As I have said I am going to be staying close to home this summer and with so many great things to do around here it is promising to be a busy summer.  Last night I went to Claytor Lake for their annual Beach Festival, I met some friends who had been there all day so I was able to enjoy an early evening dinner and nighttime fireworks with out having to do any of the work finding a place or setting up. 

My understanding is that Claytor Lake Beach Festival is a yearly event; I could tell from the crowd that it is a successful event.  It is nice to see so many people of different cultures and ages together enjoying themselves.  We were seated next to some foreign Virginia Tec students.  They were perfect strangers but by the time it came to watch the fireworks we were “friends” they were patient with me and answered my nosey questions about their language and what they were studying.  Don’t believe the news the world is full of very nice people.

Yesterday was a busy one. Not only did I go to Claytor Lake but  I built a gate for the garden and cleaned out some “flower” beds.  I have not been that successful with flowers but I do keep trying.  Today looks like another good day; I am going to spend it getting some mowing done and doing some mulching.  I love working outside but I will be needing a rain day soon, the house is getting a little ratty looking……

Today from most places on earth we humans can see a solar rarity called the transit of Venus.  It will not be seen on this planet again until 2117 but from Mars we could see it on August 19, 2030.  Just thought you should know.

NASA - 2012 Transit of Venus

 morning view

farmer Tim getting ready for his long day at work

It’s a beautiful day here in paradise but I will be spending it at work.  At one time I would have said that I work in hell to live in paradise but lately both jobs have been good.  It’s promising to be a good week coming up and after today I have a lot of time off to enjoy it.

There is a lot going on in the world today.  The news as always is just plane depressing and with the election “heating up”, ( boys and girls if you think the political BS has been bad hold on to your hat its about to go to warp), I find myself avoiding the news except in the morning and late afternoon after all I do want to be informed. It is important to have an understanding of what is going on not an obsession with it.  So I have been here in paradise piddling around the property, working in the garden, fixing up this and that and in general keeping my inner self calm.  I am making a conscious effort to remain in place this year and allow my roots to dig in deeper and grow stronger.  I feel at peace on this little piece of land.  I know some of the trees personally.  I can smell the difference in the air from where I live and where I work.  The water tastes good, the birds sing, frogs and crickets croak and chirp and the fire fly’s entertain at night.  I have not been “doing” much this year just living in my little piece of paradise.