It’s almost Fall y’all
Published 09-17-2020
Lately I seem to be counting down the days until fall and cooler weather prevails in the Mid South. After weeks of 98% humidity and temperatures to match, waking up Tuesday to a breeze and and a break from the heat was more than welcome.
And while the cooler weather allows for morning coffee outside on the patio and waking up to the birds and cicadas, it also means time to start tackling all the projects and outside cleanup that I’ve been putting off all summer.
Tree trimming, bush pruning and spraying and knocking back our forest weeds are all on the list for outside. Laying new weed mat and mulch around our flag pole and in the flower beds by the front door are at the top of the list. If there’s time, and Mother Nature agrees, some spraying and fertilizing of the fruit trees will happen before they go to sleep for winter.
And if I get my way, Vince will be busy making me some raised garden beds out of pallets that I’ve been eyeing on Pinterest, fingers crossed we can get a prototype or two handled before we have our first frost.
If that isn’t enough, plans for the upstairs are already in progress, and I have paint waiting for a bedrooom that is slated to be home to a movie and entertainment room, complete with our big screen and projector.
I’m already tired thinking about it.
After the storms and thunder that have travelled through my corner of Tennessee this summer, I am more than ready for the fire pit, sweaters and the quiet of fall.
Maybe we’ll even get a break from the mosquitos and I can start opening the sliding glass doors again.
While I’m ready for the cooler weather, other parts of fall can wait a little longer. Raking leaves on the few acres of grass on this property isn’t for the feint of heart, but since the boys enjoyed the leaf pile so much last year I’m hoping small bribes might be enough to encourage some cooperation and extra bicep power.
If not... yelling is usually a good motivator.
But I’m willing to follow it up with homemade hot cocoa and cookies.
...
One thing I really didn’t think through last week... painting with a young puppy in the house can leave more cleanup than you were bargaining for.
Sarek has grown from a cuddly fifteen pounds to 60 plus pounds of hopping, exuberant puppy who doesn’t remotely realize his size.
Last week when painting I devised a completely foolproof way to keep both dogs in the kitchen, with the sliding door open. I carefully blocked the doorway with plastic totes and a couple chairs, taking the time to wedge everything so it fully blocked all escape paths for either dog.
That lasted all of thirty minutes when the stealthy animals colluded to escape and were suddenly laying against the baseboard I had just painted.
After the third time of taking them back downstairs I gave up and figured a painting party was in order. They weren’t too sure about my dancing and singing along with Lynyrd Skynard and Merle Haggard, but they kept the complaints to a minimum with the occasional doggy eyeroll and sigh.
Not that I mind their company when I’m doing stuff, usually the dogs are in my immediate vicinity to the point of being right underfoot. And after having both a Dobie and a Great Dane I should have known that my absence wouldn’t be tolerated for any length of time. They’re called Velcro dogs for a reason.
Between attacking the roller, the plastic I put out to cover the floor, my ponytail and Bones, he was busier than I seemed to be.
Sarek found the kid’s toy stash in the playroom (also on the needs paint and flooring renovation list) and raided the stuffed animals, dragging out his favored bounty. Thankfully, he only managed to chew up three or four lego pieces that were still on the floor. Bonus point because I don’t think he actually ate any... they just are the perfect size and hardness for teething Doberdanes.
Honestly, I was just glad he was occupied and I got to finish at least one wall in peace. And I even ended up with more paint on the walls than the dogs.
Having a puppy in the house again after all this time has been mostly entertaining and completely hilarious. Potty training is almost perfect... it’s mostly human forgetfulness at this point, and the guard dog instinct is starting to shine through. The first time he barked at the front window I think he even surprised himself.
Now, you can’t walk into the hallway next to our room without him raising the alarm.
Sneaky land shark attacks, licking the dirty silverware as it gets loaded in the dishwasher and digging up the lawn are a small price to pay when you weigh it against puppy hugs and kisses.