• That’s a pesky Japanese beetle on top of that coneflower. Every year, like clockwork, they descend upon the gardens. Oh, garden pests, you are on my last nerve!
• I did a double take when I saw 98 degrees as the high for this coming Saturday. I sure hope that number changes for the better. It’s going to be 91 here today and very hot for the rest of the week, though it’s supposed to storm tomorrow. We’re in the dog days of summer, that’s for sure.
• We went over to Rick and Doug’s to let Sam out and we spent some time throwing his ball for him. That boy can run fast – just like Scoutie could – and he will keep going forever. But we were mindful of the heat, so when he started to slow down, it was back in the air conditioned house for Sam. He’s such a great dog. We gave him lots of water and some treats and sat and petted him.
Here’s how he looked post-run:
I’m betting someone went right to sleep after we left.
• I want to recommend a series on Netflix: Charité. It’s a German series, so there are subtitles, but my heavens, is it excellent in every way! There are two seasons.
Charité is a famous hospital in Berlin. The first season is set in 1888 and it centers on the hospital, using both fictional and nonfictional characters. Set in the days when there was no cure for tuberculosis and diphtheria, it follows the struggles of doctors to find a cure, at a time when the word antibiotic was not in the lexicon. Charité was a famous teaching hospital with future Nobel Prize winning doctors on staff. At least four of the characters were real doctors who did indeed go on to win the Nobel Prize.
The second season, Charité at War, takes place in the last days of WWII, when the Russian army was advancing. The staff is divided in their allegiances; some are supportive of Hitler, others aren’t. Again – a mix of nonfictional characters and fictional characters, with the chilling specter of the Reich’s policy on euthanasia very much a part of the story.
We watched the second season first, and just finished watching the first season last night. The actors are simply stellar in their roles, the set design and cinematography excellent. In fact, it’s impeccably done. After a short while, you’ll forget there are subtitles because you’ll be completely immersed in the story. Best thing I’ve seen in a long, long time.
The hospital, by the way, is still in existence and is consistently ranked as one of the best hospitals in Europe.
• I’m just about to finish Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson. I’m hoping the books I recently put a hold on will be delivered to my library today. I don’t want to break my Kate Atkinson rhythm!
Happy Tuesday.
oh, “charite” does sound good! thanks for the recommendation (sorry; i don’t know yet how to add an accent mark in a comment).
nice of you to help with sam. what a beautiful dog he is! all dogs are beautiful (no slight intended to sam)!
our forecast sounds similar. hope everyone is staying cool.
and that your books come in to the library for you soon. i will add the author’s name to my “tbr” list (it’s so long!).
kathy in iowa
I can only add an accent mark because I have a special plug-in on my website!
Those darn books aren’t in at the library yet. What will I do in the meantime???
so the missing accent mark isn’t due to my faulty computer knowledge?!? haha … and thanks for letting me know. :)
maybe the books will arrive tomorrow. hope so.
in the meantime, hope you can stay indoors and cool!
kathy in iowa
Thank you, Kathy!
The garden is looking great! Charite is already on my watch list — thanks for the good review!
You’re welcome, Jeanie!
Very hot here, too. Starting tomorrow, we’re in the upper 90’s with Friday expected to be at least 100 – and 110 with the heat index. Same for Sat. I’m a little headachy today (it’s humid and might rain, I think that’s why) and I’m not feeling very motivated to do anything except putter around the house and organize things – even though my to-do list is begging for attention. Charite sounds very interesting. I’ll put it on my watch list.
Yes, we’re headed for the same kind of weather. In fact, our local animal sanctuary is cancelling events for the weekend because it wouldn’t be safe for the animals. I did some work outside today and now I’m sneezing.
Hi Claudia, your movie and series recommendations have been so great. I watched the Marty with Ernest Borgnine a few weeks ago and placed Charitè on my Netflix watch list. Hope all is well! xoxo
Glad you got to see Marty, my friend. It’s a lovely movie!
Ah, the heat. I do think I would take it over the Polar Vortex, though. But when the humidity is added, it really is just awful. We, too, are in the 90’s all week with 97* on Friday and heat index of 105* to 110*. The plants are very very thirsty.
Japanese Beetles, oh, how I dispise them. Haven’t seen too many YET, but know they will be here any time now. They killed a smaller flowering cherry tree of ours a few years ago. In about 4 days, the leaves were lace. Nothing left. It was just horrid. When I see them on my flowers, I spray a mix of Dawn and water. ugh.
Well, stay as cool as you can. Love the pic of Sam! What a sweetie. I’m sure you and Don had as much fun as he did!
Yes, we have a dangerous heat index coming up this weekend. And we have to travel a bit on Sunday!
Thanks for the tip – I’ll look for “Charité” on Netflix. I hadn’t noticed there but then I really haven’t been looking recently either. Have a fairly-extensive list I’m working on right now. But will be sure to add it. At the moment, I’m finishing up the last season of “The Twilight Zone.” I was too young to see it when it originally aired but can remember hearing that distinctive music when upstairs in my bed, trying to go to sleep. Although neither of my parents were sci-fans, I know they enjoyed it TTZ. I think mostly because Rod Serling was uber-imaginative & a genius storyteller. Did you know he was from upstate New York? Syracuse-born I think, and he died right here in Rochester at Strong Memorial Hospital. At 50 – WAY WAY too young. I follow his daughter Anne on Twitter. I think she’s written a book about her dad that I want to read [I LOVE biographies]. Let me recommend something right back too – “Good Night & Good Luck.” Written & directed by George Clooney, it’s the story of Edward R Murrow’s pushback against Joseph McCarthy. Very good – highly recommend. OK, so keep cool as much as possible & hope those allergies are simmering down too. Peace.🍦
#Resist
#ImpeachTrump
We saw Good Night and Good Luck several years ago. Loved it. If only we had an Edward R. Murrow now!
Had to walk a couple of blocks to mail a few things. I watered the flowers and the grass which is getting brown. It is awful out. I could not wait to get back in the air-conditioner. Stay cool in the house and take it easy.
Marilyn
You too, Marilyn. It’s terrible out there!
It’s really hot here also. We took our granddaughters to see the flowers at White Flower Farm which is not far from us this am. It was closed but the gardens are open daily for those within striking distance. A lovely worker showed us a secret spot under a gorgeous tree where it was about 20 degrees cooler. We all had a blast in that hidden bit of heaven. Then back home to water the garden and drown a bunch of my own Japanese beetles in my dawn and water concoction, sorry not sorry, and after dinner I’m sitting down with Case Histories fresh from the library. This is a good day! (though not for the beetles)
I’m jealous! I’m still awaiting Case Histories from my library!
Flowers look beautiful! Thank you for the recommendation, sounds good. Jen
You’re welcome, Jen.
Hi Claudia,
The rug that Sam is standing on! I have been searching for that rug for a couple years. At least I think it is. Would it be out of the question to ask your friends who the manufacturer is and where I might be able to locate one? I do understand if you don’t wish to ask them or if they don’t want to share the info. I love it anyway!
Thanks
to claudia and kelly …
that is a very pretty rug! i am still looking for the right rug for my living room. i’ve looked at hundreds and hundreds of them online and in stores, bought and returned several (ugh) and just want this project done. sam’s rug might do it! so, i second the request for a source on that rug, please and thanks, and also understand if you’d rather not ask your friends about it or they choose not to provide any information about it. thanks much.
kathy in iowa
I’ll see if they know where they got it.
I’ll ask them, but I’m not sure if they’ll know. I don’t think it’s a new rug, but what do I know?
Hi Claudia – love your posts always – the pictures and the sharing of pieces of life. Thank you
I hope this is okay to ask – you mentioned ad income! Is there a way that us as readers can help to maximize that “ad income”? I know nothing about it. If you let us know what that’s about we could do “the right things” . Hope I have not offended.
You don’t have to do anything but visit the blog. And you do that, or you wouldn’t be leaving a comment here. I get ad income every time someone clicks on the blog. I don’t get it when people read the post via email. Although many people receive the email and then go to the blog, so that works, too.
I watched Charite when the 1st season came out last year on Netflix and loved it and then just watched the 2nd season. It really was great series! And oh my yes, it is definitely the dog days of summer! TOO HOT and HUMID for words.
Such a great series, Dawn!
Thanks for another recommendation. I have an inherited form of hearing loss. Even with my hearing aides, it sometimes hard to distinguish specific words on a television program, depending on the sound quality. Captions are no deterrent to me!
Then this series will work well for you, Linda! Enjoy.
I’m waiting for one more book to get into my library branch and then I will go and make a pick up. I’m like you in that I like to keep reading a series all at once. I also love to binge watch series, so I guess it is just part of my nature. Hope you have something to read this weekend during the heat wave. xo Laura
Me too. I get into the rhythm of the author’s writing and I don’t want to move on to another author until I’ve read all the books! Thanks, Laura.