Sense of Urgency

With the start of September, my summer projects took on a new sense of urgency.  There are so many unaccomplished projects (jobs actually) that I wanted to get done.


When I see things like this fall timeframe posted on Facebook, my sense of urgency becomes that much more heightened.


But this feeling that time is of the essence is what I need to get working on getting some of my projects done.

Saturday 8/31 - I had to force myself to get up at 7am, having gone to bed after 1am.  I had a sore throat and mega headache.  After two cups of tea, cold medicine, and some breakfast, I was out the door at 8:30.  I shuffled though my chores at the pool, and then spent a great deal of time in the lounge chair near the front gate.  Fortunately, I did not have a lot of customers and it was an easy morning.  Mike came in 40 minutes early and I was soon home and back in bed to take a serious nap, with Monita joining me.







I was slow to wake from my nap, and sat on the porch to read and snack and try to clear my head.
I took a much needed shower, did my nasal cleanser and steroid sinus mist and then Joe and I went to Spikes.



We met Patty there, along with the 40 other Hawkeye fans and watched the Iowa game together while having a bite to eat with our beer.  Joe and I left at half time, stopping at Food City on the way home.









I was asleep before the game ended, having taken pm cold medication.  Iowa easily beat Miami of Ohio, and Joe lost a $25.00 side bet he made on the internet.  Patty tied for first on closest to the score, winning 18 dollars.

Sunday 9/1 - Hello September.  I slept till 8:00, thanks to the PM cold medicine.  Shirley was out of town, my cold still causing me a sore throat, headache, and fatigue, so I skipped Church.  By 10:00, Joe talked me into going for our first hike of the Hiking Marathon.  There tends to be a sense of urgency to get going on the list of hikes.







Maggie, Joe and I motored up to Black Mountain and went on a nice, scenic hike (video).  I was kind of dragging, but by the end, feeling a little bit better.




I did take a short cat nap once home.









I felt the need (with a sense of urgency) to get the last part of the oasis ready for fall seeding.  I needed more dirt, so skimmed a layer off the hill where I had tried to get seed to grow, but with little luck.


I built up the soil where I will be planting grass, and left the hill bare where I will be putting a bunch of mulch.  I will wait for most of the leaves to fall before asking the tree guys for a delivery of free mulch.  This will assure that the mulch is primarially wood, with little foliage, otherwise it rots too fast.

 
I got to the barn a little after 5:00 and it was bustling with activity.  Several had just come back from a ride.  Patty was about to head out on Zorro, so I joined her.  Amiga had already had her grain, so was not as barn sour as usual.  I also rode her in the front yard and around the gardens, and she did quite well again, only getting revved up a few times.
I didn't get home till after 7pm, watered in back till 8:00, had popcorn while trying to finish last week's blog and was in bed just after 9:00.

Monday 9/2 - Happy Labor Day.
I sat here at my computer long enough to get last week's blog finished and posted.  Then finally, I escaped to the outdoors to continue work in the yard down back some more.

The day before I had started moving dirt that had some grass and weeds growing in it.  I removed it from in front of the big rock with the bench, seen bottom left.  Bottom right, shows where I had stopped on Sunday.

I continued in this spot much of the time and plan to put mulch here also because grass won't grow.  Seen here, what I had accomplished Monday.  I had to deal with lots of little roots and rocks, which slowed me down.

While I was working there, right by the bench, this doe came very near, looking for food.  I moved slowly, and didn't make eye contact, and she finished off what little corn was left.








The dirt I removed from the spot by the bench, I moved down into the oasis to fill in and prepare for seeding.







At last, time was up and I went to the barn.  I was meeting Patty and Judy to do the long trail ride, which Patty has never been on.

I caught Amiga and prepared her for the long ride we would be taking.  Judy got Daisy ready to go and Patty cinched up Levi.



Patty set her GPS (map my route) and we hit the trail.

I took this (video) as we headed down the switch-back.  And Judy and I both took several photos.














The culvert under the road is quite rocky.  We kind of let the horses pick and choose their path for the best footing.









It was a beautiful day, although getting rather warm (reached 91 degrees) as we rode.  It was nice and cool in the woods and along Daddy's creek.







We took an off shoot from the main trail, and did a fair amount of bushwhacking to ride the old trail to the swimming hole.  It did not appear that anyone had been down there all summer.

Judy picked up a shovel, left behind (lost) earlier (several weeks ago) during trail work.  She now looked like a jouster on her trusty steed.

















Nearing the end of our ride, I took another (video).  Notice Judy still holding onto her 'jousting rod.'

Patty Got very light headed as we rode into the barn, and actually blacked out for almost a minute.  It wasn't until I heard a sense of urgency in Judy's voice that I rushed over to make sure Patty didn't fall off Levi.  Her 'seat' balance is so good, that she remained in the saddle.  We quickly got her to drink water and she soon felt much better.  It is amazing what dehydration can do.
This is a map of the day's ridden route.

Our day was not over, we still had Mirror Lake Blast to go to.  Joe was on his way home from Iowa, so didn't join us, and Shirley was also still out of town.










Being Labor Day, the crowd was quite large, and there was a great amount of dancing going on.

Tuesday 9/3 - It was going to be another hot sunny day, so we decided to hike early.  We picked up Patty and drove into town to do the 'sidewalk' hike, touring downtown Crossville.


We then went to St Raphael Church to do the one mile, woodland Meditation trail.









Maggie enjoyed cooling off and getting a drink in the creek.

The sense of urgency to do yard work was replaced by the dire need to rest.  My head cold was just not going to allow me to keep pushing myself, so I took a nap.

Then I drug myself to work and moved slowly during my 1:15 - 6:30 shift.  Our September pool hours are 10-6 now, which I am so thankful for.  I did not like the late 8:00 closing.

Wednesday 9/4 - We were out of cracked corn, bird seed, and some food items, and we were dangerously low on cat litter, cat food, and dog food.  It was urgent that I go into town to shop, so I did.  I spent a great deal of time at the new farm store, Rural King, getting the layout of the store and an idea of what they sold.  I also bought a lot of needed supplies.  After a Wal-Mart stop, I was home four hours from when I had left.





I spent another hour unloading the car, re-stocking supplies, and eating lunch.  Finally, I went out to work in the yard.  I felt I had to get grass seed planted (I had bought some more) so worked until dark.

First I finished removing the rest of the dirt from around the big rock (seen above) and weeding everywhere I had planned to put mulch.



I spread all the extra dirt along the border, to help better define it, and then spread seed.


Grass clippings were put on top of the seed, until I ran out.  Then I switched to a light (1/4 inch) layer of dirt, until I also ran out of that.




I gave everything a good watering as dark descended upon me.

Thursday 9/5 - After my usual morning routine, I went out to finish covering grass seed.  I mowed the oasis to get more clippings to use and dug holes for where I plan to put some yucca.  I used the soil for more coverage.  Then I started watering.  First I hit all of the plants in the front yard.  I ran out of time again and headed to work, getting there a minute before my 1:30 shift started.

I was home by 6:30 and watered everything down in back.  The heat and lack of rain has really scorched
the yard and stressed all my little trees and shrubs.

Friday 9/6 - I watched a very young morning visitor, still with it's spots, but all by itself.  My blogging lasted a little longer than usual.  Then, I finally went to the gym.  I have not had time for it since I have been so busy working in the yard.  I guess the sense of urgency helps determine which tasks get done first.
I had run out of thyroid medication last week and had Joe pick up more for me.  Well, the pharmacist said he would give me 30 more days, but that was it until I saw my doctor.  I knew I needed to have another blood test to see where my levels were, but had been putting it off.  So, after working out, I went in to the clinic right next door, and got my blood drawn.

I hit Food City on the way home, buying supplies needed for a road trip this coming weekend.  Once home, I did some packing and organizing for our weekend.  Then I went to the barn.  I could not find Amiga at first when I went to get her.  Finally, I saw her, off all by herself, in the shade.  See her in this photo?







I rode out on Amiga at 2:00, with the two dogs leading the way.  It was hot in the sun so I started on the trails in the woods.  Chester had to cool himself off in the pond.




This bean field was only half planted, and put in late because of all the May-July rains and I think so the farmer can claim crop insurance.  The bare half made for good riding.  They have also put crushed limestone down in the new arena, so I rode around it for a little while too.





Then I took Amiga in the front yard again, and she didn't get too wound up.  Polly was out there riding at the time, and had a good point.  Amiga is a warm blood, a 'hot horse' who is always going to have that extra energy.  So getting her to walk completely slow and quiet may never happen.  This realization will help me work with a slightly different goal in mind.  A controlled gait, with a listening horse, that is not rushing too much, would be wonderful.



Home to water grass seed and get cleaned up, I then ended the night at a very fun party at Sherri's.  It was 'girl's night out' and we enjoyed food and drinks and then had a blast playing the very old game Pit.  It is fast moving and a little crazy.
Seen in photo - Sherri, Tammy, Connie, and Micki.