Leslie Knope Is My Spirit Animal

Week 2 at The Farm: I imagine myself as the half-Asian version of one of my favorite tv characters, Leslie Knope from Parks and Rec. Pictured above is my version of The Pit.

Long hours, out in the sun, and a few moments where I realized I was talking a bit too much to myself -- that was my life for the past four days.

I have a glove tan, and it kinda looks like I'm still wearing some thin white gloves when I'm not wearing any gloves at all. I look like I should be a cat named Boots or Socks.

This week was all about "crunch time" and making a real effort to finish the manure spread, lightly till the soil, and cover tilled areas with plastic tarps to trap heat and inhibit weed growth. I was amused to find that a few tarps we had were old billboard signs. Now our garden plot has some random guy's giant face on it! Unless that was just something I hallucinated in a daze caused by dehydration...

Big farming lesson: attitude is everything. There have been some clashing viewpoints within the team, and all I could do about it was stay in my own headspace. When it comes to a project, I am on Team Git-R-Done, sometimes Team-I-Have-Nothing-Else-To-Live-For, and Team There-Is-A-Vision-Now-Let's-Make-It-Happen. Mainly, I am on Team Positivity, and as such, I tend to lose patience with anyone who is not. Which then, ironically, makes me sound like I'm going negative.

Perhaps it is something I need to work on, or maybe it isn't. I just feel that it always helps to keep a good attitude about things, particularly if there are no other circumstances which you can control. If there is something else you can do about it, then do it. I don't like to let others drag me down. I view such an occurrence as the plague. That's why I'm feisty about it. It also bothers me to see people doubt someone else who's working hard toward a goal in the same way I would. I'm always a bit stubborn about my goals, but truth be told my stubbornness is usually worth it. So there! Haha!

Regardless of differing attitudes, I believe the desire from some of us to see this plot transformed has proved to be a sufficient driving force, and I am happy to report that STUFF GOT DONE! Tilling was about 60-70% finished by the end of my shift yesterday, and I think it will be completed this weekend while I'm away from the farm. Our progress has brought us closer to our goal of planting. I only have one week left, so I'm not sure if I'll get to see that stage.

This will be about 2 acres of veggies, with some flowers on the side.

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Aside from working in the soil, I did manage to squeeze a little extra photo snapping into each day. It's hard to get photography done when each day is already filled with tasks, but I've been given approval to take small breaks here and there, to see what kind of pictures I can get. I also keep telling myself to wake up extra early to go on a little photo hunt, but when I see the sun barely rising outside my window it's suddenly difficult to convince myself to do it. Hopefully I'll do better with that next week.

There are quite a few of these wild baby bunnies hanging around the trailers in the morning. This one was sunbathing near the water spigot. I enjoy seeing them, since in Hawaii the closest thing I got was a mongoose here or there quickly scampering away as I approached.

Alpacas always seem to be a hit, so here are two males for you. :)

And as usual, I couldn't forget about a macro shot. Near the garden plot, and next to a pond, is a patch of dandelions that is pretty enchanting in the evening glow!

Next week I'll aim for some shots of the magpies (not crossing my fingers though lol) and maybe some shots of the little beehive. I hope those bees don't mind me getting in close... so far they seem pretty docile.

Tata for now. It's time for a very relaxed and suburban weekend. :P