Yay Yardwork!

I was dreading fitness yesterday morning, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, and, as always, I am glad to have gone. Absolutely nothing beats coming out into the sunshine and getting into a hot car after the class, and then coming home to Her Highness jumping up and down with anticipation as I come to the back door. I could hardly wait to slip into the spa, but the glory days of nude hot tubbing are over until the Ocean Spray bursts into its lush green Summer dress. Dave and Ursula’s place was busy with workers because it was the day the first concrete was laid. Once the Ocean Spray grows its leaves, I’ll have privacy again, but for now, I must wear swimming trunks.

I had baking to do, but the sunshine and the warm Spring temperature (15°) pulled me outside to do yard work. As I busied myself with tidying the yard, I wondered why I was having such a good time. It seemed to me that I was kind of done with gardening last year, and that’s why I hired Bronwyn. Maybe I’ll tire of it as Spring and Summer progress, but I don’t think I will. I just love having something to do outdoors whenever it is nice outside.

Three enormous branches came down in our early Winter storm. They badly damaged my fence, and they were too heavy to lift, but all traces of them are gone. Now there is only the fence to repair, but that I can do later in the season. Yesterday, I was focused on tidying up the edible garden. It’s small garden, but I took six wheelbarrows full of detritus to my dumping space behind the fence, and I’ve still more to do.

When the huge cement truck arrived at Dave and Ursula’s, I went over to watch them pour the cement into the foundation forms. The cement will dry over the next two days, and then they’ll build the forms for the low foundation walls starting on Monday. Then there’ll be another cement pour, and when all that is done, David and Andrew will put the yurt kit together. I’m praying for warm weather so that Andrew works with no shirt on; small thrills serve my shallow mind well.

At 3:00, I quit working. All the bending involved with cleaning the beds and picking up all the crap that I rake together, plus all the bending at fitness had me done in. So we went for a walk, and oh, what a lovely walk it was on such a fine, fine day. We took a very long trail that I rarely use and took a wide circle back.

In my thirties, my great dream was to backpack across northern England with my dog. (I didn’t have a dog at the time,) I saw myself walking much as later happened in France, in constant sunshine and with villages not too far apart. I was always in open fields with stone fences like I see on TV on Escape to the Country in my fantasy, but I never did it. Instead, it’s happening here, but in the forest. And the best part, is the dream of the dog came true.

I wish you could see her in action. Today, we started on a trail we walk about 4 times a week. It quickly splits; one part goes straight ahead, and the other part goes off to the left. Sheba and I turn left 95% of the time, but today I wanted to go straight for a long walkabout. As we approached the split, Sheba headed to the left, and I said, “Over here.” I was speaking to her back, but she instantly veered back right.

This is a dog who has never been trained to do anything, but we share, as I tell anyone who asks, a commitment to each other. We cooperate with each other. She stops and sits if cars come by without me saying anything. (That I did train her to do.) She taps on the glass door when she wants to go out or come into the house. She wakes me in the night if she needs to go out. And when I say the words that I say every time I’m leaving her alone, and I give her a treat, she goes to our bed to lie down.

I could go on and on. What thrills me is that I am aware of this wonderful partnership all the time. I value every second because I know what comes far, far too soon. Walking in the forest with her is the best part of the day. 

Marion was in our walking group. She had a Rottweiler, Beau. I loved Beau immediately. I could see how friendly he was, and Marion was happy that he had a fan. When she was walking with Beau in the 707 Park, she fell and, it turns out, broke her hip. She was in pain and couldn’t stand. She took hold of Beau’s collar, and he dragged her far enough to a place where her cell would work, and she could call for help. Beau died years ago and Marion still carries his dog tag with her every day.

Pinecone Park is my ideal playground, and it feels so very, very good to be outdoors. There’s naught but sunshine in the forecast for the coming week. I’m going to hang my laundry outdoors today. I love it when I can do that. I love, love, love hanging laundry in the sunshine.

I have to do some baking today, and that will have me indoors for a while, but then I’ll be outdoors all the rest of the day. Back, first, to the edible garden, and then who knows. Whatever moves me. Tonight, I dine at Stacy’s with her and Nancy. I’m taking the tarts that I’m making today. 

Not photoshopped. This is an actual flower (whose name
I can't remember). It blooms in Hawaii.