It was a wonderful day! I worked very hard and got so much done. The weather was perfect – warm, but not too warm, no wind and lots to do. I’ve had many antiques in my yard and around the barn for many years. After the barn was sided I hesitated to pound nails into the new steel siding in order to hang them all back up again. So all of those tubs, etc needed to be cleaned to be sold. These are larger items – not shippable but Connie and I are considering a local consignment store for junk we’ve collected through the years for Country Threads. Forgot to take a picture – will include it in another post. Right now it’s raining too hard to go out.
Next on my list was mowing. It’s always the mowing and if we get a day without rain, we’d all better take advantage of it and hit the mower running! Connie always says why do I mow so much area. At 70 years old I can’t pull weeds but I can ride a mower and it’s the best and easiest way to keep several acres looking nice. I mowed around the gardens and the road TO the gardens. Looking at the garden plots I wondered when we will ever get to plant. First it has to be tilled and it’s too wet. Yesterday was getting close and now it’s been raining all night!
Then I mowed north of the house here the grass hardly grows – it’s so disheartening.
Pictures later when it quits raining.
Then help arrived – Becky and Jenny came to help me wash windows and move plants outside. My windows are the very easiest windows to wash and put screens on but when I do it alone I make many trips back and forth inside and out. Three of us worked together and they washed all 20 windows and helped me put the screens on.
Hazel helped – mostly she wanted somebody to launch the ball which we all took turns doing.
http://country-threads-chicken-scratch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/img_3561.movThen we moved at least 100 plants outside. Good grief! This has got to be pared down by next fall when it’s time to move them back in for winter. Hmmmm…..more things to sell.
Here are the plants, some of them, this morning getting a sweet drink of rainwater.
Today I will “play” with the plants, moving them around and cleaning them up – when it quits raining.
We changed clothes and went to one of our favorite restaurants on the lake, The Muskie. Why didn’t I take a picture of the most delicious lightly battered shrimp in the world????
They wouldn’t let me buy their dinner because helping me was a kind thing to do and was not to be “paid for”. I always say small (or big) acts of kindness can change the world. Thank you, Becky and Jenny, for helping me with two of my biggest spring jobs.
And a farm update:
The geese are in competition for one nest – must be everybody’s favorite! And the picnic table is also a favorite sunning spot.
After chasing the ball many times, Hazel heads to the tub of water to get cooled off!
So that’s why I was too tired to post last night. After two beers and with a full stomach, I collapsed in bed.
Later…..with more pictures.
I’m worn out, just reading your post. You’ve had another 48 hour day crammed into 24! Pushing 80 this summer and just can’t do it anymore. Have become entrenched in making a mini village, inspired by Connie’s Village and my house blocks are 2 1/2″ X 3″. Hardly puts a dent in the top layer of my scrap bag!
Hope you have a restful day and some time for sewing.
Thank you for window washers, and shrimp.
Amen to that!
THANKS AS ALWAYS FOR MAKING MY MORNING READING YOUR VERY HARD WORKING DAY AND SUCH WONDERFUL HELPERS…I AM NOT SURE HOW YOU DO IT, BUT YOU CERTAINLY ARE UP THERE WITH THE ENERGIZER BUNNY, YOU JUST KEEP GOING…THANKS AGAIN..
So sweet of Becky and Jenny to give you such a BIG HAND getting ready for spring. Truly a blessing.
I laughed out loud at the goat on the table — hilarious!
You are a marvel!! It’s so good to have a little help! Thank you for making my day a little easier, remembering that we old ladies really do have spunk!! Sweet!
-Jean💟
Wow! Talk about good friends! All the help with your windows and plants. Very special ladies! All the rain you’re getting is making everything so green and beautiful. Your animals look so content – so cute. Great pic of the goat on the table. And I’m so happy you kept that cute Hazel – she’s a treasure.
Hey Mary, your goats want a picnic!! Great fun to do big jobs with helpers:) Hope it stops raining.
Mary we have been in Paris and Italy- you would LOVE Monet’s garden. It is super wet here and I have been trying to get our gardens under control. Ugh- need to do windows too. Not my fav. The bugs have sent me inside the last 2 days. Last summer was dry which meant no bugs. No happy medium!
Mary H – I have been enjoying your pictures on FB – sounds like a wonderful trip! We haven’t been inundated with bugs – yet.
Your pictures are wonderful. Love the lush grass. We’ve had a lot of rain as well this spring and our grass is growing fast! I know what you mean about getting out there to mow – before the next day of rain. Today is absolutely beautiful though (and my husband is out there mowing!) I love your geese! Do they get friendly like chickens Mary? Or do they stay independent? I love geese, but have never had any. What kind are those, very pretty! And what a nice gift from Becky and Jenny, cleaning windows is one of my least favorite things to do.
Janice – the geese have become interbred over the years – a mixture of French and African actually. With a couple of white ones thrown in. Years ago when I bought my first Great Goose Group from MurrayMcMurray Hatchery I was not aware that they could live 35-40 years! Yikes! I don’t want any more to hatch but they are very persistent! They have not become friendly – very afraid of me still!
Love going to the Muskie when we go back to Iowa. Hubby is from Clear Lake and I’m from Thompson (home of the Branding Iron). We had our first date at the Half Moon 41 years ago! Thanks for all of the Iowa news.
Jackie, who now lives in Tennessee.
Jackie – we also love going to the Branding Iron!
I’m right behind you in age,Mary. Only 3 potted plants this year. With 3 flower beds and one huge garden-flower bed, I’m down sizing ,too. I love to buy flowers in the spring but hate watering all summer and then emptying pots in the fall.
Phew! I’m just tired from reading what you(all) did. We haven’t had any rain at all in May, so it’s very dry here in NW Wisconsin, makes gardening hard.
That little Hazel is just so darn cute!!!
Thank you for taking the time our of your busy days to write this blog!! It always makes me smile! You are a blessing!!
Sure wish you could send that rain up to northern Minnesota. It is so dry up here
I just love reading your posts. But now I must go wash some windows….
You have such a green thumb! Such cute animal pictures! I spent almost 5 hours on a bathroom plumbing job by myself; would much rather have been doing something outside!
Janie – you know how to do plumbing? Wow – I’m impressed!
I can imagine that you fell into bed – and slept like a rock! Hazel is so cute! Having those nice young ladies help you was special I’m sure. You get so much done, you are amazing!
Kathy Hanson – I may get quite a bit done but my old body hurts just about everywhere and most days it get out of bed in the morning – tired
Kathy – reply sent before I could correct typos!