My Yard...part I

Christy and Terry came over yesterday to help me get my yard in shape. I've been feeling under the weather, and while I have managed to get a lot of raking done, there was a lot of other stuff that I haven't done and honestly I wouldn't have done, because I didn't know how. They came over with all their tools, beer and tequila. They know how to make gardening fun! The Wegelia in the front always needs pruning, but I've never done it like they did and frankly it's gorgeous and I had six bags of black mulch to really put a spin on it. They also clipped off a lot of the dead stuff and low hanging and oddly placed branches of the Purple Smoke Tree. I did work, I promise! I raked and carried mulch bags and filled up the bins of all the brush and stuff. We did work in the back as well, removing lots of old trees, bushes, weeds, moving the furniture out so it can be used and just plain enjoying ourselves.

The Wegelia after the pruning and mulching. The duck and umbrella were too cute not to put out there.

From the other side. Still have privacy while on the porch, but Wegelia will be so much happier and healthier.

These spinners are going crazy here. Christy took some of my purple irises. They needed to be thinned out!

The duck is too cute!

The purple smoke that has come out of nowhere. I think my mom had something to do with it.

This is the very happy Purple Smoke Tree after it's cleanup!

The purple smoke before we got it cleaned up.

Peaceful backyards

My friends, Christy and Terry, have a wonderful backyard with a pond with lots of Koi, lots of birds, trees, bees, butterflies. It's peaceful and the company is wonderful too!

The plants are in to help clean up the pond water.

The sun peeking through the trees - it was so warm and joyful.

Koi are very happy - they'll be even happier when the water clears - which will be shortly.

Beautiful flowers, just starting to bloom.

Tinkling windchimes and new plant growth - with a little peek of Budha in the upper right corner.

It felt good to sit and laugh and talk. Listening to the bees, the water, the birds. Nothing like it in the world. (well except maybe the ocean waves at dusk with the breeze).

A New Canal Adventure...

I brought Gracie to the Canal in Marcy this afternoon for a nice long walk. We met Ann and Bill, a very nice couple from Seattle. They are riding the Canal trail from Buffalo to Albany. They set up camp in Marcy and after my walk with Gracie we went to visit and talk about their experience so far and I told them about the trail coming up. They were fantastic people. They have my phone number, so if they need anything I'll be able to help them out.

It was beautiful - not hot, not cold, it was JUST right!

Gracie got a bath when we got home because the ticks were horrid.  But it's still worth the walk!

Gracie - loving the whole trail!

Looking East towards Marcy.

Looking West on the trail - towards Oriskany.

Temperature swings....

Last week and this past weekend were hot (80's and 90's) and dry until Saturday and Sunday - which was then hot and humid with some rain. Then....the temp started to drop. And I do mean drop. I don't think it got warmer than 55 yesterday with the morning low of 39 and today, well today we have a frost and freeze warning! But it will warm up to close to 70 tonight but tomorrow morning is another frosty morning.

So, which one do I prefer? the cool weather. Hands down. So does Gracie! We went for two walks last night and she is so much more comfortable. When it was super hot she would just pant like crazy. I bring water for her, but it's not enough.

This coming week has highs and lows too. I know this post is about weather, but it's important to understand that upstate NY has amazing weather swings and sometimes they are just hours apart.

Have a wonderful day!

Monday

Everything is blooming like crazy - such a nice thing to see. I guess April Showers do truly bring May Flowers.

Mother's Day is coming up. I miss my mom fiercely but I am going to celebrate mom's day with RB and his mom. It will be a wonderful thing.

I love my new Charge Fitbit. So far it's working like a charm! Good to know that the One was great and the Charge is too.

I'm all over the place today, thinking about camping plans coming up in June. Travel to Sacramento coming soon and hopefully a trip to RB's camp soon - where we can relax and kayak and swim (if it's not freezing cold), bike, hike, sit by the fire and drink beer and wine. :)

It's been pointed out to me that I don't know how to chill out. LOL - I read the paragraph above and have to laugh because relax and the whole list of physical things don't necessarily mean the same thing. Very funny.

Ah well. Happy Monday - it wasn't a horrid Monday - I got some things done, found some issues, but all in all we'll make it through. That's the best you can do is to keep on moving.

Enjoy the beautiful, warm spring weather.

Memories...

Oaks Creek

My plan for today was to go to Hartwick Seminary and plant pansies at my grandfathers grave, where I also have put ashes of my mom and my aunt. Usually I go the fast way these days - down Rt 5S to Mohawk and up Vickerman Hill and through Fly Creek to Cooperstown. I found myself going the way that Mom and I used to go, down route 8 to Stone Road, just outside of Clayville. And then back roads till I get to Rt 20 and head east towards Richfield Springs. We always went that way, but I found that I couldn't remember conversations or get into memories - I just saw the differences in properties, houses, new businesses. Memories stay still, life does not.
So I decided to make a left turn down a road that I'm unsure of the name but it's just past where route 80 hits route 28 before Fly Creek. My great uncle 'Tadpole' used to live down this road. And much to my surprise there is now a conservation area with hiking just as you make the 90 degree right turn through a property that was dissected by this road. There were also some very new, very large houses on this road. I then made it to the barn that my mom's family lived by. I used to think that my Great grandfather built it but I don't believe that is the case, nevertheless I always take some pictures of it.

The barn, I have so many pictures of it, in all seasons, conditions...

This is the view I tend to take of it most often,

I then left from Cat Town Road and made my way to Bed Bug Hill Road - the changes along that small stretch are huge. A large farm has moved in and they have beef cattle, sheep and who knows what else. It's good to see the land being used and taken care of but jarring all the same. I made my left on Bed Bug Hill road and drove slow and steady - it's a gravel and dirt road and even though they take good care of it, it's been very dry so I was causing a lot of dust. There is land for sale along there - I've never seen that before. And the B&B Ranch seems to be doing pretty well - it's at the end of the Bed Bug Hill that is taken care of even in the winter and the beginning of the seasonal road. The seasonal road wasn't in the best of shape, but considering our winter it was pretty darned good. Lots of new fencing and animals. No new buildings, but the land is being used.
I made it to the end of the road and hung a right and went to Fly Creek Cider Mill - that's never a bad thing. You can have a meal just by tasting all the samples. :)
Finally I realized that I had been stalling a little and I got back in my car and headed to the cemetery. I got there, pulled my gardening stuff, the pansies, the extra dirt and water from the back of my car and proceeded to clear the dead plants from last year, the leaves and get the ground ready for the new flowers. I also brought with me a microfiber cloth that allowed me to clean the headstone. It looks better than it did...

He and I share our birthday - he died before I was born. His nickname was Boone.

We usually stopped at Council Rock too. I used the panoramic function of my camera to get this picture.

It was a good day. My memories were hard to find but it's because of all the newness that seemed to be crowding them out. But I know my mom is always in my heart and I can find my memories when I least expect them.

Perfect Day

It's been an absolutely beautiful, perfect, wonderful day. RB let me sleep in late (8:30!!!). Gracie was waiting so very patiently for me to take her for a walk, she was so excited when I finally got downstairs that it just made me crack up. A dog is the best thing in the world for your heart and soul. She loves RB and I so much and she is such a good dog. So - she and I went for a very nice walk this morning. When we got back to RB's house we jumped in my car and headed to my house. I had some raking I wanted to do (my back yard was neglected last fall) and I did some extra cleaning up. I talked to my neighbor Toni and had a running conversation with Gracie. LOL - the things that dog could tell...

About 12:30 we hopped back in the car and drove back to RB's and I went for a BIKE RIDE!!!

I had planned to take a 2 mile ride,  just to get my butt in shape. It was so gorgeous outside that I ended up going 13.2 miles! My working out at Planet Fitness is really helping - I'm in the best shape I've been in for a long time!

Canal Trail between Whitesboro and Utica. Everything is just starting to bloom.

The famous Utica sign, it lights up at night and it's quite the beacon.

Stunning blue skies and gorgeous.

I was a tad white in this picture, but I do have some color after this ride.

The sweet ride from RB for my birthday last year. What an awesome bike!