I started the day much the usual with now a 7'ish rollout to my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving for another day all of life's blessings as well as lifted up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem as well as can be expected due to their ages and health issues. We were scheduled to be at Kimberly's at 10'ish so I skipped my abbreviated before breakfast hike to the top and we got ready to head over to her farm around 9:30.
I cleaned out 5 stables of horse manure and had the truck loaded to the brim with barrels, trash cans, sacks and cans of mostly dried horse droppings. I worked up a sweat in the barn despite the outside temps being in the 40's by late morning. We got back on the mountain around 12:30 and had a bite of lunch then I spent the next couple hours unloading and spreading the manure in all of the flower beds and in the garden patches. We decided around 2:30 or so to get in a hike to the top of the mountain and once more we were delighted to see so much more leaf color on the ridges. The vibrant reds were making their appearance and brightened up the area. The long distant views were great as well. We stopped and chatted with deceased Helen's son for a spell as we had met him at her funeral a couple years back. He will be on the mountains for a spell as he is in between jobs and considering retirement. He is a nice feller and we have always enjoyed him and his siblings. The youngest sister Sherri has purchased the old place and will keep it in the family
We headed out around 4:30 for Sparta as Nancy needed a few items from the grocery and then headed over to the Luffman Farm. Their horses which are mainly Gypsy Varners are beautiful with their feathers and the stud Nick is such a large horse and very friendly. Gerald and I threw a game of corn toss before a delicious supper prepared by Kay who is a very good cook and then another game just as the sun was setting over the mountains. Such a beautiful setting with the Blue Ridge Parkway off in the distance. The gals cleaned up from supper while we threw another game as the cool damp air came upon us at sunset. We played the best of 5 games in Sequence before leaving and saying our goodbye's for this year. The gals won in the 5th game and now have bragging rights until next summer. We always forget who really won as we all rib one another and have a grand time together. We will miss this family greatly as they have become family over the years.
Well it wasn't long after 10'ish and a hot shower I was ready for some horizontal lab as those flannel sheets were calling my name. The bright moon light was evident through the many trees that have lost their leaves which are falling daly. The backwoods yards are littered with many and those still on the trees are really showing off some of their colors, LATER
