Without labor nothing prospers. Sophocles

Manual labor to my father was not only good and decent for it’s own sake but, as he was given to saying, it straightened out one’s thoughts.
Mary Ellen Chase
We're off to a running start here at Harmony Acres this morning (one pot of coffee consumed).  Becky leaves for work at 7 a.m. and then my day begins. Make more coffee. Dogs out, dogs in, feed and water cats, medicine in Maggie's ears, more coffee.  Now it's time to dehydrate the bananas from Birthday Bounty.  This requires an extra step not used with the apples.  Dip the bananas in lemon or pineapple juice to keep them from turning black.  No one wants to eat a black banana (except Brother Dave. He wants his bananas way overripe. Go figure). More coffee. 

Put clothes in washer. Put dishes in dishwasher. More coffee. More coffee with cigarette (meditation, you know).

Now I need to nail my brass house numbers (just written on it now in really big numbers) to my rural mailbox post.  Yesterday, the United States Post Office delivered our tea and pooper scooper to the empty house up on the road. Fortunately, a lady I work with, began moving into that house yesterday and called me.  Must have been a substitute carrier because my regular mail lady has made the long trip up the lane many times to deliver packages to us.  She is awesome.  Polite, considerate and gets excellent marks from me for customer service.  It's hard to find that anymore.

Surely, no one can miss this! Not even a substitute driver (but just in case, I put it on both sides!  Note to self:  need to mow grass around mailbox and plant flowers.

Then it's off to plant more shrubs and perennials we purchased last weekend.  Time to pop open my one liter Dr. Pepper and smoke a cigarette (meditate). Beck and I were outside till 8 p.m. last night watering stuff.  It's a good thing we have a home-made watering tank to drag around and water from (I drive the mower, she walks.  Good exercise for her. Me. I'm older so I get to ride. One of the perks of getting older).  Gypsy loves to run with the lawn mower and Becky.

Simple Living use what you have plant watering delivery system.

It's almost 1  p.m.  Past time to feed the inside dogs.  They're really mad.  They say this is getting to be an unacceptable habit.  A little disharmony at Harmony Acres.  Disgruntled dogs!  Once I finish with them, I will try to squeeze in a little lunch for me. 

But in the meantime, Brother Dave brought me a bag of donkey pooh for my tomatoes and Sister Joyce left a bag of polk salad for me at the little store.  Yes, I know it's poisonous if you don't cook it right.  Didn't kill my Mom, Dad, sister, brother or me growing up.  However, if you don't hear from me in a couple of days call 911 and tell them an eccentric older woman poisoned herself (they will know who it is).  Directions to my home are at the bottom of this post.

Brother Dave also picked up my sick riding mower (it won't mow) to repair for me.  It will be missed.  Have to carry water and walk. Yuck!

My big brother rocks!

His trailer is actually designed to haul his miniature donkeys but my ailing lawn mower doesn't care.

The front porch is starting to shape up but still have a long way to go before I can say I'm happy with it. Yes, that long thing with holes in it is a cat tent.  Outside cats like to hang out on the front porch too,  for heaven's sake.

From hideous to not so bad.

My outback neighbor cleared some land for me and these rocks were just begging to border a flower bed.  Reuse.

Country directions to my house:  turn right at the first yellow upside down five gallon bucket hanging on a tree.

Found an old swimming pool in the not so scary anymore barn.  The puppies love it.  Reuse, reuse, reuse.

And in between all the other stuff, I push mowed the fenced in back and front yard.  Not bad for a not so middle aged flower power child of the 70's with a bum ankle.  There is still plenty of daylight left and I have lots more to do before I can crawl down  the hallway tonight to my loving cat, Sophie, and my bed.  She doesn't care if I look like the Grapes of Wrath at the end of a long hard day. And boy do I look rough! Move over ugly and make room for bone tired.

My sleeping buddy, Sophie.  She doesn't mind old or ugly!

Hope you have a wonderful day.  May God bless you in all  things and his angels do watch over you.

And remember:

The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it. 
Elbert Hubbard