Sometimes, it helps to have a man around.

Living alone as I do, I have learned how to cope with most of the things that need done around the homestead. If I can't do it myself, I hire someone to do the job.

Sometimes, I get some help from family. My uncle and cousin came by today, to help me catch up on the yard work that needed done. I have let things go this year because of some problems with neck pain.


They cut down a dead tree and trimmed limbs, cut back the weedy growth and hauled all the debris to my brush pile behind the pond. I pulled grape vines and cut some weeds by hand.


Holly and Grace had a great time supervising, running back and forth between the guys and me, and following my cousin to and from the pond. They came back from one trip soaking wet, so I knew they had been swimming.


The only payment my relatives wanted was a chance to fish in my pond.


I missed the big catch of the day - my cousin hit and landed a 15" large mouth bass. He let it go before I got to see it. I didn't even know I had bass that big in my little pond.


I also missed the duck he saw on his first trip to dump the cart. He came back telling me "A duck flew off the pond that was not a mallard. It was small, and it flew into the trees." A Wood Duck! And, I missed it. This is the third or fourth sighting of a Wood Duck here in the last two years. I really want to get them to nest on my property. I think I need a Wood Duck box.

I need a field guide to dragonflies, too. I saw at least 5 different types at the pond today, and didn't know what any of them were. Can anybody recommend a good one?