The stepping stones look a whole lot better after being mowed. Then, despite Tom’s protestations that the old blades wouldn’t do a good job, I mowed the rest of the backyard (looks great), one side of the front yard (also looks great) and then attacked the Back 40 and around Alex’s.  I spent the afternoon raking in fits and starts, piling copious piles of grass ‘treats’ into the pasture next door for the horses. I definitely kept working up a sweat, maybe proving a recent study posted on FB that gardening provides many of the same beneficial effects as going to the gym!

Marcie popped over to show me the project she and Wanda worked on yesterday, and admired the newly shorn yard and the additional quilting on the Halloween placemat.  One placemat is virtually bound, and I expect to finish up the other either tonight or tomorrow.

Then I took a soak in the hot tub, my first in many months, 

rinsing off all the sweat I'd accumulated today.  

Though the water looked sparkling clean, the tub should be drained, cleaned and refilled for the upcoming season, and Alex has agreed to take care of that for me when he's home next time.