Sunday, August 03, 2008

Round Here


The photo is of a plant that is known locally as mountain mint. It grows abundantly here. The colors in the photo are correct; the tops of the plant become almost snow white as the flowers on it bloom and age. When I first saw the large clumps of it growing on the roadsides, my first thoughts were that some truck had come by and accidentally strewn some type of powder out onto the plants. But they are just that way naturally. If the leaves are crushed it produces a very strong menthol smell. Traditionally the plant is not taken internally but used to make salves or compresses for sore muscles or sinus problems. I need to harvest quite a bit of it. I have transplanted several clumps of it into my little native flower garden by the drive. The bees and butterflies just go nuts over it.

Thanks to you all for your wonderful comments and encouragement on the last post. I'm glad some of spoke up on what type of posts you like. I have always written about what I wanted too, and will continue to, but I had considered not posting about work anymore as no one seemed interested. I know commercial construction work is not every one's bag. But knowing now that some of you do like the posts, I will still occasionally show some things. I also know you can't please everyone all the time and some people are not interested in some posts but I think that is why it's good to mix it up a little and have posts about a variety of things. Plus, I just like to talk about different stuff and see what other people's ideas are on those subjects. Again, if you don't like to comment or whatever, please don't feel like you need to. As long as I can see that people do keep coming back then I know someone is, at least somewhat interested.

I am still looking for a tractor and will have the tractor naming contest. I have heard that sometimes in the late summer some of the dealers come down on their prices somewhat because the height of the season is over. Can anyone verify this for me? Have you seen such a thing? It makes sense that they would. Plus, I need to pay off one particular bill before I make this leap, so I am holding out just a little longer.

I am working on siding this weekend (YEA!!) and hope to get a fair amount up. I'll have some pics of that. I know that's kind of boring but hey!, there's nothing else going on! It's too damn hot to do much. I hope to start some of the creative projects in the house soon that I already have materials for and so will not call for more money. Such as the stained glass window for the bathroom etc. I think ya'll will like that.

Well, back to work. I'll try to post during the week some if I don't spontaneously combust from the heat at work!

*Counting Crows

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I still remember that series of construction posts you did on that old mansion you were restoring. I remember that your crew put a time capsule in some of the pottery work on the chimney. I LOVE that kind of thing. Do you still do something like that on any of your other jobs?

MamaHen said...

Hey Pablo! Well, we don't have much opportunity for stuff like that on most commercial projects, especially new ones. There is just nowhere to stick something like that. We do have a few little things we do but nothing like the time capsule. That reminds me of a funny story that I'll have to post about soon though.

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...

I find the construction positings interesting. You are not the only woman carpenter, whose blog I read.
Heather also works as a carpenter occasionally. http://www.royalepain.blogspot.com/

Heather is a very interesting young woman who built a cabin by herself years ago and has outfitted a couple of vans to live in. Her last great adventure was to ride her bicycle from Florida to California and back to Austin where she seems to have settled into a regular life. She and her mother lived in an underground house in Vermont at one time.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, I love that plant. Wonder if it would grow here in Indiana? I think I'll search the net to try to find some seeds. My yard is tiny but I could sure find a spot for a clump of that.

MamaHen said...

Hey Philip! I'll have to look into her blog, sounds very interesting.

Hey Jackie! Yeah, the mountain mint is a lovely plant. I don't know if it would grow in Indiana but it seems to be a very hardy plant. You might try Sand Mountain Herbs.com for the seeds.