Just Dance

There are so many sayings about dancing...
Dance like nobody's watching.
Life is better when you dance.
Dance to express not to impress.
Never stop dancing.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain.
I love these lyrics to the song 'Lord of the Dance' - "Dance, then, wherever you may be."  The song was written portraying Jesus' life and mission as a dance.
'I dance in the morning when the world is begun...'  what we should all do when we first get up.

The Bible doesn’t give specific instructions on dancing, but it does point out some examples of good and bad dancing.  We should not dance in idol worship, to bring attention to ourselves, to tempt others into sin, etc.

Jeremiah 31:13 - Dance and be glad.
Psalm 149:3 - Let them praise his name in the dance.
Psalm 30:11 - You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. 
Part of Ecclesiastes 3:4 - There is a time to dance. 
I think with the Covid crisis getting under control, now is the time to dance.

Saturday 6/12 - It was finally a hot, sunny, summer day.  I sat here at my computer, blogging for quite awhile.  I was behind on last week's blog, which I usually do a final edit of and then post first thing Saturday morning.  I worked here for such a long time actually, that I didn't have time to go to the gym.

My Ava fix for the day was this (video) compilation Valencia made of Ava's first two months of life.  I got this fairly recent photo of her off of the video.

I went to the pool at 1:00, but only put in a two hour work shift because MJ was subbing for me so that I could go to the Blue Jean Ball.  Alice had invited me at the last minute, because she had an extra ticket. 

On the way home I stopped to take a photo of a vulture, but it took off just as I clicked the picture.

I had to hustle, with only 50 minutes to get ready, do pet chores, and get to Food City, from where eight of us were car-pooling.  This was my kind of event, boots and jeans was the attire.  (Boots of Josephine, Coy, me, Mary Ann, and Alice.)

This was a fun raiser for Kids On The Rise, and held at The Barn, a newly built complex for weddings and parties.  Seen here, we were in line at check-in.  Over 320 people were in attendance.

It was a beautiful setting and I took several photos, wandering around the grounds and enjoying the picturesque scenery.

As the band (Soul Soup) was doing a sound check, people were getting checked in, and we started in on rather pricey libations, but all $ went to the good cause.

Shortly before time for the buffet line to open, storm clouds started rolling in and the wind picked up.  Workers were scurrying to get the silent auction tables in to safety. 

And then the storm hit.  Rain was blowing in sideways and several tables got drenched.  Cups, center pieces, and auction info booklets were blown off of tables.  People tried to hold things down and get out of the rain.

The wind had died down, but it continued to rain quite awhile.  Once the storm blew over though, it was a beautiful evening.  The venue was an hour behind schedule, but resumed from where it had left off.

Dinner was late, along with the program and live auction, which was fun to watch.  There was a lot of high bidders, competition for many items, and much action on the auctioneers part.

The calm after the storm...

As the sun was setting and the fog started rolling in, things got even more picturesque.

It was after 9pm when the live auction finished and we weren't even sure if the band would have time to play.  I just wanted to dance.

Well, it worked out, and dancing did occur.  The band stayed till 11pm and we girls were up dancing most of the two hours.  Thankfully the storm had cooled the air down, but we were all still rather hot and sweaty.

Sunday 6/12 - Even though it was after midnight when I went to bed, I was up by 6:30.  The doe I have been feeding finally decided to bring her fawn out in the open (seen from my office window), no longer leaving her baby parked in the woods somewhere while she was off foraging in the neighborhood.

We had gotten word the night before, and photos, of a large tree that had fallen on Patty's house. 

Thankfully, the tree did not go through the roof because Patty had been sitting in her sun room when it fell.

Patty sent more up-dates and photos of the clean-up and damage as the morning progressed.

This tractor thing is definitely a very slick and necessary piece of equipment for clean up.

Once the crew was finished, they left Patty with the stump (roots and up-turned ground) and the two eves that had come down. 

We had also gotten word that the day before, Britney's tiny house had been safely delivered to the private property she is renting space on, just outside of Aserri, Costa Rica.  Britney sent these photos.

I have never seen such a tiny, tiny house.  She will put her 'dinning area' up on the roof top, using the stairs on the side.  The property owner is very nice and helpful (already letting Britney use her laundry) and once Britney moves in, she will have a ½ hour bus ride to work, instead of 2½ hours.

This is a view (from the home owner's yard) of San Jose in the valley below, where Britney currently lives.  Britney is permitted to use and enjoy any of the outdoor space. 

Britney proceeded to do a lot of cleaning because the house had construction debris and had been sitting in storage for quite awhile (thus borrowing the lady's laundry facility to wash all the bed linens). 
This is the view Britney has from the door of her tiny house. 
And this is the view looking in the door of her house.

I can't imagine living in such a small space, but it is her dream come true.

I headed to Mountain View Ranch mid-morning, stopping by the barn first to check out the tree that had been blown down out there.

Joe was busy hauling cleared brush when I arrived at the ranch.  In this photo, he stopped at a well hydrant to get more water.  He had gotten too hot.
 

Joe had definitely overheated, and needed to quit for the day.

I started clearing the hillside along the drive to the machine shed.  I didn't get very far until I (and the weed wacker) ran out of gas.  It was very hot out for doing hard physical work.  The left photo shows where I had worked and the right shows where I want to continue clearing.

Photo from last week's blog

Working in the shade here at the compost pile, the OCD in me led me to redo the wall along the side of the shed.  In order to add the half block from the fence side to the shed side, I had to dismantle some of the wall and put a full size cinder block in it's place.  And then to put the half block by the shed post, I had to move the end of the wall out from the shed about an inch.   
 

 

This meant taking almost all of the blocks on the right side down and starting over after moving them as I angled (keeping a straight line) the wall past the post.  I had also had to move the pile of compost out of the way, but this churning of the pile needs to happen and was a good thing.

This was my Ava fix today.  She has outgrown the little green cardigan that Tee Tee Courtney knit for her.

As has been the pattern lately, I lost track of time and used up all of my energy at the ranch, so I only had time to drop in at the barn and check on Amiga and Zorro.

I did meet the new boarders (Mary and Jack) who have Billy and Chipotle, the two new geldings that have been added to the herd with Zorro.  They are renting here for six months, trying to decide if they want to move here permanently.  Indirectly, we exchanged phone numbers and by bedtime, I had planned to ride with Mary in the morning. 

Monday 6/14 - After a hurried morning routine of tea, breakfast, and blogging, I arrived at the barn at 8:30ish.  Mary and I proceeded to tack up, and soon hit the trail.

Here is Mary on Chipolte, who is half Friesian and maybe half Saddlebred?

 

We rode across the street into the winter pasture and I showed Mary around the different fields.  Amiga now has a new riding buddy also.

 

Mary rides similar to I, being fairly adventuresome, trimming briar and little branches, dismounting when needed, and even letting her horse graze occasionally when we stopped to chat.

We rode the top ridge of the long trail and then once returned to the barn, we headed out the back so I could show Mary the Holly Trail.  We only went as far as the creek crossing, but it gave Mary an idea of the trail difficulty.

 

I hadn't timed our ride, but I am thinking we were out close to two hours.  Our horses were hot, sweaty, and tired by the time we finished.  A cooling rinse at the wash rack helped them both.

I then drove Mary to our ranch to show her it and Terry's property that will be for sale sometime next spring.

Plans to do yard work once home were abandoned because it was already mid-afternoon and I felt the need to shower and de-tick.  After I was cleaned up, reading on the couch naturally followed.

Joe dropped me off at The Grove for Mirror Lake Blast because I had forgotten my car was on empty and I had driven it longer than safe to go.  While I was enjoying myself sitting with Patty and Shirley, and with lots others out on the dance floor, my wonderful husband filled up our gas cans and put a ½gal in my car. 

As depicted in this cartoon, I would be Snoopy and Sally is any innocent by-stander I grab to join me.  LOL

Tuesday 6/15 - The morning got away from me and it was imperative that I go get gas first thing when I ventured out.  I put 8½gals in my 9 gallon tank so I had been running on fumes before Joe put the half gallon in to get me to the gas station.  Food City was next, to restock our food supply.  I worked 1:15 - 6:15 and then called it a day.  I didn't take any photos all day.  There wasn't much to report.

Britney informed us that she had had lunch with the Minister-Counselor of the Cuban embassy in Costa Rica.  She had a great conversation with him and he actually told her he wants her to go into the US foreign service.  She told him she was more grassroots. 
She does love Cuba and salsa dancing.

Wednesday 6/16 - Joe was at Karen's by 7:30 to cut a huge limb off her tree out front.  He had borrowed Brian's trailer, and then after stopping by the house to get water, took the cuttings out to the ranch burn pile.

 

 

I finished a second load of laundry (started the previous day), packed a weekend bag, and cleaned part of the house before Dan, Val, Ava, and Tango arrived.

I took this photo of Ava while talking with her as she reclined against my legs.  She has become so much more alert.  Tango is in the background resting from his trip, while Maggie was trying to get a closer look at, sniff of and lick on Ava.


 

Once Ava got too fussy for me to console, I had to hand her over to Valencia.  Ava really is a Mama's girl.




Joe and Daniel had run to look at a riding mower for sale, and then grabbed a few things at Food City I had forgotten to buy.  Once home, we all had lunch.

Ava continued to fuss, until she had a few bowel movements and seemed to feel better.

Aunt Patty dropped by to see her grandniece.  She had Ava smiling and making cute faces.

We put Ava in this little seat and she did well, for awhile.  She liked looking at herself in the mirror.  Maggie couldn't control herself, wanting to see, smell, and lick Ava (video). 

 
I had to leave for work.  Since Ava was not allowed at the adult pool, the others went to Druid Family pool to give Ava her first swimming experience.  I was glad they sent lots of photos to me.

What a little cutie pie.  It was reported that she enjoyed the water, wasn't afraid, but did get cold so was not in the pool very long.

At 4:30, the clan came to visit me at Drochester pool and join me for dinner they picked up at the golf clubhouse. 

Joe, Patty, Daniel, Valencia and I enjoyed our meals while Ava seemed to enjoy being outdoors in her stroller. 

I didn't get to visit long because I had my evening pool chores to do. 

They all left as I was finishing up in the restrooms and then I headed home for some more Ava time.

It was the 'witching hour' for Ava, (usually from late afternoon into the early evening) so she was a little fussy.  Dan said she takes most comfort in this position, when her belly is unrestricted. 

We had a little dessert and some chocolate wine, which helped take the edge off for us, and Ava eventually settled down and fell asleep.

Once Ava was conked out, they headed back to Nashville, leaving Tango with us, but taking my suitcase.

Thursday 6/17 -  The UTV was no longer leaking oil, but now it was over heating for some reason.  So Joe loaded it up on the trailer from our ranch, and took it back out in the boondocks for further repairs.

I left for work at 9:00 and got back home at 2:00.  I had hoped to go to the barn after work and ride Amiga to the ranch, put her in the round pen while I did a little work out there, and then ride her back.  That way I would kill two birds with one stone, getting some ranch work done and giving Amiga exercise. 

But, I felt it necessary to get home and take care of the dogs, because they needed relief from the man cave, so I went there instead of the barn.

Maggie and Tango were quite glad to see me.  They got rather hot during our walk and proceeded to plop down on the cool tile sun room floor when we got home.

 

I then took care of lots of little loose ends to prepare myself for an early morning flight and for being gone four days.





There was another load of laundry, neatening up around the house, watering new plantings outside, cleaning litter boxes, packing a travel bag, etc.

To get a little exercise, I walked the dogs again after their dinner, taking these two photos while out on the golf course. 

Friday 6/18 - I was up from 2-4am reading, unable to get back to sleep after taking my thyroid pill.  Insomnia is so typical the night before flying.  I was awaken from my 50 minute nap at almost 5am by a text from Daniel, saying they were leaving.  He, Val, and Ava are driving to Mom's, while I chose to fly.

Monita inspected my carry on before sun-up.  I tended to last minute things, one being finishing and posting this week's Blog.  It will be a long day of sitting (nothing like Dan's family though).  And even though my feet won't be dancing, my heart will.  Excited to see Mom and sister Jean and for them to see Dan, Val, and especially Ava.

Summer Underway

Even though we have not reached the longest day of the year (summer solstice) which marks when summer officially begins, summer is well underway.  Here in Tennessee, meteorological summer runs from June 1 to August 31.  According to AccuWeather, "Meteorological summer" is the warmest quarter of the year based on daily normal temperatures. This exact period varies slightly from place to place; but, in general, meteorological summer starts the first week in June and ends the first week in September."

This week, the heavy spring rains were replaced by lighter, spotty summer showers.  It makes the on-going (daily) decision to open or close the pool very tricky and controversial.

Saturday 6/5 - For some reason, I could not get back to sleep when awaken at 1am.  I did nap an hour from 5 to 6 am, but felt drugged when I got up. 

It was probably our warmest day thus far this year.  It was a great pool day.  I was subbing for MJ so was at the pool to open by 9:30.  We had our largest crowd for the year so far.  I love the people, being outside, keeping busy, and the sunshine.

I went straight to the barn (three minutes away) right after work and rode Amiga on the Holly Trail to go to our ranch.  I had to get off of her to unlock the gate.



Seen in these two photos, we are at the corn crib in the back corner, where the gate is.  Notice, Amiga had gotten kind of sweaty.  I hadn't ridden her that hard, it was just that hot out.  The flies were also thick, all part of summer.

 

 
I rode Amiga around the ranch and cantered her a few times on the grassy lane between the pastures (sideways video).  It has been a few months since I have ridden her here because of new fencing (on new lot line) cutting off the old entrance (which is on the now other property) but had enabled us to ride to 'our' side (property).  Now we have a trail and gate to get in and out through the back of our property. 

Amiga and I made it safely back to Wildwood.  I hosed her off (except her butt as you can see in this photo) because she was quite sweaty after our two hour ride.

 

My Ava 'fix' for the day.

I was home before dinnertime, did my usual evening chores, found two ticks on me when I showered, and had popcorn for a 6:00 dinner while watching TV with Joe.  We finished Mare of Easttown and I went to bed early because I was short three hours of sleep from the night before.

Sunday 6/6 - I slept nine hours, catching up on some much needed sleep I had lost Friday night.

Valencia dresses Ava so cutely and takes the best photos of her.  I got this photo mid-morning.

Joe had gotten the UTV back from the shop yesterday, and we wanted to ride it around on the new trail to help pack down the vegetation.  Since rain was coming, we scurried off (I not even remembering to take my morning pills - mostly supplements) and headed to the ranch on the back roads of Fairfield Glade.

We went slowly around the loop under the power-lines (in both directions) to help establish the 4x4 trail. 

I moved the log and branch out of the way, and we drove from the power-lines, through the woods, to our back gate.




It was sprinkling lightly, but not enough to get us wet.  It did blur our view out the front windshield a little bit (it has no wipers). 

We had planned to clear more fence line since Joe got a new cap for the oil tank on the chainsaw.  Well, they sent the wrong cap (one for the gas tank) which didn't fit, so we were not able to do any clearing.

While Joe puttered around in his garden, pulling weeds and picking salad crops, I went into the back woods to dig up this bush like growth.  I had to dig up seven different little ones to get this (final planting back at our house, seen in this photo) whole 'bush' of them.

I wanted it (#1) to match the other two (#s 2&3) bushes already growing down back in this bed.  Here is another view of all three of them.

I also planted this holly near my drainage ditch.  I had dug it up from under the power-line while clearing the trail several days earlier.  I didn't have the heart to chop it down, even though the electric company comes through every 3 or 4 years and sprays all the trees and shrubs, killing them.

The pool had been opened, in spite of the drizzly weather, and I was subbing for MJ, so scooted off to work at 1:00.  Nancy had not had any customers all morning, but shortly after she left I had two resort guests come in.  It had stopped drizzling but the sun never broke through the clouds, but I did end up with six people total, the last two leaving at 5:30, so I closed 30 minutes early.

 

This lone Tiger Lily is down back on the oasis, under the weeping willow.  The deer ate the tops off of all the others.

I had popcorn for my 'dinner side dish' for the fifth night in a row.  I need to break this cycle.  I continued reading (once in bed) a new book I had started at the pool, Inside Delta Force.

Monday 6/7 - It was a rainy morning, and predicted to keep it up all day.  After 2½ hours at the gym and a trip to Food City, I sat on the porch swing and read for a little bit.  Monita was bathing beside me and Stevie was bird and chipmunk watching from her favorite corner out there.

At 2:30, Joe and I met Jan and Mike out at Stonehenge golf course.  We played the front nine.  I played my usual four shots per hole (a tee shot, fairway shot, chip, and putt).  Jan and I rode in a golf cart together (with her driving) so we could catch up on life.  Now that she is at a different barn, I rarely talk with her.  It sprinkled on us before we went out, but was nice the remainder of the time.  Our conversation was better than my golf, which was fine by me. 

Not long after we got done, and seated in the clubhouse for dinner, it poured.  We enjoyed the view (and saw a rainbow) while partaking of libations and very tasty dinner choices.

Just after getting home, we got word that Judy had fallen at the barn, tripping over a big root, and had been taken to the hospital for x-rays.  This was very disconcerting news for us saddle sisters.

Tuesday 6/8 - I have a dirty, rotten, little chipmunk that keeps digging in my plants out front.  I moved this geranium up onto the side table thinking it would be 'safe.'  Well, now the mess the little bugger made was even worse.  Doing my morning chores, which includes filling feeders and caring for my potted plants, I cleaned this up and moved the geranium to yet another spot.

I subbed for MJ again, working the 9:15 - 1:30 shift.  We were busy because there had finally been a break in the rain, with sunshine much of the morning. 

From the pool I went to the barn where I met Patty.  We were moving Zorro back out to the large pasture with the geldings and wanted to see how he would do with Henry and Top Hat, who had been added to this group a few weeks ago.

Dave was working on this area where the big tree root (that Judy tripped over) was.  He had removed the root and was filling in with gravel.

Patty and I held the gate open out of Dave's way and chatted while watching Zorro.  He did fine out with the two he had not met before, and made new friends.

I rode Amiga out the back trail, stopping her often to trim back some of the little branches that hit you in the face and arms.  She did great for me.

Then to give Amiga more exercise, we went across the street to the outdoor arena.  I noticed that Jeff (a trainer that John hired) had moved the panels to round out all the corners.  It also made the arena larger.  I gaited and canter Amiga in several patterns.  She did fairly well, but always seems to get my leg cues better when I ride bareback.  I had to cool her down before putting her in her stall for the night.

Courtney was having dinner at Dan and Val's and sent this Ava update photo.  😍

Joe was playing poker, so I (and the cats and dog) had a quiet evening at home.  I read my book out on the porch swing, and fell asleep for a bit.

I got word that Judy was finally out of surgery.  She ended up having surgery on both arms.  She had two plates put in for her left humerus and elbow and one plate in for her right radius.  We were all glad to hear she got through that.  Now the healing begins!  She still has a long road to recovery. 

Wednesday 6/9 - It was a rainy morning and I thought possibly the pool would not be opening.  But it did. 

I struggled during my usual workout at the gym and felt exhausted when I got done.  Then I changed into pool clothes, packed a lunch, and headed to work early to give Nancy a break from the monotony.  No one had been there all morning.

Here is a series of photos of Ava that Courtney took.  Ava is really starting to interact with others. 

I 'worked' at the pool almost two hours until I got the call to close for the day.  I did not have any customers, and other than cleaning cobwebs in and around the office and restrooms, I read my book.

Once home and in my loungers, I continued with reading, out on the porch swing, with cats and dog nearby, while sipping tea and listening to the gentle rain. 



The rest of the day did not amount to anything more than reading, except a late afternoon nap and some computer time.

As usual, when I slid into bed, Monita insisted on playing fetch with her fuzzy ball (video).  She often out-lasts me, but will quit once I turn the lights out. 

Thursday 6/10 - The day started cool and dreary, but at least it wasn't raining. 

Sweet Tango with precious Ava.

I headed to work at the pool, wondering whether it was worth my trip out there.  It was overcast but did not rain, so we had customers, although a small crowd.




As soon as I got off work, I went out to the ranch to help Joe who had arrived a little ahead of me.  He had broken up two big concrete retaining walls (or whatever they were) and I helped load them to dump them on the 'back side' of the dam of the lower pond.





It took five loads like this to clear all the concrete debris off the existing concrete pad.







Joe dumped the big stuff behind the back side of the dam and we put the little stuff in the 'spill-way' (seen in this photo).  He also discarded several loads of debris from the burn pile on top of the disposed of concrete.

Then Joe took the tractor and chain saw out to the farthest fence line of the back pasture to cut trees and all the brier that have grown into the field.  In this photo, you see what happens when you clear the brier patch with shorts on. 

I worked at removing old barbwire and two tires from around the east side of the machine shed.  I clipped large growth, and raked up debris.

Exhaustion hit, so I called it a day. 


I had time to shower and change before heading over to Shirley's house.  She had invited us for dessert.  I forgot to take a photo of all of us (Joe, Rick, Darla, Patty, Shirley, and her daughter and son-in-law).  We had a great time chatting and catching up with each other after the long (Covid) quarantine.

Friday 6/11 - It had been late to bed the night before, so was late to rise in the morning.  This rotten little squirrel has been raiding my window bird feeders.

Mama Styx came to see what Monita was all excited about.  The squirrel paid them no attention and just kept on eating sunflower seeds.

Even when I got up and banged on the window, he ignored me. 

We got hit by a storm which dumped a lot of rain in a short amount of time.  You can see the muddy, brown current of the creek as it had washed into the murky, green pond.

This was my daily Ava fix that Valencia sent.  This little girl is growing up too fast.  The first year of development is amazing really.

I was planning to ride Amiga to the farm and put her in the round pen while I worked, and then ride her back.  But with all the rain, I decided the trail would be too slippery.  Plus it looked like more rain was coming. 

I had made the mistake to let my computer up-date (because it was moving so slowly).  Well it took it almost two hours.  I had wanted to get caught up on blogging, but it didn't happen, I only got more behind.  I did get several little chores around the house done while waiting on my computer.

Joe left for the farm before I and sent this photo of a black snake that was by the machine shed.  I told him to leave it be, it was a good snake. 

Billy was out on the tractor, so Joe was unable to use it to haul the rest of the brush from the tree line to the burn pile.

So with the little wagon hooked to our riding mower, he hauled rock and broken cinder block from the hill on the west side of the machine shed to the back of the dam.





Joe was about out of time when I arrived, so I used the mower/wagon set up to move cinder block out by a little loafing shed to make a compost pile there.  While collecting block, I noticed this medium size Eastern Water Snake hiding in the inside corner of the building.  I decided to also let it be.  (I was not in the mood for snake wrangling to try and re-locate it.)

It took five trips to get all the cinder block down to the area where I built a little retaining wall, after first clearing the fence line.  Then I started hauling compost.  This little wagon is so handy because it has a little dumping mechanism, making it easy to off load the soil.  I had to lift out each cinder block though.

I was clearing old straw, garden debris, and lots of rich soil from off of the concrete pad, seen in this second photo.

This was my lunch spot today, on the riding mower, in the shade of the machine shed.   

Here is how the new compost pile looked by quitting time.

 




And below is a look at the area to the east of the machine shed.  There is still debris to remove to get down to the concrete pad, but this is a good start. 

Notice the railroad track we had uncovered.  Like the bovine skeleton, it makes me wonder the past history of this property.
 

I had a dinner date with some of my Saddle Sisters, so had to scurry to get home, cleaned up, and to Patty's in time to car-pool. 
We went to the Hibachi Buffet.  I sure enjoyed pigging out on the Chinese food.
Seen left to right, Sharon, Patty, Babs, Carol, Karen, and myself. 
It was a poker night for Joe, so I took Maggie on a little longer walk, to help settle my very full stomach.