I just got back a couple of days ago from my six weeks of vacation. Unlike Danny, I spent my vacation at home. 
I have always held dear time at home with my brats (human and the other critters) and my yard. With driving the semitruck with Jeff, home has even become more precious to me.
The time at home revived me and gave me a chance to reconnect with the kids and animals. Time flew and it felt like a week not six weeks.
I didn't get everything done that I planned to, but then who ever does? I came home to a litter of three day old kittens and had the pleasure of watching them grow and turn into such a playful threesome. Unfortunately they weren't old enough for me to include their mother in the trip with 6 other cats to be spayed/neutered.
My youngest son graduated, which allowed me to let out the breath I had been holding. So much pride watching him spread his wings and become his own person. He gave up a lot to allow me to try spreading my own wings and learn to drive the truck. Josh cares for the animals, when I am out on the road., which can be tedious and does tire you down. I think I did finally get him to call the sulcata a sulcata rather then a Greek.
For years I have worked to tempt hummingbirds to the yard. Imagine my delight during my last days to see that atleast four were fighting over the feeders. Dee, as my daughter Ash and I sat watching them one night, I told her about your home. How you had a big window by your table looking out onto the hummer's feeder (and fishpond and tortoise pen). Your feeder was Grand Central Station at rush hour. I told her your window is my dream situation. Am getting closer too.
The best part of vacation, was when Jeff came home. Those three days were spent putting up a security fence on one corner of the yard. Inside are three temporary pens. The Redfoot and the Cherryhead pens are about 15' by 30' each and Dove, the Leopard, has one about 5' by 20'. I don't think Dove moved more then 2' in her first days out there, but the other 8 tortoises (4 each of the RF and the Cherries) seemed happy.
With Josh's help (he dug the holes) we relocated about a patch 6' by 5' of daylilies, about as many hostas, 15 grape vines, three rose bushes and assorted other plants. Thank goodness I had done seeding of greens a couple of weeks earlier. My back and knees sure aren't what they use to be.
I think the best part was having two of my children (Ash and Josh) helping us. The two kids had competitions going on mixing the cement for the post holes. They were just so funny. The moment was maybe more meaningful knowing the days of them being at home for this type of activity are quickly becoming rare. The messages and handprints we left in the wet cement will always be a prized part of the yard for me.
We are back out on the road resting up from our days off "vacationing" at home. I missed not getting much time on line these last weeks, but I got a lot more done without the temptation of a handy computer/laptop.
I have always held dear time at home with my brats (human and the other critters) and my yard. With driving the semitruck with Jeff, home has even become more precious to me.The time at home revived me and gave me a chance to reconnect with the kids and animals. Time flew and it felt like a week not six weeks.
I didn't get everything done that I planned to, but then who ever does? I came home to a litter of three day old kittens and had the pleasure of watching them grow and turn into such a playful threesome. Unfortunately they weren't old enough for me to include their mother in the trip with 6 other cats to be spayed/neutered.
My youngest son graduated, which allowed me to let out the breath I had been holding.
So much pride watching him spread his wings and become his own person. He gave up a lot to allow me to try spreading my own wings and learn to drive the truck. Josh cares for the animals, when I am out on the road., which can be tedious and does tire you down. I think I did finally get him to call the sulcata a sulcata rather then a Greek. For years I have worked to tempt hummingbirds to the yard. Imagine my delight during my last days to see that atleast four were fighting over the feeders. Dee, as my daughter Ash and I sat watching them one night, I told her about your home. How you had a big window by your table looking out onto the hummer's feeder (and fishpond and tortoise pen). Your feeder was Grand Central Station at rush hour. I told her your window is my dream situation.
Am getting closer too. The best part of vacation, was when Jeff came home. Those three days were spent putting up a security fence on one corner of the yard. Inside are three temporary pens. The Redfoot and the Cherryhead pens are about 15' by 30' each and Dove, the Leopard, has one about 5' by 20'. I don't think Dove moved more then 2' in her first days out there, but the other 8 tortoises (4 each of the RF and the Cherries) seemed happy.
With Josh's help (he dug the holes) we relocated about a patch 6' by 5' of daylilies, about as many hostas, 15 grape vines, three rose bushes and assorted other plants. Thank goodness I had done seeding of greens a couple of weeks earlier. My back and knees sure aren't what they use to be.
I think the best part was having two of my children (Ash and Josh) helping us. The two kids had competitions going on mixing the cement for the post holes. They were just so funny. The moment was maybe more meaningful knowing the days of them being at home for this type of activity are quickly becoming rare. The messages and handprints we left in the wet cement will always be a prized part of the yard for me.
We are back out on the road resting up from our days off "vacationing" at home. I missed not getting much time on line these last weeks, but I got a lot more done without the temptation of a handy computer/laptop.
