Last Day Together, Puttering Around, PayDay! Precious Pictures

The Ridge

On Wednesday, June 12^th I slept in until 6:30, saw Bill getting up and just relaxed with the open blind for another few minutes. It was nice to see that it was 54F outside and sunny.  Right away, I got my hoody and safety vest on and was out the door by 6:45 for my walk. It is a lovely time to walk when the sun is up especially. My back was feeling even better this morning so took my big camera with the zoom lens. I was hoping the deer were out in the field.

Good morning pond picture

 Of course, they were no where in sight. I walked to the turbine lane, turned around and on the way back I climbed one of the hills to look out over the field. Nope, they must have known I was looking for them. Closer to home, just after 7, I texted Donna, knowing what time she rises. She was just headed out for her walk too. Donna likes to alternate, walk one day and do yoga at home on the next.

This perfect kind of day starts with a peaceful walk

Unfortunately, she fell recently, nothing too serious but enough to leave an uncomfortable bruise on her upper thigh. Just enough to make her yoga moves difficult so she is walking instead every morning. We used to text each other when I was still working, living in London and walked at 6:30 before work. We joked that we were miles apart but still managed to ‘walk together’. She listens to audio books on her iPod where I listen to nature. We’ve always encouraged each other.

This zoomed-in picture of the county road ahead of me looks much hillier than it is

Back home, I made my tea and went into Mom’s bank account to pay for her first foot treatment at Rockwood. Her big toenails need regular attention so I feel good that Maddy is now looking after them for her. Bill had finished his coffee and soon left to go to the Acreage and fill our water bladder. He has to leave for work in the early morning so always looks after my needs back here at home. I read a few blogs and enjoyed my morning brew.

There were no deer in the field but they sure were
laying in this ditch down the road from our place

After Bill began transferring the water, I walked out with him and he pointed out a teensy round egg in the trailer hitch at the back of the Suite. Now I’m convinced that the other nest is NOT hummers, but this might be. So cute! We could see a nest of sorts so won’t disturb it, hoping this Momma comes back. As expected, no one has returned to the little blue eggs up in the bush and now I know it is a sparrow nest. ☹

teeny round egg in our hitch

It was 9:30 so I fried up some bacon and scrambled eggs with cheese. Bill was working at the back corner of the Suite, fixing a dent in the underside of the wrap around shell. We’re not 100% sure where and when that happened but have an inkling. When breakfast was ready, I left it in the frying pan with the lid and went out to see at what stage he was at. With the fan on, which I always use when I’m cooking on the stove, he said ‘Did I smell you making breakfast’.  Can’t fool my guy! So, he came in right away and we ate. I cleaned up dishes so he could go and continue the job.

The geese running in Don's field

 I donned a sun hat, gloves, grabbed a screwdriver and paint scraper before heading down to The Ridge sign at the entrance to the property. It is in dire need of a paint job and I’m just the person to do it. Well, I’m certainly not terrific at painting (rocks being an exception, haha) but I’m the only one with time to do it. I don’t mind a little project like this at all, just hope I can leave it looking as good as Donna did originally.

and the whole 'fan-damily' gathers

I scraped and scraped removing as much of the loose gray paint as I could leaving patches of bare wood. There is a piece of thinner board, about 6” x 10” that she painted with bulrushes and affixed with screws over the gray, so I removed that carefully. It is not very stable but if I’m careful should be able to touch it up in black and replace the same piece. I’ll sure try anyway! Before getting the paint out and starting, I came back up to have a coffee with Bill.

the sprayer

And here I got the back end in the picture

He went back out and so did I when I finished my drink. Walking around, down the lane and back, I pulled some grass growing in the flower garden up amidst the plants. Again, without my gloves, working on impulse, so I avoided getting my fingers in the dirt. There was a loud vehicle coming down North Line while I was approaching the mail box and it was the road sprayer. He went back and forth 4 times spraying a calcium mix to keep the dust down.

Bill working on the back corner of the Suite

Pry bar - oh-oh - no worries, he knows what he's doing!

Our geese families were hiding in the shade of the pond plants in Don’s front field. I am sad to see the babies grow so quickly in one way; they are a joy to watch but on the other hand we are very happy to see that 4 families have survived when others haven’t. 

yeuch!

I glanced down in the pond on one walk and saw one of my least favourite critters. This black water snake seemed to be sleeping until I neared the edge to take a picture. He skittered away and had to be at least 20” long. Shudder. Harmless, Bill says.

beautiful day to finish a book in the sun

 There wasn’t too much else for me to do. The Suite does need cleaning but with rain coming tomorrow for a couple of days, that will be a good indoor job. It is too nice outside today to waste in inside. 

I was happy to see one pepper plant is flowering already!

Bill and I love watching the peonies burst
We brought this bush from our London home

The temperature at 3:30 is a warm 72F/22C and that is in the 6 – 13 mph winds. B-u-t-ful!! Jamie arrived on his way home from work to pay me for the week. It is always a nice visit when he comes and we find all kinds of things to talk about.

All scraped ready for paint but first I had to remove
the added black and white board

 Marilynne, Bill’s step-mom, called so Bill took it inside. When he came back outside, he showed Jamie his Hangar and ‘toys’. What man can’t show interest in another’s hobbies? I’m sure Jamie was impressed even though it isn’t something he personally has an interest in. We chatted some more and when he left around 4:45, Clemson got his supper. He had no choice but to wait since we were outside the whole time.

and NOW we're ready for paint

We’ve been ‘unplugged’ from power for two or three days but I’d be using Madame IP to cook supper tonight so Bill plugged us in at 5. I browned all sides of the beef roast that was mostly thawed and added onions, potatoes and vegetables in the inner pot. We’d be eating by 6:30 and we’ll have leftovers (we will refrain from eating it all!) for tomorrow night. Bill will need a meal while in London tomorrow night.

Supper was good
Bill had corn rather than broccoli

No disappointment again, the roast was awesome with just the right amount of leftovers. The corn, broccoli and potatoes weren’t cooking for the whole hour, but turned out perfectly as well. We did the dishes up and Bill made his sandwiches for work. He will be so active that the bread isn’t even a concern for him. He takes yogourt as well and lots to drink while away. There wasn’t anything too interesting on tv tonight so when I finished my post, we sat with our books.

Chippy is happy and turning into a little piglet again

but he's so darned cute!

I had completed the Sandra Brown book, Ricochet, and highly recommend it. It had me hooked from beginning to end and I loved the new ‘to me’ character of Duncan Hatcher. Now I’m going to try The Room of White Fire, a novel by T.Jefferson Parker. I don’t think I’ve read any of his before but it sounds good from the Preface.

And the clouds gave us no chance for a sunset tonight

This was a wonderful day with just the right amount of work, rest and visiting. I hope you’ve had a great day too. And just when you think you've seen it all. Pictures of our youngest grandson, Easton on his 3 month 'birthday'.

Wha??? I'm 3 months old already?

Nah, you're joshin' me

Hey, it's true! I'm such a special little guy!
If this doesn't make you smile, I'll just say Good night!

Thank you for your visit to the Ridge.