Mistakes I Have Made - Part 2

I firmly believe that we can learn from both our Successes and our Mistakes. We can do almost any thing we set our hearts on as long as we remember who Murphy is and all of his laws. Rule #1: "If it can go wrong - It will."

The year after the "Orchard" disaster I was picking up rocks in the planned "Garden Area" closer to the well head about half way between the planned home site and S of the failed orchard. I had already built a small cabin just a little further S of the Home site to make the weekend stays a little more comfortable.

It was a clear sunny day with no wind, just a bright spring day that makes you want to enjoy the world around you. The "Garden Plan" was another 50' x100' plot that called for 12-4'wide by 40' long raised beds with 4' walkways between them. I wanted to use the "French Intensive" method but the top soil is limited in this area so "Raised Beds" got the nod.

My thoughts at the time were "Why try to till through all this grass (about 1'-2' tall)"? "All I have to do is burn it off and then the tilling will be sooo much easier" That sounded like a good plan and I started a small fire that would be easy to control until the entire Garden Area was cleared, (Right!) - Besides the ash from the burned grass and weeds would be good for the soil.

Unknown to me, Murphy had taken up residence beneath my cabin. As you might have guessed by now - That small fire quickly became one that I could no longer control and headed straight through the planned home site, past the well head toward the cabin. Before I could get the water hose into action the fire had sped past the cabin and onto my neighbors acreage to the S of mine.

Luckily, I had purchased a cheap 3hp mower and had been mowing around the cabin and well head for the last few months otherwise I might have lost both to the by now raging grass fire. My neighbor just happened to be home and placed a call to the local VFD then came out to help me fight the now losing battle with the fire that was now burning his storage building. Neither his hoses nor mine were able to reach the battle.

After about 10-15 minutes the VFD arrived and quickly put out the blaze. Too make a long story short - About 20 acres belonging to my neighbor went up in flames as did the small storage building that also belonged to him. I got to know him real well that day. I also got to know most of the members of the VFD as well.


Cost: A new 8' x 10' storage building for my neighbor and a few yard tools as well.

A healthy donation to the local VFD.

A stinging blow to my self esteem. (Stupid, Stupid, Stupid…)

A new respect for the bringer of all things not good - Murphy!

Again, I hope this was not too long and that ya'll were able to see the error of my ways. (I certainly did) See ya'll again on "Mistakes Part 3".


Belwether