Mid September

 

Our heat finally broke. It feels like fall. I hope all of you in the path of the hurricane are staying safe and dry. You have been in my thoughts and prayers. I always feel like this is such a first world problem, and I have wondered about sharing what I did this summer. Finally I decided since I spent so much time doing this, I might as well show you.

We have neglected the pool area for so many years. There always seemed something else that needed taking care of or whatever. This year, after I got the pool fence painted, I realized that I had let hard water minerals build up on the tile. The only thing that worked on the tile to remove the minerals was a pumice stone and elbow grease. The shallow end was pretty easy, but the deep in was more of a total body workout.

 

So this summer I scrubbed and scrubbed each and every pool tile around the pool. Ron worked on one side and Peter helped a little but for the most part I did it by myself. I would use two pumice stones and I could get about four or five tiles done. If I did more that that it would mess up my hands and I couldn't sew or anything like that for a few days. Which is why I read 42 books this summer.

 

Our local grocery store was the only place I could buy pumice stones that worked. I became an authority on different kinds of pumice stones. I would buy all that the grocery store would sell and some times I would have to wait until they filled the rack. I finally stopped counting how many I bought after 30. I knew that fall weather would be here by Wednesday. The pool was starting to get really so cool. I had about 27 tiles left on Monday. I worked on it Monday afternoon. 

 

I knew by Tuesday I had to finish. I worked for three hours scrubbing and scrubbing. The last two tiles, I ran out of pumice stones. Isn't that the way it always goes? I got out of the pool and went searching the house. I managed to find about a half of one in my bathroom in the house. I was able to finish and it felt like such an acomplishment. My hands though looked like I had burned them and even today they are still bruised. Because I would brace my feet against the edge of the plaster in the pool, I rubbed the skin off the bottom of my feet. I tried scrubbing from the outside of the pool, but I could get better leverage from inside the pool and being in the water. That way, I could rest and do laps. I do love swimming, but I am glad its almost time to put every thing away. So this years summer project was all about pool care. 

I did manage in spite of that to work on His Eye is on the Sparrow, when my hands would work and not be so rough I would tangle the threads. 

Just this little bit is left.

 

Its bittersweet. I am ready to work on other projects, but this has been such apart of me for so long now. I really am ready to get it framed. 

How about some game cam photos? 

Tell me what you think this is? 

I don't think its a dog or a fox. I think it might be a coyote. What do you think? The morning he was out there, I thought its footprints looked different than a dog or a fox. But I am not that good of a tracker.

I know you can tell what Mr. Racoon is and he is getting pretty chubby. So there must be something to eat around here. I haven't noticed him getting into my chicken yard. I know its only a matter of time. That is why I lock my hens up in Fort Knox every night. I haven't seen any foxes around lately.
I do enjoy our game camera so much. There is always so many interesting things on it.

Wishing you all of the best,
~Kim~

The circumstance God allows does not define me, But God allows it to refine me.---Jennifer Rothchild