So Tired I Can't Stand It

This evening I am so tired I can't stand it...just the way I like it. I am exausted because I spent the entire day terracing the bank that holds the large tank (or "pond" if you're not from Texas). I was able to use my barbie-sized tractor now that it has been fixed. The tank is fairly new, about 4 years old, with very little vegetation, other than weeds, around it's bank. I did plant grass seeds this spring, and we had adequate rains, so the erosion has been slowed down quite a bit. However, it is still ugly, the goat weed having taken over.

I had seen a movie last week featuring rice fields and their terraces which gave me the inspiration to terrace the bank, even though I've not seen one in these here parts before. Next week I will buy tons of mulch, ad some sand, rent a tiller and mix it all up. I am using mulch because it is practically free, and I have used it as a soil enhancer before and it worked beautifully.

Before

During

Yesterday, Friday the 17th, an exciting milestone was reached. Lee gave me $100.00 to be used for the Park, so I decided to open a bank account that will be exclusively used for Wandering Spirit Trails. I was doing some work for Barbara Smith and when I told her that Lee had done that, and the proceeds for yesterday's labor was also going into the bank account, that beautiful woman overpaid me.

Barbara lives a short way down a gravel road, and I was there to use my tractor to grade her road and fill in some pot holes. Now, you have to understand how much fun and how cute that silly little tractor is. We ladies really get a kick out of it. I could tell Barbara wanted to give it a whirl, so i insisted she try it, and below is the picture of my friend Barbara who just turned 70. Now a full disclosure... the camera did add an extra 10 pounds!

While we were hauling the gravel someone mentioned that the front left tire was low, so we added air. Within an hour, it needed more air, so on the way home I stopped by Adamchek tire supply where they discovered it was the nipple. The owner fixed it in one minute flat, and didn't even charge me. I think he got a kick out of a lady who loved her tractor.

When I was about half way through making the three terraces (I have two more to go) I started feeling guilty for causing so much commotion and noise and disturbing the peace of nature. That is until a lone butterfly landed on the arm of the front end loader as if to say "We understand it's for the best". He stuck around about 5 minutes just for the ride. Remember, this is in January, folks.