I gotta get things done in the morning or I’m just too pooped out by later in the day. I tend to run out of steam by the middle of the afternoon. I think and move much more efficiently in the morning after my caffeine has kicked in. If I don't get started on a bigger project early in the day, I never seem to be able to get started on it. 
Sometimes the momentum of getting something done carries me well into the afternoon, if I have started it in the morning. So, I don't necessarily have to get things done by noon, but I definitely need to start them in the morning. Working late into the afternoon, pushing through on a physical project is doable, however I often realize I have overdone it and am exhausted and sore. But there is always the great feeling of accomplishment.
Joe headed to Cherokee (for a Senior Tournament) at 10:00 and I headed to the gym. In this photo, Styx and Stevie had made themselves at home on Joe's stuff to be packed.
I was mentally planning to rake leaves in our backyard, but when I came out of the gym at 1:00, it was way too windy and cold. I should have started in the morning.
So, rather than do physical work out in the cold, I had a cup of Green Tea (I have been doing this lately after reading about its health benefits) and worked on this very difficult jigsaw puzzle, ALL afternoon.
It was an uneventful, quiet evening (as usual) home alone with just my fur babies. I am now reading Janet Evanovich's 'Game On' (Tempting 28).
Sunday 2/25 - It was a frosted-rooftop morning with the moon shining bright as I started my walk around the block, minutes after 5:30. Working my way up Snead I could see light coming from the eastern sky and I could hear some birds starting to wake. By the time I reached home there were many different birds, singing their own rendition of 'morning has broken.' They were full of glory and bliss, except this one apparently angry, annoying crow, whose problem I could not discern. 
We crazy cat ladies joke about being pinned to our chair or couch because a cat is on our lap. This can be our excuse for not getting things done. Poor Maggie, looks worse than being trapped with a cat on her lap. 
I had an early lunch and was out at the ranch before noon. I got started on my trail through the woods. After a few hours, Patty joined me out there. 
I raked and Patty trimmed branches and twigs in the path.
It definitely progressed much quicker with two people working.
We switched jobs when my elbows got tired.
I had taken off one jacket, but it was still rather cold, so I left my hoodie up and ear warmer on.
We stopped by 3:30 because it was feeding time and I was tired.
I had planned to ride so after Amiga ate, we went for a 45 minute jaunt, bareback (videos). The wind had picked back up and it was cold enough I needed my jacket back on. 
The sun had come out just as I was leaving the ranch. Amiga was enjoying the hay I had fluffed (raked to the edges of the round bale feeder).
It was another quiet evening at home.
A peaceful, easy feeling...
Monday 2/26 - Today's woodland wildlife was this beautiful fox. It just trotted through the back yard, stopping to sniff occasionally, and then headed off across the golf course.
I just love my corner desk seat with a view of my whole backyard and all that comes and goes from here. So, not all my time is spent gazing at my computer screen.
I had been a 'chatty Cathy' at the gym so did not get all my planned workout completed before I had to scoot home, change, eat, and get to the ranch on time.
Patty, Karen, and I got our horses saddled up and were out on the trail behind our ranch, checking out more of the work I had done. 
Cowboy had been a little more vocal than usual, being left behind by himself. He followed us as far as he could, walking along the paddock fence.
This was Zorro's first time out on this trail, and he did very well. We kept him 'sandwiched' between Banner and Amiga so he wouldn't try to rush. We turned around where the uncompleted trail ended and went back to the starting point, and Cowboy again followed us and called out to us.
From the woodland trail, we then headed out on Hathaway. Once to the pine tree that had been cut down over Castle Circle, we decided it was too low for Patty and Zorro to get under, so we turned around and went a different route on our ride. Patty headed back early (so as not to overdo it with Zorro) and Karen and I ended up riding for over an hour.
I split off from Karen and took the power line back. The three black boys came over to see Amiga, who did get a little overly nervous. She doesn't realize there is a fence keeping them from getting to us.
By the time we were un-tacked, and did some horse care, Joe arrived. It was Karen's chore night so she tended to feeding horses. Joe and Patty went out with the gator and chain saw to trim the pine over Castle Circle, and remove another tree obstructing Hathaway. In the meantime, I did more clearing of our new trail.
Patty and Joe joined me on trail construction after they finished with trees out on the road. There were a few things that needed chain sawing, but most of the work was the gnarly underbrush.
You couldn't see our project supervisor in the first photo, so I had Joe move back and called Maggie up and took this next photo.
Joe had his fill of work and left while Patty and I finished up a rough cut (raking) of the trail. On the way back to the barn, Patty sat on this log by the trailhead and Maggie and Wanda jumped up to join her.
Again, getting everybody on the log facing the camera was just not going to happen. But this series is cute.
Joe had picked up a large meat lover's pizza, so when Patty and I finished at the ranch, we went home (to our Flossmoor house) and had pizza for dinner.
Joe and I watched three episodes of Suits. I could watch it for hours, it is so captivating. And then when I go to bed after TV time, I wonder why I can't get to sleep. LOL.
Tuesday 2/27 - The morning's positioning of Maggie and Babe on the dog bed, seen left. And their afternoon's position below, six hours later.
I had planned to go to the gym early and then the ranch, but the morning weather was nothing like they originally predicted. It was very windy and some rain showers popped up. So, I spent the whole morning here at my computer. Not only was I busy with the usual stuff, but my time and attention was also spent on a social/moral/ethical issue I could not turn a blind eye to.
The ethical issue I was struggling with caused great angst, and I ended up with a sour stomach. So I ate a big lunch and then had to wait to digest before going to the gym. I should have gone before noon.
Joe and I finished season five of Suits and it was after 10:00 when I went to bed, and even later when I fell asleep. The night's storms didn't wake me, but my dreams were a mix of legal jargon from Suits and the righting of the ethical issue I was struggling with.
Wednesday 2/28 - Rose has been joining us on our morning and evening walks, and this morning was no exception.
Maggie always greets all the cats in her life with a wagging tail. Rose turned back when we got to Snead and met Maggie and I back at the house for breakfast by the time we finished our circuit.
Later in the morning, Rose made her usual rounds down back, hunting and playing with some blowing leaves. It was still quite windy and we had more pop-up showers.
The high today was 63°, at midnight, and it was 57° when I went to the gym. I had a good, earlier than usual workout and it poured twice while I was a the gym. I got home, ate, changed, and was on the road for town by 12:30 (almost before noon) and it was 52°.
I only went to Walmart and Tractor Supply, so it was a fairly quick shopping trip, although I lingered at the baby duckling bin a bit too long. They are so cute and it is tempting to get some since we have a pond, but NO!
I went straight to the ranch from town, getting there about 3:00. The horses were all ready to come in for feeding. It was cold and windy and I decided to give them each a break from the weather and each other. So I left them in their 'stalls' with lots of extra hay to eat after they finished their dinner. I also brushed each of the four horses because their hair was kind of matted down from the rain and mud. I wanted to 'fluff ' their hair for the coming over-night cold.
While they had a chance to relax, out of the wind and in their own space, I moved the round bale feeder into the paddock and put three big wheelbarrow loads of hay (from up at the leftover pile) back into the feeder.
After 90 minutes, Zorro and Cowboy were ready to 'move on' so I opened Cowboy's stall panels so they could get to this hay. But they stayed in the shed together a while longer, probably picking through what hay was left in there.
I checked on the other two in the barn and they were quite happy so I went out and finished up our trail in the back woods. You can now get, on horseback, from our back gate all the way to the corner of the back pasture (on the woodland side of the fence) and then you turn right and can get out to Hathaway (just before it hits Marmaduke).
Amiga and Banner had been in the barn for over two hours but seemed content to be there, although their hay was about gone. I cleaned up manure from all the horses and went up to the house to leave some groceries there. It was 6pm by the time I had finished checking on the chickens and headed home. My car thermometer read 39°.
I fed and walked Maggie as soon as I got home, because she was long 'overdue' to go out. I got the groceries out of the car and put the perishables away but left the rest bagged. While eating a much needed dinner, I finished the last Sudoku in this book. I have two more books of puzzles however.
Thursday 2/29 - Happy Leap Day!
The day started at 28° and many daffodils did not look happy. Maggie, Rose, and I were not thrilled either. Rose didn't even walk with us.
Later in the morning, Rose did get up on the bird bath, but she did not get a drink from it because the water was frozen. She did perch up there for awhile, with a better view of possible woodland creatures.
I decided to skip the gym and instead spend my time and energy at the ranch.
But it was still too cold, so I worked on the jigsaw puzzle, waiting for it to warm up. Babe was snuggling with Maggie to keep warm.
It was actually 2:00 by the time I got to the ranch.
I decided to ride first and then see how much time and energy I had left to work on my trail. I rode the trail to see where the tight places were (both over head and side-to-side). Then I went out on the road to check out the tree clearing. With another branch off this one that is over the road, I think Patty will be able to get under it riding Zorro.
Brooke arrived to feed and I went out to work on the trail. Joe was expecting an over-nighter with two horses so I had planned to work until her arrival (scheduled for 5:15).
Well, the poor over-nighter accidentally backed her horse trailer into a ditch, trying to turn around on Chestnut Hill Road, because she missed Eli Ford. Joe went to her assistance and took the first photo. He also said the back door of the trailer was blocked by the ditch, but that the horses were very calm.
It was nearing 7pm and pitch dark by the time Joe helped her unload the horses back at the ranch. He said they were not hurt in any way, but were definitely ready to get off the trailer. We felt so bad for the lady, we even offered the ranch house for the night, but she declined. Later she reported that the trailer had a flat tire, so she had to get it changed out.
We were finally able to sit on our cozy couch in front of a fire and watch the two hour opener of Survivor 46, which resulted in a late bedtime for me.
Friday 3/1 - The rain had already started before I got out of bed at 5:30. The dog walk was very short and Rose was nowhere to be seen. I worried about our over-nighter and how her morning would go. As it turns out, she did managed to get 'on her way' by about 9:45. But she definitely struggled in more ways than believable. One has to admire her courage in spite of her inexperience and absentmindedness.
With the rain, cold, and gloomy weather, I was content to stay 'home-bound' as long as possible.
Babe and Monita sharing Maggie's bed. They acted a tad cold without the sunshine coming through the windows. 
Having waited so long to 'get going,' it was very difficult to get myself out of loungers and into workout clothes.
It was 1:30 before I was heading up the road to the gym.
And it was 5:30 by the time I’d gotten home after a good workout, shower and quick stop at Food city.
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