it's how we work...

Up early. Too early. Don't you think 3 a.m. is early? I could have let the chickens out, but that would have been a shock to their systems. They love routine. 3 a.m. is not in their routine.

Will you find me repetitive if I tell you we had a beautiful day today? Sunny, warm but not hot -- exquisite! From the first golden rays of... whatever later hour it was. Maybe 5:30?











So, breakfast on the porch...











Then there are the Friday errands and meetings, but just after noon we are home again, ready to continue where we left off.





 
For me, it's work in the flower beds.





Yes, with Scotch's help.

I'm working not too far from the sheep shed and as I glance in that direction, I notice how weedy it has become. Maybe we should clear the space that faces the courtyard? There are leafy bushes that have sprung from nowhere. It can't be that hard to dig them out.

After a few tentative pulls, it become obvious that it is hard. There are saplings and there are trees with deeper root systems.

What? Stop now? No. We dig them all out.

 I wish I could tell you that we then go back to our regular gardening checklists, but in fact, we don't do that.  We're tired and, too, we're at a turning point: continue, or walk away from this project? Pull up the fabric under the top layer of soil and lay on chips, maybe plant some separated hostas... Or, ignore it all now that the bushes are gone?

And isn't it just like us  -- to walk by some corner of land, drop everything and without prompt or any discussion, begin work there? Because it feels right at that moment?

I think about how massive our efforts have been this year to control the spread of weeds. And how quickly it all can revert back to the less stellar times of dense foliage where mosquitoes hang out.

But I have to say, having invested so much effort in the makeover, all other maintenance will seem like childsplay.

Even though there's no childsplay in store for us this week or even the next. We pause now. I put away our old digging tools, Ed sits back and hangs with the chickens.







Tomorrow. We'll finish this new bit of repair work in one way or another tomorrow. Right now, I throw some corn to the brood and retreat to the farmhouse.

I'll end with one last photo -- of the lingering blooms of the crabapple, but really, of so much more!






And now if you'll excuse me, I have a back to stretch, sore arm muscles to indulge and hours of sleep to catch up on.