Know-How

Above: Two good friends who have some know-how! On your left is Gordon Bloodworth, veteran missionary and President of Discipleship College in Eldoret, Kenya, East Africa. On your right is Jack Darnell, retired military man and retired building contractor.

Did you ever wish for "know-how"? I certainly have. One of the reason's why I tear things up (or perhaps render them useless) is because I tackle projects when I don't have the "know-how". On occasion I manage to tackle and complete one of those projects that I don't know how to do - but I spend far too much money and far too much time in the process. Such was the plumbing project I had to do here at Pumzika Acres lately. I had even hired a professional handy-man and crew who did a tremendous amount of work - but had to leave for other commitments before finishing the task. Frankly, I was dreading the completion of the task. However - God sent someone by to help me! It was going to be a difficult task because of limited crawl space. I loathed the idea of having to crawl around under the house, cutting and re-attaching pipe because I had failed to winterize in time and the pipes froze and burst. From the amount of water - discovered on New Year's day - I just knew I had at least six leaks to find. So procrastination had become my method of dealing with it all. Thank God, it is now in operation! I promise you that I WILL winterize before the first freeze this winter!!!




Jack Darnell, explaining to me how "simple" it will be to attach these pipes and "fix" everything!

Spider, Ferns, Birds & Neighbors

The birds have now hatched and flown!

Are there two hungry mouths here?

I went to the cabin on Satruday, July 3, with the intentions of doing nothing but relaxing. Spent most of the six hours I stayed there just reading and/or sleeping. Mixed nuts, peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich with creek-water from my newly purchased Sawyer filter was sufficient nourishment.

Frances had said it might not be the best time to go if I wanted solitude because this was the 4th of July week-end. Some of the neighbors have been known to drink a bit and play loud music - but I decided to go anyway. I was surprised that none of my camp neighbors were there when I arrived. Everything was totally quiet except for the song-birds and a crow now and then. Late in the afternoon one of the neighbors, Eddie the mountain man, came by and told me that Mike, my neighbor across the road, had taken a fall on a construction site, had a concussion and had been in the hospital on life support. Last report he was going to be taken off life support and would recover. Another neighbor, Rick, from a half mile away came by on his 4-wheeler and stopped for a nice chat also.

When I finally got bored I picked up a rag and started to wipe down the lavatory and tub/shower where we had been working on installation of the same, and came across this interesting spider. I do not know for sure what kind he is - but I do know that I don't want him in the shower with me! Don't worry - that one is dead now. Of course I will keep looking to see if he might have had any brothers or sisters.


A Brown Recluse? That board is six inches wide


Found him in the bathtub in the grime which has collected from all the drilling we had done.

In the tub he lookd very big!



I don't recognize this plant. Gotta try and find it in my book. It's just across the creek among the tall grass and weeds

There are hundreds of ferns all around the place.


Ferns are thick here, covering about a 1/2 acre.

We need rain here! No rain in the forecast until Saturday - and then isolated thunderstorms.