Day 493: Mulched

I transplanted lilies, weeded, preened, and mulched!  Two gardens are completed and three more are prepped.  Six yards of crushed stone were delivered today and must be distributed and raked tomorrow. It's no wonder that I can hardly lift my arms.

Delicate dogwood blossoms

Day 492: Garden projects

We have made huge progress in the yard already this season.  In the front east corner today,  I removed all the pachysandra, trimmed the hydrangea, weeded and applied Preen.  Steve trimmed the bushes the other day and we spread a couple loads of mulch.  Then he hauled twelve loads of dirt out to the lily garden so we can expand it and make room for transplants.  The lilies near the oak tree have to be moved or they will die.  

We only have 52 more days till the garden show and there's so much to do.  These fabulously warm days have helped us get a head start on the gardens.  We also want to paint the foundation and the park benches.  It was even warm enough to swim the first 30 lengths of the season!  The water was up to 67 which is just fine for a short swim, but I am so out of shape, it's ridiculous. 

Flowers on the oak tree in the backyard in late afternoon light

Day 491: Forget-me-nots

Penelope

Lawn mowing

Hauling mulch

Swimming

Sunshine

Love

All over town, hundreds of families were getting even for Fred Fest by mowing their lawns early this morning.  Red plastic cups are cluttering lawns, ditches and streets. 

Day 490: 2013 Two day hike

I am too tired to write very much.  It was very windy last night and the tall pines rustled and swayed at night.  There were also lot of folks up walking around during the night.  Of course, we did not sleep.
It was a wonderful day, so I will have much to add tomorrow.  We created lots of new memories and backpacking fans.

Day 489: Quest complications

So many last minute complications!  At noon, the police chief came to our door and my heart nearly stopped.  Fortunately, he was smiling.  It seems that the Rec department rented out both pavilions in Russell Joy Park to the college rugby teams for parties all day on Saturday.  Imagine if our parents drove into the park to pick up their kids and encountered a drunken crowd.  So, we moved the pick up location to BOCES and that of course, meant making many phone calls and announcements to make sure all the adults, student leaders and parents knew about the change.

Then, we discovered that the village flushed the hydrants today and all our water is brown.  We did have plenty of bottled water on hand, but what if we hadn't?  And what will Pete encounter when he fills the tank?

Finally, Kathy called to tell us that one of the student leaders was playing in a tennis match today.  He never told us he would not be hiking with us.  Grrrrrr...

 I will add more stories tomorrow when I can stay awake.

Great volunteers!

Gorgeous sunset

Mike and Tyler

Day 488: Pallet Sculpture

Tomorrow we depart for the two day hike.  Right up to 9:00 tonight we were getting calls informing us that this or that student couldn't come tomorrow because of some conflicting activity.  So annoying!  These are not last minute emergencies, they are regularly scheduled sporting events that somehow slipped their minds!  Two student leaders told us at class today that they have a track meet tomorrow afternoon and will be coming late.  Why did they wait till the day before to let us know?  So we will be short handed for dinner.  The first meal is when the groups start to bond while cooking and laughing. 

In the week or so since we last visited the college, they put up a new sculpture.  It's made of packing pallets that were used for the new science building.  

Day 487: Commemorative t-shirts

We were up half the night since Steve went to a structure fire in Sheridan.  Someone was burning something near their garage earlier in the evening and it caught the garage on fire and then spread to the house.  When he's out at a fire or accident, I don't sleep.  Even though he is experienced and knowledgeable, unexpected things happen all the time.  We slept maybe two hours and he got up early to go to a conference.  No problem, I just spent the entire day in the yard trimming, raking, edging and mowing.  Then I popped into the pool. It's all the way up to 58!  It's getting me prepared to jump into Arkwright Falls.  

The collection of Quest memories have been a big hit with the kids and alumni.  The current hikers don't understand most of the references yet, but they will learn.  The drawing on the front of two kids hiking up Dibble Hill is by one of our Brocton campers.  Just two more weeks!