This week has a whole bunch of Saturdays, including today which was unexpected. At noon yesterday they announced we had enough work done that we could have today off. Of course if we want to be paid for today we have to take vacation (of which I have a generous amount). Of course we had 30 hrs in by 4:30 yesterday, that plus 8 hrs for Friday holiday is almost 40 hours, so no one was hurt much financially. It's complicated. Don't think too hard about it.

It's a beautiful sunny cool day. I'm all chemicaled up. Started with caffeine, switched to alcohol, back to caffeine. And it's only 1:40 pm.

Jim is hauling corn to town. I need to make a trip too - to take cans and find my state income tax refund a home. Later we are going to a Logger game and buying groceries. Modest excitement but excitement just the same.

The picture below is of one of the new lilies in the former wood pile flower bed. It's an Asiatic lily, I believe.

And here's a fresh picture of the hops plant that is growing by leaps and bounds (or hops, if you prefer).

Behind it is my dad's corn crib, the one he build with material salvaged from the old school house.

Below is a picture of new growth on the pea tree. Son John and I had worked a five gallon pail of semi-composted calf manure in around the plant. We stirred up the roots with our spading forks and look! We got some new shoots. The pea tree came with the farm. It's kind of like a lilac crossed with a mimosa. It's been on its last legs but it looks now like it might live another fifty years. Wish it luck.

Here's the whole pea tree - just one stalk - along with Gracie who is trying to eat grass - as if we need more rain.

And below is the clematis that grows outside my bedroom window. It's been there a while - a short time compared to the pea tree, but still quite a while. It could probably use the spading fork and semi-composted manure treatment.

Lovely flowers though.

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Today - or maybe tomorrow - but soon - I plan to start a new notebook/scrap book for the kitchen table. I want to put funeral whatever you call 'ems - the little flyer you get with person's picture on bio/obit; and graduation invitations; newspaper and magazine clippings; thank you notes from the grandchildren; lists of stuff; notes to and from the farmer; along with a big helping of miscellaneous.

Before the internet, when I still had my newspaper column, I kept those kind of scrap book/notebooks and they were fun. When one got full I would number the pages and write an index/table of contents inside the front cover.

I resolve to do them again from time to time and maybe this will be the time to do it.

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I'd love a long walk - my 5.5 miles - but truth to tell I probably won't do it. Still it would be nice... to dream...

Have a good weekend everyone - whether it's four days, three days, or two days. Be kind to yourself and others.

Some how this last picture slid to the bottom of the page. It's a rather pedestrian picture of porch geraniums. Lots of color though.

Here's a better one. It's got Gracie in it.