One sure thing

A gorgeous summer Saturday in July, 2014, honeybees humming in rows of blooming lavender, I met a remarkable couple who visited my farm.

“We’re interested in your beekeeping presentation,” the wife said.

Now, my first beehive proved that I did not inherit my ancestor’s gift of a honeybee whisperer. Yet, I kept at it.

“Oh, I’m not the presenter,” I said. “A good friend and local beekeeper is presenting.”

This couple, Dee and Dan, joined the full house of eager future apiarists.

Meanwhile, my late husband meandered down the hill for a bowl of lavender lemon ice cream, sat beside Dee and Dan, and became acquainted. At the end of the bee presentation, Dee and Dan informed us of their windmill and solar panels.

“Energy is my business,” Dan said, and invited us to their home for a tour.

Mel and I accepted.

Their windmill, Dan explained, did not produce enough energy to meet their needs. For they heated an indoor swimming pool that required a sophisticated unit Dan installed indoors, connected to solar panels installed on their house’s roof.

“I recommend a solar tracker for your place,” Dan said. “You have plenty of space and sun exposure. I have the name of a company that sells and installs solar panels if you’re interested.”

Mel and I had heard of solar trackers and followed up with Dan’s recommendation.

After much research and caution, we decided to go forth with the expense and investment into our home. For we agreed this house we built in 1988 is where we desired to live the remainder of our
days.

That fall, 2014, the installation of the solar tracker complete, I carved our family’s five names into the cement base of the huge, sturdy pole.

Eleven autumns later as sundown approached, I drove Betsy, my golfcart, uphill from Mel’s shed where I had parked his John Deere after mowing.

Sundown imminent, I stopped close by the solar tracker, spied pruned branches of the pine Mel had planted before the solar unit was installed.

How did that little tree outgrow the solar panel in ten years?

I thanked God for James who trimmed the branches to permit the tracker to turn unimpeded.

I studied the tracker’s connected panels, bird droppings on the top right corner. After a decade, I wondered if I should hose down the panels.

In sundown’s peace, the panel turned, hummed as it inched east.

Day in, day out, this one, sure thing, this one venture my husband and I agreed upon in efforts to be good stewards of our home, grants me eyes to observe the power of God’s creation.

To witness beneficial cooperation between humankind’s ingenuity and mastery of manufacturing.

Grants me grace to face another sunset without my mate.

Incidentally, dear Reader, as Mel was allergic to bee stings, and as I ultimately failed to keep bees, I gave my apiaries to the friend who presented the bee talk the day I met Dee and Dan.

Indeed, life is built upon one sure thing after another.

Contact Iris at irisfarmletters@gmail.com