A Perfect Friday

Just a pretty evening moment when the lawn is under control, skies are clearing after a couple of days of intermittent rain and the main work of the day is done.  

It's a time for a pleasant stroll around the yard, checking on garden progress, thinking about tomorrow's "to do" list and enjoying beloved pets.

When this photo was taken, Willie was pulling into the driveway with the white pickup.  He and Debbie had borrowed it to move some items from their condo to Mother's house.

It's possible they may be living there by the time the weekend draws to a close.  Big change for them with lots more space and for my sisters.  Only  family company has occupied our mother's house over the past four years.

As for us, Willie and Debbie will be living pretty much the same distance from us as the condo, but our cars tend to travel to the Colburn farm a lot more often than across the highway to their present home.

In the meantime, over in Seattle, Annie is making her plans to move to different setting but basically same neighborhood by July 1.  The owners are selling the house where she currently lives, so it was time for her to look for new digs, and, of course, some geocachers helped her find the spot.

She's taking off this Sunday for ten days in Portugal, part work, part vacation.  She just returned from the Twin Cities where she spent the weekend visiting close friends.

We'll see her in a couple of weeks after her return, so we'll be hearing lots of stories of travel and fun.  

This day has started out very well.

I covered my beans, tomatoes and corn last night because of possible freezing temps, but that didn't happen.  So, I'm thinking we're fairly safe for the rest of the growing season.

After feeding the horses and bringing one more broken bale of hay from the storage area to the barn, I set off for the usual morning walk.

Hay storage over the winter did not turn out so well, thanks to the mice.  There must be millions of them out there because virtually every top bale in the stack has turned into chaff, thanks to their group efforts.

Time after time this winter, I'd stab a bale with the hay hook, start pulling it toward me and have half the bale fall to the floor.  Mice had eaten the twine, so there was no moving the bale intact.

Lots of loose flakes of hay in piles out there, as a result.

So, this year we'll figure out some rearranging moves and keep the hay in the barn.

Damn mice!

Anyway, the morning walk was lovely, except for one discovery.  As I passed by Taylor's field, I noticed a baby calf off by itself in the trees quite a ways from the rest of the herd.

The little one got up but then held its front leg.  I waited to see if it would move, but it just stood and stared back at me, still holding the leg.

As I moved on, the rest of the herd headed its way, and frolicking babies all came in a swarm and surrounded their friend.  The baby never did move, so Taylor's got a knock on the door this morning.

I hope the little one is okay.

Other than that, the morning was glorious, and it's looking like an equally lovely day ahead.  

I'll probably continue on with yesterday's tedious project of cutting back shrubs which scratch me when I pass by with the lawnmower and removing as much "damn" grass as possible from my flower beds.

It's tall enough now that one can grab hold and pull complete clumps out by the roots.  I was amazed yesterday at how many real posies are hiding behind the grass.

Maybe this year the flower beds will show off a bit more color, just like that lovely deck in the second photo.  That's definitely the home of "pansy Heaven," and I love it.

Happy Friday.