Decompressing...

     Sometimes I feel like I can take on anything and everything with no problem.  Then something or someone sees or hears about this bit of over confidence that I have and decides to bring me back to reality.  That is what the past few days felt like around here.  Way too much on the plate.  Summer obligations are now complete, thank goodness, and more of the homebody schedule is in control.  It's much needed.  Next Summer will be totally different because I'm not sure I could survive another schedule like what just ended.  Priorities need to be (will be) set so things don't get ugly around here and NO will be said a lot more often.  I was walking the tight rope a few times this Summer and barely held it together.  

     With all the slowing down happening here, I have actually gotten a handle on the yard work.  The grass was no problem, but the weeds.  They were seriously kicking my tail.  I'm almost to the point to where the weed killer will be brought out and end all of this weed patrolling of sorts every morning.  It's too much.  At least I get to use the weeding as an excuse to hang out in the yard to enjoy the flowers in the cool morning air.  Zinnias have got to be my all time favorite flower in the world.  They are the bees knees in my book.  All the colors, sizes, heights.  I just can't get enough of them.  They are the only reason I mosey outside in the evenings, in the heat, to get my fill of their color before the day ends and make sure they have enough water to keep making me smile.  It's still sad to think that 95 degrees feels cool after a long day in the 100's.  Crazy.  And the Sunflowers are starting to show themselves in my make shift wall of sunflowers that were planted.  Such a pretty little sight at the end of the garden area.  A bright and cheery sight to see when leaving the garden in the evening.

     Yesterday ended up being pretty darn good out of all the days combined.  It started with a early start to the day to beat the heat.  There were no real plans to do anything besides stay out of the heat.  Everyone pitched in to get the grass cut and make sure everything look up to snuff.  And afterwards we all sat out on the front porch area for a bit to enjoy the cool breeze that was still hanging around.  All was good until a Saint Bernard sized moth (as big as the palm of my hand) decided to buzz my head.  Then I was hurdling the chair and the Zinnias in front of me just to get away from it.  I didn't even know I had those kind of moves in me.  At least I had the sense enough to hang on to my iced tea and not throw it and not trample right through the middle of all my flowers.  That would have been beyond awful.  If the neighbors were not up yet with all the grass mowing noise, I am quite sure they were woke up by my squawking while getting out of the way of the moth.  Nothing like a big bug to get your heart rate and adrenaline pumping.  And with that my crew must have decided that going for a hike would be the most awesome of activities to take on for the day.  With moves like that, Mom can handle a hike.  So I got everyone moving (military speed) and out of the house in 30 mins and headed up in the hills above us.  It was exactly what was needed for all of us.  Finding one of our favorite forest roads to hike on was so relaxing.  I hadn't even noticed that the girls brought their stead fast buddies with them, all tucked into their packs.  At their ages it puts a smile on my face to see how some traditions just won't go away.  At least not yet.  Even with a haze in the air from all the fires around us, everything was beautiful.  Just listening to the breezes in the trees, the bugs, the hawks, the  song birds.  Not even seeing or hearing another soul.  Smelling the pines, the dirt, all the smells you can only experience when you are up in the mountains.  Away from everything.  It was all perfect.  Our hikes were definitely a sorely missed activity this Summer.  Every once in a while we would hear the sound of an air tanker coming toward our direction.  It's amazing how far away you can hear them when there isn't any of the city noise around.  We finally spotted it and watched it go over the mountains, headed toward the airport to reload and head back to where it came from.  Luckily my poor attempt at a picture for our nephew (who loves those planes) will be saved by Uncle Glenn and his fabulous picture taking.  Being in the mountains feeling the cooler air, listening to the quieter goings on made for a wonderful day.  Being tired from the hike was a great excuse for going to bed early for everyone, in hopes that this week will be better.  Stress free.  Crossing fingers here.

~*~

Kar