Biting off more than we can chew? What else is new?

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed with things to do? The proverbial "LIST" that never ends? This last week was one of those weeks. I made too many plans, started too many projects and forgot that I'm not a "spring chicken" anymore.
Monday and Tuesday it was still too hot to do anything outside, unless it was after dark or very early in the morning. I watered a lot.
We did clean out the chicken coop and then we decided to tackle the overhead storage in the garage. This was a killer project that could have waited for cooler weather.  Heat rises you know. It was so hot... and there were paper wasps all over the place.

Look at this! Everything that was up there...

Came down.

And most of it went to the DUMP. We had black storage bags filled with outdoor furniture pads that were nesting places for rats. What's Annie been doing? She's suppose to stay on top of this problem. The garage is her responsibility. I'm going to have a talk with her.
We had Christmas boxes up there, filled with stuff that hadn't been used since we moved here sixteen years ago. I did find a small pink plastic swimming pool. If it holds water and I can find my bathing suit, it may come in handy during the next heat wave. See it... under the ladder?I guess I had a plan "B" all along.
Isn't it amazing that we can accumulate so much STUFF in our lives. We store things, thinking that we will need them (at some point) and then we forget what we have. It's amazing and kind of sad.
The oak chairs, a dresser, a bed, an old treadle sewing machine , a rug and that floosie, the 38' Chevy were in a storage locker, downtown. We were paying someone to store things that we couldn't fit into the house. I'm sure the old Chevy would like a room of her own, but she is now under a canvas tent above the chicken coop. She'll survive. The rug, bed and sewing machine were auctioned off at the local Auction house last weekend. The dresser and two of my mom's oak chairs are sitting in the garage. I just can't sell them. And there it is.
But, now we have more room to store more STUFF, in the upstairs area in the garage. It's all cleaned out and ready to receive MORE STUFF. We'll see how long it takes to fill this space with more things that I just can't get rid of.

The heat is gone.  Life is more about what we can get done around here and less about fantasies of infinity pools and ocean front property.
The weather folks tell us that it will cool down and stay this way until next week. We went from 104 degrees most of last week  to 94 yesterday and today the Delta Breezes cooled things down into the 70's with a slight possibility of RAIN. Oh Joy!!!
Thank you oh Gods of Wind and Weather for listening to my shameful whining and nasty disposition. I'm eternally grateful for this lovely reprieve from the heat.
We finished the front porch this morning. It is stained and it looks beautiful. I will post brag photos later.

This morning I cut back the woolly thyme that was threatening to take over the whole front yard.

This was a quick job and it smelled good. Cutting Thyme in the early morning is a wonderful way to start the day.
Then there was the vegetable garden to water, bird feeders to fill and the hummingbirds were dive bombing us because their sugar water feeder was empty.
The Prospector left really early to help a neighbor cut wood. The dogs were complaining about this breach of contract... their routine being altered somewhat, and telling me to do something about it.
I ignored them until about 6:00 a.m. and then got up.
 I let the dogs out, fed them and fixed my coffee. I went down to the vegetable garden and watered.  Then I started cutting the Thyme. I got so involved I forgot breakfast. This is what cooler weather does to me. I go outside and work. It's like magic. I regain my energy that gets lost in the heat.
When the Prospector got back we started staining the deck. It looks great! Now we have a lovely refinished front porch.

Let's see... what's next? The goat house needs cleaning out. Annie has a scratch on her nose that doesn't look too good. We may have to take her to the vet. The laundry room needs painting. The road needs more gravel and we need a few more goats in the pasture. Brownie isn't keeping up with all the grass and weeds.
It's always something and then there is the biggest worry...
Fire season is here.

The fear of last summer's fire is etched in our memory. The burnt area below the house is a constant reminder of that horrible day when we had to leave everything and run from a fire that threatened our lives and everything we loved here on the mountain.
Thanks to Cal Fire, all of our local volunteer fire departments, the bombers, the water helicopters, the young trainees from the fire academy and our goats, who cleared the defensible space that kept the fire at bay long enough for the firefighters to control it..... The house was saved.
Again, I pray to the God of Wind and Weather, the God of Fate and Circumstance.... Keep us safe from the the monster called FIRE, this summer. Keep my animals from the harm of someone's carelessness.
I can handle the long list of things that need to be done around here, but I cower before this monster. I can live with the rattlesnakes and unseen mountain lions, but I'm terrified of the blazes that threaten us every year here in the foothills.
We love this land. It's where we want to be until we can't be here.
This was THE DREAM. The longed for lifestyle when we lived in the "suburbs" and worked to support our family.
This is not a dream anymore. The reality of it is that living here is a lot of work. But... This is our home, our life... and no matter how long the to do LIST gets, we will just keep at it.
Now, it's time to check for Rattlers before I let the dogs out into the run. You never know when they are going to be sunning themselves on the walkway. We need to check the woodpile and behind the chicken house too. And so it goes....

What are you guys doing in the goat house?

It was after lunch yesterday when I went outside to pull some weeds, play with the dogs and talk to the goats.
Mind you, the sun was shining, it was warm, and there was a slight breeze. One of those perfect California winter afternoons.... and where were the goats? In the pasture? Lolling in the sunshine.... faces to the sun? No, those silly goats, who have been praying for the sun to shine in the past weeks of fog and cold, were inside their goat house. The door was open. They were not being prisoners denied their rights.
They heard me as I came out to the fence....

"Hi, guys. What's up? Why aren't you outside standing in the lovely sun... eating the grass and enjoying the nice day?"
Bart came over and gave me his "Hi, Farmlady. I'm so handsome. Aren't I wonderful." look. He breathed on me and got in my face,as he always does. Then Murphy gave me the cutest look and said "Hi Farmlady. Wyd mortl dayth ." I don't know what you think about goats, but this goat is very special. It sounds like Gaelic but he could be channeling my ancient Welsh ancestors. I'm not sure. Whatever it is, he's a magic one for sure.

Freckles just posed for a minute,looking toward the entrance to the pasture....

And Brownie.... well, he didn't say a word. He just looked toward the house and back at me.

Then he spoke...
" It stinks out here. When are you going to clean this pen up?"
"Well, hello to you too, grumpy. What's the problem?"
Brownie continued... "We were glad that the Prospector cleaned out our house last week but this part.... well, the extra straw on the ground it just not working. The sun never comes here near our house and it's damp and cold."
"Brownie. The gate is open all day. You can go down the run to the pasture and it's sunny there. You don't have to stay up here."
"Well, I've been watching the sun lately and I think that it is lower right now, and the house is blocking the sun from this place."
"You're very observant, Brownie."
"Observant? Is that like being annoying? I know you think that I can be annoying Farmlady. I just..."
"No, Brownie, that's not what it means. I'm paying you a compliment. It's means to be aware of things.You are a keen, perceptive goat that notices things that other goats don't. You just get a little obsessive about things and you need to lighten up a bit. The sun is shining. It may not be shining right here, but all you have to do is walk down to the pasture and you can have all the sunshine you want. The great being that oversees the world does wonderful things for us but he expects us to help too, once in a while. The two of you, together, can make your world a beautiful, sunny place.
"Oh bother, Farmlady. That was speaking out of both sides of your mouth. You tell me I'm a smart goat that notices things that other goats don't and then you say that I need to lighten up and go where the sun shines. I would rather stand right here..."
"And complain?" I asked.
"Well....." Brownie looked away.
"I suspected that, Brownie, but let me tell you something. That sun is going to move higher in the sky soon. In fact it has already moved and pretty soon it will be shinning on the goat house and this area too. You just have to wait for another month or two."
"What? Two months, three months? That's crazy. I'm not waiting that long."
"Then you can walk down the run to the pasture. The sun is shinning there."
Brownie thought about this... then he said,
"I could do that."
"Yes, sweetie, you could."
"Farmlady?"
"Yes Brownie?"
"Do you love me?"
"Oh, Brownie, I love you so much it makes my heart ache."
"Even when I complain a lot?"
"Yes, even when you complain."
"Even when I'm OBSESSIVE.?"
"Yes, I love you, even when you worry too much."
"No... obsessive. When I'm obsessive."
"Right, sweetie. The words means worrying about things too much."
"Oh!... I do that, don't I?"
"Yes you do, but it's OK. I love you no matter how you are."
Brownie looked over at the gate and then at me....
"Do you have a carrot coin for me?"
"Yes, I do. Would you like one?"
"Yes, I would love one."
"Can you come over here and get it?"
"Do I have to?"
"Yes Brownie, you do."
"OK."


Later in the afternoon, when the sun was only on a small part of the pasture I saw Brownie and the other goats standing on some rocks, heads toward the last remaining rays of sun, with what seemed like smiles on their faces.
I guess we all need to know that we are loved, even when we are sometimes unlovable. If it works for a obsessive, insecure old goat I guess it can work for anyone.
Have a good day.....