Trail Ride

 We finally went for a ride in Ranger Blue.  I have not been for a ride since June 9th.  My time waiting is up ...four months post Laminectomy Surgery!  Yeah me!  I can get in and out of the higher vehicle with no problem.  I thought I might need a step stool but I didn't.  Physical Therapy is going well he says he sees improvement every visit.  So there ya go.  Pain wise...I still have some.   My Doctor says it all takes time. 

This was a smoother trail...then we did one a bit rougher for the views. 

The Fall color is mostly over. Warmer overnight temperatures in September was not good for beautiful color in my opinion.  

We did some woodcarving on the Christmas ornaments and had a nap.  I did odds and ends...stuff that never shows.  For supper we had soft tacos and Far Guy's famous Chili Cheese Dip that I found in the bottom of the deep freeze. 

Minnesota Weather: High was 65F or 18C Low was 52F or 11C eh. 

Colorful

Sunday my other baby brother and she who sees robins took us out to lupper at our favorite Mexican place.  The food was great as was the company.   Far Guys stomach was a bit iffy but the ice tea seemed to work a bit of magic so he could eat a taco. Yeah for another no cooking day!

We wood carved on the Christmas ornaments for a little while.  It was a very nice Fall day.

The driveway is getting colorful.

 Minnesota weather: High 79F or 27C Low was 68F or 20C.

We have four medical appointments this week. I think Tilly has an appointment to get her transmission leak checked...so that will be the excitement for our week. 

Far Side

Tamarack

 The far tree is Larix laricina also known as Tamarack or Larch. 

Their needles turn from green to a faded green to bright gold this time of year.  Then the needles fall off.  Tamarack is a deciduous conifer.  

Most certainly a interesting tree...that will never be cut down for a Christmas tree.

Not much new here...Far Guy turned all the clocks back and changed the batteries in the smoke detectors.  We need a new CO2 detector as it would not stop chirping when he changed the batteries...they are only good for a few years. 

Far Side

Update

 Still not feeling great.  The Doctor believes I have an infection in the deep stitches in my face and has prescribed antibiotics.  So I hope that make me feel like a new person and SOON.  She said she would hate to go back into my face to retrieve those deep stitches.

This is one of the prettiest Maple trees on the way to Detroit Lakes.  I have stopped many times to take a photo...it looked just about the same yesterday...although this photo is from 2009. 

 Far Side

Chilly

  It froze the other night and the high yesterday was 52F or 12C eh. 

I have some swelling at the surgical site on my face.  The Dr said to use ice once in a while and Benadryl...well I fell asleep with ice on my face.  Good thing the ice had a towel covering it!  I woke up shivering and haven't warmed up since.  Needless to say I am not feeling terrific as my body is fighting off whatever this is. 

I will return to the Doctor on Wednesday if there is no improvement. 

Far Side

Dry Needles

 Yesterday at Physical Therapy I had a dry needles treatment.  Thin needles inserted into my back and left butt cheek, then they were electrically stimulated.  It was a bit weird...and seemed to help with the pain for a short time.   Then the pain was back again...and I was real sore and exhausted...tired upon tired.  I had a long nap.  

Very little accomplished around the house...one load of laundry, groceries put away, one small organizational clean up project ( I went through all the acrylic paints and threw away old ones!) and I completed painting the Christmas ornaments. 

  Looks like Fall out the window. 

Far Side

Trees

 Some of the trees are getting a bit of color...most are just blah...

These Maples were showing off quite nicely against the blue sky! 

So far we have just two medical appointments this week...I get to go back to Physical Therapy on Thursday...yeah me I will be able to walk without pain again for a few days!   I am consistently doing my PT exercises...but I need that extra deep massage and am looking forward to it. 

We had terrible winds late Saturday night early Sunday morning...lots of twigs are in the yard.   Our lights flickered several times but we didn't lose power...the winds were 62 mph. 

A few more days and I will be done painting the Christmas ornaments...some have even been delivered instead of mailed!

Far Side

Red Leaves

 The leaves are slowly beginning to change.  We have had a few chilly nights and that helps color things up.  Usually we are past peak by now....strange weather. 

I was out mulching leaves and noticed this Oak...a Red Oak with nice fall color. 

I got my stitches out on Thursday, my face feels much better without the stitches, so I am back to mostly normal activities.   I am on a three month recheck program now since I had skin cancer. 

Far Guy got his Flu shot at one of his Doctors appointments this past week.  I did not have mine yet.  He had little to no reaction. 

Far Side
 

Fall reflections

 I enjoy the warm days of Fall.  We used to call it Indian Summer...but I heard that is frowned upon now...maybe it should be called a second summer...dry warm days to be enjoyed before Winter is upon us. The only thing bad about those days are the Asian Beetles...you know the little orange and black bugs that bite and stink when crushed.

Yesterday I went over to my baby brothers with Ranger Blue and he power washed it for me.  When I got back home I dried it all down and cleaned up the inside.  Far Guy and I went out and counted how many No Hunting signs we need to replace.

What do you call the dry warm days in the Fall? 

Far Side

Fall stuff

 We raked a bit and blew all the leaves from the rocks on the East and West sides of the house and from under the back deck.   Far Guy vacuumed out Ranger Blue.

I mulched the leaves that found their way into our yard ...again.  Then I went next door and finished that property for the season.   Far Guy hosed down my lawnmower,  put "stuff" in the gas and put it away for next year. Yeah me...I made it through the year.

Toward evening we went for a Ranger Blue ride into the Smoky Hills.  We saw no one...we saw the beaver swimming in his pond.

The road to the old fire tower. 

The view from the road up there. 

It was a nice day 60 F or 16 C eh! 

Baxter and his folks visited toward evening.  They had a bear at their house that took down bird feeders.

Far Side

More leaves

 Yesterday afternoon I mulched leaves at my other baby brothers home.   It is most likely my last time there this Fall.  Our weather is supposed to change in a few days.  The S word has been mentioned a few times...and Red says that he is sending snow from Canada...neighborly of him! 

You can see where I have mulched and the area I was working on. 

A bit later my other baby brother brought me a bottle of water and she who sees robins first came out to visit a bit.   It was warmer than yesterday. 

They have a couple of golden colored trees in their upper yard.  I mow and take care of my other baby brothers leaves at his home, his shop and another property.  He in turn keeps our snow plowed in the driveway and our yard!

Far Guy put away half of our chairs and rolled the patio table away into the garage.   We brought in things from the garage that would freeze the other day...car detailing stuff, Round Up, Poison Ivy Killer and Ant stuff.

I should bring a S shovel up to the front door...

Far Side

Trail Ride

 We went for a trail ride with my baby brother and his bride yesterday.  

After the rain and a frost last week the golden colors are very vibrant.  We are pretty much past peak but the golden color was lovely.

Far Side

Fall color and a mission

 Yesterday we went for a trail ride.  We had a purpose.  Far Guy gathered together some black dirt a small shovel and a hoe.  We thought we had grass seed, but looked high and low for it.  Fortunately my baby brother had some.   My Father's grave site needed a bit of grass seed and since the weather is now rainy it is a good time to plant some seed.  We can travel to the cemetery using forest trails. 

The road work that started in June is now finished and the road is open.  We can now go to Detroit Lakes or Fargo without going on the detour.  The vehicles you see all have trailers that have ATV's or UTV's for riding the trails.

The leaves are peak and in some places past peak. 

The trail up to the cemetery.

We accomplished our mission. We met twenty ATV/UTV's along the way enjoying the colorful leaves. 

 Far Side

Fall colors

 The Oaks.

Oaks kinda turn brownish and then fall to the ground.  They were a little golden for a day or two.

Fall colors for the next afghan project.  Far Guy is helpful and winds the yarn into balls for me.  I would rather work from a ball of yarn than run into a tangled mess inside a skein.

I enjoyed lunch with long time friend Susie yesterday!  We had a good time! 

Far Side

Not much

 Not much happening here.  I did some laundry, rested and had a long nap.

Far Guy had an eye appointment, his vitreous detachment is still in the process of detaching....she said it should resolve within a year.  Most people it takes a few weeks or a couple of months but some people up to a year.   He first saw the Eye Doctor back in May for this problem.

Far Side

Back at home

 The leaves are changing colors and falling. 

I have mulched the leaves three times already...it will be close to ten times by the time they are all down out of the trees.   Far Guy put brand new mulching blades on my mower for me.

I got home from the craft retreat unpacked most everything and settled on the couch for a three hour nap.  Far Guy and I enjoyed seeing the colorful trees along the way home, he picked me up at retreat and brought me home.

We got three inches of rain here at home...a very welcome three inches!  Just two miles from us they got over 4 inches of rain.

I am having another RA flare or Chronic Lymes flare...something causing me more pain and exhaustion. Such is life.

Far Side

Out to lupper

 Yesterday Far Guy took me out to lupper ( lunch and supper all in one).  We had a nice afternoon. 

By afternoon the wildfire smoke rolled in.  

Kathy's Maple tree is just beautiful!  Although technically it may be Ruby's tree...but Kathy lives there now and Ruby died a number of years ago. 

Thank you for all the birthday wishes I appreciate them!

Far Side

Changing leaves

 The leaves are beginning to change color.

Fall is most certainly here.  It was quite chilly yesterday with a high of 60 F or 15 C eh.

I mulched leaves on Friday for the second time.  The leaves are falling fast.

My other baby brother and she who sees robins first and their Grandson Jordan visited us yesterday. 

Far Guy putzed with his old car Tilly, I am organizing paper for the Christmas cards and we now have 50 Christmas ornaments ready to paint. Progress is slow but sure. 

Far Side

Quiet Day

 We had a quiet day on Saturday.  We went to the landfill and recycled, there is increased traffic because of the road construction on the main highway.  We worked on the woodcarved Christmas Ornaments...Far Guy did all the carving and I just look them over and give them eyes.  We have 25 ready to paint.   That is a start. We need 100 plus. I hope to paint them all in October.

I figured out the design for the Christmas cards and cut some of the paper I need. 

It was a cooler smoky day...the smoke chased us inside for most of the afternoon.  Naps prevailed.

Far Side

Still colorful

 We took Ranger Blue into the Smoky Hills on Friday afternoon after the snow melted. 

The Popples and some of the Oaks are still colorful. 

Yesterday I stopped by the Nursing Home to see my Dad.  He is more confused.  He has a very nice room that looks out onto a patio/lawn area that would be a really great place to sit if the weather was nice. 

Back at home I did a bunch of laundry and helped Far Guy with the Christmas Ornament project.  We made a pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy and baked carrots for supper.   Comfort food on a chilly day!  Having a roast in the oven makes the kitchen very cozy! 

Our high on Saturday was  46 F or 8 C eh!

Far Side