The gardens are pretty darned lush at the moment. Everything  is blooming. I will miss this come autumn. I’m realizing how quickly the time flies by; even when we have hot weather that slows everything up and seems to last forever, suddenly we’re near the end of July. I want to stop time for a bit, freeze-frame this view, and keep it around as long as I can.

Today, I think it’s time for some weed pulling and trimming. It’s a bit cooler this morning and boy, is it a beautiful sunny day.

It’s been a tiring couple of days as we had problems with Don’s laptop and I was obsessed about finding the solution. Eventually, we did, but I worried that we’d have to buy a new one. Anyway, all that worry and the energy it takes to figure out what the heck to do really took its toll. We were wiped out yesterday afternoon.

We ran some errands the other day, stopping at the post office and the library and then at a bookshop in a neighboring town, where I found two used Jane Gardam novels I haven’t read. They are now on my TBR pile. I’m deep into Clete  by James Lee Burke. I’ve never been disappointed by any of his mysteries. He writes about crime and the subject matter can be rough, but my heavens, he is a poet. It’s a strange and wonderful combination.

I’m excited for the start of the Olympics. It will be a lovely distraction from the election and he-who-shall-not-be-named. Side note: a gymnast on the team from the Phillipines is the daughter of two of my former students. Yvonne and Anthony were students of mine when I taught at Boston University. They seemed as different as two people could be. Right toward the end of their time there, they started dating, which was a huge surprise. I remember talking to Yvonne about that and I was a little worried, since Tony was a bit of a playboy. Well, they’ve been together ever since, have three beautiful children, and live in Los Angeles. Tony is a fairly well known actor and has been a regular in a few TV series. Their daughter is Levi Jung Ruivivar, in case you’re watching. Jung is Yvonne’s surname, Ruivivar is Tony’s surname. Best of luck, Levi!

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Friends, I am going to write very little today. I’m still processing what happened yesterday and I have a lot of anger at the media, big money donors, and several Democrats. I’m on Threads, by the way, and that is where you will see me post on politics and where I curse, praise, and vent. Same handle as my main IG account.

I’m mostly very sad.

Anyway, I’m really tired because I didn’t sleep very well. I have to mow today and Don isn’t feeling well, so it will be a long day of solo mowing chunks of the front lawn, taking a break, and then going back at it. (I’m going to be smarter about all of this,) All this has to be done because it is going to rain off and on starting late this afternoon through Thursday or Friday. And by then the lawn would be way too long.

Personally, I think the physical work will help burn off some of my anger. Maybe.

If it isn’t obvious, I enthusiastically support Kamala Harris.

I promise to be back with a longer post on Wednesday.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

I noticed a day or so ago that we are no longer hearing as many birds sing in the morning. Every year, like clockwork, I am gobsmacked when this happens. Oh, how I miss the cacaphony of melodies and calls. I hear them here and there during the day and I definitely see them, but the time of joyous morning singing only lasts about 3½ months. Then it’s over.

Time speeds by much too quickly these days.

I mowed yesterday and, once again, I took on too much. I mowed both the back forty and the corral – very hilly. Then I came in the house and cried because I hate the fact that I just can’t handle as much mowing in one sitting as I used to. Intellectually, I know this and have known this. But in my heart, I hate it. Most of the time I accept this change and modify my work outside accordingly. But sometimes, like yesterday, I forget. I’m okay now, having talked to Don, who always helps me sort through these things. New schedule: back forty one day, corral on a separate day, lilac side of the front lawn on another day, and front lawn? Always needs to be tag-teamed with Don. If for some reason, Don can’t do it, then I mow it over the course of 2 days. Just like Don did when my hand was injured.

Remember before you comment: I LOVE MOWING. I have no intention of hiring it out, nor can we afford it. It’s a good form of exercise for me (and Don) and we look forward to it. I just have to be realistic about what I can accomplish.

It sure looks nice back there this morning.

Speaking of the back forty – that’s where our mullein plants pop up. We always mow around them starting in early spring because they pop up in the lawn and we want to see them thrive. Here’s one of them:

This one is about 4 feet tall, but I’ve had a few that were taller than me and I’m 5’9″ tall.

I took that photo after I had glimpsed a flash of a butterfly’s wing through the den window which sent me outside in the late afternoon. There she was, dining on the coneflowers on the far side of the house.

What a beauty!

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.