Field Notes- Tuesday August 2nd. Was nice and cool at 9am but now it's sunny and VERY humid.

 I've never grown turnips.  I do buy them to tuck into the vinegary pickles I make for daughter (gut protocol food).  I haven't seen these.....but if I did...they would look fantastic in the pickle jars.

I am reading a wonderful book.  I hardly ever feel this way.  The characters are fully formed.  You feel like you know them.....the plot lines are clearly written and followed- I don't know how many times a plot line gets buried for pages and pages (100's) and then pops up out of nowhere to tie up a loose end. I hate that.

It is not a rom com.  It's pure fiction of the best kind. You'll laugh and you'll cry.

The book was on the 7 day shelf.  Meaning our library "rented" it instead of buying it.  The rented books never make it into the collection.  No matter how often they are checked out. One of my library peeves. And why I buy books.

The title is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.  It takes place in the early 1960's.  The time when women had no rights......Just look pretty and get married. Elizabeth Zott wants to be a Chemist and get her doctorate.  Instead she meets Nobel Prize nominated Calvin Evans at work.  

I can't say much else without ruining it for anyone reading this who might want to give the book a go.  It reads- smooth as silk---there are no bumps or missteps......things hardly ever go the right way for Elizabeth Zott but she doesn't give up- even though instead of Chemistry she ends up with a 30 minute Cooking show on tv to pay the bills.  She makes it about empowerment and chemistry. It's written on the jacket so I'm not giving away any important plot secrets.

And there's a dog named Six-Thirty.  Elizabeth sees just how many vocabulary words Six-Thirty can learn and recognize.  I wish I had given one of my dogs a name like this.  Calvin saw the dog and asked his name and Elizabeth thought he asked the time.........  Six Thirty has pages in the book when he speaks directly to the Reader as only an observer of puzzling human behavior can with an update on his word count.

I have 25% left to read. I have no idea where we are going..........to end up.

Now...watering the Peach Trees.  My Containers are experiencing the August wilt.  Some parts are dying. It always happens and it always makes me very very sad. It's why I took that picture.  to remind me of when the container looked it's best.  

The house next door- a weird deep blue with stark white trim- now has a acid yellow front door. OMG!!!! I am grateful for the trees blocking my view. Now to turn on the Peach Tree sprinklers.