End Of July In The Garden

This one is not mine.  I don't have nearly enough straw to line the paths. And my fence has to be much taller as the deer could easily hop over this fence and eat everything and where's the gate?

The heat arrived a few days before my son.  He isn't used to humidity as his California location is dry and crispy from lack of water.  So, his first day here in Maine was difficult.  Almost 90 degrees, sunny and 85% humidity--and then it started to rain.

He also has been induced to help "lift and carry" -- something our daughter gets very irritated with. She doesn't mind helping, but, to her, it's "all the time".   C also used his expertise to remove hard drives from 3 older computers which are now on their way to the recycling station at the Town dump.
C and I took apart my 100 year old Danish dining room table (aka my sewing table) and carried it--wow is 100 year old wood heavy--- upstairs into the room which will be the new sewing room.

Sigh---- if I ever feel like sewing or quilting again.  With the retirement of the Twelve by Twelve challenges--my interest in quilting has dried up as I guess I needed the "push" of the challenges to get into the work.  I still have shelves full of pretty fabric, bolts of plain white to dye or paint, and lots and lots of unfinished projects.  I need to make pillowcases.

The 2015 garden is in full swing now.  Tomato plants are chin high.  I collected enough zucchini from the first plants to produce (4) to make bread and butter zucchini pickles--6 pints. (in the heat and humidity of my kitchen at 9 pm after work)  I have lots of lettuce.  The mustard plants have gone to seed.  I have plenty of kale. The cucumber plants are climbing the trellis and have lots and lots of tiny, tiny pickles on each vine.  The squash plants have lots of baby squash--- and since it has been very hot, and raining every day--I need to go out with my knife and garden basket and collect produce.  I've pulled half my garlic and will get the other half out today or tomorrow.

I am hoping the heat and daily rain encourages the FOURTH attempt at seeding carrots.

Today, C and I will be making potstickers.  We'll have to drive to Town to get supplies and then we'll stand around the kitchen island (together) hand folding and pinching dozens of little dumplings. Some we'll eat and the rest will get frozen and packaged for future meals.  I have also promised him a birthday cake.  Which reminds me that I need to find the recipe for the spice cake that was always his favorite, or he can have whoopee pies or a cherry pie (Whole Foods makes an astonishingly good cherry pie).  We'll see what he chooses.

Next birthday will be our daughter's in August and then mine in September.

I've often tried to suggest "birthday pie" instead of cakes but I haven't had much success--I am the only one who asks for a birthday pie.  Last year it was peach raspberry and I loved every bite of it. (LOL).   I would ask for a banana cream pie but I would be the only person eating it.  So I usually buy a little banana cream "tart" for just me.  I also love a good banana pudding.

I am on vacation from work.  I had a long weekend off, worked two days and now have five off.  I may not go back (ha, ha).  I really like having time to wash windows (with newspaper and glass cleaner), then wash the glass on all the framed pictures on the walls, wash the dog's nose prints off the storm doors, clean the microwave, clean the large mirror in the bathrooms, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.  Yesterday I sat on the steps and sorted seed packets.  It all feels "right".

Establishing A Guest Bedroom

In a house with four bedrooms and only one bed.  Sigh.  It hasn't gone smoothly.  My friend P is also trying to establish a comfortable (but not too) guest room for her guests.  We went looking for a full or queen bed frame for her guest room.   Me?  I prefer to have two twin beds in the guest room.

At one time, when guests were something that actually happened, I had one guest room with a queen bed, one with a king bed and the third room was my sewing room or G's office but could be turned into a third guest room with the two twins in about an hour's notice.  Our daughter has the queen.  A friend of the daughter--moving from a difficult situation with no furniture--got the king bed and the bedside tables and dresser.  And we never replaced any of it as we seemed able to fill any voids with stacks of storage containers.

We still have the 1950's maple bunk beds which filled (actually) the tiny bedroom I shared with my two brothers.  The youngest in a crib.  There was enough room for a child to walk (or fall out of bed) between the beds.  At each end, a wall.  Next to the crib--the door.  I think we had a window.  The walls were covered in parakeet wallpaper.  We shared that room until we moved when I was almost 10.  My brothers were almost 8 and 5.  Perhaps the youngest never really "matured" because he slept in a crib until he was 5???  Even with the side removed.

We are into day three with the new fridge.  It is very quiet.  The "other" one made a noticeable amount of noise with the motor and fans -- from the beginning.

The food inside is cold.  The ice maker is making ice.  Everything fit inside and I have empty spaces.
Enough spaces tall enough for milk containers and orange juice bottles.  The "chill" drawer has room for the deli sliced meats AND a week's supply of yogurt cups PLUS room for cheeses.

And, wonders to behold, a shelf above the ice maker "suitable for containers of ice cream".  It's been 2.5 years since we had room for a container of ice cream.

When the service guys came to install the new fridge and remove the old--they were rather stunned.  "This is a new fridge" they said to G when they first saw the Whirlpool.  And G said "yes, it's only 2 years old".  Why they asked?  Because it doesn't work and can't be repaired.  And they hauled it away.

Magnets don't stick to the new Electrolux.  It's actually stainless steel (or so G tells me).  The front of the Whirlpool--well, magnets stuck to it.  Enough said.

I have to get back to sorting out things in my sewing room and carrying them upstairs.  I have the paint and dye cabinet to work on this morning.  I have a Pfaff sewing machine that works on European wattage or with a transformer.  Anyone interested?

July And the Garden Is Busting Out

Thank Goodness for the fences.  I tied up the tomatoes--I seem to need to do this every 3 days. I counted 12 tomatoes (green) and lots of little flowers.  I hope there will be MORE.  With tomatoes, I am a glutton.  I always want more.  Early Girl and Better Boy.

The cucumber plants are finally tall enough to reach out and attach themselves to the fence.  And the baby plants that I planted as "insurance" and to extend the cucumber season are about three inches tall.  Lots of tiny yellow flowers.  I hope they hurry as the dill is ready. I am growing burpless European style cucumbers and the pickling ones.

I brought two plump jalapeños in from the garden--in my pocket.  I am going to taste test.  Last year's first wave of jalapeños was hot and the second wave tasted like plain old bell peppers. Disappointing. But the freezer melt down made "soup" of all those frozen peppers.  Bland as they were, I would have used them to season chili.

I checked the squash bed and I have two (maybe 3) zucchini growing.  One more yellow squash.  Lots of flowers on the yellow plants but very few on the zucchini plants.  Fingers crossed they start producing like rabbits in the next few weeks.  I need to make bread and butter pickles.

All of the bell pepper plants have one and more likely two or three peppers growing.  I like to leave them until they start to show some red and then pick them.  The finish turning red here in the house.

Tomorrow my walking buddy (2007) and I are walking--at our old time of 8:30 am.  I am so looking forward to it.  After the walk, I'll eat breakfast, read the paper and then go off to work.  I even have a good lunch to take with me to work.  I actually eat it around 3 or 4 pm and then don't have supper.

Well, I have to sign off and check the news to see what The Donald had to say today.  He is certainly adding interest to a rather DULL race so far---  I don't see him as a viable candidate, but actually there aren't many who will make it past September.

Moving Ahead

With trepidation.

Whirlpool has offered us a new replacement fridge (by August 20th) or a check for 75% of the cost of the broken fridge.  Since---and I thought about this a great deal--- I never really liked the style features of the French doors/bottom freezer drawer fridge I purchased--the center drawer, which means both French doors must be fully opened in order to get the drawer to pull out; the size of the freezer--(smaller in volume than the two door, freezer on top, with ice maker that we owned for 20 years), with so many shallow drawers that nothing actually fit into them and the really stupid slide in "pizza" storage area---wasted space ---I decide against the new replacement.   We are waiting for the check instead.

And I have chosen to buy a simpler, side by side door fridge.  Where I can see everything in the freezer and I only have one door to open to get anything in the fridge.  The in door ice maker takes up considerable space--but it's the only thing G says he must have.  It has few bells and whistles.
I am considering the Electrolux, the Frigidaire and the GE Profile.  So if any of you own one of these, give me your opinion.  I am purchasing the 5 year extended warranty on whichever one I choose.
I am considering the local appliance store and Loew's (because they have given us a loaner both times we needed one)-- and they were very nice about it.

We also just got the bill for the house painting, the new windows, and the carpentry trim inside--due to the new windows.  WOW!!!  It was much more than either of us expected.  We just kept saying "yes" to everything the contractor suggested.  He has taken care of this house for over 24 years and everything he does--painting, carpentry, roofing has been 100% perfect.

I think we will be taking a recess from home improvements until the bank balance looks more like it's former self.  And we'll spend the extra time in the garden.  Finally everything is filling out and growing tall.  And, since I am almost finished scrubbing the tile floor on the sunporch--I can start painting in there--so it matches the house.

And we are having a houseguest at the end of the month.  G is trying to find the side rails for the twin beds.  The beds my parents bought for my brother and I back in the day--when I was five and he was three.  Lovely to have them, still.  G is going up in the attic with a flashlight tomorrow.  LOL.

Now We're Gardening!

The peas are finally ready to be picked.  And eaten.  I eat them raw.  Never have bothered to cook any of them, and then the pods are returned to the compost heap.   My chard is ready but has yellow stems.  I was given six little broccoli seedlings for "fall planting" (which is now) and I also have bean seeds waiting for the peas to finish up.  I'll leave the pea roots in the soil to provide nitrogen to the beans.  My lettuce is still doing great.  The rocket (arugula) has gone to seed.  It bolts so quickly. The beets are doing fine and the 8 (yes, only 8) carrots are looking very fine, indeed.  I need to try and reseed carrots for a late crop.  This will be the THIRD attempt on carrots.

My tiny cucumber plants are just beginning to make those curly tendrils--reaching out to grab hold of anything nearby.  I gave them a few bamboo sticks to hold on to until they get tall enough to grab onto the trellis.  I also tucked a few more cucumber seeds into the ground--for later.

My yellow and zucchini squashes are growing--too slowly for my impatient gardening--- but there are flowers (mostly male) and I continue to water and feed.  All the bell pepper plants have made at least one bell pepper each.  They are so reliable.   The jalapeño plants have fewer baby peppers but I have high hopes this year.   I want lots of zucchini and jalapeño for my bread and butter pickles. We are officially OUT of canned pickles.

I have set out a total of 18 Hungarian Wax Pepper plants (I am crazy).  I think (???) I will be pickling them.  I remember my grandmother pickling these yellow peppers and serving them with sliced ham and rye bread for delicious fall and winter sandwiches.  All the plants have yellow peppers on them--growing upright, over the top of the leaves.  I need to do research on when to pick them.  I read a seed packet and the peppers are actually ripe when they turn golden or orange, so I may wait for that color change.

As you can tell, I am planning on preserving and pickling this year without much TRUST in the freezer. All the blueberries will be made into jam.  If I want blueberries with yogurt--well, it will be blueberry jam.  I will make jars and jars of pickles to restock my pantry.  I think this year's raspberries will also be processed into jam.   Unless I have a new fridge by the time they ripen in late September.

The blackberry bushes (thicket) looked promising when all the flowers were out but now--G reports that he thinks it's all the tiny, ratty wild berries and not the large ones I planted alongside the wild ones.  I prefer the large ones.  If---the second year in a row--I only get the small wild ones---then we will be mowing the thicket down.  No reason to have it.

The fridge has now lost any ability to cool.  It's averaging 60 degrees.  Good temp for growing bacteria. The freezer is 60 degrees as well. But the fan we had replaced last summer is still working. We are waiting to hear from Whirlpool.  Best case--they will send us a check which we can use to buy a new fridge.  I asked G to turn it off/pull the plug but he doesn't want to (restaurant background) as it will then begin to create mold and bacteria.  And smell. And the doors would have to be kept open wide. And neither of us is strong enough to move the thing.  And where would we move it???? It's all very sad.  The inability to "do anything" about any of it.  We feel defeated and just want to be able to move on.  Or to even know when we will be able to move on. If....

So, I will take my broccoli seedlings, my carrot seeds, basil seeds and positive thoughts out to the garden.  Leave the negative thoughts here in the house with the fridge.

The sun is shining here in Maine and it is 82 but feels like 90 degrees. HOT.  Riley is spread out flat on the wood floor next to my computer desk.  Under the ceiling fan.  Recovering from his walk. Dog Days of Summer.

Salvia is Blooming-- Must be July

We are down to 6 hour shifts at work.  The summer slow down.  Today was hot, muggy and quite miserable.  Luckily, I learned from my experience yesterday and brought a proper lunch. I had a cheese sandwich, cantaloupe chunks, iced coffee---and I shared the bag of popcorn I had tucked away in my locker.  M helped me pop it successfully.  I do NOT know how to microwave popcorn.

The deer didn't eat anything overnight but, just in case, I clipped all the lovely pink rosebuds that could tempt the deer.  A very nice, sweet smelling bouquet.  The deer don't touch the peonies or the salvia.   They don't like the bearded iris or the false indigo either.  As of 15 minutes ago, they didn't enjoy the goat's beard's plumes.

The hydrangea are wrapped in chicken wire.

My saved zinnia seeds germinated and are now 6 inches tall with small, single magenta flowers.  I feel quite proud of them.  The deer won't eat them but last summer the slugs and snails made so many holes in the leaves--the poor flowers didn't have a chance.

The little window AC unit is doing it's usual fantastic job of eliminating the moisture in the air.

The carpenters showed up this morning (when I was hoping to sleep late) at 7:30 and power screwed the new shutters on the house.  Starting with the bedroom window.  So much for sleeping late.
Time to think about supper.

I Can't Let Life Beat Me Down

I love this line drawing of the Goat.  I should do one of my own.

G is watering the garden more often.  After his daily 2.5 mile walk with Riley.  The carpenter installing the new windows on the front of the house has given me some tips on what to feed my plants for maximum growth.  The growth I am getting this year is rather more skimpy than last year. I added manure and fertilizer but it doesn't seem to be doing anything--well, it DOES seem to be helping the weed population thrive.  And the mosquitos.

My hibiscus (swamp mallow) was really growing tall and beautiful.  The deer ate it to the ground. The rose bushes are full of blossoms.  I am wondering who will ruin them.  The deer or the Japanese beetles.  I walked (stomped) around the house saying "I hate this place" because of the deer.  Just as soon as I notice something is looking lovely---they (the deer) destroy it all.   There is little to no joy in gardening for me this summer.

I am growing tired of walking from the kitchen, through the sunporch, into the garage and then over to the loaner fridge to get  cream for my coffee or milk for my cereal.  Then back to the kitchen.  And then back to the garage to put what ever I needed back into the fridge.  The loaner is in the garage because G picked it up rather than the Loew's guys delivering.  And we couldn't carry it over the steps into the sunroom where we had the loaner last July.

I just found a tick behind my glasses earpiece, stuck to my skin but still wiggling. I don't know if blood was exchanged.  I have to have G look at the spot (I can't see the area above/behind my ear) when he gets back from his walk.  He has found 3 or 4 ticks on himself in the last few days.  I'm thinking we are picking them up in the vegetable garden.

I bought some tick deterrent but G hasn't (even though I have asked twice already) spread it around the brushy edges of the lawn as yet.  Hopefully, today.  I don't know if there is anything else we can do--besides staying locked in the house.  Lots of ticks at work--where this one on my ear may, more likely, have gotten on me.

Today was my last dose of doxycycline.  My RN friend said now I have to document and have checked any "new" symptoms.  Any rashes, aches and pains in joints, etc. etc.  She said Lyme's is similar to syphilis in that it waits in the blood for years and then comes back, worse, so much worse.
By then I hope the researchers have found a way to reverse it.

But for now--we will check my ear and see if another bullseye appears.  It's really not safe to go outside.

Trouble With Whirlpool Refrigerators

We had a service call from our extended warranty company.  I think he drove here from either Massachusetts or New Hampshire as there were (are) no technicians in Maine.

Our refrigerator was not repaired.

The closed end (sealed) fuel system which creates cold isn't working and probably was never working correctly.  The technician searched but couldn't find a leak.

G and I are left with a non-working, unrepairable refrigerator.

Remembering Last July

When the top half of the "new" fridge stopped working.  Here we are a few days shy of the one year anniversary of 6 weeks with a loaner fridge on the porch.  And, we have another loaner fridge in the garage this time (G and daughter could not manage getting the thing up stairs and onto the porch) because the "new" fridge freezer stopped working.  The poor fan motor will probably burn out--it keeps trying to get the freezer to freeze.   Repair---- well, they'll call if they "find" someone to come out.  Sigh.  And we have a repair contract.

Lowe's comes to the rescue again but they also had a 3 to 4 day delay in delivering the loaner fridge.  So G went to get it with the trailer and S and G had to tip it off the trailer (and hope it didn't crush our daughter) and then just plug it in out there.  We don't need the freezer section as often as we needed the fridge portion last summer.  So, out in the garage is okay.

We lost a lot of things though.  The packaged berries from last summer were the first things to soften. So, they are now feeding the compost pile.  And what didn't fit into the tinier freezer--well, some is in the fridge (where we can hopefully cook and eat it) and the rest will be in tomorrow's garbage pick up.

I have to say-----I really, truly, deeply, hate this fridge and regret buying it.

I hate having to spend time (always) listening to the on and off of the motors and fans (right now it is constant) and wondering if they are on too long or starting too slow etc. etc.  I also have gotten in the habit of testing the firmness of the butter to judge whether the fridge is cooling.  Every single day.

I think we have a real LEMON here.  And from reading comments--it will never be resolved.  Our only recourse is to call it a loss and buy another refrigerator.  $2400 lost.  I just HATE the thought of that.  And what guarantee that the next fridge will be any better?  We have two more years on the extended warranty (parts and service) but the anxiety is taking a toll on my nerves.

The Times Are Changing Again

When I was in college in the mid sixties I started out with curfews and bed checks.  We were in lock down mode resembling a women's prison most of the time.  We had to be wearing stockings and a skirt or dress in order to stand in the cafeteria line for the meals our parents paid for. The men's dorms were open 24/7.  But they had to worry about Viet Nam.

My senior year, I could have worn nothing at all and gotten my meal.  No questions.  There were also no curfews or bed checks.  The school and dorm administrators just didn't seem to care where we were or what we were doing. We had the Pill.  Drug use was everywhere (which is why we now have so many commercials for Hepatitis drugs).

I went from living the life of a nun in a convent to...... what would you call it?

In the early years of marriage (happened just after I finished school), we witnessed drug users in the streets (we hoped they were just sleeping and not dead) on the sidewalks in Atlanta where we lived and where our children were born (under the Confederate Flag).  Men visited the moon, Civil Rights, Medicare etc.  The Times They Were A Changing.

Who even thought that at 68.5 I would be witness to another, mind blowing, set of changes.... A Black man as President--for two terms. The Affordable Care Act being given the Supreme Court stamp of approval.  Everyone gets to see the doctor and be well ( I can tell you I am forever grateful for Medicare coverage and Social Security)). Marriage is a right for every American (wow).  The Confederate Flag is now being seen for what it really is--- the on going Civil War---which in some states never ended.  Now Walmart says it's over.

I'm left hopeful that someday a woman will be President.  In my lifetime. Right now we can celebrate a woman climbing to take down the flag in South Carolina.  And being arrested.  Right on!

The Last Booksale Set-Up

There seem to be more "last time" things and fewer "first time" things this year.  I'm not sure how I feel about the "last" book sale set up.  It wasn't without it's bumps and irritations so, I'm thinking, I am glad this part of my summer plans for the past 18 years is over.

The month of June will no longer be "before" the sale and then "after" the sale.  It'll just be June.
When the garden gets filled with plants. And there were no books I actually wanted to buy.

Even though it rained yesterday, G had to water everything.  The super hot 80 degree sun got the best of all the little transplanted tomatoes, peppers and squashes.  It got the best of me as well.  And since straight up sunshine is a no-no while I am on the meds--well, it was good to not be at the greenhouse and better to be in the junior high gym, even though I worked harder, lifted too many heavy boxes and had to put up with a woman who kept saying "what a great job you're doing etc etc" to every volunteer.  Like a cheerleader.  Of course it might have been because I was doing all the heavy lifting and she didn't say it to me.  (OMG if she had--- makes me want to laugh out loud)

Since it was cold yesterday, we had roast turkey, baked sweet potatoes, Stove Top stuffing and cognac infused cranberries left over from last Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving dinner is just the best meal there is, I think, and G agrees.

Now I am taking a shower and putting on my jammies.  Stick a fork in me---I'm done.

I'm Doing Fine

Thank you for all the kind words and wishes for my continued good health.  Me, too.

The pills seem to agree with me--which is not always the case with me.  I am eating my daily yogurt with sweet cherries which are on sale right now.  What a delightful treat.

As a side bar, the pills seem to be having an affect on others things.  My ankles are no longer swollen. They are just regular sized.  My knee doesn't ache.  I have lost weight (along with my appetite). So, it's all delightfully good.  I must be a treasure trove of inflammation and infection.

I'm wondering if I could be put on a prolonged daily treatment?????

I am spraying myself with SPF 50 at work, wearing long sleeves when I can and a hat out in the perennial yard (when I remember to bring my hat) and sitting down to do plant clean up when I feel fatigued.  Yes, I am working.  I know---what an idiot.

I don't feel sick.  Just a bit dizzy now and again but that could also be dehydration from the heat.

I bought bags and bags of ice pops for the kids at work--most have just graduated and are heading off to colleges and technical schools.  Very exciting days if I remember my own summer after high school.  I was 17.  I mostly remember being terrified of going away to college.

I'm off to the shower and then G and I will eat dinner.  Some chicken nuggets and red skin potato salad.  The grocery deli did the cooking.

I Have Lyme's Disease

G pulled a tick off my hip about three weeks ago.  On a Monday.  By Wednesday I had the fever which lasted three days.  And after the fever I was very tired and listless.

This is when I should have gone to the doctor.

I have had a small red spot with a black dot in the center.  A larger red rash spot. Then smaller.  Then larger.  My knee started aching but hasn't swelled.

I have gone to the doctor today, (been given hell for not coming in sooner), purchased my antibiotics and will be on them for 3 weeks.  I have yogurt with live cultures to eat while taking the pills. I have spray on sunscreen and have to be well covered and wear a hat if I go outside as the antibiotic will make me very sun sensitive.  I work in a greenhouse and out in the sunny perennial yard.

If I wear long sleeves, long pants and a hat at work (which is what the doctor has ordered me to do)---I will certainly pass out from overheating since the greenhouse potting bench is regularly in the 90's and up to 110 on hot summer days. How I will deal with this is up in the air.  I am trying to deal with the news of the Lyme disease.

Sigh.  It's always something.

Short Circuited

I am exhausted.   I wake up tired.  Go to sleep tired.  In between I stumble about getting myself breakfast, packing a lunch and working.  So many people.  So many gardening problems.

I am thinking a good "being sick" would be very welcome.  Not that I was well rested after the fever. I never actually slept.  Just kept dropping off and then would wake up searching for a cold spot to put my head.  Sigh.

I suggested to my employer that three days off a week (in a row) would be very much appreciated when we hit the slower, summer months.  I would be less likely to be "testy" on the other four days at work.  He exclaimed in surprise, "when are you testy??"  When am I not?

I finished "The Girl On The Train".  I had guessed who done it by the last fourth of the book.  I wonder why other readers were so shocked?  When I went to the library--they gave me The Secret Place AGAIN so I am going to try and read a few more chapters and then return it.  I checked out the new fiction shelves and didn't recognize any of the authors.

Now I am going to reheat my coffee, have a dark chocolate caramel and sit in front of the television until it's time to sleep.  Tomorrow is a day off and I have tons of gardening to do.  My own problems to solve.

Scarecrow Made From Burlap Coffee Bags

Now that the local coffee roaster is giving all that lovely "chaff" to the compost start up --which means finding compost additions to my bins has all but dried up--- I now can turn to using the burlap bags I did get along with the chaff.   Though with the weather we are having here in Maine-- hardly anything is growing.  So cold.  So cloudy.  So not June.

The house has been painted.  A very soft calm green trio.  So peaceful I can almost fall asleep while looking at the house.

New shutters are ordered and --after being painted--will be installed.

The new front of the house windows have been ordered (casement with full "lites") and a new back door.  The old one had so much water damage that it was an embarrassment to the painting contractor. (not us)  We had boards replaced on the house as well.  So, now the house is properly maintained and ready for the the next 10 to 15 years.

The grass is looking very green and luscious.  Not a weed in sight.  Perhaps we should sell the house now???  Not a chance.

The flowering almond--flowered.  The crab trees were rather glorious this year.  The lilac thanked us for the move to a new spot and the pruning I gave it last fall--many fragrant deep purple blooms.  Right now the rhodies are flowering.  White, pink and deep rose red.  The cameo quince and the beach plum were very well flowered.

The vegetable garden?  Not so good.  No carrots.  Five or six beets.  No kohlrabi.  Plenty of garlic, onions and shallots.  Kale, mustard and lettuces are nicely represented by tiny little green dots.  A few nasturtiums are up.  My inside (under the lights) seedlings are nice and sturdy.  French eggplants, cucumbers and zinnias.  The tomato starts are in the wagon, outside.  Going into the garage on cold nights (and days).

Riley has a new hobby.  Chipmunks have taken up residence in the blackberry thicket.  They come "prancing" out, tails up, tempting Riley to give chase.  He does and they run back into the thicket and Riley, having learned the blackberry branches can hurt his nose, runs, silent, right up to the thicket.  G and I watch as he very slowly moves, muscles trembling--wanting to go, and creeps ever closer.  The painters would stop work to watch and wait--to see if he got one.  It's only a matter of time.

The squirrels have departed after losing one to Riley and a second to a hawk.

The backyard is a dangerous hunting ground.

I returned to work after the 5 days of sick time.  I am ambivalent.  But this time, unlike other times, I am not that eager to return to work.  Perhaps this job has run it's course.

I just pulled a Georgia peach cobbler out of the oven.  Reminding me of the six years we lived there, had two children and I learned to cook.  We are having pizza today.  G has finally agreed to veggie pizza as the normal choices (sausage, pepperoni) are too fatty for his heart healthy diet.  I plan to put sauteed fennel bulbs and onion on my side.  Onions, mushrooms, a few peppers, and some olives on his side.  Perhaps some ham.  Rehab is going well.  The lectures have been well received (veggie pizza) and he seems to enjoy going to the three times a week exercise hours.

Well, it's time to start in on some housework.  I'm reading "The Girl On The Train" (well, I haven't started yet) after reading "Broken Harbor" by Tana French.  I stopped reading "Secret Place" by same author as it bored me to sleep.  Seems like every other one is worth reading.  The Likeness was also a snooze.  Any book suggestions?????

Someday

I have lived most (all) of my life putting things off until "someday" and this fever I have had has sort of caused me to think--is this, now, someday?  Or have I missed "someday" and gone directly to "too late now".

I have (will have) been home rather than at work for four full days.  It feels like weeks.  It feels good. I have forgotten about work and haven't worried or fretted about what I may have "missed".   I have rested.  While the fever was attacking--I tossed and turned. But once it passed--I rested.

Just sitting.  Letting time pass and wash over me.  No time clock to punch.  No place to be.  Not even any meals to prepare.  G and I just stopped eating it seems.  I remember making food on Monday and Tuesday.  G must be eating that.  I have existed on well spaced cheese sandwiches.  On hamburger buns.  Just two slices of cheese and the bun.  No heat, no toasting, no condiments.  Each bite taking forever to chew until I had to fall asleep from the effort.  Looks like I had 4 of them over 3 days.

The house is being painted.  There are so many decisions to make.  This color here or here?  These two side by side?  What about this?  I fear I am making all the WRONG choices and the house will look like a JOKE.  Good thing we have so many trees.

I am going out to a friend's right now--in the car.  For tea and to look at books.  Should be enough excitement to generate a nap when I get home.

Sick Days

I was slammed by a fever and headache after work on Wednesday and have been in bed since. Not eating and not drinking.  Just rolling around trying to find a "cool spot" for my head.

Today the fever is gone--as of now-- but I am dizzy and taking long rest periods on the couch.

I hear "this" is going around but what it is--don't have a clue.  I was very worried it had to do with the two ticks I found on myself earlier in the week.  Dog ticks but not the more dangerous deer ticks.

Got to go rest.  This writing was too much for me.  Sigh.

Seedlings

I made the newspaper cylinders but didn't use them.  Why?  I guess the correct answer is that I forgot I had made them.   Today I transplanted all my little "from seed" tomatoes to pots.  Solo rather than the group pots they had started out in.  Some liked it and others--not so much.

I also "pricked" the tiny zinnia seedlings out of their group pots and now they are in single pots. They didn't like it either (getting all droopy)  but a refreshing gulp of fish emulsion seems to have perked everyone up.  I transplanted the calendula seedlings directly into the garden.

My garden beds look like little green dot drawings.  Everything is sprouting but still very very tiny. I have planted what I actually eat, not what I think I should plant.  I eat carrots, radishes, mixed salad greens (I have two kinds of kale, mustard, arugula, escarole, spinach and mixed salad) the other bed is full of radishes, kohlrabi (I hope), carrots and beets.  Yes!!! Finally I have beets seeds that grew.

Another bed is full of garlic (planted last October), red onions and yellow onions, shallots (two varieties) and sprinkled with scallion (green onion) seeds.  I also have three very large chive clumps.

My peppers and tomatoes aren't ready to go into the garden yet.  And I have cucumber seeds planted in the hot box along with squash and zucchini.  The seedlings at work are calling to me, but I am resolute and will be growing from seed this year.  I want lots and lots of cucumbers for my cucumber water drink, my cucumbers in sour cream and for dill pickles.

I have worked very long and hard tilling amendments into the raised beds to add nutrition.  Last year's garden was a struggle.  I added coffee bean chaff to the beds to "lighten" up the soil plus fertilizer and quick acting lime.  Some of the beds got cow manure as well--the beds for squashes, tomatoes and peppers.  Heavy feeders.

My pea plants are up and trying to grab onto the supporting wires I have arranged for them.  I planted them at the correct Maine time--Fourth of July is steamed red potatoes, fresh picked peas and salmon. I don't know why but I would guess it's because this would be the first "fresh" meal after a terribly long winter of eating stored or jarred foods.

I am trying to empty the freezer.  I want to have room for blackberries, ice cream and stacks of chicken breasts pounded flat and ready to be marinaded and slapped on the grill.  I bought 6 ears of corn today at the grocery--- why do we have corn already?  I skipped the watermelon.  But did buy a branch of red tomatoes which I hope will soften up on the counter in the next few days.

I made a compote of rhubarb, frozen strawberries and orange juice to eat with yogurt.  I also have enough cucumbers to make gallons of my "drink"--because my ankles and hands are swelling--too much salt.  I didn't have any drink last week and missed it terribly.  Which reminds me--to add more cucumber slices to the half gallon of water I have in the fridge.

Back to work tomorrow and the house painters will be here later tomorrow morning to get started. Unless it's raining.  Which would be rather a good thing for my little seedlings.

The House Is Getting Painted

Not like this.  G is selecting the colors.  The house was sage green when G first saw it and purchased it.  I saw the house the day we closed.  Yep.  We bought a house I had never seen.

I chose the present color--Shortbread (Martha Stewart) and everyone--including me, hates it.  The painting contractor is/was disgusted by the "cookie" color and the  bright rhododendron colored green shutters.  I thought the paint would fade.  Then I prayed the paint would fade.  But the guy who does the painting, is so good that even 10 years later--it looks like it did the day they finished painting the house.

G has chosen sage green.  He has also chosen--by the painting contractor's rule book--- the light shade which is two values removed from the sage green (the house body color) and the dark is two shades the other direction on the color stick.  He also purchased pints of the colors he was considering and I made color swatches on the front of the house.  It looks like a very odd quilt.

G wants the house to look like it did when he fell in love with it in 1991.  I just want the man to be happy.  I still love the green shutters.  I actually had the color people make the paint from an actual rhododendron leaf.

Update On G's ongoing incision.  Finally the surgeon sent G to the Wound Center nurse.  We have moved on from the daily wet/dry dressing to a "matrix" which is a sort of foam imbedded with collagen and antibiotics.  I pack it in and cover with gauze and tape.  In 7 days the opening has closed 67%.  Very fast working stuff.  Too fast.  As the outer edges cannot be allowed to close before the inner layers have healed.  The nurse may have to "re-open" things.  It's always something isn't it?

The most interesting part of this is that the company that makes this foam "matrix" is located on the repurposed Navy base in our Town.  The company is from Sweden or Finland.  They make the foam here in Brunswick and then ship it back to Europe where the healing medicals are added and then it comes back to the Wound Center and the nurse gives it to G.  Imagine, in a few years, having bandaids with this foam to put on burns or cuts and healing 67% faster than usual.  Imagine having something like this to use in Burn Units.  Right now it's being used to heal or prevent bed sores in hospitalized patients.

G's surgery and recovery have opened both our eyes to how much the medical side of life has changed while we weren't paying any attention.

Calming Path

I am invited to "turn inward" tomorrow for the Dark Moon and "see" the path I should be traveling in the coming years.  I wonder if I can "google" "turn inward".   I guess it would be like meditating.
I would love to have an idea of what my future should look like.  I tend to just blunder along without a thought.

I have tomorrow off and my intentions are to get things going in the garden.  One more bed needs work (possibly a second one) and then I can seed the one bed with kale, rocket, chard and possibly a mixed green (lettuce) mixture.  The bed was full of cabbages last year.  And cabbage worms. Since I rarely harvest more than one good cabbage---I decided to spend my space on things I actually buy and eat.  Greens.

G didn't make nearly enough carrot seed tapes so I got him to make more.  I may even make more myself.  I love carrots.  And beets.  We planted some beet seeds and I hope they come up this year.  I got one woody little beet last year, but lots of turnips.  This year it's kohlrabi.  I like eating that raw. I am trying a heirloom radish--long like a carrot and pale pink on the outside and "crisp" inside.  We'll see.

My seedlings are not thriving.  The tomatoes have purple leaves.  I looked it up and I think it might be too cold for them in the house.  But the websites say it's not a bad thing and they will "outgrow" it and be just fine.  I have quite a few of the Lowe's zinnias.  The first batch has their second leaves. Perky and all green.  No purple leaves.  No basil.  For some reason I just can't grow basil. It must be a curse or something.

We started selling cucumber seedlings today at work.  Way too chilly for little cucumbers but people are buying them.  I am making, and drinking, my cucumber and lemon water to keep myself hydrated at work.  I think the bottle holds nearly 8 cups of water which is 7 cups more than I usually drink. The water with it's light cucumber flavor goes down easy.  I have no idea why.  I also take a quart canning jar with me to work filled with cold coffee, Splenda and cream.  Then I don't need "take out" coffee during the day.

Well, I am covered in dirt and need a shower and my clothes need to be put in the washer.  I think I might finish my library book tonight.  That will be a major accomplishment.

G is doing fine (I know you all like updates).  He likes cardio rehab and they worked him hard today (treadmill on 5% incline).  He doesn't like the lectures-- today's was on fiber and if there is a food group G doesn't like--it's fiber.  No grains, lentils, beans etc for him.  He gardens most days, walks 2 miles with Riley and has cut our grass (it took 2 hours) and cut the neighbor's lawn (not on the same day).   His "zipper" wound is doing great and he is now going to the Wound Clinic and has some new "magic stuff" that I will be inserting each day to make the wound heal a bit faster.  It looks like foam pads.  All this activity has increased his appetite so he is eating better now.  I was a bit worried about too many skipped meals.  His heart is working perfectly.