Time Change

 For me, it doesn't seem to matter if the clocks spring forward or fall back, I am still tired the next day.  There was no extra hour of sleep for me,  Aesop woke me up.  Pets don't know time.  Here are some happy things from today:

• The early morning walk around the yard with Aesop, the dog, meant that I got to see the frost.

• There was also a rather large bird that I saw out of the corner of my eye that landed in a tree.

• Yesterday I didn't write for NaNoWriMo.  That means I am behind on my goal.  I did get 410 words today which is good.  
• The big accomplishment for today was getting mulch onto the triangle part of the yard.  It is as done as it will be for this year (unless I suddenly have time and warm weather).

The top of the triangle didn't get weeded or planted
and so it is not mulched.

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Getting Real

 Four hundred people. That is how many people were supposed to be at the Crown Tournament SCA event today.  Thankfully it was in a large open field during the day where people mostly spread out; we were required to show proof of vaccinations or neg covid test to attend; and many people left before the final court of the day that was inside.  The East Kingdom has a new pair of heirs to the throne. Other happy things for today:

• Leaving before dawn, the stars shone bright against the dark skies. I am so happy with how the pictures

Orion

Big Dipper

• Spending time with friends that I haven't seen in quite some time.
• Being there to see people get awards.
• Seeing a falling star.
• That feeling of getting home after the long drive and taking off my shoes.

Some pictures.

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Guy Fawkes Day

 The plan to work in the yard took a back seat to some other things today.  I did get out to the triangle part of the yard and added some more mulch, but it is not yet complete.  Keziah and I are going to an event tomorrow and will be gone all day so yard work will wait until Sunday.  I'm happy that some progress was made; other happy things today:

• First thing this morning I had a dentist appointment.  Until I find out otherwise, the dental insurance through work seems to have covered the entire visit-cleaning and full x-rays.  I'm good for another six months.
• I made a checklist of things to do and everything on there has been checked off.
• I got a nice picture of Gideon and Aesop snuggling on the couch.

• I worked on what will become a braided rug and got to my first color change.  

I'm thinking of calling the rug Sherbert.

• When going to get the SD card from the wildlife camera I saw some footprints in the mud.

Pretty sure it is from a deer.

• I've only written a little bit for NaNoWriMo so far today.  Only 111 words so far.  If I can stay awake, I'll do more writing before I go to sleep.

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Buckets and Buckets

There are wonderful things about being outside this time of year.  The days are cooler, the air smells fresh and clean, the leaves are colorful or fallen so the view is different.  There is also something to be said for coming inside and being warm.  Today I did both.  After work I took my tired feet inside and rested in the warm house.  TF and I had our midweek check-in to touch base on our goals for the week.  After that and lunch, I went outside and set to tackle putting mulch on the triangle part of the yard.  --K's suggestion of using a tarp was welcome and appreciated, but there were no tarps to be found.  I did find a six gallon bucket though.  After about 30 minutes walking back and forth, I was ready to rest again.  Progress was made though and tomorrow is another day.   

It looks rather scattered, because it was.
😀

Other happy things for today:

• We had a Zoom meeting with a dog trainer today.  I listened to most of it.  There were times when Aesop, the dog needing training, was barking enough that I couldn't hear.  We have more ideas and ways to train Aesop.
• My NaNoWriMo word count has fallen a little short today.  Only 115 words written today.  There are ideas, but my brain is too tired from working all night and not getting more than a cat nap today.  But I still wrote!
• The mulch is under an evergreen tree with many pinecones.  A pair of chickadees were, I believe, feasting on the seeds/nuts. They stuck around for me to take some pictures. Also, it is not a pine tree but some other type of evergreen, they may not be called pinecones...

There is a chickadee in this picture, really.

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Wednesday

 It has been another week of not sleeping as well as I would like.  After work today, instead of gardening, I just rested.  I didn't sleep, but I also wasn't very productive.  There are a few productive things that I did that are my happy things for today:

• It is cold out today.  The high temperature was supposed to be 48 degrees.  The air smells cold and it is welcome.

Pretty sure that the tree isn't leaning,
it was just a weird angle.

• I reached in deep and got the energy to do the dishes.  In all honesty, I wanted ice cream and needed a spoon, so I washed some silverware and loaded the dishwasher.  I think the rest of the dishes will be clean by the time the rest of the family eats dinner.
• Every day there are six things I try to do, including this blog.  For November there is one more thing, NaNoWriMo.  Once this is posted, all of those things will be done for today.  I only typed 106 words for NaNoWriMo, but the total for the week still falls within my goal.
• Self-care is maybe what I did this afternoon.  As I prepare for sleep my happy ending is a nice hot rice pack to keep me warm and rest my aching back.  

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Day of the Dead

 The wagon is broken.  Okay, I broke the wagon by overloading it.  The mulch arrived today and I set to the task of taking the mulch from the pile and putting it onto the triangle.  The wheel barrow has been holding some other things for quite some time and was not available.  So the wagon got filled with mulch.  Filled may be a strong word.  I put twenty shovel fulls in, rolled it to the triangle, emptied, repeated.  It was on the third repeat that the wheels gave out.  And so the rest of the triangle will have to wait.

This is what two cubic yards of mulch looks like.

The incomplete triangle.

The red wagon has served us well.
It began as a way to carry a younger Gideon around at events.

Progress has been made with the triangle.  Tomorrow I will try to be creative on how to get the mulch where I want it.  Other happy things for today:

• After giving up on the mulch and coming inside to get ready for sleep, Gideon told me about some writing sprints that he found in NaNoWriMo.  I almost forgot to write!  Thankful for Gideon and that gentle reminder.
• My NaNoWriMo word count for today is 517.  It took a while to find words though.  Eventually I used a writing prompt generator for ideas.  
• The Norway maple tree is losing leaves but still looking good.  

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

American Indian Heritage Month

Including titles, I wrote 771 words today for NaNoWriMo. It is larger than my daily goal (350-400 words) and smaller than what I would want to do if my goal was the 50,000 total (~1667 words a day) that is suggested for adults. Yay! I started.  Other happy things for today:

• Aesop and I walked by the swamp today.  It looks beautiful.

Still some color reflecting on the water.

• TF brought my attention to today's Google Doodle.  It is about a Zuni person, We:wa.  This is the first day of American Indian Heritage Month.  One of the things that We:wa did was weave, and I do a little weaving too.  I found Behind the Doodle interesting too.
• Zed saved me from making a phone call.  As an introvert, calling companies to order things can be a huge anxiety trigger.  Zed made the call for me and I am very grateful.   

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.