Rocking and Relaxing on the Water

 

For more than 30 years when July 15 rolled around, I quit sleeping in on summer days.  

I also spent part of each day working on new ideas and organizational items in preparation for the next school year. 

My sleep plan was usually a gradual one.  

Get up a bit earlier each day until, eventually, the daily rise-and-shine moment matched what time I would be getting up every day for school. 

The organizational stuff involved little projects to complete each day.  In August, I would start going to my classroom to dress it up for the next school year. 

Now, it's been 18 years since I followed that summer regimen.  

My sisters, who retired from teaching four years ago, and I agreed while kayaking yesterday that this year's July 15 actually signaled the beginning of the lazy, hazy and sometimes crazy days of summer for us. 

And, believe me, yesterday was hazy, thanks to all the smoke drifting in from forest fires around the region. 

In spite of that, we thoroughly enjoyed our brief kayaking adventure near Trestle Creek with Debbie and Annie.  

The lake was really rocking, thanks to a steady breeze.  Nonetheless, it was relaxing to paddle our kayaks for a ways and then sit back and let them bounce around on the waves. 

Yesterday morning, Barbara and Laurie, along with their crew of hard-working young men, had just finished up putting hay in the barn.

Thanks to our neighbors, Leonard and Naomi Wood, and their family of young hay workers, our Lovestead hay went into the barn Saturday while I was at the horse show. 

I felt bad not even seeing this year's crew, let alone feeding them a meal, but the timing just didn't work out for me to coordinate with them. 

So, with a little supervision from Leonard and later with Bill, the boys (Andrew, Levi, Colter and Logan) stacked the hay area in the barn for the winter. 

I am grateful for their help, and I know my sisters appreciate their crew too. 

Knowing the hay is in the barn and, this year even without a drop of rain, is always a highlight and a huge relief of every year. 

And, so, Laurie noted that yesterday's kayaking adventure was definitely a celebratory one.  

Summer has truly become summer for us former teachers with that annual worry of winter food for the horses behind us. 

There will be more leisure time from now on and, for me, more time spent here at the Lovestead, happily reaping the harvest from berry bushes, fruit trees and the garden.  

And, more than likely, there'll be a lot more kayaking for all of us. 

No lesson plans to ponder, and even though I don't sleep in these days, no concerns for changing the routine for slumber.  

Fun times ahead. 

Happy Thursday.