Kickin' Back and Lovin' Spring

A UPS truck delivered this toy for Bill. So, the day before his birthday, he flew the gift from Annie out in the front pasture for about five minutes. 

Then, the familiar word that seems to go with flying objects on the Lovestead surfaced:  malfunction. 

He's been reading manuals and online information about the drone ever since. Annie sez extra batteries are coming. 

A couple of years ago, Bill bought Annie a remote-controlled helicopter for Christmas.

They took it to the pastures and flew it for about five minutes before it crash-landed. The helicopter has sat in a box ever since.

I have a feeling Bill may be more persistent about the drone because it has a camera on it, which could mean some good spying around the neighborhood. 

Anyway, it sits in the box, waiting for the next "hopeful" take-off, but he's appreciative of the birthday gift, especially as a 66-year-old kid at heart. 

Bill had a good birthday, and we both enjoyed a wonderful Saturday as the most pleasant of spring days unfolded yesterday.  We seldom go out for breakfast these days, but yesterday we took off around 7 a.m. and started the restaurant day off for the folks at Pack River General Store. 

It was a delightful time, especially because we two made up the entire breakfast crowd. That exclusivity gave us time to talk to Arlene, the owner and caterer extraordinaire, about an upcoming fall gathering here in Sandpoint with my first cousins.  Arlene will happily bring us whatever we want for dinner and brunch. 

After breakfast, we took our time getting to the car (pictures, of course) and driving home. Bill headed to the woods for his forestry fun, while I spent most of the morning tidying up in the house and readying the deck and grill for upcoming gatherings.

I also enjoyed a wonderful spring walk through the fields and the woods, and, as usual, some time spent with the doggies playing in the hay field. 

After several hours in the woods, Bill came back to the house and announced that he was taking his rod and heading for the beaver ponds at Trout Creek. Meanwhile, I opened the first can of white barn paint, purchased earlier at Big R, and continued my project of touching up fences with a new coat of white. 

Willie came by with a gift bag for Dad, and we enjoyed a brief visit.  Later, I tuned in to a rather surprising Final 4 trouncing of Oklahoma by Villanova.  When Bill came home, we watched parts of the next game and knew Debbie would be happy with the North Carolina victory. 

I also knew my bracket had completely gone down the tubes, so no hopes of winning any pools this year. 

Twas a great spring day----relaxing yet productive and filled with all the sights, sounds and smells that recharge our engines from winter dormancy, including the lovely fragrance of blooming pansies among all the thriving plants inside the greenhouse.  

With this lovely weather, we're poised and excited to take on the good times ahead.  Yay!

Happy Sunday. 

A new chapter in gardening here at the Lovestead.  These cedar planters with legs were delivered earlier this week for $25 apiece.  Not a bad price and definitely a reduction in achy-kneed weeding.

Bill has promised to renovate the garden fence to a deer-proof status, in hopes that the thieves don't jump in and eat at the trough.