Warm weather abounds

Front shrubs, snowball tree, barberries trimmed thanks to Lucas 

We have turned the corner into a lovely spring, it's been in the 80's all weekend, perfect for me although some days it  felt a bit too warm too fast, but I am not complaining.  The sun's rays here in unfiltered clean skies of MN do tend to scorch me a little,  despite sunblock, then again I prefer a  little coloring to pale winter white skin.  It's time for shorts, tanks, sandals, my kind of weather. 

   I  spent most of Friday, Saturday working outside, clearing the rose beds of winter mulch and  trimming and clipping. We were able to hire someone from a Landscaping service to trim some of the shrubs and I was very pleased with Lucas'  work which saved me a couple days, well worth the $$ spent.  With his power equipment he was done in less than an hour, I was in awe.  

Apple Jack Rose bush is already filling out with leaves

As I do each year once I start, I cannot quit, so I overdid it and by Sunday I decided my bones needed a break that they were demanding.  Despite weight toning that I do twice weekly at the Y,  those long  hours of gardening labor had my body protesting with vehemence.  Cartloads of mulch, at 50 some gallons a load up and down the hill to our side  dumping ground, back and forth in addition to the trimming and pulling are a way to add a nice few miles and  over 6000 steps to my GearFit measuring watch.  

One small pile of limbs to drag up the hill to shredder

On Thursday  I spent a good hour and half dragging huge downed tree limbs to where Jerry was operating the shredder,  making wood chips for the garden beds. He had done some serious pole trimming but left  the big limbs laying there.  No one took them over night, so, that was another project the next day.    It was easy to give in to my body and bones that yelled out, "would you  puleeze stop for a day" by Sunday morning  

 I love this outside physical work, the smells and the ground and am thankful I can do it, but I suppose I could learn the art of pacing myself. Still one of my cousin's reminded me that as her mom, my aunt said, "If you do your own housework and yard work, you will be strong, healthy and never need to go to a gym."  I do though maintain my Y membership and  spend my quality time there, zumba, weights, toning, yoga, then I come home and hit the grounds for free workouts.  

Clear blue MN skies  above our tall pines out back

It's the most wonderful time of the year and love especially the grilling that is underway on the back deck.It keeps  Jerry busy too making good use of that gas grill.  .    As always more detail as it happens on Facebook, look for me there. 

Grill Master at it, side table hold his Busch,
 which is not for pouring on the burgers these were the first this year, winners.

Walk with me

Red Knock out roses  adjacent to  salvia in the front rose garden

This time of year, I love to be outdoors and keeping up with our landscape & floral gardens give me ample opportunity.  I have been fighting some aches and an annoying flare up of that  right Achilles tendon, but when I say fighting, you know me, I will not take this sitting down.  So rather than Curves workouts, which I am about to give up because I cannot get in there at the time I'd  prefer and because it is so beautiful around here,  I have been walking in the mornings.  The high school is about 1/4 +mile from our home and there is a wonderful quarter mile track around the football field that makes it easy to monitor the distance, so on mornings when I don"t feel like venturing uptown and farther around the neighborhoods, I head to the track.  Sometimes I bike to the school and lap it on wheels and then head to the track.    Because I have had so little time to blog, I took some photos the other morning to show you where we live and so today, walk with me as I log another  mile and half before patrolling my landscape.  It really is beautiful here in our corner of the country. 


I love the AM shadows from all the trees. 
Down our driveway to Cedar toward south 14th

New neighbors  will be next door, Maders daughter.

Dianne and her hubby who are also Morrison's will
be the new residents.  This is good, they are about our age,
empty nesters but it will confuse the post office to have
Morrisons two in a row.



It doesn't take long to reach So. 14th.  There is our local Community
Center, aka Hockey rink and fields to the left

Turn right and we are on South 14th

We  cross to the sidewalks on South 14th and go along





Wild flowers anyone?  A sweet scent wafts up.







Approaching  our destination, the track



On the right is our local La Crescent High school, back side



Now we are closer and ready to cross the street



Right across the street and past the fence, the track awaits



Enter and begin the serious swifter walking  This is a gorgeous
rubber based track and I have it all to myself



Some hurdles left over this morning...here we go



Almost to the first curve, looking back toward So. 14th
 from whence we came

Second curve going down the back stretch looking toward stands



Lap 1 done,  to the right off track are more sport fields and hills



Lap two we can go faster now

We have warmed up



After four laps and we head back down south 14th



Along the way home, this grass caught my eye
The phone pole appears to have an eye on me







Yellow mallow with salvia has me singing Mellow Yellow

Such are the entertaining thoughts that can enter on a

pretty sunny quiet  morning.  It's a good and bad thing I don"t walk with

earphones or any attachment.  I can be content with my own thoughts

 



Approaching Cedar to the right, Hockey Rink to the left

Still quiet on the roads and all is well

Home again home again....you know the rest.  Inside a K-cuppa will  be
good, hazlenut this morning I think



We still wave old Glory