One of Those Days

   "Take care of this grapevine that You Yourself have planted, this son (daughter) You have raised for Yourself." Psalm 80:14-15

  There's a mini excavator tearing up my front yard. It's a stressful situation because I am waiting to hear if my septic bed is fixable. It's old. What has been revealed so far is unnerving because even someone who isn't knowledgeable about such things can see there are issues. The cost of replacement adds a couple of zeros to the cost of a repair, if not more.

  So I decided to write to take my mind off of it. I decided to place my trust in the Lord for all of it: the repair, the replacement, whatever needs to happen. Regardless of the outcome, He will provide. He always has and it's always far more than needed.

  The contractor who's investigating came referred from a friend at church. While he hasn't dealt with this company personally, he knows the family that owns it. It's a comfort to know they are good people.

  Rural living has it's challenges at times...

  It rained last night a fair bit. This is good, too. The last couple of days were spent digging up one of my gardens. It had become choked with lilac tree roots. I love the sweet scent of the lilacs but some varieties can be very invasive. The roots were sending up unwanted new shoots everywhere.

  The poor hostas nestled underneath were struggling to survive. Not only because of the roots, but they had long reached the point they needed dividing. The garden looks lovely now. The rain gave everything a boost.

  The veggie garden is in, too. Early this year. The hopes of carrots, zucchini, beans and tomatoes are tucked into the soil. Basil and dill have been added to the mix. We've already been enjoying fresh kale because the plants from last year survived the mild winter.

  And the rhubarb! Two years ago I divided the massive root ball. There was enough to give some away to friends and still replant more than enough for my own consumption. Last year we didn't harvest any to give the roots a chance to establish themselves. It's paid off a hundred fold.

  Part of why I dug up the flower bed was because I've taken out the ornamental pond. It was another one of the first projects I did. It was fairly large, about four feet long, three feet wide and a couple of feet deep. The extra dirt from the flower bed has filled it in nicely.

  There is a plan to do some other kind of water feature because the sound of running water adds a relaxing song to the yard. It's also a bird magnet. This one will be above ground with a drain to make  clean out far easier. 

  My plan is to go to the local RE-Store where they sell used or new household repair items and a wide variety of other things. The hope is to not only make a water feature but make it into an art installation with a place for birds to come and drink or bathe.

  It can wait until later in the summer. There are other gardens that need some TLC.

 

  Hang on a minute, the contractor needs to speak with me...I am not looking forward to this...

  Well, it's goodish news! They managed to repair 50% of the system. What they've given me should last for another decade.

  The neighbours have a huge silver maple tree whose roots have done a number on the unsavable sections. Boy, root problems seem to be the theme today! Makes me appreciate this morning's scripture even more.

  I asked for his advice on how to maintain it so it will last that long. Most of it I already knew. Like don't put coffee grounds or cooking fat down the drain. It helps to use the stuff that adds good bacteria to help break down solids on a regular basis. And it's important to get the tank pumped every couple of years. Otherwise, it's life as normal.

  So I will do all these things and be grateful.

 

  Lord? If I have any roots that need taking out, please, show me where they are hidden. I have a shovel, a pruner and a strong back to pull them out before they get truly established into areas they have no place being. 

  AMEN!