Almost Summer Ready

Sharing Grape Jelly 

6:02

6:22

It's almost 6;00 as I start this, on an overcast morning, and a streak of cream hangs over Tom's Point. The lake is calm, and the geese are honking on a 52º morning. It's 7:30 and I just returned from a fifty-minute paddle, photographed my eagle and some wood ducks, along the Victoria Creek. Bizarrely, in the middle of the lake, I smelled a skunk both heading out and back. 

Kayak Morning

North

Eagle Perched

Wood Ducks

Yesterday was an exhausting day for both of us as were busy outside most of the day. We were out working by 9:00 since I did not have yoga. We had help during the morning from our friend, Austin, which made it easier. First, the lake ladder was fixed and adhered to the dock so now Evie can swim. While Austin moved a couple of plants and replanted our new strawberry hydrangeas, I put together our buoys and attached them to cement block, and then Austin and I went out in my rowboat and dropped seven of them in the water, keeping our swimming area safe from boaters. It's done every spring and I take them out every fall. 

We also pulled out the stuff out of the garage, put the benches out on the dock, storing most of our metal and plastic chairs on the north side of the house until we need them. Austin also turned the compost and we then laid four hoses along the fence, so we now can water Evie's garden with lake water.  I spread some grub ex around the garden area, then watered it and that was about it for the morning,  Austin took off about noon and he was a great help.

As usual, I had my lunch -- a couple of hot dogs, a nice change.  While I was outside, Evie was making dinner, marinating chicken breasts, and making a cauliflower and garbanzo bean Indian dish.  And when she wasn't cooking, she was out in her garden.  After lunch, I took another great nap, and I must have needed it because I woke wondering where in the heck I was.  At 3:00, despite the 80º afternoon, we both decided to do some mowing, so Evie cut our yards and I cut our neighbors. We both took water breaks, much needed because it was so hot out. 

By 4:30, both of us had had it with the yard and relaxed in the house, too tired to walk out on the dock and enjoy a glass of wine. It was, however, a productive day and we were proud of ourselves, happy to have gotten most of the yard ready for summer fun. We had the marinated chicken and spicy cauliflower and garbanzo beans with a salad and we liked both dishes, the chicken moist, the cauliflower just spicy enough. We watched a couple of forgettable shows, and started Peaky Blinders again, but went up to bed early, tired from our day.