Morning mist

I've been remiss in my blogging these past days. There's been a lot going on and the days flew by. People often say, "the time got away from me" when this happens. I think we understand the full statement is that we lacked sufficient time in our schedule to do some things not necessary for survival, such as blogging. One of my goals for this weekend is to catch up on my writing, both with the current manuscript and the blogs. 

But I'm easily distracted these days. I landed at the computer with a cup of coffee and did the normal things. Checked my email, checked Twitter, checked sales reports, watched the mist settle in over the manor. Yeah, that was the one that got me.

Once the lovely, soft mist came down, Deuce and I headed out. I have all sorts of things to do, but a walk through the misty woods with the dog trumped them all. We made the first mile and detoured to one of the streams so he could get his paws wet. On our way back to the trail, we met up with my cousins and their dog, Sadie. Deuce isn't too fond of Sadie yet. She's a bit energetic and he's a bit stoic, but they managed to walk together just fine, basically because Deuce took his normal point position and ignored her. It was still a lovely walk. 

By the time we got back, about ninety minutes later, the sun had burned off the mist and the temps were climbing. The next order of business was for Deuce to cool down and for me to get a shower. 

I still have the same to-do list as before our walk and now there is less time to do it. And you know what? I don't care. I may or may not get all the items checked off my list. There's still time to do a lot of it whereas there was a small window of time to walk in the misty woods. 

I think I chose wisely. 

The Lady of the Hideaway

Soft ground

We've had a lot of rain this past month. They say one inch of rain equals ten inches of snow. We'd be buried right now if that were true. Weather notwithstanding, I decided to roll the dice and unhitch the snowblower and remount the bucket on the tractor. We have a John Deere 1023 subcompact tractor and I don't know how we managed before we got it. 

There are things to do that do not involve snow. A few spots on the lane need a touch-up of gravel, and I took advantage of a warm day and cut down a tree that threatened to fall across the lane. That wood needs to be cleared and I work smart, not hard. The plan is to cut up the logs and put the pieces directly in the bucket to be transported to the woodpile. The fewer times I need to handle heavy logs, the better. 

Deuce is my constant companion as I work. He sometimes takes himself on a little stroll out the lane, but he's very, very good. He stops when he gets to where the section I share with my cousin connects. How does he know? I spent time teaching him that when he was younger. The extra time you spend in their first year makes for an excellent companion. 

Last fall, the wet weather arrived before we could do a last leaf chopping. This past weekend, I took the John Deere 370 around the yard to do that. At least I tried. The ground is very soft and the mower left tread marks in places. It turns out the strip of grass I want to overseed this spring was the worst. I said tire tracks be damned and did a good chop there. I'm going to roll the dice again and spread grass seed regardless. One of the things on my agenda for this summer is creating a deeper swale for better drainage below that area. 

Planning is a good winter occupation, but now I'm eager to get going. The sale of my mother's house is pending, and I will be happy to be out from under taking care of two houses. Most of the projects planned for this summer are labor-intensive, unlike last year when we screened in the patio. Perhaps I need a spreadsheet or grid to keep me focused. I'll ponder that. It's not a bad idea. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor

Deuce enjoys the snow

I've had many dogs in my life and it seems the one with me at any given moment was the most special. I loved them all. At this point in time, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce shares my life. Deuce is the first, and will be the only, dog I ever intentionally go to a breeder to purchase. I wanted to have another Lab and this seemed to be the only way to get one. I lucked into the first one at the local SPCA when they had to rescue a litter. Jett was a great dog. Between Jett and Deuce, I've seen two sides to the Labrador nature. 

It snowed this past Tuesday and as soon as I arrived home from work, we went out. Deuce has a great nose. Everything is of interest to him. I've taken a lot of pictures and videos of him because I don't want to ever forget him. He will probably be the last dog I have. 

It's a little sad to think of the Manor without a dog, though. If I ever do get another, it will be after I extract a few promises from the cousins to care for them if I would happen to pass from this life before the dog does. 

It's Sunday now, and the snow has melted. We're in the middle of what the old-timers called the January Thaw. What comes next is real winter weather. Until then, I have a sweet stroll with my buddy Deuce to remind me simple pleasures are the most lasting. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor