Temperatures have cooled in Nebraska to a nice 80 degrees during the day and middle ’60s at night. It’s been wonderful to sleep with open windows once again.
Not much gardening has been going on at Terra Nova Gardens and the entire garden as gone back to natural wild habitat. What once used to be thriving vegetable beds are now head high grass and weeds.
There are many reasons why this dilemma has happened. Some are real and some are just plain old procrastination. I do have a few tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. But for the most part the sweet corn has become raccoon fodder because I didn’t get the electric fence up in time to protect it.
Not to be daunted or discouraged, my plans are starting to form for next year. I’m thinking that I’ve expanded my garden too big too fast and will be considering a smaller more productive garden next year. I’ll have the same amount of beds but some will be resting for the next year.
I have enough beds (12) to plant half one year and rejuvenate the other half for the next year’s planting. Since I hand dig and trench compost, it would be better if I slowed down a bit and managed my garden better.
One of the things that has kept me away from gardening this year is another love of mine. I went on my first volunteer disaster/rebuild trip about 15 years ago and have loved it ever since. I’m now up to about trip number 31.
A week ago I had opportunity to go with a group of 23 to a place called Vidor, Texas. They were hit with 54 inches of rain in one day when the hurricane blew through. This trip was a rebuild trip for a week.
I got to witness first hand the brutality of Texas heat at its finest. Every day was 105 or more with 90 percent humidity. The task at hand was to completely rewire electrically a church that had water damage.
The flood muck and all the drywall had been removed in preparation for our coming. Some of the group were carpenters and moved walls and doorways for better use of the rooms. Most of the team worked in the sanctuary wiring switches, sockets, and lights.
My task given to me and one other group member was a little different. It was to remove the old service entrance boxes and hang new ones.
As you can see my task has challenges. This was outside in the bright Texas sunshine. Rusted bolts, screws, and box lock nuts presented some difficult moments in the tear out.
A window had to be removed and covered with plywood to accommodate the new service panels. More power is always good right? I’m not sure what the old service was but the new service is going to be 400 amp service.
By the end of the week new service panels were in place and this part of the rebuild was complete. The next volunteer group will continue to wire and bring the service inside the building. It was a joy and a privilege to be able to work with a group of dedicated volunteers.
I do wish I had more times to be free of home responsibilities to go on these kinds of trips. There was a time when I had a little more freedom to volunteer with these trips, but not so much in this season of life. Someday maybe that will change. In the mean time there’s plenty of projects to keep me busy at home.
How about you? Have you had any interesting adventures this summer?
I hope and pray that you are having a good summer. Be well, eat desert first, sing like no one is listening, and dance like no one is watching.
Nebraska Dave
Photos property of Nebraska Dave.