Stasia's Place Of Grace

Friday, July 08, 2005

 

Septic Update

Thank goodness, it's all finished. How it could ever go from this:

...to this, in just two days, amazes me:

Now there are nine very tacky-looking PVC tubes sticking out of my yard like so many periscopes. Perhaps I will paint them like gnomes, or the Loch Ness Monster's spines, to accentuate the effect. (Can we say, "Time to get plastic boulders to cover them?")

Here are some septic tank facts for you:

• If you have the proper area for it, a new septic tank will run you about $9,000 in SE Wisconsin.
  
• If you do not have the proper area, add on $2,000.
  
• If you don't have that much money in your savings account, you should take care of your septic tank.
  
• If you put water from scouring sheep wool, fabric softeners, kitchen grease and disposal grindings, and non-natural/petrochemical-based detergents down your drains, you will ruin your septic system and plug up its tubes.
  
• If you plug up your septic's tubes, your sewage water will come out of the pipes in your house.
  
• New septic systems have an extra tank where there is a little "intersection" of tubes. When the pumpers come to clean out your holding tank every couple of years, they can divert the runoff into a different section of your septic bed until the next cleaning. This allows the initial bed to "dry out", making the entire thing last much longer.
  
• Older septic beds lasted for about 20 years. New ones can last 30 years or longer, with proper care and regular pumping.
  
• If you have a septic system, you should stagger your laundry and do no more than two loads a day. Fine with me.

I apologize if you have found The Great Septic Debacle less than interesting; I, however, have become fascinated by the whole thing. The trencher attends annual septic seminars to learn how to use all his handy-dandy, 21st Century diggin' equipment. His attitude about respecting a septic system as a natural, biological environment was really cool. The fact that his whole family showed up to bring him lunch, and that his young son worked with him (without breaks) for two days was inspiring (Jeff tried to give the boy a tip, but he politely refused, saying he was getting paid and his bill was covered by the terms of our contract! The kid is about ten years old!!)

What I have learned from this is that anything can be interesting if you will only take the time to examine it a bit more closely. Which we all knew already from people who tell us, "I don't know how you can knit, I could never do that... and why would I want to?" If they would only take a moment to examine the process, they might become as fascinated as we all are.

I have a new respect for trenchers and septic pumpers. I will say this: if you can afford the heavy equipment, this is not a bad way to make a very good living!

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Garden News

Jeff was busy while the septic work was being done. I wrote that we had to take out our deck for the trencher to have access to some pipes. We're planning a little sitting area, with a perennial, herb, and shade garden, where the deck used to be. Jeff's going to make a gravel center area on which we'll put a little bistro set, and he's laying three meandering flagstone paths that will converge on this circle. We'll then put bark mulch down, and make the area look as natural as possible.

He also primed and painted the wood on the house that was exposed by the deck removal.

Not bad for a guy who spends his days in suits, I must admit!

Jeff's talents extend to gardening, as you know... and here are some more "fruits" of his labors - the remainder of the first batch of shitakes from the kit from Fungi Perfecti!

The ruler is in the pic to give you an idea of how big these guys are.
(Keep in mind that Jeff is over 6 feet, too!)

They grow literally inches in a matter of hours!
(They are shiny only because he had just misted them with water.)

We have a pink oyster mushroom kit on its way to us now, and will try to show you the process from start to finish. Remember, anything is fascinating if you examine it closely enough (hee hee)! Seriously, fungi really are amazing, and seeing these things sprout up so quickly - not to mention enjoying them for dinner the past few nights - has made me want to learn more about them.

I think these kits are a good bargain, considering the prices of gourmet mushrooms (and not even fresh, decent ones at that!) in the grocery store. When you consider you can re-use the kit several times (spores apparently remain dormant in it between cycles), it makes it even more of a bargain! What a great educational project for home-schooled kids, as well.

Growing elsewhere, we have:

The hibiscus I overwintered indoors...

daylilies along the split cedar fence row...

Asiatic lilies near the "patio"...

and baby wrens in the adorable acorn birdhouse from Miss Kary.
You should hear the parents sing! Their warbling stops us in our tracks.
How fortunate this nest is just outside the kitchen window.
Check out Kary's gorgeous new Clappy, by the way!

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Gratitudes Of The Day

Click To Play Anthem

Val (and all of us!) are so grateful that his dear Auntie Pamela had left London and was safely home yesterday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those in the U.K. I felt the effects of the events quite strongly, having lived in London and having a particular sense of patriotism for England - not to mention my dear friend Pamela lives there! Jeff was fearful to break the news to me when I woke up, and indeed, I have to admit I responded with language that would make a sailor blush. When I found that Pamela had just been in London but had left in time, I started shaking and burst into tears of relief. And then felt profound sadness for those who had not been so fortunate...

But this brings to my mind the fact that we are not in control of the world's events, and that we must let go and try to have faith that there is an Entity which is. In the meantime, it is our responsibility not to worry so much about world politics, or what governments are doing (making enemies, when ranting about abstract theories, of our co-workers, family, or friends with whom we may differ on political opinion), but rather to be kind to our neighbors and families and spread love and good energy and mutual respect in our immediate vicinity.

How often do we worry about world hunger while never taking a hot dish to the sick and elderly lady down the street? How often do we get guilted into feeling we don't donate enough money by a musical promoter who makes a fortune on benefit concerts and increased record sales, when, if he and his performers gave up a Lear jet or Rolls Royce apiece, they could feed an entire African village for a decade? I worked in the entertainment industry, and my sister still does (in a major motion picture way) - unfortunately, there are motives other than philanthropy at work in these instances.

Our present-moment, present-vicinity actions and vibes will have more of an effect on world peace than any far-flung-cause-protesting in which we might participate. World peace begins at home. I am grateful for the comfort that brings to my heart - knowing I can make a difference in the Positive Energy Outflow just by not losing my temper at stupid things, or by being kind to the crotchety people next door, or by not engaging in political debates and diatribes. (But that's the hard thing, isn't it? It's hard to actually take personal action, rather than just mailing off a check and feeling smug about it...)

I am grateful for the preparedness and quick response of the U.K. rescue teams.

On a more peaceful note, I am grateful for the beauty of the windspinner that Miss Kary sent, which hangs in a copper birch next to our orchard. We enjoy watching its graceful beauty in the evenings while we sip our wine by the firepit.

I am grateful for our new septic system and new computer but, more than that, the fact that we had enough savings to pay for them. (!!!)

I am grateful to have a curious mind open to learning about septic systems, mushrooms, and podcasting, and the ability to appreciate the knowledge and experience of others.

I'm grateful the only "problems" I've had to contend with this year were a broken computer and a broken septic bed, and not losing my house in a hurricane like poor Deborah did!

I am grateful that once I start counting the things I'm grateful for, I can't seem to stop...

Hope your day is as blessed. Have a good one! I'm sorry I've no knitting news - still working on my Clapotis (using purl stitches instead of stitch markers), and enjoying it very much.

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