I started the day much the usual with a before 6 roll out to my cup of green tea laced with turmeric. (I've forgot about the fresh ginger must put that back on the menu starting tomorrow). I checked the thermometer on the back porch and it was 52, our mountain mom Helen had 48 who is just a couple miles away. It didn't get much over 70 for the entire day but we did have plenty of sunshine and at times a breeze which kept the gnats and bugs away. I've forgotten about the nasty deer flies which bite but they stayed away for the most part and only occasionally one buzzed me. I was raring to go at first light after posting this ramble and spending some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving for so many things and lifting up several by name for comfort and healing. Nancy is a night person and is usually sleeping in especially here at the cabin as my mind is figuring on what to do next. There is Always something to do here which is what gives me so much satisfaction. I dearly love my morning pickle ball play in Florida but getting out in this vista and venue gives me as much if not more satisfaction with all of the activity.
I headed out at first light with a flannel shirt on over top of a tee shirt and fired up the weed whacker for the first time since November. It cranked right up and I started knocking down some knee high grasses and weeds for the next hour or so until it stopped for more fuel. I took a break and came in for huge mountain breakfast which I seldom eat in Florida. There, it's just an apple for breakfast as I ride my bike to the rec. for pickle ball play; here its just the opposite as yesterday we had the apple with some peanut butter as a dip for our snack lunch. I fried up some bacon outside on the grill while listening to the birds serenade me with the awesome smell of hickory smoked bacon frying causing your taste buds to salivate. We had dippy eggs and instant grits. I sliced up a home grown tomato from the Florida garden along with a jalapeno peppers also from the Florida garden all of which kept us and me satisfied throughout the day until around 1'ish.
I continued with the weed whacker for another hour or so and then it was time to start the rotor tiller which also started rather easy at times. I worked over the circle drive as it was over grown with weeds and grasses. The tiller did just fine until it became a woman in nature and it just decided to quit; luckily I had just finished that flower bed and was moving on to the garden beds. After raking out the weeds and the rocks (which they seem to really grown up here) I began leveling the bed. I broke out the Zinnia seed pods I collected from last years crop and began shredding them through out the bed. I did have two perennial Black Eyed Susans plants about 10 inches in height making their presence known in the upper section of the bed. It was time to move on to the upper garden beds but the tiller was taking a break and after numerous attempts to start her and was beginning to think junk pile, when Nancy pipped up; let it set. I then fired up the riding mower to give the back woods yard it first cutting; I actually could have made hay on that area but the the mower did a superb job once again and it did require some second mowing in places. It's a little tricky as you have to mow up and down the hill actually going backwards because it you mow sideways the upper rear tire spin, so you mow up and then let the mower drift backwards down the hill thus keeping both drive wheels square on the ground. Nancy freaks out but its the only safe way to mow the hills. I use to use a hand mower to mow all of this but thankfully we now have a riding mower.
Well its first light this morning as I'm sitting in the bump out where we keep the dining room table looking out into the back yards and into the back woods. I don't see any critters but from time to time we see deer which are beautiful but not welcome in my garden, coyotes, turkeys and of course the rabbits and squirrels. I was awake early this morning around 5'ish, so I decided to get ahead start on the day. I did get the female tiller to start after awhile and did do the upper garden and the two back yard garden beds which took me right up to supper time. We had bought some fresh corn on the cob so I shucked them and Nancy had a fresh salad with more of my Florida tomato's as well as a kielbasa. I of course had another jalapeno pepper to add to the flavor.
After supper I set out into the garden the potted seedlings I brought up from Florida. I'm hoping they will acclimate to the soil but I keep them in pots until they actually begin rooting then set them directly into the soil. All of them had great roots systems when I potted them earlier in the day. I worked right up to dusk which was going on 9 as I had several piles of weeds scattered through out the yards. Nancy worked inside doing her bed making, cleaning etc that she loves to do and then she came out and started weeding the front flower beds. She is about ready to give up on a few of the beds as the deer ate down the new flowers to the ground and the weeds have just taken over some of the less productive beds. I'm rethinking her proposal and how that will change the look of the back yard plus I have to rely on the female tiller to work. Did I mention the wine berries, the black raspberries and the blueberries are in abundance on all of the bushes. Last year we got no wine berries or rasp berries so with all the rain this year here in the mountains it going to be a "berry good year".
Well I've rambled long enough and do not want to bore you. We had some fellers come out and give us an estimate on adding a shower to the upstairs existing bathroom and while they were reasonable I got to thinking maybe we should go back to having a tiled shower instead of the vinyl one which will require some extra destruction of the existing walls and doorways. Anyhow I awakened thinking about having that tile feller call us back today for an estimate, LATER
