Revolving Door

Life can be like a revolving door as we scurry from activity to activity, coming and going, constantly on the move from one thing to another, and also watching people come and go, in and out of our life.  The door is always spinning around, spinning round and round.  Often I feel like our house has a revolving door, with Joe and guests coming and going, and I doing likewise, passing each other in a blurr -  entering and leaving both fast and frequently, sometimes one person leaving just as another person is entering.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as the door doesn't hit us in the heels and when we come in, we take time together, to sit, relax, converse, and enjoy each other.

Saturday morning this Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at the feeder for awhile.  I didn't linger here at my computer too long because company was coming.  Joe and I got started on cleaning house by 9 am.  I had lots of areas to work on and several tasks going at once, kind of revolving from one to another.  I was doing laundry while picking up around the house.  I made beds in the guest room and cleaned the upstairs, which doesn't really get dirty because it is closed off most of the time.  I cleaned all toilets and sinks and Joe did mirrors and vacuumed. 



While the mopped floors were drying I took care of house plants, trimming and watering them.  I had hoped to re-pot some of the flowering ones and get them outside, but didn't have time.  As I dusted I straightened up knick knacks and fixed a couple things that needed repair, like the safari animal statue in this photo.  I gave Joe orders, and he did well following them, although he is never as thorough as I am, but he gets the job done in quick time.  There were some things that needed attention outside, like mowing the front, sweeping the deck, etc. that he did.

Finally, Tracy and Teresa arrived and we could quit with the house cleaning routine, even though I hadn't gotten everything dusted in the living room.  After visiting for a bit, we went to St. George and rented a pontoon boat.  The sun was (an unseasonably 85 degree) warm, but with the strong wind, we didn't get too hot.  Joe captained and we made a loop around the lake.



Having heard that Patty (Joe and Teresa's sister) was planning to retire soon, and maybe move, we decided to do some house hunting for her.  There were very few houses actually for sale, but we had a fun time sending her photos of possibilities. 



For dinner, we four went to Red's where we met up with Andy, Rita, Brian and Shirley.  We all enjoyed dinner.  Six of us stayed for Karaoke.  We were back around the other side of the bar where we couldn't see the 'stage,' so eventually moved up to the bar (seen below).  But soon we discovered that one of the seats there was taken and the guy would be coming back.




So then we tried for a table right by the 'stage,' where there had been a reservation note that had been removed.  But we were told it was still being held for the golfers.  We were like in a revolving door, playing musical chairs, and ended up back at our original table. 





The night's karaoke was more on the rowdy side than the musical and the crowd was 95% male, many golfers, and some rather inebriated.  I really wanted to dance, but quickly discovered I was attracting the wrong kind of back-up support dancers, so sat out most of the songs.  Shirley and Teresa each joined me a few times, but still the male populace was a bit too friendly.


Sunday was a leisurely morning.  The day was a little more overcast, not quite as warm, but still very windy.  Teresa's selfie of her on the porch with Maggie, who was smoodging up to both her and Tracy.


We packed up a picnic lunch and went to Dartmoor Marina, where we rented a pontoon boat for two hours.  Seen left, the Skipper and his little buddy Gilligan.


First we motored over to Gwen's house to honk and wave (seen right), but they weren't home.  Then, again while touring around the lake, we looked for houses for Patty. (This all being for fun of course.)  Teresa and I liked the one below.  We each had sections of the house picked out where we could live once Patty bought the place.  LOL














Seen right, my all time favorite place, with a level yard and water on three sides of the property.  The house sits at the end of a secluded cul-de-sac, and was actually on the market two years ago.  We would have to sell four of our houses to afford this one.

When we got around to the golf course, Hole #15 of Stonehenge, we anchored our rig.  The wind was so strong, it was pushing our boat and dragging the two anchors, but with Tracy and Joe's expertise, they got the job done.

We were then able to enjoy our picnic lunch.  While sitting here, we watched golfers hit off the t-box, over the water, or into it.  We cheered and clapped appropriately. 


The left photo shows how overcast it was.  You can see the t-box, up on the cliff, and the water the golfers had to hit over.  Notice the fairway they were trying to hit onto, behind us in the above photo.







After a nap back at home, we hiked the Seven Bridges trail.  Teresa took photos of each of them.  Four of the seven seen here, not necessarily in the order we crossed them.

After the hike, we proceeded to the barn.  They were just bringing in the horses so we watched that.  It was too windy to enjoy a quick ride, so we just visited the horses.  Seen left, Teresa loves on Zorro before he goes back out.

Once home, we all showered and then went to Spikes Sports Bar and Grill for dinner.
The Cubs game started at 7pm so we watched that while we ate.  We were under a tornado watch, and it was quite windy.  Getting home, we continued watching the Cubs.  I was too tired to stay up, so hit the hay early.  It stormed during the night so I was feeling sorry for and worried about Zorro out in it.

Monday, May first, I walked the dog and took out trash and bird feeders before another storm was to hit.  By 6:15 am it came blowing in.  Our electricity and internet connection was intermittent, and like a revolving door, my computer logged in and out of my links repeatedly.  It all finally went down at 6:30 am.  This meant no internet, no second cup of tea, and no coffee for Joe and Teresa when they got up.  May Day, May Day!!

The ducks didn't seem to mind the wind and rain.  Joe went off to Waggles about 8 am to get coffee for he and Teresa, and while he was gone, our electricity came back on.  After breakfast, with the storm past but cloudy skies, and a good forecast, we packed up and took off for a day of hiking and waterfall visits.





After an hour drive, we arrived at Burgess Falls.








We enjoyed the hike, but had to keep Maggie on the leash because there were too many other people and some with dogs.

The hike wasn't too bad, but unfortunately, due to past flood damage, one of the lookout areas was closed and the trail down to the bottom of the falls was also closed.
It was a disappointment.

Seen right, we were able to hike down right to the top of the falls.  There sure was a lot of water flowing over it.

Back in the car for an hour drive to Fall Creek Falls Park, we first stopped for lunch at Johnson's Dinner.


The hike to Fall Creek falls was quite a trek, strenuous, and a bit hazardous with the wet, slippery rocks.


We made it down to the bottom of the falls and enjoyed the view and a rest on one of the large boulders.  I had to include both these photos, one to show the beautiful sky and the other to show the people and dog that were only silhouettes in the first photo. 

The hike back up was exuberating, or maybe better described as exhausting.  We did have to stop and rest a few times.
Can you see the window in the rock formation in this photo?  And look at how the rocks appear naturally stacked as the layers were formed and then water eroded some of the silt away.  Very cool.

Another short drive and we were at the trail head for Piney Falls where we first hiked to the overlook view.











Then we took the trail to the suspension bridge.  Maggie was very nervous going out on it.

Just look at the cliff this bridge leads out off of.



Tracy is not comfortable looking down from high places, especially where no guard rails are present, so he stayed away from the edge of the cliffs.  But he did have the nerve to go across the bridge, and back (video).






Seen in left photo, Teresa near the other end of the bridge.

It was another hour in the car before we got home.  We were all pretty wiped out (and I tired of the car) so we were very glad to get home.  Showers, naps, relaxing, inter-netting, gazing out windows, and snacking for dinner occurred and then we watched a movie, La La Land - an American romantic musical comedy-drama film.  And soon we all were in bed, in la la land.

Tuesday morning I finally saw deer in the back, for a first in a long time.  I see foot prints in the mud, where they have walked at night, but they have been too shy to come in the light of day.









Tracy and Teresa were out the revolving door and on the road by 8:00. 



I went to the barn at 9:30 and met Jan out on the trail.  As I rode out, I took pictures of two downed trees that were blocking the trail, and sent photos and locations back to the gals at the barn who would later come out on the Polaris to clear them up.  

Amiga and I didn't spend much time at the bean field because they were getting ready to plow the winter wheat and plant beans.  This will end our grazing time here.


Once with Jan, we went on the roads between and around the back nine holes of Dorchester.  We also went down Lancashire, to a cul-de-sac where I wanted to check on the location of the dogwood and mountain laurel I had marked on a map when hiking.



It was perfect riding weather and we enjoyed our time out on the trail.  We took photos of each other at one point, and Jan took this (video) of me.  Not sure if you will be able to view it on her air drop, whatever that is.  😇 

Amiga was a little off again, but did well during our 2 1/2 hours out on the trail.  I took extra time to clean her up when we got back and treated her hooves and legs to prevent thrush and scratches.

Once home, I started picking up sticks and branches from the yard.  A few were quite large, and this one had actually impaled itself into the ground, almost a foot deep.  After 30 minutes of that, I took a break and decided to start preparing the section of hill behind the bench on the rock by the pond.  I dug six holes (five seen below - one in front of the bench) in preparation for the shrubs and trees to be planted.













Joe got home from golf and a bit later, we headed into the Glade (where Jan and I had spotted the trees) to do some 'harvesting.'  The dogwood were more difficult to dig up but we got two of them and four mountain laurel.




Once we got the new trees and shrubs home, I got right to work planting them.

The largest of the two dogwoods, planted
here to help hide the bench, making
it more secluded from view of golfers.

The second dogwood can be seen, kind of center front.
Also notice my ducky friends in the back ground.

By the time I got everything mostly planted, it was after 7:30, and too dark to finish the job.  All plants were in dirt and well watered, but I needed to add more dirt and tamp it down, clean up each of the holes to hold water, and then finish manicuring the hillside for my soon to come moss garden.  The next day I got all the dirt settled, and then took these photos.

Yellow Peonie blooming in front yard. 

Wednesday morning I went to a two hour computer training session in preparation to open Dorchester pool.  It did not go smoothly because of a few computer glitches.  Then I went straight to Ladies Club, getting there just as the meeting was to begin.  Rosemary bought me a wine, which was just what I needed.

Mountain Laurel blooming, seen on Monday's hike.
Hope my new ones will do this well.

I got home a little after one, and was going to work in the yard, but needed a little nap first.  So I grabbed my book and went out on the deck to lounge.  Maggie joined me (on Joe's chair) and we rested for about an hour.





I changed my mind about yard work, and went to the barn instead.  I had planned to ride bareback and just do leg work and speed control, and see how Amiga was feeling.  She was more lame than the day before, so we just walked, working on turns, stop and go, and back up.  I did ride her for about 45 minutes, sometimes just sitting and letting her graze.  When working her, I noticed turning on her fore limbs is where she seemed most stiff and sore.

Once I got home, I finished up with the new plantings in the back.  The ducks were quick to spot me and came searching for corn.  I made them wait until I was done.  I gave everything a good watering, including the grass seed and things I had planted last week, then fed the ducks.  I took Maggie for a long walk and it was nearly dark by the time we got home.

Reading my Grafton X book that was overdue, I got quite sleepy, but was waiting for Joe to get home from poker so we could watch our two survivor shows, which we did.  It was late to bed at almost 11 pm.

Thursday it rained and stormed, off and on, all day.  I won't bore you with my morning routine, which was the same computer, tea, and window watching that it always is.  I rarely find it boring, but admit I spend too much time here and should be off doing other more exciting things.  I went to town to shop at 9 am.  Not very exciting.

I thought shopping in the rain was a brilliant idea, since it would be less crowded.  But the rain did make it soggy going.  I bought more flowers, getting caught in the rain a couple of times while in the outdoor gardens.  Then at the end of my spree, I hauled a load of household supplies through the rain to my car in the Wal-Mart parking lot.  On the way home, I dropped into the library to re-new my book.

By the time I got home, Joe had already gone out the revolving door, headed to Indiana for an extended weekend of golf and cards with some of his Illinois buddies.  Seen left, the new flowers I had purchased.

Dark rainy skies and fatigue caused me to plop down in a chair, un-motivated to go to the gym to work out.  Eventually I got back on my feet, and decided to at least get all sheets and towels washed.  Between the two loads of laundry, I worked in the garage planting many of the new flowers I had bought.  I was in and out so many times, I gave up on keeping the cat in the house, so left the door open and gave her run of the garage.

At one point, she decided my 30 gal bin of potting soil would make a good litter box.  This did not go over too well with me.










The left photo looks a lot like the prior flower photo, but now the two tomato plants and most of the flowers are in pots.  I also planted some herb seeds.

Friday it never once stopped raining.  It did change between drizzle, downpoor, light rain, and thunderstorm throughout the day, and was quite windy most of the time.  I guess you could say the weather was ducky.  During one walk, I photographed the front ditch to show how little water it takes on, even with all of the rain.

My bird feeders are like a revolving door, with different species of bird, chipmunk, or squirrel taking their turn at the different stations.

I had a Computer and Identity Security training session from 9-10:30 at the Conference Center.  From there I went to the Wellness Center to work out.  I know rainy days can make you lethargic, but boy did it also affect my energy level for lifting.  Ugh.  Then I went back to the CC to take care of a few things I had forgotten to do earlier.

Other than my one morning excursion, I stayed home all day.  Well, with Joe gone, I had full dog walking duty.  After the first soaking, I decided to have designated rain pants and shirt, because my rain coat only keeps out a light rain.  I would change in and out of my wet rain clothes every time I came and went through the revolving door of the mud room.

Blogging, reading, and napping were done mostly by the fire with my two companions and bedtime was early.