Friday, September 19, 2014

Finding Something Orange

It's  that time of year again, folks. 

Time to get out there and find the orange.  

It's one of my favorite things to do. 


In full disclosure, I actually found this orange while on one of my inexplicable blog breaks. I took it along the country commute that lies between me and every place I need to be. Usually, I need to be there pretty quickly, too.

Was it worth the delay to stop that day and notice the orange?
Yes, it was.

It was worth it in more ways than one, too. Not long after I took that photo, they began to clear cut that entire little forest. Today, it's nothing more than gravel and some weeds. I won't depress you with the evidence.

And then, we had this orange sighting. 


OK, it's an old one too... 

These are the Bradford pears that line our street. It's a good thing I have stopped to enjoy them every other year because they will never look that lovely again.

Between the ice storm, some sort of pear tree blight, and old age, we lost more than half of the pear trees in the neighborhood this summer.  Ours was the first to go, too. It nearly broke my heart. What was once a beautiful canopy road now looks more like a random bunch of umbrellas.

As if the pear trees were not enough...


Today, I found this orange.


I'm not so jazzed about this orange, but I took a picture anyway. 

In case you can't tell, this would be the little orange trail left by the power company.  It shows where the electric lines are buried. We're all schmancy in our neighborhood, you see. We have things like buried power lines.

Too bad we don't have things like buried sewer lines.

No, this little country neighborhood has septic tanks instead.  And do you know where septic tanks are installed when the back yard is a piney stick forest?







And that's exactly where the big, ugly backhoe is going to go, too. 
That's why we needed to find the orange. 

Monday morning, Mr. Backhoe Man will dig two, big trenches out there so a new drain line can go into that septic tank. (Or does it go out of  the septic tank? )  I'm not ashamed to admit that I haven't the first clue how septic systems work.

 I only know when they aren't working, and even after major repairs in the spring, ours is not.  Apparently, the drain line has been snuffed out by a gang of malicious pine roots and their gun moll named Myrtle.

Sigh.

Myrtle will be going the way of the pear trees and taking half my front lawn along with her.

By this time Monday  (weather permitting)  I'll be the proud owner of a bald lawn and a balder bank account. We really had no choice... considering the alternative.

On the upside, I'm also the owner of four toilets, without which we would not need a septic system at all. That being the case, I'm pretty sure this qualifies as the ultimate First World Problem.

Time to put on the big girl pants and deal with it.

Of course, since I tend to deal so much better with the help of a hot beverage, I'll be taking this  half full cup of mine out for a drive to find something orange.




If you have any suggestions for regrowing a lawn in the autumn,
now would be the time to share them.

30 comments:

Sue said...

Ouch!
First world problem indeed. I like that perspective. I have no clues on the lawn growing though, we are crossing all kinds of fingers and toes here to keep our new lawn alive in this TX drought.

Lynn said...

Oh boy, a big messy project! All I can say is, enjoy your latte:@)

Elizabeth Edwards said...

i love orange. i wish for a latte now. thanks for using your mind control to make me wish for one. hint. hint. ha. ha!! ( :

Denise said...

So sorry about your big fat messy front yard. (well Monday it will be). Loved all of the finding orange photos even if most were old. I have to admit, I don't know much about septic systems either except that mine is in the back yard. A couple of years ago we had several trees cut down in the front yard and the equipment they used made a terrible mess of my front yard. Make sure you get all of those tire tracks smoothed out while the dirt is freshly turned over.

As far as fixing the yard in the fall the only solution I have is a huge display of hay bales, scarecrows and pumpkins. :) Maybe talk to the extension office. They could recommend something like a winter grass to plant.

Babs said...

Gosh, I don't envy you having to have your septic dug up. We're on septic, too. and knock wood...we haven't had to have that done yet. I put a septic activator in it occasionally, and so far so good. As to growing grass in Fall, I'm no expert, but I guess it depends on what kind you have, but you might try an annual winter grass, if you need to wait till Spring to plant Bermuda, etc. At least that would keep you from having a muddy mess this winter. Maybe the septic company could seed it for you??? Ha.

elizabeth said...

I thought that first photo was a painting! And condolences about your septic. So not a fun way to spend money!

Chatty Crone said...

I love the orange color you are talking about - and do latte's make everything feel better? I can't believe you have to have all that dug up - I am so sorry. Take a deep breathe!

Sharon said...

I'm sick at heart about the little forest being cut down. I'm sick to my stomach about the septic tank fiasco. For the first time in my life, we're on septic tanks now, too. Fortunately, they were fixed in escrow! But I'm always afraid that they're going to blow up or something.

Your beautiful lawn - sigh.

As for regrowing it in the autumn - maybe green spray paint until Spring???

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

That exact thing is happening at my parents house! It took out their Kousa Dogwood, which my mother didn't like anyway, but it is a huge mess. I am feeling for you.

Your other Orange sightings are much more enjoyable!

Deanna

Mrs. Kelley Dibble said...

Prayers for a multitude of GOOD COUNSEL...

My. The sadness...

Embracing the beautiful orange (What else are ya gonna do? Might as well.),
Kelley~

Kathleen said...

We have no color yet here, everything still looks summery. Sorry for your septic probs. TBS, Fall is the best time to renovate your lawn. It should regrow quickly!

Christine said...

I say, think out of the box!
Talk to a Farmer and get a truck load of pumpkins. Then you have plenty of orange.

Scribbler said...

Sorry for your septic tank problems. We have never had one, although the more outlying newer areas do have them.

That first photo of the railroad tracks is so beautiful -- looks like a painting. That is sickening that the forest has been clearcut. The same thing happened on a hillside near us, and they have thrown up a neighborhood of tract homes. The area now floods every time it rains because they are too dumb to realize those trees have a purpose.

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

Aww too bad about the bradford pears! Mine seem fine and haven't started changing color yet. Crepe myrtles are just beginning to turn. I'm so happy it's cooler now. The summer was so humid!

Mevely317 said...

What lies beneath?!?! Arrrgh.
... I'm so sorry, Debbie. (But I love your resolve.)

These pictures - particularly the canopy of pear trees - has me longing to jump a plane for Dixye. Some things - like Autumn - are definitely better in the South.

Barbara F. said...

I guess if you seeded now it would come up in the spring? Right? What do I know, I am a city girl. Septic systems are a big pain in the you know what. I think a pumpkin spice latte can make anything more palatable. Good luck, Debbie.

Tanna said...

Yep, we call those kinds of problems a "fancy problem"... they can be solved with money and a little budget tightening. You've got a great perspective and term, "first world problem", Debbie, and I think the fall is the best time to start grass! (but, what do I know). ;)

The Bah-Nilla has a septic system too... and, two inhabitants who know NOTHING about it! LOL! We've already had to replace the "aerobic" part. Arghhhh. Feeling your pain. blessings ~ tanna

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

Love your house, Debbie. It's beautiful!

Ida said...

I must admit those first 2 shots are so much prettier then the third one. So sorry to hear you lost those gorgeous pear trees and also will have your lawn torn up. That doesn't sound fun at all.

Ida said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michele M./ Finch Rest said...

was going to comment about light travel post but you have comments disabled and i didn't find an email to tell you privately.

my hubs it would have been more scienticly correct to have used a tripod in the EXACT spot - each pic being off just a tad would have made the subtle differences too.

See? I have one of those too. My bad for reading your funny post out loud to him, right?

I will gladly meet you in the intersection!!

Ann said...

Autumn is the best time for growing grass here in SE VA. Yea, check with your local extension office, or the farmer BIL?

So sad about the loss of trees near the tracks. That's a gorgeous photo. We have a lot of that going on around here, too. Cutting down trees that is.

I like someone's suggestion of pumpkins for your orange fix...

Hang in there Debbie...soon it will all be just a bad dream!

Cheers!

hidden art of homemaking said...

LOL Loved your post Debbie..I needed this laughter in my heart today...
Love, Mona

Decor To Adore said...

Oh I just read your Gloomies post and thought "What if everyone tried to light up their little corner? What a world that would be!"

Have a beautiful week my friend.

Alycia Nichols said...

I've never very far to go to find something orange since our dining room is adorned in that color. Different, I know. It's red's laid back surfer dude cousin!

Gotta say I have no idea how septic tanks work, either. Good luck on that! I'm not sure what to tell you about growing the grass in fall there, either. That's considered a great time to do it here in the Kansas City area, but I'm sure there's a reason for it. I'm guessing better to seed than to sod in fall?

It's good you captured a photo of the Bradford pears in their glory so that you have something nice to remember. They were glorious!

Tanna said...

You most certainly DO shine light... and I love that you do!! blessings and {{big hugs}} ~ tanna

Tanna said...

You most certainly DO shine light... and I love that you do!! blessings and {{big hugs}} ~ tanna

Tanna said...

You most certainly DO shine light... and I love that you do!! blessings and {{big hugs}} ~ tanna

Denise at Forest Manor said...

Shoot, Debbie, I don't know how I missed this post earlier. I LOVE these first two photos! The first one reminds me of a soft watercolor print; it's so sad they cleared out that whole forest. That happens a lot around here, too. I hate to hear that your pear tree died; Bradford Pears are beautiful in the spring and the fall, but they are very prone to storm and wind damage.

I enjoyed your post; do you know orange is my very favorite of all the fall leaf colors? I like the red ones and the yellow ones, but when I see a tree full of orange leaves backlit by the sun, it just takes my breath away. I love, love the fall season. :)

Have a wonderful day, my friend!

Hugs,

Denise

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