It seems that everything has bloomed earlier than usual this year. Black/brown-eyed Susans usually bloom in August and they first flowered a couple of weeks ago. Same with the David Phlox. Today’s weather will do them no favors, so I’m going to go out and water this morning before the worst of the heat sets in. We have a heat advisory today and this will be the forecast through Saturday. Thank goodness for air conditioning.
We might get a severe thunderstorm around noon. Sigh. Yet another torrential rain.
Because I’ve been stuck inside, I’ve been playing with the girls.
I placed them on the ottoman for a moment and was taken with the way they looked together.
Believe me, playing with dolls at this age is a truly wonderful thing – something I had never even entertained! They have truly enhanced the quality of my life. Magic and wonder are in short supply these days, so why not grab them while you can?
I’ve been reading a lot. Reading War and Peace first thing in the morning is key. My brain is more open to all the details. Later in the day, there are too many distractions. (Right now, we’re in the midst of a big battle in the War of 1812.) Then I usually follow with The Deptford Trilogy. I should be more specific about that: I’m reading the first book in the trilogy – Fifth Business. When I finish that, I’ll switch books in order to read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I got it from the library, so I have it for a limited amount of time. After that, it will be back to the Trilogy.
Unless another book that I forgot I reserved arrives at the library.
I feel like a juggler!
What are you reading?
Stay safe.
Happy Thursday.
I am reading “Defending Jacob” by William Landay. I’m enjoying it and can’t figure out how it is going to end which makes me want to read faster!
It’s rare when I can’t figure out the ending so it’s doubly wonderful when I have no idea!
Stay safe, Ellen.
The three little sisters look lovely together. Those Blythe dolls bring their love with them. They are magical. Never too old to play with dolls. Enjoy your reading. I’m reading a book called “And Still I cannot Save You” by Kelly S. Thompson, a Canadian author. It’s about the enduring love between sisters despite addiction, abuse and tragedy. I’m about half-way through. Stay cool. Hugs, Elaine
They are absolutely magical, Elaine! I know you know.
Sounds like a very powerful book!
Stay safe.
Demon Copperhead was a good one, though a difficult story. Just finished The Lacuna, another difficult, but great Kingsolver story. Next up, The newest Laura Lippman, Prom Mom.
A nice group of books, Shanna.
Stay safe.
I just completed Moorewood Family Rules; the description says it’s like Knives Out meets Ocean’s 8. Sort of…. I’m going to start Tom Hanks’ book The Making of Another Mi to on Picture Masterpiece. My daughter read it and says she’s go see the movie about which the book is written, a fix to oral movie. Then next is my queue is the latest Barker and Llewelyn book by Will Thomas. My daughter is reading it first.
Thanks, Wendy!
Stay safe.
I’m reading the Susan Hill Serrailler series thanks to you mentioning her. Love them. The good news is I’ve got lots of books ahead of me. Bad news is, I’m enjoying them so much it’s going to be hard not to go through them too quickly.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying that series, Louise.
Stay safe.
We had torrential rain yesterday. We had 2.5 inches in our rain gauge in about 2 hours. Lots of wind and thunder and lightning also.
I looked at my hydrangea again this morning. Every flower is blue except that one pink one. My granddaughter said “maybe it’s a message from God.”
I’m not sure what the message is though.
I am reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. It’s about a family that moves to a remote area of Alaska in the late 1960s, early 70s.
Take care
We just had more torrential rain. I am so sick of it. My hydrangeas have been pummeled and can no longer stand.
Enjoy your book, Marilyn!
your hard work in gardening has paid off … those flowers and all that greenery are beautiful (so is the photo itself)! i’d print and frame that photo to look at in the winter … absolutely beautiful!
sorry for your weather woes, but it sounds like you have a nice mix of books to enjoy indoors … good! also, the girls look like they are having fun at a slumber party. :)
like most of the country and elsewhere around the world, we’ll have another very hot, humid day here. i feel bad for people who work outdoors, for people without homes or air conditioners, for all creatures and for the many thousands of people riding their bikes 500 miles across the state this week (if interested, look up “ragbrai”/the des moines register’s annual great bike ride across iowa … this is the 50th year). i am ready for fall’s cooler temperatures! :o
i read “the living bible”, sometimes the same several verses over and over. i want to memorize them and especially have them sink into my heart and life. for the same reason, i am also reading a book (not in front of me at the moment) of what i’d call Christian encouragement. now that i am back to reading every day, i’ve recently gone through my cupboard of books and pulled a dozen or so to have ready … i don’t want to lose the enjoyment and other benefits of reading ever again!
happy, safe thursday to everyone!
kathy
I’m glad you’re back to reading again, Kathy.
Stay safe.
The Girls are looking very sweet. I have a few books on the go, none of them ‘heavy’ reading. I’m about half way through The Storm Sister by Irish author Lucinda Riley which is the second of her Seven Sisters books. It’s mostly set in Norway and Peer Gynt features.
I also have Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson plus a real oldie that someone else requested through my library job – A Stone for Danny Fisher. I don’t think I have read it before but I remember Harold Robbins being considered quite daring for its time.
Happy Thursday
Oh yes, Harold Robbins was considered racy!
Stay safe, Dee Dee.
I’m reading a novel, very unusual for me: The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin. I find the time of the Blitz so fascinating and like reading the diaries and stories written by the generation who lived through it. My dad was stationed in England flying bombing missions over France and Germany in B-17’s. He never talked much about his war experiences but he did return with a deep admiration for the country and its people.
We have dozens of sun flowers opening this week from seeds scattered by the birds at the feeders. I used to try to plant them with absolutely no luck so I thank my birdie friends. Air quality alert so limiting time outside, yet again.
Take care,
Kay
You must read A Chelsea Concerto by Frances Faviell. It’s the real-life story of living in Chelsea, London during the Blitz. So well written!
Lovely sunflowers!
Stay safe, Kay.
The flowers are beautiful. I just finished Prodigal Summer, an earlier book by Barbara Kingsolver. My sister raved about Demon Copperhead. I hope you post a review when you have read it.
I probably won’t review it, I don’t really do that nowadays, but I’ll share my thoughts about it.
Stay safe, Lynda.
I, too, am reading several books. “A Fall of Marigolds” by Susan Meissner, “The Way of the Bear” by Anne Hillerman, and “An American Sunrise, poems” by Joy Harjo.
Take Care,
Kaye
I rather like reading more than one book at a time, but they have to be very different genres and styles.
Stay safe, Kaye.
Been inside a lot the past few weeks because of the weather and I am too thankful for air conditioning. The older I get the more the hot humid weather impacts my health. We are expecting more rain and perhaps thunderstorms this afternoon. The times of torrential rains we’ve had the last several weeks have left big ruts in the driveway. A delivery person today decided to walk up our long steep driveway rather than take his truck through the ruts And overgrown greenery. Ruts in the driveway, moss on the roof, and creeping with vines All need attention but it seems useless to address them until we get a more stable weather pattern. Till then, I’m hoping the damage won’t get much worse. Especially since I just got my electric bill and the usage doubled for the month of July. Whatever cause of the weird severe weather, it’s certainly dangerous and expensive. Hi to the girls! They are good company
Yes, our driveway has ruts, as well. I drove up it today and couldn’t believe how bumpy the ride was.
Stay safe, Nora.
Just made myself a Mimosa….kicked off my shoes and am listening to Nora Jones….not sure if I am going to read anything today . It was a lazy afternoon for me. I had a wonderful time being with friends last night. Good conversations. Did not realize how much I have missed that.
Very little energy for much of anything. I started a sketch of one of your photos…..the black eyed susan photo. When I am done….I will attempt a watercolor. I thank you for the inspiration Claudia. Love the “girls” and the outfits are wonderful. Stay cool….the next couple of days are going to be steamy. Then a cooling trend next week……we hope.
hej, maria! :)
sounds like you’ve had some lovely times spent with friends and with favorite music. i’m glad for you!
hope all is well and you are keeping cool.
kathy
Thanks Kathy…..I go from calm to crazy. Lots of ups and downs in my life and when I get the UPS….I treasure them. Anxiety….then some calm or maybe exhaustion and then back to that familiar anxiety. Music and friends can snap me out of it. I took your advice and did my version of prayer…..and it truly helped me. Thanks for the reminder…..
hej, maria.
I am glad for you to have things, like friends and music and prayer, to brighten your days!
besides norah jones, what music do you listen to?
and what do you like to draw and paint?
i fight low level depression and i know when it seems to be winning because that’s when i’ve stopped listening to music. but i love music and so try to listen every day to something … most genres and often favorites like joe cocker, bodeans, gino vannelli …. no one else could go with me so, in september, i am driving by myself to chicago to see gino in concert! :) am a bit nervous about it (due to not wanting to be out late at night by myself, first crowded event since covid began), but i will be smart and fine. and i’ve loved his music for nearly 50 years and this is my chance to go see him … woo hoo!
also, i love art … looking at it, reading about it and trying my own. I love to paint, especially with watercolors. more recently been trying water-soluble colored pencils and water-soluble pastels, etc. am not always pleased with the results, but i enjoy the doing, the letting stuff out and occasionally liking what i made. :)
any music or watercolor recommendations you want to share? i’d appreciate them! thanks, maria.
hope you are having a nice night and a fun weekend ahead!
kathy
Enjoy sketching, Maria!
Stay safe.
“Mapp and Lucia” by E. F. Benson. Uno perfecto!! My Italian is almost as good as Lucia’s.
I read that years and years ago. It’s delightful!
Stay safe, Tana.
I’m rereading a couple of Margaret Truman mysteries in my stash. Murder at the Opera to be followed by Murder at the Washington Tribune. While some things in the book are familiar, it’s unsettling how much I’ve forgotten in twenty years since I’ve first read them. ;)
Isn’t that interesting? I feel the same way as I’m reading The Deptford Trilogy. Only that was more than 30 years ago!
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Last week my reads were Weyward by Emilia Hart. It was a wonderful tale of generations of women who loved nature and spells. Followed by Broadway Butterfly by Sarah Divello; set during President Harding’s brief term. It was part mystery, and part history about an era that I was unfamiliar with. Been reading a fluffy book today, A Brighter Flame by Christine Nolfi. I needed a light book to read while waiting in the hospital for my husband’s knee replacement to be done. It went well and he will be discharged tomorrow morning. Then on to PT and hopefully some adventures together!
hej, betsy. :)
glad that your husband’s surgery went well. may the physical therapy be just as quick and helpful, then onward to many happy adventures for you both!
will be praying for you both.
kathy
Thank you, Kathy! He is home and had his first PT session. All went well and the therapist was surprised at how well he did 1 day post op. Yay!
I’m so happy to hear the surgery went well, Betsy!
Stay safe.
Thanks, Claudia. He’s doing great.
I am not enjoying this summer either. The heat drains all my energy, too many windy, thundering storms with torrential rain, not enough butterfly and hummingbird sightings and weeds I have never seen before crowding out my perennials. A gardener’s life has not been fun this year.
I hope your washing machine was an easy fix.
xoxo
All I have to say is we are melting here. Last night it was still in the 100’s.
And we need rain! So many of my plants have died. They have never been exposed to this kind of heat before. My poor roses. I don’t know if they will come back. You are right about never seeing a summer like this. We have never been this hot so many days in a row. I am seriously thinking about a trip to San Diego to visit my sister. Hang in there!
I’m so so sorry, Deb. It sounds awful there! This extreme weather is frightening! Please be careful!
Stay safe.