty in my grandfather’s day, except for one dilapidated old house.  But, alas, he never found the time….

This set me thinking about how many other things could be done, that I have delayed in doing:

I have a tree in the front yard which is bent over, growing north instead of west.  It is an eyesore, which I plan to cut down, but I noticed the birds using it as a perch to fly back and forth to the bird feeder, avoiding the squirrels, so I delayed its demise, waiting until the weather cools.  I hope to perhaps salvage the trunk of the tree and plant it somewhere else when it goes into dormancy, as to cut it now would certainly kill it in the heat of summer.  The tree was set out when I bought it about 5 years ago, and is supposed to bear fruit of some kind, but as it has not bloomed in five years.  Apparently, someone made a mistake.  So, I will cut it down.  I have been unable to identify its type, but it has pretty green leaves.

I am planning to cut it down this winter, when I have the time.

I have another Japanese maple tree growing from seed next to the side of the house.  I have promised it to one of the ladies who work in my office, but I have not yet transferred it into a large pot.  I am waiting on a nice wet day to dig it, when I have the time.

I have three hedge bushes on one side of the drive, which two years ago were perfectly round after trimming, but somehow they have gotten so big as to be wop-sided.  I planned to trim them back last winter, but I think now it will be best simply to cut them all way back and let them grow out again.  This will require the use of a chain saw, which I will do this winter, during the “dormant season”, just as soon as I have the time.

For the past five years, I have been collecting wood for projects I intend to build.  I have not only pine and oak, but quarter-sawn oak, pecan, wild cherry, eastern red cedar and black walnut.  I recently bought three large pieces of wormy maple, which I hope to use for several clocks, or perhaps the facing on a four drawer dresser.  The walnut has a deep dark color and would make either a nice dining table or a bookcase.  The quarter-sawn oak could be used for many things, and also the wild cherry.  I have decided I may simply have to hire someone to make these things for me.  I have all the equipment needed, but I do not have the time.

I am also working on a fence made purely from eastern red cedar, for which I have harvested about half the trees needed, but 35 more lie in wait for pickup and transport.  I will get these soon, when I have the time.

I am building a fence around an acre and ¼ lot on the property we own out in the country.  It is not to keep anything in, but to keep the deer out for a garden.  I am almost ready to put up the 8 foot wire fence, which is lying there waiting to be hung.  All the posts are in and the one gate and two doors.  Only two brace assemblies are needed to complete.  I simply have not had the time.

When the landscaper was clearing off part of the property with his Bobcat, I had him dig a hole about 4 foot by 4 foot, by 5 foot deep, so I can pump water from the stream for my garden.  I am planning to either place a large concrete pipe or build a concrete structure to surround the water pump, to carry water into a large storage tank for the drip irrigation, when I have the time.

My wife and I are planning to build a new home on the property, as well as a horse barn and a workshop, with space for the tractor and the equipment.  I am sure this will happen soon, since all that is necessary for this is to borrow the money from the bank and let someone else do the work.  Things like this are easily done, as this does not require much of my time.

Thinking about this, I suppose my wife does have a valid point here about not finishing things.  Perhaps that’s why she wanted me to write about the grass growing tall near her flower pot.  I feel guilty now that I have not cut it.  I am sure I will get to it sometime this week, just as soon as I can find the time…