Friday

Well this was a busy, hard work and fun day. It all started after a 6 AM wake up, my quiet time and a hearty mountain breakfast of buckwheat cakes with a banana in the batter and loaded up with butter and molasses(thought I would venture from the norm). I took a trip around the gardens checking for deer damage and I'm delighted to mention there was none. The 1/2 runner beans are starting to send out runners once again and are climbing the beans poles I erected in a tee pee fashion. The black eyed Susan's we transplanted are holding their blooms high, so just maybe they will survive the transplant as the daisy's we transplanted last week are just magnificent and very regal looking. Gorgeous is the way to describe these flowers.

I headed to the top of the scaffolding around 9 AM and yikes it was at first a little "hairy" especially as a the wind began to blow. Sure made for interesting paint as I'm clinging to the roof with one hand and trying not to look down to the ground below the deck but I got use to it and the nervousness went away so before long I felt like a monkey climbing around on it. I guess that why its called something like "monkey bars". I thought of my oldest grandson Samuel as he is a climber and would love to have these bars in his back yard. The staining went well and I managed to give the fascia board 2 coats before dismantling the scaffold. Today(Sat) I hope to finish the shade side of the cabin and then move the scaffold to the other high side and maybe do the " hairy part" as the sun moves to the deck side. Its tough painting with the sun beating down on your back and surface your painting, anyhow I knocked off about 3 PM from painting and then loosen up the soil around the plants in the lower garden(which was by then in the shade). It was a bright sunny skies at 82 but with a nice breeze(the gale winds had subsided since I got off the scaffolding) and we got ready to head out to the RELAY FOR LIFE event being held at the football field in Sparta.

What a beautiful setting as we were surrounded by magnificent mountains, green trees and grass and I can't describe how delicious the air smelled. There was a good crowd and much recognition for the cancer survivors and those who fought this vicious battle against this most oftem deadly illness. I was participating in the corn hole tournament as a fund raiser. I was asked by our good friend Andy Dalton to be his pardner and we were lucky and won the tournament(beginner's luck for me as he was a proven winner). We met lots of super nice folks and renewed some old acquaintances. It was nearly 10:30 before we finished up and headed for the cabin. We had some good eats from the various churches who had set up food booths and there were all kinds of different activities from drama, music,dances(Zumba in the infield)and crafts for kids. This was a family affair.

Well the Ray's won again last night and today(Sat)looks like another busy day, LATER