Still Here, Still Trying

Day 19: Wednesday, May 3

Angries in? Passive Agression?? Self Help???

No, that was the tail end of the night. Elsewise, the day was… no, including that the day was great, well normal- most days are great.

So I got lucky and up early. Made this freaky hand drawing. Need to work more along that line: work the edges and check the space kind of thing. Kind of shamanistic Alaskan Indian or something. I felt, early in the day, like I was getting in touch with my psychic (psychotic?) side. Well, I know I’m not Edgar Allen Poe but it felt real in the sense of really being here, really being here now.

Then I managed to put hours in down by the river. The last cut, which was almost through, wound up breaking all the way through. The log had fallen away from the tree. A large piece above where I was chopping fell onto the platform I had dug out. Seems my judgement was right to not finish during the last session. That big cracked and split two thirds thick part of a seven foot section of tree fell during a rain storm instead of falling on me. And I didn’t have to work at getting all the pieces to the ground – they were down when I returned.

A nice length of branch was available within sight. I went and got it for use as a lever. I got another piece and chopped it in half for pivoting off of. The next three hours were moving wood toward the river. The two chopped logs, the two halves of the section directly above the break, and a pile of tinder and kindling and sizeable pieces for the next fire.

It was good work. Actually got some cardiovascular, panting and grunting and all. I took some pictures along the way and got back inside before dark and wondered what to do next. Telephone to the rescue, call friends and let the night progress. Did some work online looking about personal stuff, like last night, then finally went to bed late.

Day 20: Thursday, May 4

But still I woke up early, earliest in the history of the antFarm that a resident both woke up and stayed up. Now it was the day after the gluttonous extravaganza of log making and pushing. Now I needed to stay low and let the body recover. My tendon trouble wasn’t so bad as I’d taped it well before funning around yesterday. But today I need to get more cloth tape and anti-inflammatory Ibuprofen and groceries and essentials.

I’m washed, shaved, and dressed in my good shoes and button shirt before 10:30 (with loads of sorting accomplished along the way). Good bye red Lake Falls, it’s off to Thief River falls… better selection and all, plus, that’s where the driver was headed.

So Glenn’s brother Lou took me with him on errands and I had a civilised day. The hghlight was "pizza buffet" at Danny’s. Pretty good actually, I even ate a lot.

Then on the way back, Lou explained to me bits about soil erosion and tillage and drove me around the back side of a few roads I might not have seen with only wheelchair pushing for quite some time. Plus my eyes were more that 4 feet off the ground, in the pick-up and all, so I had a much better look at the fields and surroundings than I have had since Mr. antFarmer Glenn left me here 18 days ago.

Now it’s late and I’m gonna get some more wood then settle.

Day 21: Friday, May 5

Yesterday, Friday, I got up way too early and sat drinking coffee planning to run into town to hit the post office. I eventually decided it better to take a nap. The internet connection wasn’t working well at all, so I sat trying to get the dial-up to go through. As the day progressed I started making further plans regarding the upcoming New Hampshire trip and sat on the phone. This led to me calling parents and siblings because I will be going to see family after the Mount Washington Autoroad ascent. These phone calls went on for hours. I think I miss my family and also I imagine I get lonelier here than I actually realise.

Day 21, the end of the third week here, marked the return of Mr. AntFarmer, Glenn Schafer. Glenn showed at 11 PM, just as I was getting done phoning my youngest brother.

Day 22: Saturday, May 6

Today is the start of the fourth and final week. I’m a bit sore and a bit confused about leaving. I’m just starting to get into a rhythm and get things accomplished. Glenn will be here all week. Fellow founder Lars will be here at the weekend. I intend to leave Red Lake Falls on Monday and start my way to New Hampshire.

I started a new number drawing last night. Glenn and I went to the river after buckwheat pancakes this morning so I could show him my raft project. We brought a tent and a canvas tarp with us. We took some pictures setting the tarp up in different ways. Today Glenn pointed out a bald eagle in the sky. He said on my first weekend here that he had seen one in the morning. I’ve been waiting since then to write in the web log that I had seen one. The bird is large with graceful lines. The white head and tail are quite distinctive. I think I saw one at the Philadelphia Zoo as a child. Of course I’ve seen them in books and such. But here was one above me in the sky. I was excited.