It's another long weekend

Wasn’t it just last week we had a long holiday weekend? Over a month ago, you say? Holy smokes! That was a fast, very fast, six weeks. But here we are in another three day weekend. This time we’re celebrating Columbus Day in honor of the explorer given the most credit with discovering this continent. Because of its name, though, we really know it was Americus Vespucci who first explored both continents’ east coasts. Thus North America and South America.

I received an e-mail from my Fearless Friend Friday. He was commenting on how fast his week had passed. He’s younger than I and won’t cross into my decade until next year. I told him if he thought time flew by now, just wait until he hits 70. I’m looking forward to having some fun with him when that move takes place. Let’s see. Is it tomorrow yet?

This will be an easy weekend, I think. After all, it is a holiday one. We’ll have to do some tasks that just seem to approach daily this time of year. Even though we cleaned our driveway of acorns yesterday, that’s a task that will have to be repeated at least once this weekend. It seems like we’ve “de-acorned” once or twice a week for the past few weeks. And then there are the leaves.

We take care of the leaves the easy way. I put the bagging attachment on the tractor/mower and take a little ride around the yard. The mower pulverizes them as it throws them into the bags. Periodically we have to dump the bags in the compost section in the far, out-of-the-way corner of the yard and eventually they will add to the growing dirt there. We put some leaves on our vegetable gardens to help the soil for next year.

We have a giant vacuum/mulcher we bought several years ago to drag behind the tractor. There are several pieces of equipment we’ve bought from the same company that have been excellent and are used every season. Included in the collection is a machine that converts to a mower, cultivator, edger, small tree cutter, trimmer. Every function is super. So when that company offered a very expensive, huge mulcher/vacuum/chipper, we bought one. It may very well be the worst purchase of any type we’ve ever completed. It sits down near compost corner and has done virtually nothing for several years.

Among the things that giant machine with its own engine for its three functions was supposed to do was vacuum up the acorns. It’s probably best I don’t get too descriptive of my feelings about how well it performed that function.

Getting back to a happy weekend, I do believe that our daughter and her dog will be visiting us for at least one, maybe two, or even all three days. We are planning to grill some nice Omaha meat at least one of the days. The two dogs will spend considerable time playing and romping around the yard. Both dogs will be sleeping well nights on days they are together.

This will be a nice, pleasant weekend and it appears the weather will cooperate in making it one. Because weekends are family times and this one gives us three days for just being mostly social, I hope you have a great time and we’ll be back with you on Tuesday.

GiM