I won’t tell you exactly how much I mowed yesterday. But it was a lot. I knew rain was supposed to come on Tuesday and I also knew how hot and humid the rest of Sunday would be. (Heat Warnings – also for today and tomorrow.) Don was off scouting locations for his polaroid photography, so he wasn’t here to yell at me to “Come in!”
It’s been so wet from all the rain, but even more, it’s so humid that the grass never gets dry. That means the lawnmower gets clogged with wet grass, which means I have to stop and clear it out approximately 1000 times, so the process was longer than expected. I also took several breaks. But I started early.
Then I weed whacked.
I know. Maybe too much, but a big part of me is happy that I can do all of that in hot and humid weather, that I can push mow most of the property in one session, that I can outwork my neighbor, who is 20 years younger than me, has far less lawn, and is on his rider lawnmower while I’m walking and pushing and getting it done.
Strong women unite!
This adorable little guy was hopping away from the path of the lawnmower. Of course, I stopped to make sure he was safe and took a picture of him.
Flowers:
As if lit by a spotlight.
Don was scouting a location nearby, which is an old railway trestle bridge that spans the Hudson. It’s called The Walkway Over the Hudson. (I shared a walk we took there on the blog a couple of years ago.) Anyway, while he was there, the camera attracted all sorts of attention as it always does and he ended up speaking to, and taking a picture of, a young couple visiting our neck of the woods from London. Questions about the camera ensued and Don told them he was studying with a guy and that they should google his name – Louis Mendes.
They responded with “Oh, we know him! We just met him the other day at the train station!”
What are the odds that this young couple would be visiting and have already met Louis?
I told Don that Louis is the “Zelig” of modern day Manhattan.
Don’s going into the city today to have a session with Louis. I was going to go with him but I do not cope well with this heat, and the thought of being in the city and trying to avoid it is not pleasant. And I don’t have to be there for anything specific. So I’m staying here, running some errands, and waiting for a package to be delivered. I’ll share the contents with you tomorrow.
Happy Monday.
see?! more confirmation for don to keep going with photography! love it.
totally understand you not wanting to go into a crowded city with lots of hot concrete and people … especially after working so hard yesterday (and owning it!). glad you can take a break today.
thanks for helping the frog (even though i don’t want to near them or other jumpers like grasshoppers)!
happy monday to you and don, to everyone.
kathy in iowa
ps: think trump’s acknowledgement of his son’s meeting (to get dirt on hc from someone from russia) will go anywhere good?
I love frogs!
I can’t imagine Trump’s stupid tweet isn’t going right into the pile of evidence that Mueller has. I think Trump’s goose is cooked.
today on “good morning america” was the first i heard about that, but only a little bit. heard a lawyer said robert mueller can use part of trump’s tweet in his investigation, but some critical part was missing … and i don’t know what that point is (had to leave for work so missed it). will search for it later. hope you’re right and come on, mueller!
kathy in iowa
All of his tweets are ‘official’ so they can be considered evidence. But trust me when I say that Mueller has more evidence than we can imagine.
thanks, claudia. i know that and trust what you’re saying … but the lawyer made it sound (to me, anyway) like trump’s latest tweet about his son and son-in-law’s meeting with someone from russia was missing something critical to be considered an admission of collusion … and it’s that missing piece that i want to know about. the lawyer did say that mueller could use against trump that latest tweet and a law about attempts to commit fraud on the country regarding the election.
i’ve had mixed feelings about watching the news … wanting to be informed so can take action, but also avoiding it for needing to avoid stress.
maybe finally this time …?!
happy monday!
kathy in iowa
Just think of it being part of a much larger package. I also tend to avoid talking heads on television, because everyone has an opinion and there are as many opinions as there are talking heads!
good way to think about that mess. thanks, claudia.
kathy in iowa
xo
Strong women unite!! Good for you getting all that yard work done. I don’t do well in the heat either. Heading to the dermatologist this morning. Then a few errands since it’s not raining!! Pretty August day. I can’t believe the kids start back to school tomorrow, well Scout is already in day care. She told me the other day she is now in ‘pre-school’ not just daycare! Tiger will be in 2nd grade. Oh my! Gotta run!
Can’t believe Tiger is going to be in second grade!
Yes! Strong women unite! I’m a firm believer in pushing yourself…exercise til it hurts….and mowing is definitely exercising. That’s the only way I believe we can conquer this aging thing.
Nice thing you did for the frog…things that jump scare me, too, so I don’t know that I would’ve gotten that close to him.
Don’s really in his element! How fun to have met that couple. We finally got rain last night and this morning….the weeds should be easy pickings this afternoon if it’s not too hot. Enjoy your day! ;)
The weeds are easy pickings here today but it’s really, really hot and humid. So no weed picking!
Hooray for strong women!
Yes, ma’am!!!!
As Donnamae said, we had a wonderful rain last night. We had just about 1.5 inches in the rain gauge. The sun is out now, so it is like a steam bath out there this morning. But we surely needed it! I have had Hummingbirds at the feeder all morning, so that has been fun to watch through the window.
Hope you have a quiet and peaceful day today. You earned it after your mowing tasks yesterday!! (p.s. Does anyone else have to populate the Name & Email info every time they post a comment now? I have for the past 3 or 4 days. Prob just me.)
Did you check the box at the bottom of the comment?
It may be a wordpress glitch, the little box is from them because of European Union Privacy laws. If you want to be remembered you have to check the box.
If all else fails you can try clearing your cache and try it again.
Yup, me too, Chris K.
I have no control over it. It’s a wordpress feature. Sorry!
I think I figured it out. In the latest WP Update, the box for saving your information got unchecked in my settings. All fixed now!
I think I figured it out. In the latest WP Update, the box for saving your information got unchecked in my settings. All fixed now!
Are you Wonder Woman ?
Picture of the secret garden is absolutely exquisite- the lighting breathtaking- you clearly have an excellent eye
Sounds like a cup of tea and a rest is in order
Siobhan
Don’t drink tea, but a cold glass of water will do nicely!
I’m a big fan of strong (physically, mentally, emotionally) intelligent women! Of the women I admire the most, my paternal great grandmother, who was widowed in her early 20’s and raised her two young sons, regularly stoned in the village square by jealous married women who thought her too smart and independent for her own good. She was eventually brought into Canada by her older son, once he got established and attained citizenship so he could sponsor her and his wife, my maternal grandmother, another woman I admire for her gentle ways that made friends wherever she went…her funeral procession had almost 100 cars full of mourners). My maternal grandmother whose parents I did not get to know, but who valued education for their young daughter. Villagers shunned and berated the family for sending a girl to school. Grandma’s parents had to take her out of school, so she taught herself how to read and write Chinese. And my Mom, for everything she is doing and learning to do on her own, since Dad had to be placed in assisted living. She is in her 90’s and still rides the bus every day to be with Dad 8-9 hours…she missed one afternoon in over two years, for her grandson’s wedding. With so many such women in their lineage, no wonder my daughters are strong young women. Oh, sorry to be so off topic…I get carried away when thinking about the amazing women who were and are in my life. That’s why I love your blog, Claudia…I appreciate your strength and not having any fear whatsoever in showing it. And I appreciate Don for loving such a strong women.
to wendy t …
you are your daughters’ primary (female) role model so hope you put yourself on that list of strong women, too!
and yes, cheers to any man who appreciates a strong woman!
kathy in iowa
Thanks, Kathy, I do. After my husband died, my primary goal, and promise to him, was to raise our daughters to become strong competent women. They don’t disappoint me! I should add my late MIL to my list too. Amidst a tragically unhappy marriage (my FIL was mentally abusive to his immediate family), she protected and raised my husband to be a strong man who wasn’t afraid to be kind and gentle, and genuinely nice.
sorry about those losses and troubles, but bravo for your mother-in-law and you to carry on!
kathy in iowa
What incredible role models you’ve had within your family. Such strong women! And you, a very strong woman, are continuing that in the way you’ve raised your daughters. Bravo, Wendy!
Bravo indeed Wendy
Siobhan
Thank you, Siobhan and Claudia, and Kathy!
Wow Wendy!…there is a book waiting in your family history for someone to write…and I would love to read it!
You never fail to AMAZE me with your physical stamina. It puts me to utter shame. Push mowing a lawn in heat & humidity? No WONDER you’re feeling it today; you were wise to let Don do his thing. You have fall days ahead when it will be cooler and you can enjoy a lovely ‘autumn in New York’ (I love that song; Sinatra singing it).
Heat warnings here as well; warnings not watches. Sigh.
Autumn in New York is one of my favorites!
I know what is in that package. I read a post on Facebook a few hours after you posted it. It is pretty special!
It is. Shhhhh! Keep it a secret! (only one more to look for.)
I used to mow and weed and rake our 2 and a half acres. but then I didn’t work away from home.
I doubt I could do that now. I just can’t take heat. but I remind myself that I was much younger then. LOL.
our weather has had warnings for people with heart problems. it makes your chest hurt! at least mine it does. I hardly go out now in the daytime. it’s like being in solitary confinement!
be careful dearest bean! heat stroke can happen to anyone.
and don’t you LOVE the comments? !!! they’re wonderful! the history of families. it’s just beautiful!
wasn’t it Zelig the great photographer who was O’Keeffe’s husband? the one who helped her get a start by displaying her art in his photography gallery? I might be remembering it wrong.
No, Zelig was a character played by Woody Allen in the movie of the same name, who kept showing up in photos of certain historical moments. He took on the characteristics of those around him. Forrest Gump was a ripoff of that idea. I was loosely comparing Louis to Zelig, because he turns up everywhere and in lots of people’s photos!
Alfred Stieglitz was O’Keefe’s husband.
LOL!!! thank you.
you could have said “oh good grief Tammy! NO!” :D xo
xo
I don’t know how you do it! Yay, Claudia! It is soooo hot here today and it’s always humid in the forest, to some degree. Luckily, I spent most of the day in the air conditioning at the hospital—just some pesky annual tests. Then shopping. Yay, also for a bounty of tee shirts in the right colors at the local Salvation Army. Let the crocheting commence!
Hey, Shanna. Interesting that you are having the same issue as am I. Maybe the 2 of us are just “special”….. I will try to clear my cache as Claudia suggested.
It’s either that or it’s a wordpress feature that isn’t working right. There was just an update of WP the other day. I wonder if it has anything to do with it?
I think I figured it out. In the latest WP Update, the box for saving your information got unchecked in my settings. All fixed now!
Yes, I am OVER this heat and humidity! It just saps one’s strength, doesn’t it?
Thank you, Claudia!!!!!!!!! Not that I am too weary to type in that info, just found it strange that it started to need it again. I do remember after the big update that occured a few months ago when we had to do it and be sure the box was checked. THX!!
xo
Real feel here today 108 degrees!…I checked for your area and it was 104 degrees….of course I figure that once you hit 100 degrees it is all irrelevant…miserable is miserable!!..lol…
Isn’t it amazing…the meeting that Don had with the couple from London?….I guess it really is a small world after all!…If only we could all be so kind to each other we could learn so much!!!….Your pictures today are exceptionally great….you have such an eye for capturing nature Claudia…you really would make wonderful nature photographer!…Stay cool…
Thank you so much, Nancy!
The heat has been unbearable. Just walked two blocks to mail some letters and was exhausted when I returned home.
Marilyn
I know! Just walking around the garden makes me break out in a sweat! Poor Don has been outdoors in Manhattan all day in this heat!