Mother Nature attacks
Mother Nature must not want me to be ready for July 4 this year either.
For years I have been trying to get my house and grounds just right so I can enjoy July 4th and play drunk croquet on our back lawn and enjoy the surroundings. Each year, for one reason or another, can't even get the lawn tamed. This year I raised the stakes and wanted to do even more...and get it done on time. I was driven and have been making some progress.
I would have been at it to-day but decided not to fight Mother Nature: She has the upper hand. It is too hot to even step outside during the afternoon. I did not get up until late this morning because I was up late the night before after a week of work and, if I was to do anything outside to-day it might have been in the early morning when it was somewhat bearable.
This hot weather (95-105 degrees Fahrenheit) is expected to continue possibly until next July 4th weekend.
So I just relaxed and started puttering about the air-conditioned house, sort of getting caught up on all the things I have put aside this past week, month and, in some cases, several past months.
Didn't even do SET and I need to get some blood pressure meds from the pharmacy!
I am simply going to delay my July 4th until some other weekend: but I will eventually get the backyard in good shape!
* walkway completed
* weeds out of the cracks and tamed to the rose plant
* trim in the back of the house painted
* solar clothes drier setup
* Adirondack chair and foot rest stained
* Back fence rails drilled/nailed
* areas under trees cleared of weeds
* pile of dirt/weeds moved to area by volunteer tree
* back lawn mowed
* deck scrubbed
* junk on deck to the dump or elsewhere
* new steps, railing, gaps fixed, stained
I was willing to settle for the walkway, weeds, trim, pile and mowed lawn to meet July 4 but it is not happening by that date...so everything is back on the table now.
Other things simply to finish:
* picket fence.
* gate.
* Marvin's Garden leveling.
* dry well re-location.
* north fence to corner.
* repair concrete steps.
* repair house number.
Next year Mother Nature I will be ready:
* No late April/May/June vacation: the growing season simply gets out of my control.
* No Friday or Saturday night events April through July: I need to use the longer days.
* Need to maintain what I have done so it easy to put right by July 4.
* When the ground is soft (aka, we get some rain), that is the time to dig.
For years I have been trying to get my house and grounds just right so I can enjoy July 4th and play drunk croquet on our back lawn and enjoy the surroundings. Each year, for one reason or another, can't even get the lawn tamed. This year I raised the stakes and wanted to do even more...and get it done on time. I was driven and have been making some progress.
I would have been at it to-day but decided not to fight Mother Nature: She has the upper hand. It is too hot to even step outside during the afternoon. I did not get up until late this morning because I was up late the night before after a week of work and, if I was to do anything outside to-day it might have been in the early morning when it was somewhat bearable.
This hot weather (95-105 degrees Fahrenheit) is expected to continue possibly until next July 4th weekend.
So I just relaxed and started puttering about the air-conditioned house, sort of getting caught up on all the things I have put aside this past week, month and, in some cases, several past months.
Didn't even do SET and I need to get some blood pressure meds from the pharmacy!
I am simply going to delay my July 4th until some other weekend: but I will eventually get the backyard in good shape!
* walkway completed
* weeds out of the cracks and tamed to the rose plant
* trim in the back of the house painted
* solar clothes drier setup
* Adirondack chair and foot rest stained
* Back fence rails drilled/nailed
* areas under trees cleared of weeds
* pile of dirt/weeds moved to area by volunteer tree
* back lawn mowed
* deck scrubbed
* junk on deck to the dump or elsewhere
* new steps, railing, gaps fixed, stained
I was willing to settle for the walkway, weeds, trim, pile and mowed lawn to meet July 4 but it is not happening by that date...so everything is back on the table now.
Other things simply to finish:
* picket fence.
* gate.
* Marvin's Garden leveling.
* dry well re-location.
* north fence to corner.
* repair concrete steps.
* repair house number.
Next year Mother Nature I will be ready:
* No late April/May/June vacation: the growing season simply gets out of my control.
* No Friday or Saturday night events April through July: I need to use the longer days.
* Need to maintain what I have done so it easy to put right by July 4.
* When the ground is soft (aka, we get some rain), that is the time to dig.