Acair Fearann

There is a dirt road that runs along one side of our property, an unimproved town road which is sort of two cars wide….if the two cars pass in a polite fashion with each putting a tire on the edge of the ditch.  For years it wasn’t open in the winter and had little traffic on it.  However, it is the shortest route between the state road and several large subdivisions.  Because of this, it is kept open in the winter and has much heavier traffic.  I don’t object too much to the commercial drivers on it (though there is a UPS truck that goes too fast). I get that the advent of the GPS means that the bosses want the drivers to follow the shortest mileage routes, and further more can tell if you have done so.  An occasion for merriment is that this sometimes causes a semi to start down the first pitch, eyeball the road that they don’t fit on, and gingerly continue on down the hill.

I do strongly object to the people living in the subdivisions.  It is the shortest mileage route.  It is the shortest route by time, however, only if one takes the road at about forty miles an hour.  (It is an article of faith that an SUV cannot be driven at less than forty, the world will end apparently)

The result is predictable.  The very nice FedEx delivery guy came and knocked on the door.  (This driver always comes decorously up the road, he enjoys looking at the woods and the pond)  He was stuck, could we help?  An individual had gone bombing down the road, forcing the FedEx van to swerve to avoid said individual.  The van was now solidly in the ditch.  Needless to say, of course, the individual had not slowed or stopped.

Naturally, the answer was yes.  I supplied the shovel.  Jamie supplied the heavy duty Chevy truck and the necessary rope.*  In short order the van was popped back out of the ditch.  Our driver was able to continue on his route; we had a pleasant interlude in the day. Glad to be of service.

*I am useless at such things as how to tie off a tow-line.

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Not directly related to Esperanza, but we have a few similar deeds floating around.  For your amusement! here is a plot description of a nearby property in the early 1800’s.  This is the description in the sale deed of the piece described.  And people wonder why New England property deeds can be so very odd…

“inclosed within the following boundary lines, beginning at the Northwesterly corner and then running East fifteen (minutes struck out, ed.) degrees South six chains and seventeen links then South ten degrees and fifteen minutes West two chains and 82 links then West eighteen degrees North six chains and thirty eight links then West of South 23 links then North 17 (chains) and 45 (links) East 2 chs. 58 links to the first bounds, bounding on my own lands on every side and contains one acre, two Roods, and twenty eight and a half rods of land, and also lands for a road or avenue to said ground, the Northwest line to begin on the Westward bounds of the said lot at 22 links Southward from the Southwestward corner, thence to run West eighteen degrees North about two rods or as far as my lands extend and from said line this road is to extend in width Southward to the now road of travel by the same more or less.”

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They hibernate, at least the queens, but that doesn’t make as good a story.

Paper Wasp Nest

When the wind came

It carried down the leaves

Their long summer’s toil

Was naked to the sky

By November

It was torn to pieces

And in their anger

And in their despair

They died

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