Hot. Humid.

What happened with leftover pork chops.

Wednesday and Thursday were moderate in temperature and humidity. I spent both afternoons on the lawn tractor. We are now back into high heat and humidity, so all my grand outside plans are on hold. It's been disappointing that when it's nice outside that we cannot sit on the deck or porch. The black flies are awful. They swarm. I need to clean up the screened-in cat porch. That's what I have been telling myself. Often. I don't listen even to myself.

As is blatantly obvious, I got nothin', so I think I'll sign off and quietly go about, whatever.

 

Flowers and Other Things

I am giving a tour of some of the flower beds out here in the wilds of the edge of the west metro of the Twin Cities.

 

When we moved here in January 1994 I felt I had fallen off the earth. I had lived in a city my entire life and suddenly, by my own doing, I was in unfamiliar territory. It was tax season, so Mark had long hours away from home, my horses were still in Stillwater, which is on the eastern edge of Minnesota, next to Wisconsin. They didn't move here until June. I had five dogs, my three and two the prior owner had left, and two cats. I was certain I had made the biggest mistake of my life and let me tell you, I'd made a few big ones. I went into one of the nearby towns one day a week or so after the movers had dumped us here. All furniture, etc. was left in the large part of the house. Another story. Anyway....I was in a small shop buying something, a nice older woman checking out my purchase. She asked me how my day was going. I started to cry, I never cried, telling her my story. That woman kind of saved me. Saved me more misery. She was so gentle, assuring me I would be ok, change is hard. Her compassion helped me accept where I was and why I was there. I saw her often after that. What a treasure she was.

Change is hard. I stopped feeling scared after awhile. Funny, that. People in the area thought I would feel safe after leaving the "dangerous big city". I'd never heard gunfire until I moved here. Having five large dogs did help. All this to say, it is rural, but not that rural. In ten minutes I can be in front of the studio/compound of Prince. Minneapolis is 20-25 minutes away. At that time, though, it felt like I was in the wilds of Alaska. It was January in Minnesota, after all.

Over thirty years, still not seen as a member of the community, but you need to be here at least three generations for that to happen. Then you are, maybe, ok. 

The Time Is Now

I'm with her.

Let's do this!

Keep it Light

Last evening we were sitting in the living room. Mark looks down at himself (his belly) and says "I'm officially old. I'm a stuffed shirt who drives a Buick and hangs out with fat cats." Yes, I married this guy!

What you do with leftover rotisserie chicken.

 

Deer Ones

Mama and her babies came for a snack on the unmown lawn yesterday morning. My zucchini plant has already been devoured but she must not like tomato or eggplants. They are doing fine. I took the photo through my office window. She saw me but didn't run. She is beautiful.

I spent most of yesterday outside on the mower. I got it all done in one day, which hasn't happened for quite awhile. It takes hours, more so now because I go slower for the sake of my back. Today I plan to start cleaning up the flower beds Mark didn't get to. I also need to get the new weed whacker assembled. Our push mower is with Bill for some work, so the weed whacker is needed. The daylilies and phlox are blooming. It is colorful out there.

Today is my son and DIL's ninth anniversary. Time does fly by. We were clipped by the outer edge of a tornado the evening before. A huge maple tree came down across the driveway, leaving us no way out. Mark, Bill, Bill's neighbor and Bill's son worked valiantly with chainsaws to get us out. If that hadn't happened we would have missed the wedding. As it was, we got there just before the ceremony. I did not recognize my first husband, Matthew's bio-dad. That was embarrassing. In my defense, he was beardless and I had never seen him that way. I also never see him, so I only remember his young self. I didn't recognize the photos of David, my was-going-to-be second husband, either. My memory kept him a twenty-something and couldn't see anything else. I wonder if this is so with others?

Today I will make the weeds in the flowers a memory.

A Good Day to be Outside

Mark tells me he has alleycat charm. 

Finally. Finally we have nice weather. Sunshine, mild temperature and lower humidity. This sounds like a day outside for me. The grass is long and I could do with a bit of sun. That will be my afternoon, after the dew is off the grass.

That's about it. Take it easy out there. If you can't take it easy, take it anyway you can.

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Deck

Yes. Sometimes I do make quinoa.

It's raining again. It should be over in another hour, then less hot with high humidity. Bah. The cats are fascinated for some reason. It's laundry day so I will at least do that. I have had absolutely no motivation. None. Climate, weather and political, have sucked it out of me. I need to find equilibrium. I hope to get out in the gardens this week, that will help me a lot. It will also help the gardens. I must remember, one foot in front of the other.

With that high note, I will leave you. 

Cats in a Porch

Cats in Repose

We don't use this porch for ourselves anymore. It's a shame, but the change in heat and humidity over the past years, along with the large tree that shaded it coming down, have made it uncomfortable. Except to them. It is a cat room. They think it's great.

We had more rain overnight and strong wind. Two trees came down in a pasture, otherwise all is intact. We are saturated. The foliage sure is happy, which makes me feel better. The large pines were starting to show stress after three years of drought. It would be devastating to lose them.

Otherwise, nothing going on here. We all know what happened at the rally in Pennsylvania. We will never deal with the gun issue. 

Baby It's Hot Outside

We just had a thunderstorm, now ended. It will be a stifling day, as it is going to be in the 90s F. The humidity will be off the charts. Complain, complain. What would I do without the weather?

 I took this photo many years ago. When I look back at my photos, the difference between my Canon and my phone is apparent. More so in photos such as this than in the general 'grab a photo' photos. I know I wrote a couple of months ago about wanting to pick that camera back up, but that hasn't happened. Surprise. These iris traveled with me from Saint Paul over 30 years ago. They and the day lilies. If we have temperate weather I need to transplant some iris from beds that are crowding them out. I don't want to lose these.

That's my story for today. 

Two of Bambi

Aren't they adorable?!

They had been happily romping about before I started taking a video. Of course they stopped the show. Still cute. Mama is attentive. Taking about mama, Rocky Raccoon had me fooled. I was certain Rocky was a male since this is the second year hanging out here and no sign of little ones. Last evening that supposition went out the proverbial window when Rocky came onto the front porch for HER evening meal of cat food, followed by two tykes. Oh, boy. I hope they disperse after they are weaned from mama. One raccoon's enough, some might even say it's one too many. Wild life seems to be flourishing this summer, even if I'm not. We have a large turkey family, a teenage deer, mama and her fawns and now the Rocket and company. Also, rabbits and the red squirrels seem to have made a comeback.

Along with the perpetually high humidity we now are coming into a hot spell. I may have to turn on the ancient air conditioner, if it actually will turn on. The thing is amazing in its longevity. 

Oh, as you can see the falling down arena fence is still falling down. Between the uncooperative weather and just plan business on Mark's part, it is still its ugly eyesore self. He promises by the end of autumn. Somehow I think I've heard this before.