Daily Notes- August 31st

 The indoor plants.  You haven't been updated on their progress in quite awhile.  As you can see the Avocado on the left is enjoying being on the kitchen counter under the skylight.  Indirect but bright light.  Getting a second group of leaves.  To the right is the Arabian Coffee plant husband gave me for Christmas. This plant had a very hard time getting used to my house.  But now it's growing, making leaves and is very happy.  The stems were all clumped together so I added a wide mouth canning jar ring to separate the stems.  Seems to be working and the plant is so much more "abundant" in it's leaf production. The secret to the green leaves- a spray bottle with water and Miracle Grow- the blue stuff- once will do the trick.  And I also rub my fingers over the leaves.  They seem to enjoy that.

You also get to see my ancient stove.  1984 or 6.  Hard to say when they installed it or purchased it.  It's in a half wall that divides the kitchen into two--- dining and cooking spaces.  The dividing wall is only 8 feet tall.  The ceiling is two stories tall.  

Yesterday I baked a peach cobbler and it bubbled over the baking dish onto the pizza stone I keep in the oven.  Thank goodness.  The cleanup was easy when it might have been quite awful.  Electric. Heating elements would have been coated in burning sugar.

We had Tomatoes and Cheese again.  And sweet corn.  My basil on the back deck is still producing.  I just keep pinching the tips off so it doesn't go to flowers.  The Fig Tree provides some shade.  About a dozen figs are on the Tree.  I water it twice a day- hoping the figs get ripe.  They are getting nice and fat but are still green.  Temps here in Maine are in the low to high 60's.  Not exactly August temps. And it's been raining.  

I am wearing a "sapphire and diamond" band.  I can't remember if it's real or fake. (if I bought it- it's fake)  The band itself looks like gold.  I don't remember where the ring came from or when.  But I decided to wear it this morning.  Sapphire is September's birthstone. And it fits and isn't making me itchy....yet.  At some point in the day- I will want it OFF.  And return it to the small glass dish of rings. 

I am going to the library to pick up a book.  I may stop at the grocery to buy milk, four for a dollar sweet corn and husband needs coffee.   

The Peach Cobbler is pretty damn good.  Great Peaches.

Daily Notes- August 30th

 Muffy has collected some Friends from around the house.  The little spotted dog is giving her a sniff. The duck or goose is just looking.  We found a bowl that could hold water for the animals to have a drink. The spotted dog was found sitting in the rattan chair.  So, he brought it with him to the end table.

Daughter collected wooden items for Muffy's household @Joann's.  I was going to build a bed but husband found a nice wooden cigar box- a bit too short but wide.  Not that it matters.  Just needs some -I think thread spools for legs.  A Mattress (homemade).  Sheets and a Quilt.  DebL suggests I make a Quilt.  Another cigar box had a removable lid- which is the right size for a table top.  I think it would be nice to have a table.  Daughter has more wicker chairs but never did commit to letting me use them- they were mine to begin with-- but that's the way it goes.

Things are falling into place.  Which is a nice way for things to go as we enter the seventh month of Covid.  126 people infected by the Wedding here in Maine.  Each three or four days the number gets higher. The cases in the county jail.  No social distancing there.  Every Maine college that opened for the fall semester has new and increasing COVID cases in just one or two weeks of classes.  The elementary and high schools open next week. I expect very bad things to happen in late September.

I managed to get into YouTube and watched the August episodes of Quarantine Quitchen with Alton Brown and his wife Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is obviously the better "cook".  But Alton is drinking way too much alcohol and I think he might have a problem.  Does have a problem.  He's making mistakes. etc. And neither of them are doing inventory of the refrigerator and freezer.  Awful.

I used to think it was spelled U-Tube.  Until recently.

PBS is doing their awful crappy Fund Raising (begging) again- this must be the sixth or seventh time in 2020.  I'm not sure it's National but it is Local. "Gifts" are CD's and Discs.  Dinosaur Items. I've just about given up on PBS for anything other than the Evening News.  Three weeks of repeat (very old) programing and then fund raising. You'd think with COVID they would give the People something great to watch???

I sliced zucchini, onion, red bell pepper etc for another batch of pickles.  Salted and iced and sitting in the porch fridge.  This batch will not be "canned"- it will be refrigerated and eaten in late September/October etc.  After husband has eaten all the refrigerator dills.  I have enough to make one or two more jars.  One large jar I think.  With Farm cucumbers.  I picked Peaches.  I think I will make a Peach Cobbler.  

Daily Notes- August 29

 Tomato Season.  And The BLT.   It would be better if it wasn't 60 degrees and dark, cold  outside with rain falling.  I have bacon to fry and English Toasting Bread. And my grocery carries Romaine Lettuce Flats. Flat leaves of Romaine perfect for a sandwich (who knew?).  And I always make sure I have mayo.

I had to dig into the closet this morning for warmer pants and a tee AND a long sleeved shirt.  I actually was considering a sweater.  Some socks.  I made oatmeal for breakfast.  Hot cereal instead of cold.

My tomato plants got hit by some cold also- many many leaves were brown and wilted.  The tomatoes are still on the vines.  Really big tomatoes.  At the first blush of color, I'll bring them into the vestibule to ripen slowly.  It's 62 inside.  Some animals are picking and eating my peaches. 

I delivered peaches to three households this week.  They are all very happy.  I had my usual peach, raspberries and vanilla yogurt lunch yesterday.  I found a new French yogurt in the store- in a blue ceramic jar.  I bought the lemon and the vanilla.  Just for the pretty jars.  My husband wants me to go back and get more because i looked so happy with the small blue jar.  Daughter said I should try the raspberry lemon biscuits.  Same grocery.  They were wonderful.  I will take a picture of the blue jar for tomorrow. Hopefully the light will be better.  I have all the lamps on.  It's that dark.  At 10am.

I didn't sew anything yesterday and I didn't read anything.  I had Law and Order on but didn't pay attention.  I didn't watch any news.  That Wedding reception hotel got it's license back.  I don't know why. Each of the colleges here in Maine- that opened- have COVID cases already.  The public school system opens soon......

Daily Notes- August 28

 Pattern and Fabric.  One set of clothing did have pants- the Chef Set.  A tiny Chef's jacket and checkered pants.  And a fold.  One less hand sewn seam.  My daughter suggests making the legs narrower.  So you can see that they are pants.  We are talking about pants on a bear with 3 inch (or less) legs.  These will be French Pants. Provencal. Summer Pants.  Later I will make Winter Pants.  

Library is open to visiting today- Friday- so I think I will go have a look.  We have five books here at home and I am picking up two.  Husband has two books but spends 80% of his Reading Time on his iPhone.  He is doing that right now.  And he wonders where the day goes.  We have tried and tried to explain the link between screen time and mental/cognitive loss.  He won't listen- tunes our voices out.

The  Maine Wedding COVID Case number is now 87.  Mostly secondary (county jail) and third hand (family/relative) cases.  People who have no relationship to the wedding at all.  The State of Maine has taken the hotel/resort's license to operate away. They are officially out of business and all employees are out of work.  

My husband suggested this morning that I take all the rectangles off the wall and sew them together. 

I didn't appreciate that suggestion.

Daily Notes- August 27th

 Muffy has a new tee shirt- homemade and a bit weird around the neck but I can try again- I got one side right.  She does have on blue underpants.  You can't see them- but she insisted on pants of some sort.  And she actually has no pants in her wardrobe.  But I will take another look. One outfit has to have pants right? Because it would be nice to have a pattern to trace.  Muffy thinks she needs an apron.  With pockets. That should be difficult to make if it's the bib sort Muffy thinks would look cute on herself.

Notice the watering can and gardening tools.  I bought this set years ago but just because I like small things. I will have to see if there are gardening clothes in the basket.  And I am reminded of a chef outfit. that would have pants.

The bundle of cloth and red onion skins in the copper bowl is looking murky and green.  The instructions I scribbled in my Eco Dye book said I would get green (which I want) and right now- I have green.  In the dry and wash out sometimes it all gets lost.  There was also something about false indigo leaves.  I have false indigo plants and they have leaves so that will be the next bundle of cloth in the copper bowl.  I think it would help to have sunshine.  But we are having cloudy days (lights on in the house during the day).  The copper bowl is full of rain water and a splash of vinegar.  I'll let you know what color I get from the false indigo.  And I have also collected fresh acorns.  I would like to get some really black cloth with marks.

Still  reading Ladies Night.  Law and Order got my attention with two "new to me" episodes. So I had to pay attention.  Daughter brought me a new Andrews book published in 2019- Sunset Beach.  I haven't read it-ever.  So this is exciting- unless I find out I have read it. There is a 2020 book- Hello Summer.

My eyes are dry and sticky.  I need to put my drops in.  I also need to go pick up my inhaler prescription. I think I am in the "donut hole" and will be paying a substantial amount today.  Medicare is lovely but it doesn't actually cover much when One has Asthma. I am going to wear long sleeves to grocery as it will be frosty inside.  Till tomorrow- be kind, be gentle (with yourself) and be safe okay?

Wedding Covid Update- August 26

 Additional 25 cases.  18 at one place of employment spread by one person having contact with wedding guest.

Six additional cases at a rehabilitation center where a staff member was infected by a sibling who attended wedding and then passed COVID to their parent who then gave it to her brother.

Also guest staying at the hotel where the wedding was held (but not guest at wedding) has never been contacted by hotel to say they may have been exposed.

A co-worker of mine has a wedding- her son is getting married- and she was not wanting to attend. Now, I think it might be best if she NOT attend.  The Groom has little say in all this.  The Bride wants what she wants.

Daily Notes- August 25 & 26

 OMG.......I forgot to post yesterday.  Let me just think about that.  After I read Deb's email asking if I was okay- I went to the blog to see...and I had NOT posted.  I had NOT taken a picture.  Nada.

Well, I did take a picture yesterday for today.  Muffy's pocket says "What's Hoppening?"  Got that right.

And that's the thing....not much was happening.  I was getting ready for a friend to visit and sent emails back and forth (but we cancelled at 4 pm when a huge storm came thru).  I did have a tomato sandwich for lunch.  I did pick peaches.  I forgot to eat supper and right now I am starving.  I did sew a few strips to one of my squares, watched Law and Order, watered the Peaches, read my book etc etc.  I guess when the time period for blog entry had passed......I forgot.

Before going to bed last night, I decided that I might make Muffy some clothes like mine.  A white camp shirt and some pants.  The little red and white tee shirt she had on last time- easy enough to make a couple tees for her as well.  And I was thinking- why not put all her shoes in one box???

And Muffy needs furniture.  I have the chair but she needs a table.  And she needs a bed. Which means she will need a quilt, sheets and pillows.  Well, I have my work for the next little while set out for me. I have never built furniture before.  With small things I would guess glue will be the way to go and not tiny nails. Any advice will be welcomed.

August is nearly gone.  September.  My birthday month.  Seventy Four.  Inside I feel like I have always felt. No different.  No older.  It's the outside that looks different. And, suddenly, my hair is getting curly again.  Going crazy.  I look in the mirror and it's just not like it's supposed to be.  Getting old is strange. We only get old on the outside.  The inside is still young.

I am reading Ladies Night.  Five women and one guy- getting divorced and screwed at the same Time. Screwed by the judge handling the divorce.  They meet each week for anger management sessions and then adjourn to a dive bar and become friends.  Friends who help each other. And the lead character has lost everything in her divorce- even her blog.  And she starts over- no designer clothes- stuff from a charity shop.  And she is redoing an old Florida Cracker Cottage.  With very little money.  I am hoping her Taco Casserole recipe is at the end of the book.  There is usually a recipe on the last page.

I am fine.  I just forgot to write yesterday.

Daily Notes- August 24th

 

 This is the copper bowl my daughter found @ Goodwill.  100% copper.  Today is very very hot and humid- 85 at 10am.  So an indoor day for me.  I did visit the library and grocery store already.  My daily tasks are done.  Tomato boxes are watered and the sprinklers are on the Peach trees.   I picked and bagged and dropped peaches off for the Twins.  Their doors were open but no one answered the bell so I left peaches on the doorknob. They may have been having breakfast on the back deck. Toys littering the yard and driveway- the twins are up and out early.

I have a "recipe" for cloth in a copper bowl.  Red onion skins and some sort of water.  I will look it up. Set it out on the hot deck in the copper bowl and let things happen- or not.  I haven't had much luck with jars etc outdoors.  But I do not want to be steaming things on the stove today.  The black walnuts have been aging in the crock pot since Spring.  Might be a strong enough brew- I now have a rusty bolt to add to my cloth bundle.

My daughter is bringing me more pickling cucumbers from the farm.  If I had known I would have gotten a package of dill at the grocery.  But perhaps some has grown in the herb garden? I can hope. We need to eat sweet corn today.  Like that will be hard to do.

I went on line and found a book list of titles for Mary Kay Andrews and- happily- each entry had a very short plot line.  This is now in my Book Notebook.  Title and five words or less of plot. That other Florist book- Andrews again.  So, I am ordering it from library.  I remember liking it.  There's a dog in the story. Girl finds the dog and no matter how many times dog gets returned to guy who owns him- dog goes back to girl.  It's really sweet. 

And on the book table a really thick dense murder mystery.  Sweden or Denmark.  Jussi Adler-Olsen.

Husband and I pruned the plum tree to pickable size/height and picked plums- about 24 good ones. The rest mummified.  We need to spray the tree.  I may give some to a friend and eat the rest- I am hoping they are worm free. I could also make the plum pierogi (dumplings) I saw on Martha Stewart's website. They looked impossibly delicious. I had plum dumplings once while living in Europe.  But mostly I had them when I was a child living with my grandparents. My parents should have just named me Dumpling.

 Husband was not thrilled to see the job I did on the forsythia behind the tomato boxes. But after looking at it for awhile - he was okay with it.  Gives me four feet of space to go behind the boxes to look for tomatoes.  Ripe tomatoes.  Also gives the backside of the boxes more sun and fresh breezes. He says he will go back in and cut the branches back the way he likes them cut. I think I did fine- you can't see any stumps.  Just leaves.

So, chilling out in the house today.  No cooking- other than sweet corn.

Daily Notes August 23

Muffy is wearing her Paris outfit for the first time I think.  She isn't wearing the black high heels. I could not squeeze her feet into them and gave up trying.  And who wears black heels on a boating trip?  I did manage to get her hat (beret) to stay on her head.  I even did a little sand and sea backdrop.  And there is the sweet little boat my daughter found at Goodwill.  Perfect color co-ordination. I could have cut a Sun out of yellow fabric!

We are having a mild Summer day.  74 degrees.  Sunshine and clouds.  Yesterday some rain. My eyes are very dry (the AC units remove moisture from the house) and I used my special drops before I could read the morning newspaper.  

August 3rd wedding COVID cases now up to 53.  More of the "contact tracing" people who didn't attend wedding but came in contact with guests in the days and weeks after the event. The Gift that keeps on Giving.

I had picked basil leaves (and flowers) to make a non- garlic pesto yesterday.  Using toasted walnuts instead of pine nuts.  But I didn't.  Perhaps today???  I did make zucchini fritters instead of the zucchini pizza.  A bit too greasy from the frying but......I used to like them very much.  Too squishy.  Maybe I added breadcrumbs?  Today it's going to be white bread, thick sliced tomato and mayo. Eaten leaning over the sink as it gets very messy.

Hissy Fit by Andrews.  This one-- bride catches groom and maid of honor doing the deed at wedding rehearsal dinner--and has a very explosive hissy fit.  Cancelling the wedding.  Red haired guy in a vintage yellow Cadillac drives her home.  She decorates and finds furniture etc for an old southern mansion that wasn't burned to the ground in the Civil War. Which the red haired man has bought for a woman he hopes will marry him. Lots of shopping.

There is another book- set in Savannah where florist lives above the shop.  I am wondering who the author of that book is.  Would be great to read it after Hissy Fit.  I have to wait for the rest of the Andrews books to arrive as they are coming from other libraries.  I may order more today.  Some of the newer ones I haven't read even once.  Today I might sew.  Strips to squares.  Later we have PBS and Endeavor.  Inspector Morse. No Great Baking Show before Masterpiece and that makes me very very sad. I may need to buy Prime.  I think they have the Baking Show in their lineup and other PBS shows.  

I may need to make a book of books I read- title/author/story.  So I can find them again and read them again.  I think I will begin that project today with the Andrews books.  Also, for Readers who like a gritty modern murder mystery book with zero romance.  Luna- The Two Janes. And the book that follows it- I cannot recall the title.  Both have unpleasant story lines but great character development.  Would make excellent movies. I may have recommended the books prior to COVID.

Daily Notes- August 22

 

The title of this picture- via my iPhone- is "One Bowl".  In days of Deepest Depressed Thoughts- NOT RECENTLY (daughter!) but years ago- I thought about the minimum I would need to carry away with me.  One Bowl. One Spoon.  One Cup.  One Pan.  One Pot.  You get the idea.

Still, to this day, --I could eat almost all my meals out of this one bowl.  Now that I have said this the poor bowl will most likely be broken somehow.  It happens with my favorite coffee cups all the time.  I start the day with cold cereal in this bowl- it holds the perfect amount.  Later, I fill it with fresh fruit, yogurt and bran buds for lunch.  Even later it holds soup (in cold weather), tomatoes and basil (summer) and Kraft Mac and Cheese in any season. It fits perfectly in two palms.  I could actually drink coffee from it.

Oddly enough- I intended to carry ALL of my underwear with me.  Hard to find comfortable underwear.

I watered the tomatoes and now have the hose running on the peach trees.  A few days under the plastic microwave dome (with vents open) and the peaches are ripe and sweet.  But not right off the trees. I bought a flat pint of big red Raspberries and have exactly 8 of them with the Peaches and Yogurt.

I finished Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews last night.  Two Chef's.  Not her best work although it had it's moments.  Hissy Fit is next.  Also not her best work.  But I am giving them all a chance to surprise me. I am wondering about new work from her.  I will need to look online.

Yesterday, after dropping off the two spaghetti squash to my walking buddy- she, the retired reference librarian- suggested I actually Go Inside The Library to look at books.  She said it was very safe and well monitored. It was.  And I selected books for myself and for my husband. I took phone photos of books we might want to reserve.  At the outdoor check in station I was instructed on protocol.  As I was listening I was already rubbing my hands with disinfectant and wearing my mask.  I was told that moving my mask below my nose was forbidden and I would be asked to leave.  Everyone said "Welcome Back".  They had moved the areas that were heavily in use to areas where there would be little contact.  The new book section was moved to the center area where special exhibits usually were installed.  Green tape arrows told us where to walk.  Children there with a parent were very happy.  Fresh books.

Two Years.  That's what science is saying and that is a "positive thinking" number.  It could be years and years till this Covid 19 is finally figured out or over.  It may never be over.

A wedding here in Maine on August 2nd.  North of us.  65 guests.  Crowded indoors. 32 people have tested positive with test results not in yet for 103 people.  366 people are on the contact with an infected person list and may eventually have Covid.  One woman- who did not attend the wedding has died. She had contact (August 7th) with a guest.  All I have to say- was it worth it???  I couldn't live with the consequence of that one death.

Daily Notes- August 21st

 

My collection of Farm Produce my daughter brings over to me from the farm across from her employer's place.  The zucchini squash is the perfect size for a zucchini pizza so that is something I will be making. The spaghetti squash just now (minutes ago) found a new and very happy new home.

I do like acorn squash but think of them more as Thanksgiving food.  The yellow squash-  I might use them after peeling away the tough outer peel.  Yesterday I did use a smaller peeled yellow squash and the red pepper for additions to the leftover lo mein.  Very pretty color combo and just right amount of vegetables to noodles.

I have had my breakfast, done a load of wash and read the newspaper.  Some of Trump's quotes this morning regarding the post office and Steve Bannon were downright hilarious.  "hardly know him" but he did run your campaign for months and months???  Bannon was also "removed from the 150 foot yacht by US Postal Inspection Services".  And, gosh, that made me laugh out loud.  

Marine Helicopter Squadron 366 - nickname "Hammerheads" will be doing exercises at the former Navy Base- 600 feet from my property line.  But Riley isn't here to have serious panic attacks from the noise going over the house roof at 11pm.  CH-52Es-the largest in the US military.  I think they do land and sea rescue. And we are on the ocean so that's most likely their target. Ocean rescue.  They are based in North Carolina.  And the noise and vibration over head is unbelievable.

I have been interrupted from writing this post several times.  Phone calls, emails etc.  Once I hit publish nothing else will happen around here.  Husband is doing his hour long series of back exercises and then he will finish work on installing his new door on his workshop. I have the tomato boxes to water, another load of laundry and then I will shred my zucchini and make zucchini pizza.  Wonderful.

And I thought today would be boring.

Daily Notes- August 20

 

The Seed Packet for the Artisan Bumble Bee Blend.  As you can see- I have one ripe tomato and it matches the picture of the Sunrise yellow tomato.  I am looking forward to the dark red ones-  the only name they have is "purple".  But I think that was the color of the seed.  I have tasted this cherry tomato as yet so have no idea what they are like. I started the seeds late-- April 20th.

There was another ripe Cherokee Purple but the chipmunks ate the bottom out of it.

We ordered Chinese take away yesterday for late lunch.  I got vegetable Lo Mein but wished there had been way more vegetables.  My crisper drawer is quite empty.  I could add onions and frozen peas.  I might give the freezer a closer look- I may have purchased a "vegetable medley" at some point in Time. I do have a red bell pepper.  That might be all I need. Quick stir fry of pepper strips and onion and mix it all together with the left over portion of Lo Mein and I have a delicious lunch.

Husband is trying to re-purpose the old front door (glass and screen) onto the doorway of his work shop as he wants the screen part for Summer ventilation.. I mentioned the front door we inherited when we bought this house was not a regular size and that the door he is trying to use was custom cut to fit only that one particular doorway.  Not the one on his shop.  That advice went in one ear and out the other.

My Library Friend came over and we sat on the front porch, six feet apart, with masks.  Had a lovely long conversation.  She picked peaches before she left.  I gave her a bag and a twist tie.  They will need a day or two in the plastic bag to get soft and sweet.  The tree that only made ONE very large peach last summer is covered in many many small red peaches.  One tree is early and one is mid-season.  The red peaches are mid-season which could mean they need another few weeks.  September Peaches.

I need to order more books.  I have only two left to read in my stack.  And I need to move a ball of frozen Portland Pie pizza dough from the freezer to the fridge.  Sunday Pizza is back in the rotation.  And I forgot to buy a jar of salsa.  I think nachos is also wanting to be back in rotation.  Martha Stewart sent recipes from her mother's recipe files- look like some fresh stuffed dumplings in the Polish tradition....Summer Dumplings???  That would be lovely.  I love dumplings.  Truly and Deeply.  

And, of course, now I have heavy cream so I can make the peanut butter pie (which is not actually a pie) just a mix of things you can scoop and eat. Perfect!!!!

Daily Notes- August 19th

 

Went looking for something to take a picture of this morning.  Husband gets irritable regarding Muffy and her clothing basket.  So, no Muffy today.  But this.  On the ironing board.  Not a square on top but a square cut way and the under revealed.  Like a watercolor batik.  Like a rain storm on a hot sultry summer day.  Coming in fast, pouring and then gone. Yesterday afternoon- from first clap of thunder to last rain drop- 15 minutes.  But I am loving this cloth photo.

I pickled the fresh garden cucumbers from last week.  They had been in the cold fridge so still good. From someone else's garden.  Mine made no cucumbers just leaves and blossoms.  The grocery cucumbers- had bitter peels so they got peeled and sliced thin and salted.  I drained them this morning.  Later they will get mixed with sour cream and dill.  My lunch. Most likely eaten standing up in the kitchen looking out the window.

We are going to the bank to cash checks at some point in the day.  An assortment of checks.  And then to put gas in my little Honda car.  Should last me into October (or longer). Twelve years old and 34K on the mileage.

Continuing with my reading but it it is going slower- more interruptions. Turning the hoses off an on.  Watering the tomatoes and annuals in containers.  Cleaning off the actual desk top and not the computer one.  Doing a load of wash.  Have one more of heavy work pants etc- from husband.  Making refrigerator pickles.  Thinking of making peanut butter pie and topping it with cold fudge sauce.  Would be extra crunchy peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and light cream not heavy cream.  Considering it.  It's a no bake just mix and eat sort of "pie". Unless I stop into the grocery and buy heavy cream.  It's near the bank. Might be nice to own a pint of heavy cream in these serious days.

The cherry tomatoes I am thinking I might have in one of the boxes on the drive might be three kinds- three colors of tomatoes.  Artisinal Multi Color Blend. So far, everyone out there is still green. I'll take a picture of them if they ripen in many colors.

If I go into the grocery, I might buy the heavy cream and a few tomatoes and some more fresh mozzarella for more Caprese.  I have a ton of fresh basil out on the back deck. Yes, I could make pesto but....I won't. I am reminded of good pasta with pesto that my husband's friend Charlie made for us one summer in Florida.  It was good.  The guys he knew were all in the same business as my husband and they were all excellent cooks except for my husband.

I should have considered marrying a man who would cook food for me. At almost 74 I think that opportunity has passed me by.  I am lucky my husband learned to make his own breakfast.  Toasting a bagel. Pressing a button for coffee.  Oh- he does now, also, make his own lunch.  He rolls deli ham and turkey with slices of Swiss cheese. This is progress but I think we have gone as far as it is possible to go.

Daily Notes- August 18th

 

I was trolling in the Attic.  Actually, I had seen a patchwork square on another blog- not in my sidebar but I should fix that- 19 strips and none the same.  And not even of the same colors.  Just completely random. And it looked wonderful.  So, I went up and got one stack of fabric down and ripped a two inch wide strip from each of them.  But not this one.  This one was going to be sewn onto this square.  I haven't done it yet. But if Law and Order is on today- I will. 

It really is amazing what all is up in that Attic. Not as good as the Attic and Basement in the book I am reading

Fixer Upper.  Same author.  Washington DC lawyer gets a scandal dumped on her rather than her boss.  Has to run- from the scandal at first but later from actual trouble.  Her father sends her to Georgia and the old family home- Birdsong.  It's a moldering wreck with a secret.  She finds an old handy man and he teaches her how to strip linoleum off hardwood floors and handle a big floor sander as she tries to "flip" the house.  And he finds her a big old  cast iron enameled sink at the dump with nickel faucets.  And the two of them go all wild talking about Aga ranges and Traulsen glass door refrigerators.  It's actually one of my all time favorite books.

The FBI is now investigating her and the local ladies man is painting her house Benjamin Moore Dill Pickle cut 25% with Decorator White just because he likes to paint houses.  And there is a guy who falls in love with her.  Even though it isn't working as planned.  I might finish reading and just go back to the front and read it again.  I do that.  When I like a book.

I removed what looks like half a bushel of tomato leaves that had browned up or gone yellow from the plants out on the driveway.  Under all those leaves were ripe tomatoes that had gone past their eat by date- cause I could not see them. It rained last night.  We woke up to rolling thunder and now the sun is shining and all that moisture is making it very very humid.  I am coughing.  I cough when I can't get enough oxygen. So...another cup of coffee and maybe toast- my cinnamon raisin bagels had little blue spots on them.  Ick.  I didn't notice till I ate a spot. Double Ick....

Y'all be sweet now, you hear?

Daily Notes- August 17th

We're going to do this again.  Blogger wants to.  Possibly my fault.

These are the peaches I found on the ground this morning when I went out to start the watering hose on the Peach Trees.  I gave them a good wash and picked off the unidentifiable  brown stuff on them.

Looked like tree bark.  I hope.

I made Sunday Pizza last night and we ate it while watching Endeavour on PBS.

And I forgot today was Monday and grocery day.  I slept late and then took a shower and used the special Shower Facial Cream and then used the secondary wand to rinse the shower walls etc etc. 

I even used conditioner on  my hair. Which is now limp and silky.

I'm drinking my morning coffee cold these days.

But the grocery wasn't bad.  There was a loud woman without a mask going on about her "rights". 

I don't think the grocery was selling much in that aisle - the liquor aisle- during her speech.

I hurried past on my way to the dairy section.  I needed milk, Oui yogurt and cream. 

I have two large boxes of liquor at home.

Husband mowed the lawn.  If it can be called a lawn in drought conditions. I do not water grass.

I did the heavy green part over the septic tank.  Very green.  Husband was catching his breath. 

I considered having an ice cold gin and tonic.  

I cut the grass in perfectly straight lines.  I hate doing it that way.  I like cutting designs.

But husband complimented me on my straight lines. So boring.

Not sure what I will be doing today- perhaps nothing.  It's August.

In August I miss the sound of the freight trains on steamy Georgia nights in Austell.

In August I miss Georgia.  Peaches, fried squash, Fat red tomatoes, Sweet sweet corn.

Thank Goodness for the Georgia based books.

I ate three Snow White large cherry tomatoes while I watered the boxes yesterday afternoon.

They aren't really white.  More of a creamy pale yellow.  But they are wonderful.

Husband thinks the plants aren't getting enough Sun but I think it's heat that causes them to ripen.

We'll see who is right in the next week or so.

The BumbleBee cherry tomatoes are in the Sun.

Daily Notes August 16th

 

I bit larger image than usual.  But I wanted you to see my apple painting. (I painted it)  And Muffy.  A package (brown paper packages tied up with string...some of my favorite things)..... and a hankie in her pocket. She looks a bit windswept.

I ate the first peach yesterday.  It needed two weeks on the hot vestibule to ripen but it was good.  Peach with an acidic green backnote. I picked another off the lawn as I was collecting the peach tree hoses- husband is mowing the drought dry lawn.  I am going to cut it up to eat with my yogurt for lunch.  No more cherries.

 I am now reading book two- Little Bitty Lies.  Same author but different characters.  This one.....woman wakes up one hot summer morning to find her husband gone, all bank accounts empty, mortgage not paid, Vanguard account empty etc.  She's a school teacher not getting paid in the summer and they need groceries, gas money etc.  While watering her tomatoes out back- wearing her thin cotton night gown- a very good looking man asks her if her husband is home.  They were supposed to play tennis that morning.  His car has a Georgia Bureau of Investigation Logo on the door.  This book and the first one used to bother me. I am guessing I was in an "insecure place" back then.  Now both of these books seem fine- I know that all ends well.  In these books, by Mary Kay Andrews- lots of bad things happen- they are a combo of good times, good food, murder and mayhem.  Strong women. The men are incidental. But fun to have around.

The discount store where the lead character gets a part time job handing out questionable food samples is located in Riverdale, Georgia.  Which is now under one of Hartsfield's runways.  But in 1972 its where I lived.  With two small children.  Where I learned to cook a Southern Vegetable Plate and Peach cobbler. Where Life Was Good and I was Happy.  Before Florida. Seems like I've said all this before.

Well, the floors here are not going to sweep and mop themselves.

Daily Notes- August 15th

 

Daughter is reading the blog posts thesis days and noticed Muffy and found a small picnic basket for Muffy at Goodwill.  I can paint the red stripe on the basket (Longaberger) and try and find a square piece of something to make the little red knob on the top.  Behind the basket is Jane Austen's last unfinished book- but "finished" by an unknown author. Sanditon.  Daughter says I won't be disappointed. I was with the PBS rendition.

I have four farm stand cucumbers and will be making a new jar of refrigerator pickles today if I can harvest enough dill from the herb garden.  Too hot to be canning zucchini pickles.  I have done it in August before but--I am not doing it this week.  And in other years my garden was producing tons of squash.  This year?  ZERO.  Plants are not even making leaves and I gave them organic super compost.  So be it.  The very healthy looking cucumber plants- flowering and everything- not making any cucumbers.

We are cloudy with zero chances of rain today.  Maine is in a drought.  No rain in our Futures.

My husband used my computer yesterday to try and download music to his iPhone.  Things are not as they should be on the screen.  I voiced my strident objections to him doing whatever he was trying to do.  He didn't care.  I might have to ask my primary care doctor for tranquilizers.  She will more likely send me to therapy sessions.   

Daughter also found me a 100% copper bowl and I am very very excited to try a few cloth coloring experiments when the Sun returns.  I will collect rainwater if it rains- otherwise I will use regular water.

Daily Notes- August 14th

 

Muffy's "Going on a Boat trip around the World" dress.  It's more a South of Paris type boat trip with the little burlap laced sandals.  Real pain to try and get on her stiff bear feet in the shoes and then tie the strips around her ankles.  I wish there had been a hat of some sort.  She is carrying a map of the World rolled up. Wished I had a little toy boat to set next to her.  Or a softball sized globe.  Yes, the globe would be perfect.

Behind Muffy is my new (old) lamp that a friend was tossing out.  It's mate was smashed on her basement floor.  Muffy's port of origin was China.  The lamp not so much but Chinese in a fake way.  I said yes to the lamp yesterday as we looked thru stuff in her car trunk- no to the Whirlpool ice maker.  No to the shade. Yes to the Chinese character finial. Yes to the Zucchini curry soup.  This is my Master Gardener Friend.  We go back to 2002.  We have had many adventures and laughed so much over the years.

Law and Order Criminal Intent was Jeff Goldblum all the way yesterday afternoon.  Sometimes Life is Very Good.

Daughter dropped over a grocery sack of gifted garden vegetables.  Enough cucumbers to make one quart jar of pickles.  Two very large Acorn squashes.  One spaghetti squash. Two small yellow summer squash. I am wondering if these are things that didn't sell yesterday at the farmstand.  But. it's okay.  I like vegetables.

I have watered all my vegetables before breakfast.  Peaches are getting larger and each has some red showing but they aren't golden yellow and ripe as yet. Figs are fattening up.  It's the middle of August.  My DQ finally has Drumstick Blizzards on the menu so I am going to have one today.  I hope it isn't a disappointment.  Reading Mary Kay Andrews now- Savannah Blues.  Antiques, Food, Southern Weirdness.  What more could you want in August? 

I ordered six books and a seventh is coming from another library.  I am in a happy place. We were happily living in Georgia in August when our first child was born. Both of my children were born in Georgia.  I wish we'd stayed there. Moving to Florida was a huge mistake for the marriage.  A very good career move.  But...was it worth it?  

Daily Notes- August 13th

 

I did go up into the Attic (the Craft Attic) and found Muffy in her Longaberger Basket just where she is supposed to be.   I sorted thru her wardrobe and selected this dress- it had a Garden vibe.  I love the knitted sweater and little shoes.  Muffy has a pocket but nothing in it as yet.  This particular outfit (vintage) runs about $30 on Amazon.  I never did buy Muffy a bathing suit but she does own a very nice white cotton sailor style dress she might be wearing tomorrow or a tiny little sunsuit.  We'll see.  What is missing is her black velveteen party dress and little black shiny dress shoes.  I always had her wear that for Christmas.

There was another doll- Hoppy- a rabbit with long ears.  I was never interested in him.  Husband gave me Muffy on Valentine's Day a few years after we moved back from Germany.

I am watering the Peaches as I type-  Just turned on the hose and sprinklers.  I've already watered the tomatoes, annual containers and the Fig Tree on the back porch.

Someone on the Sports page was writing about college football and how having a Season was a really bad idea. Trump wanted it.  But college football is $$$$ 's and that was all that interested a certain person.  Not the packed stadiums and the chances of a huge outbreak of Covid 19.  The gist of the article- March 11 when this started and August 11 when the talk began about college football- nothing has changed.  Covid 19 is just as it was in March.  To think we have moved closer to ending it- is just fanciful thinking.

We might get to see our daughter- 6 to 10 feet apart next week....unless someone else she has contact with tests positive.  And it's not close contact.  Just someone she might have stood 6 feet away from. Guess I should put her birthday card in her mailbox?

My neighbor across the street is having the landscaper come over to tweek the yard and lawn every few days.  Her daughter is having a wedding this weekend (she and groom originate in New York City).  Husband  and I will certainly not be in the front yard until everyone is gone- and even then- NOT. Insanity.  My friend's company (the chairs) is from Columbia (the country) and Boston.  (???????)

Daily Notes- August 12th

 

The Chairs are back.   My friend Patty brought them back yesterday along with two organic apples and some walnut cranberry bread which she says "toasts up lovely".  Husband and I will attach the seats to chair frames.  Husband convinced Patty that her Time prior to a visit from family- was better spent getting ready for visit and not sanding and painting chairs in a hot barn.  I think I might have convinced her that Shabby Chic was a real "thing" with these chairs.  Doesn't the fabric look amazing with the chair's chipped paint?

Deb made a comment on yesterday's blog that I might find a little green man hiding in the tomato leaves and start making little clothes for him.  She is really "too close" to the real me. Not fiction, at all.

The books about little people I read when I was a child.......well, I still have tiny things, little beds etc. (with bedding and quilts) in case I ever find a tiny green man in the tomato leaves.  I have been thinking of bringing Muffy the Bear down from the Craft Attic.  Muffy has a full wardrobe of tiny clothing, shoes and socks etc. (she's not even 6 inches tall).  Even tiny furniture.  I used to dress and arrange a little scene with Muffy on one of the side tables in the living room.  Different every month.  Special for the holidays.

But today it was only a yellow green grasshopper- I am thinking it's the very same one who got himself tangled inside my shirt.  He was in the French watering can and as I filled it with water from the hose he floated to the top.  Then I noticed he was moving his legs so I fished him out and set him on the driveway. Took him a few moments to decide he wasn't still drowning.  Then he set himself upright, shook himself and hopped off into the tomatoes.  He'd look lovely in a pink satin waistcoat with sparkly jewel buttons. I could use all those seed beads you sent me Deb to make that tiny grasshopper a valise.

And I was worried I would be bored today!!

Daily Notes- August 11

 

Metal Dogs.   From when I used to go to Antique Sales and buy things.  I think this one is not as valuable because of his nose?  But I love him.  Her.  Came with the string around it's neck- had a price tag. Has been in attendance in the living room bookcases all this time- Bigger than a shoebox.  Heavy.

I have already watered the Annual Containers, the Peaches, the Tomatoes, The Fig Tree but not the back raised bed garden yet.  I decided to sit here and read blog posts and...well, be connected to People.  It gets lonely.  Being Safe.

My Johanna Lindsey book is A Rogue of My Own.  Rupert.  Shoulder length black hair.  Wears satin jackets in vibrant colors like pink with jeweled buttons. 1880's. Victoria has just had her second child. He is a spy.  In book one and three, Rupert is vaguely mentioned- just a cousin who is quite outrageous.  But now I am going back and reading book three again.  I am nearing the end of book two and they are still not together.  This book is hard to find- daughter has been searching  book shops all summer. Finally I got it from library.  He is angry and yelling and she is puking.  Not at all romantic.  I think in other books, I assumed he liked men. In the Satin Jackets etc.

It is going to up into the 90's today and tomorrow here in Maine.  Very still as well.  No breezes off the ocean.  I won't be going outdoors.  Would not be advisable.

Daily Notes- August 10th

 

Something happened.  Blogger must have gotten my unhappy vibes.  Picture inserted in correct place, black letters, no blue underlining.  Need to go get a lottery ticket.  Or some DQ ice cream.

Deborah- the one who got me to start this blog- wants this Crow Quilt on the wall- holes in the new paint be damned.  And so it is going up.  Push pins to hold it.  I should have something I love to look at while I wait for the rescue inhaler to do it's work.   

Grocery was good today.  The Deli guy taking my order reminded me of my husband.  "only tell me one thing at a time"  No please after that.  So.  Baked ham.  Wait.  Half pound. Wait.  Sliced very thin. Wait. Honey turkey.  Wait  Half pound. Wait  Sliced thin. Wait.  Then we did cheese. While I waited I noticed women in skin tight yoga pants all around me- no underwear.  From other States.  

Maine women don't wear skin tight anything.  Maine women have large ........... robust.........clothing. ahem.

So I just finished another book.  That's two I got from the library.  One I vaguely remembered reading but not enough that the ending wasn't a total surprise.  So that was nice.  The other was brand new to me and I loved it.  Romantic hostage taking and rough camping.  In the 1880's.  Woman had a bustle and a parasol. Good Stuff.  I like books that make me laugh out loud.  I also like books that make me cry.  Did both.

Watered everything.  Tomatoes- still green.   Peaches- picking up a bit of size and color.  Figs- they are in that moment in Fig Time when they need to stay put and ripen or fall off the tree.  They need to decide.

Bought more Sweet Corn- 4 for a dollar. Two more Farm Stand Tomatoes.  One of them yellow- the one I bought a few weeks ago was surprisingly sweet soI got another.  My friend from Boston has been eating her tomatoes.  The plants I gave her.  Her soil is better and she has an aquifer under her land over in Harpswell.  She called to ask if I wanted fresh out of the chicken eggs.  I hesitated. But she is bringing some when she brings the chairs back so husband can attach the seats to the chair frames. Company coming all the way from Columbia.

That's about all for today.  Watering. The Monday Grocery Shopping.  Reading. I had to pack up all the 1.5 inch square pieces in order to eat dinner one day.  They are still packed up.  I should spread them out again here on the ottoman where I read.  Stitch a few together.  Cloudy- looks like it might rain.  Which would be nice.   Hope each of you who come here to read this quite ordinary blog- have a lovely day. Stay safe.......

Daily Notes- August 9th

                          
 

Well, I learned a few things about "f...king" New Blogger today.  It took me multiple tries to just get the picture sort of in the center and the type black and not underlined.  I HATE new Blogger. And they "suggest" I send comments questions to them by pressing the "help" icon.  Anyone out there know where that might actually be located?  Frank from my "phone call" would say it's up Blogger's ass.

Not the BEST Sunday mood today.  I washed two loads of clothes.  It was clean sheet day.  We have floral pillowcases and top sheet this week- cotton not linen. Bottom sheet is linen. 

My black wood pencil post bed.  Very high off the ground.  We'll most likely need a step stool or ladder to get into bed in the years to come.  My two white camp shirts.  I should have gotten them out of the drier sooner.  I might have to iron them.  Just a little.  

The bottom sheet from last week is in need of a major mending project.  Husband made the small mending patch the sheet had already- tear away from the sheet.  So now I have lots of "mending thinking" to do before I start sewing.  But mostly-I won't put the mended area on his side of the bed anymore.

I had to use the rescue inhaler twice yesterday and plan to use it 20 minutes BEFORE going outdoors to water the tomatoes today.  We had Caprese Salad and sweet corn for supper last night.  Grocery store "farm" tomatoes do very nicely after sitting in the hot vestibule for a few days.  Corn still in husks in the fridge.  Two large tomatoes was plenty -one for each of us.  I picked my first Sun Gold cherry tomato yesterday.  Very tasty.  

Peaches are starting to mellow in color- more yellow than green right now.  The Redhavens have a nice red spot on the almost gold skin.  Reliant is slow and not as heavy with fruit as last year.  Spent too much energy making leaves.  Plums a complete loss it seems.  Some sort of fungus got them.  Grapes are developing in size.  Leaf roller caterpillars are evident but I pick any leaves that have the classic "roll" full of wiggling worms.  Husband wanted to use a systemic poison.  So we could eat poisoned grapes.

There are days when.......well, I just want to SCREAM.  I have already taken the Round Up away from him, but he may have used it before I noticed- in the Spring- in the raised bed garden with vegetables. It doesn't matter- an hour later he is back wanting to use the systemic.  No memory we already discussed it.

He says it's a "hearing aid problem" that I do not speak so he can hear me.  Wow.

Daily Notes- August 8th

                                Seed starting has begun.  With marigolds I grew from saved seed this Spring.  The ones here are very tall and are making the containers look just so amazing.  I have to write down where I collected them and what containers they were in so next year I can attempt to repeat my successes.

I also saved some of the French Metro something Reds.  I love them and they are no longer available from the seed company I like.  The Tomato cages are still holding the big heavy tomatoes up.  I watered and then needed to use my rescue inhaler again.  Humidity really uses up so much oxygen and energy.  I feel very tired now.  I need to find some sort of beverage to drink on a regular basis.-- some Minute Maid lemonade.  I wish there was World Cup Soccer to watch every afternoon.  Riley and I liked doing that. 

Now I feel better.  Daughter says another week before we can see each other.  Just to be safe.  Everyone has tested negative except for the original Covid positive test for the sister of daughter's employer.  We are being super safe.

Two Curbside Pickups of library books. Yesterday books for husband and today for me.  Book three in the Western story line.  The Gun For Hire is now Sheriff in the small Montana Town where this all began. So I am sure he'll have some small part in the story line of the third book.  Will he still wear the black suits and soft white linen shirts???? Long time Readers know I adore white linen anything.  My husband refuses to wear linen.  More for me.

I cooked yesterday evening.  I had two cans of cherry tomatoes so I made pasta sauce and pasta and had a glass of wine -- husband was asleep.  He wouldn't eat it anyway.  I never use garlic in the food for myself.

He loves garlic.  Ugh.  It makes people stink. I also had a glass of red wine.  

Neighbor across the street has visiting  out of state relatives.  Her older sister and husband.  I know she is happy to see them -the relatives are in their 80's.  A bit dangerous to visit but.........they are wearing masks and will most likely visit on the back deck. 

Well, my lemonade glass is empty and I think I will sit awhile on the couch and read.  Find out how Morgan is going to get along with the London viper he meets while panning for GOLD.

 

Daily Notes- August 7th

                              

  Lets just settle for a picture the right size and ignore the blue line- shall we????  My fig tree.  It is enjoying outdoor Sun.  And vast amounts of water.  Making figs.  Chicago Brown Figs.

It's very hot outside today and I have had two near fainting experiences just watering the tomatoes. Of course, I was also trying to set them upright.  I decided to try using the circular tomato cages that normally get stuck into the garden soil.  I set them upside down on the driveway and set a cement paver on top to keep it steady.  Then tied the tomato branches- some bent and some not- to the cages.  Later I went to the side where nothing had fallen over (cherry tomatoes- the others were the large eating (sandwich) tomatoes) and set the cages upside down on the asphalt with a paver on top sort of wedged in-between the boxes and won't fall over.  Now I am in the house for good. I think.  Might go out later to do curbside pickup of three books for husband.  Garden and Peaches have been watered.

Spacing between paragraphs is also fun today.

Yesterday I was down to "not much of a choice" of books to read- romances.  Was left with the cowboy ones. Not my favorites but the one I read  yesterday was a delight.  Fancy young New York woman mistaken for new housekeeper on a ranch full of cowboys.  She is supposed to cook and clean. After burning most everything she manages to start turning out some really excellent food. Then the shooting started.

In the story- well, the beginning but missing somewhere mid story is a Gun for Hire.  Black Suit/ Silent Sort.  I liked him. Missed him when he was gone. Well, the last book on the pile- another Western and I read the back cover.  Gun for Hire guy from the previous book.  I told husband I feel like I won the lottery today. Going to settle into the couch and read.

I'm hydrating with lots of liquids today and will try to have a protein today.  I haven't had one in a while. Now the damned Blogger refuses to......oh, I just don't care.  See you tomorrow.

Deborah thank you for the Crow artist article and pictures.  I loved it and will be returning to it often in the next few days (weeks).  I do love Crows.

Daily Notes- August 6th

                                 

Well things here on Blogger are deteriorating at a very fast clip.  I am considering, seriously, calling my son and finding out how to personally contact Blogger and give them a good talking to about the shit that is icons that have nothing to do with anything resembling coherent thought.  Logical thought.

The fallback color for type today is BLUE.  And underlining is also seriously supported. 

I got my haircut today and had to wait in the car for almost 40 minutes.  The person ahead of me must have been late or had wanted something other than what was in the appointment book. After my haircut- which is styled to be way way poofier than I would ever wear it........ is also sticky with hair dresser paste.

I will most certainly wash my hair before going to bed tonight. And see what the cut actually looks like. I have a feeling it will be too long.

After the hair cutting experience- I stopped at Goodwill. Which is just a few minutes away.   Found two pairs of pants.  There were more but I liked these two best.  Cranberry red corduroy pants from LLBean.  For Winter.  And a lovely pair of above the ankle lime green linen pants that will be in constant rotation in August for sure.  I can see in the picture they used to have a tie at the waist.  That part is missing.  And I would have removed it as well. No pockets but that's okay.  I usually only have a hankie. I can make an inside pocket for the hankie.

It's hot today.  Sunshine.  I watered a few things.  There is absolutely nothing happening with the zucchini

out in the raised beds.  I should just pull the plants out and compost them.  The cucumber plants are making deformed fruit.  It's either uneven pollination- but quite a number of bees- or the heat.  And I am hearing from quite a few good gardening people- also having poor germination.  And ONLY male flowers. That's also the case with my plants.  I have actually heard of this in other years but usually it's more male than female.  Not ONLY male and no female.  So, other than watering the grapes- nothing else is getting watered.  Waste of water in my opinion.

I warned husband away from the collapsed tomato boxes.  He always has "ideas" and tries them and then is defensive about making things worse.  The plants that have collapsed onto the driveway are heavy with green tomatoes.  Any movement and I will lose what ever tomatoes I might have later in the month.

I said don't touch and found him outside doing exactly that.  Obviously his brain hears no and tells him yes. I told him the only thing that will come from his meddling is me crying.  He doesn't like that. He went into the house.  I had to use my rescue inhaler.  Most of August is indoor time for me.

My little BMW roadster is living in Mississippi now- and I worry about the woman who owns her.  That state is now the epicenter of a very dangerous situation.  No hospital beds.  Where is the military and those pop up hospitals??????

Daily Notes- August 5th

No picture this morning.  The rain/wind did things to the computer and then the phone.  I got the computer working but the iPhone will take some time to get itself together and working again. And, obviously, did things to Blogger.  As you can see.  Margins are back.

Big rain last night.  Lots of Wind.   Felt tropical.  The power was off and on.  

First thing this morning, out to see what happened to the tomatoes.  They are busted up some and tilted over.  Making them straight again will most likely cause significant damages. Sometimes you just have to let go.  Just let go.

Husband has reset the support poles in the Peach Trees out front.  Hard to say if any peaches are still on the trees.  The wind was whipping thru the yard. Pretty strong and for quite awhile.

What is--is.  Nothing I can do about any of it.

I noticed last afternoon, after posting about the lack of purple in my fabric (Attic) closets- the Crow Quilt on the couch- Purples.  Black, white and purple.  So............I did own purple.  I did use purple and lots of it on this one quilt. And more than likely used it up.  Even the back of the quilt is purple.  

So, there you go.  Hope everyone in the Path of the storm is safe, dry and has the hope of electricity sooner rather than later.  I know if we go out in the road a ways we'll see significant damages done by trees.  Maine trees are very shallow rooted. Very old, heavy and easily tipped over.  No sirens over night. So no fires.  

Daily Notes- August 4th

Choices

Today they aren't very good.

I have just a six inch square of the top fabric and a strip double the size you see here

of the second fabric.  And no other good purples in my entire stash in the Magic Attic.

I didn't buy purple.  I ignored an entire color. Connie sent me the top fabric.

But the purples I do have are not the right purples.

I also have very little lime green. Have used most of it to make these 2 inch squares.

No Good fabric stores around and you can't match color online.

So this project goes into the "box".  Into the Attic.

I am really liking the little rice grain batiks.

Someday I will go into a fabric store again and buy some fabric like the rice grains

in every color they have.

What else?   The Red Address Book.  

DianeN- I keep trying but just can't find my way into this book- so I have read two others.

BBC America is having Law and Order on Mondays when WE shows something else.

The picture is way better than on WE and I almost needed to sit farther away.

I have stopped watching the BBC Wonder something shows.

I don't want to watch animals kill each other- as a food source.

I have to go out and add water to the Tomato Boxes.

Pick blueberries in case there are enough for a Blueberry Sour Cream Cake.

The Hurricane might be too far inland to do much where I live.

But it is cloudy and overcast right now- no wind at all.

I missed seeing the astronauts land in the water-safely. I forgot it was happening.

Doing absolutely nothing is exhausting.

Daily Notes- August 3rd

This was on the Bon Appetite site- comes in my email file.

Feta cheese sheet tray bake with olive oil, broccolini, cherry tomatoes, lemon slices

red onion seasoned with red pepper flakes and basil leaves.

I think it would be a very tasty meal and a very lovely painting or cloth.

All of my sheet pans look like this one.  Edges and surfaces all brown and burnt.

But they are very clean- I scrub and scrub but not much changes.

Today was grocery day.

I bought new cherries and the plan is to eat them right away.

With the Tiny glass jars of French yogurt I bought "oui".

The fridge was really BARE last night. Just milk and the light bulb.

I had vegetable pasta with carrots, zucchini, peas (from freezer) for supper yesterday.  

Today I will add onion since there is a half of one malingering in the fridge

 from the last pizza I made.

G forgot to add deli meats to the list.  So he has nothing to make for lunch after today.

I will need to go out in the car again- but it will be around 7pm.

The grocery is very quiet then. With all the alone time- quiet is my fallback position.

Watered the tomato boxes before driving to grocery.  Need to fill them twice a day.

It was more fun when I had a dog who wanted to drink from the hose.

The air today is very soft.

I thought about that as I filled the watering cans for the back deck and the Fig Tree.

The softness of the air drifting over me.

I remembered it from the summers in Florida the three years we lived there.

On the drive to the grocery I was thinking about that. 

Remembering other houses that I had lived in and loved. 

I am going to be 74 next month.  I had to do the math.

Daily Notes- August 2nd

Following yesterday's post on the fridge cleanup.

Not my drawer but a drawer is a drawer.

The spoons on the right remind me of the ones I got from my grandmother and from Goodwill.

The little wooden thing for honey.

I might have owned one once but graduated to a squeeze bottle.....

Today is cloudy so far.  But bright.

I have already gone out to water the tomatoes and the potted annuals.

The marigolds I seed started in my little milk bottle greenhouse are so very TALL.

The tomato plants are wide and wild.

So many leaves. 

Under them I find green tomatoes growing.  We'll see what comes of it.

My fig tree is producing figs which may never mature and ripen

but I water...give lots and lots of water.

The Basil container is full and fragrant.

The Tall Rosemary plant is also very happy this year.

The stub of the Citrus- Lime has sent out new leaves.

Even when you think all is lost and never to recover-

somehow things keep growing.

The book I was reading was very good until the end.  

Then things started happening too fast, making no sense and I was disappointed.

It was like the author had a deadline- and just fleshed out the outline of how things should go.

She needed another 50 to 100 pages to get to the ending we all wanted.

I don't want to ruin the good parts for any of you so will not go into details.

But I don't know why she didn't write it the way she intended???

Daily Notes- August 1st

I had thought about sending this out to the neighbors on my street with an added line--

Bring your own chair.  And mask.  And your own beverages. And snacks.

Nothing can be shared.

Today was a day to get things done.  I get like that after a few days or weeks of doing nothing.

I emptied the fridge of all things expired.  Mainly purchased in March and April.

So, the get things done was more like months overdue.

I watered the fenced garden for over an hour after breakfast.

Watered the tomatoes and have the sprinklers on the Peaches as I type.

Yesterday we mowed the lawn.  And then took long showers.

The yard looks lovely.

I could do laundry but why not save it for tomorrow??

I ruined the cherry pit cloth by adding too many things to it- Setacolor for one.

Now it isn't a good choice for the squares borders.

Obviously I need to read the Setacolor instructions.  Add water. More water.

In the fridge cleanout I found the last remaining Noosa yogurt.  lemon.

I don't like lemon.  So I scooped out everything BUT the lemon sauce 

and topped the yogurt with a slice of the strawberry rhubarb pie- another disappointment-

the rhubarb in the pie is still crunchy.  Like seriously uncooked.

And the pie crust is underwhelmingly bland and overbaked.

How did that happen?

I put drops in my eyes.  Argued with husband.

He likes to order meds online and I do it with the phone.  No password needed.

He had forgotten the password, changed it, forgotten that one.

I ordered on the phone. Pharmacy will call his doctor.

He had just been to see his doctor and I wonder why they didn't see he needed a new script.

He couldn't find label- I said because it's pasted to wall by the phone.

Am I doing this wrong?  This taking care of things?

I felt like pounding my forehead on the wall.