A Day Well Spent

A Great Blue Heron Morning

6:54

8:01

8:37

It's 8:00 and I was up at 6:40, out on the lake by 7:00 for 35 minutes and was rewarded with my first photo of a Great Blue Heron, feeding at the mouth of Woodlawn Creek. A light wind from the south did not bother my paddling much, although it's picked up as I sit here writing. 

Kayak Morning

Nortern Gray

Great Blue

Wading In Woodlawn Creek

Yesterday began early because our friend, Austin, was arriving at 8:30 to help out with various chores in our yard, So I had coffee on the go, in my kayak, as I paddled for a half hour before returning and writing the blog. Austin arrived at 8:30 on the dot and got set up to power wash our house, then clean out various flower and privet beds. After he got organized, I had breakfast and finished up the blog, and by 10:30, both Evie and I were outside joining him in working in the yard. By noon, Austin was done powerwashing and spreading the ten bags of mulch under our rhododendrons on the north side of our house. Evie made us lunch, hot dogs and man n cheese and we relaxed out in the yard enjoying our lunch. 

I was tired of having a bad night and getting up early, so I couldn't wait to take a nap and read. Evie cleaned up the kitchen, then went outside to continue weeding our side yard. By 2:30, I joined her and took the first three trips up to the woodpile with three full garbage pails of twigs, leaves, and weeds. By 3:00, I was mowing the lawn with our electric mower, and by 4:00, Austin was done, the yard was mowed, and Evie had made good progress on weeding the side yard. 

I put things away, charged the batteries for my mower, and by 5:00, we were enjoying a glass of wine, marveling at our beautiful front yard, mowed and green, with a blue lake as a background. For dinner, we had the leftover pot roast, mashed potatoes, and a salad, and it was even better then on Sunday. We watched a Hometown and My Lottery Dream Home, both enjoyable respites from the news. Evie was in bed by 8:45 and I was struggling to find a new series with little luck, so I went up to bed early to read and sleep.