Hot

Except it's going to be another tropical day here in what once was the Northland. 

I have been lying low the past couple of days due to heat warnings. It's bad enough today for the horses to stay inside their temperate barn. They are old. There's a lot of that going around.

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Laugh

 

Smoky Sunday

We had another smoky day Saturday. I stayed inside and puttered. I am a skilled putterer. I hope to get out later today if the smoke clears. I have my weeding mojo activated. I learned my lesson when I mowed a few days ago. Sore throat and headache were my reward. It can't be good for the animals.

Crabby Tabby contemplating life

I made a blueberry compote for our after lunch ice cream and served it warm. It just cannot get better than that. Melty ice cream and sweet blueberries. Ah, yes. Seize the moment!

Since I was trapped inside I decided to make pizza dough and then later made the pizza. It's been a while since I've made a pizza. The weather is temperate so a hot oven wasn't a problem. A nice, quick dinner. I could eat an entire pizza and probably everyday. But I don't.

 Goodday, one and all. Eat the ice cream, enjoy the pizza.

Another Past Blast

February, 2015. 

Murphy had been with us for one month. Murphy is the energetic little guy, adopted after my last Greyhound, Grace, died. Murphy was a bit of a genetic mess-up, but a perfect match for Howard. He was eleven when he came to live with us, his owner had died. He lived three more years, dying a year after Howard. Howie had glaucoma, common in Bassets, and congestive heart failure. His death, at Ten, was extremely hard for me. He was a big, fussy bundle of drool and I loved him. 

This is just to show you we do have meals that are not all pasta and leftover protein, although there is leftover pork.....

 

Relief

Finally. Finally. The temperature and humidity have both lowered. It's been a long, hot summer. I should be outside taking advantage of the opportunity to work in the gardens. Instead, I'm drinking coffee and typing. Working, being active is a habit and it's one I have broken. Small steps, as is said. 

I did busy myself yesterday morning making sandwich buns and baking chicken for the lunch sandwiches. It's difficult for me to realize I have become a Haus Frau. At least more so than an active outside person. Life does throw obstacles, doesn't it? On the positive, I'm doing well with PT, I just need to stay on top of my exercises. And also, to stop doing stupid things which set me back. There's the hard part.

My yard is ablaze with phlox. They are beautiful and obnoxiously invasive. About fifteen years ago I planted a small amount in one of the flower beds. Now, they have taken over, an invasion of the phlox is successful. Also, morning glory. This does not spread to other areas but it has consumed the garden it's in. Every plant is covered with the vines. Ah..... the troubles, the troubles.

Another leftover meal. The lunch chicken became part of dinner. Can't beat that.

Is any day complete without a photo of a cat. A Gatto Cat? I think not.

 

Clever

Credit: Chanie Gorkin

 

Sweltering

I know I have mentioned this before, but twice is nice, right? In March Denise put up a recipe for this soda bread. I make it all the time. It's the best soda bread I've had. Yes, I still make yeast breads, but this is a constant. Mix it, form it, bake it. Ta-dah.....bread. Not only bread, but good bread! If anyone wants the recipe let me know and I'll send it to you.

It is still tropical in the (former) land of the polar bears. That was my high school mascot. We were the Polar Bears. Go Polars! That's a thought blast from the past. Today we have an extreme heat warning with the heat index of the low 100s F. I don't think there will be an oven on today.

Frieda knows how it's done. Simply spend the day lounging on poppos desk and chill.

Kitties Plastic Books and Friends

Good Morning one and all. Thursday already. Yesterday was an all day soaker. It was also trying to mimic a rain forest by gracing us with a 78* dew point. Mark took three showers yesterday. Welcome to climate change. Anyway....my strange little Frieda has a thing for plastic. Fortunately she doesn't chew it, she ardently licks it. She also lays on it. Strange stray kitties have my number.

Boud recommended a writer, Lily King. She is new to me. I looked her up and the audio book, Writers and Lovers, was available. Boud said she was good at her craft and I must say I agree. My blogging pals have recommended so many of the books I have read or listened to. Reading buds and libraries are a wonderful thing.

I spent another evening with my good friend, leftovers. I changed it up a bit with tomatoes. I still have one more dinner of brisket and sweet potato. Aldi has enormous sweet potatoes, giving me two meals out of one of them.

I'm off to seize the moment. Which includes another cup of coffee.

Random Ramblin'

Mister Naughty Pants

He's so far been on the spice shelf in the pantry rearranging things for me. So helpful. He climbed the paned window in the living room using the wood as his holds. Then there is the usual racing back and forth from one end of the house the the other. Why me? Why wait until I am an elder before the fates plant this bad boy into my life? Some things do remain a mystery.

There was more rain yesterday so once again the neglected property has remained neglected. It will remain so for at least the rest of this week. The dreaded humidity is stifling. I'm a northerner. Tropical humidity is not welcome. I did get the hayfield, otherwise known as our yard, mowed on Sunday. One normal summer day.

We had a bit of lunchtime indulgence. Ice cream with blueberries. I did sprinkle them with sugar earlier although they didn't need it, but we enjoyed them anyway. 

How can it be we are three-quarters through the month of July? I am stunned by the speed at which time is moving. I'm not even busy and it is flying by at warp speed. My son's tenth wedding anniversary was last week. What??? He turned fifty-one in April. Double what? Ah, well, at least I discovered dealcoholized wine to sooth my shattered nerves. 

My good friend, leftovers, came to my rescue for last evenings dinner. My friend will be with me again this evening. I made a brisket on Sunday and have enough for at least two more meals. Good friends are a blessing. Especially when our weather thinks we are in the tropics.

And that, my human friends, is that.

Yippee-Skippy, Saturday!

Frieda decided to sleep in this morning.

We've had a couple of days of rain. Much appreciated. The lawn is a hayfield, the rest of the place is a jungle and I am practicing the philosophy of not worrying over what I cannot control. Which does not come naturally, by the way. Neighbor Bill got the lawn mower fixed and back to me yesterday. I planned to mow today but------rain.

I have plenty to occupy myself with if only I would listen to myself. 

I wish I had more to say, but this is it, folks. Quiet times at the Worlds End. Oh, one thing. How I came up with the name of the farm. I lived in a city neighborhood in St. Paul. I was talking to a neighbor, telling her about the place we bought west of Minneapolis. I kept talking about the marvelous barn, wherein she finally asked if there is a house. There is, albeit a mess of a house. Finally she decreed we were moving to the end of the world. There was my farm name. Ta-da.

Of course, dinner. Salmon steamed in butter with garlic and tarragon, along with a mixed greens salad. I have enough salmon left to make a pasta with salmon meal.

 

This is not about a difference in political philosophy. This is about humanity over cruelty.

https://www.threads.com/@miller_mom5/post/DMLVB-Kuusz?xmt=AQF0kQODFOh8NguaD8YcPDWi3JkB9F6TgkVYI6YQIIujoA

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-aid-workers-lobbied-weeks-save-food-stocks-destruction-after-trump-cuts-2025-07-16/

https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/07/16/trump-admin-incinerate-food/

Way-Back

This is City (WF Maximum Velocity) on the left and Ari (WF Airs Above Ground) as yearlings. City was an Arabian/Morocco Spotted Horse cross, Ari a Lippizan/Arabian cross. My trainer at the time had a Lipizzaner stallion I bred to one of my mares, resulting in a absolutely wonderful horse. City became a really good saddle-horse for an acquaintance of mine. I kept Ari for myself. He was a talented and steady boy. Lipps are born black and turn white over time. Ari never whitened entirely but became a light dappled grey. Every-once-in-awhile they remain black. Ari was a dressage horse and one of my steady trail horses.

We have rain which will result in about 2". We need it. It's not getting out of the 60s today, which would be perfect working outside weather except....it's raining.  

I had the air conditioner on yesterday which allowed me to make bread and a wild plum crisp. The crisp would have benefited from a bit more sugar so I guess we wll need to have it ala mode. Darn.

Dinner was a simple ravioli in a pesto/cream sauce. I have enough for another meal. I always welcome leftovers.

I agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment and with the dog chosen as the image. I've owned three greyhounds and you can see the soul in their eyes. Wonderful dogs.

 

Cats. Cats. And More Cats.

In a prior post Boud had asked if the cats also got on the kitchen table. It's rare, but the Jiglet decided she wanted to be featured and found the kitchen table to be a perfect staging spot.

Lest the two primas feel left out, some table lounging photos from yesterday. It was very hot and humid so I turned the ac on, meaning the cats weren't spending their day lounging on the screened porch. The dining room table is a satisfactory substitute. Until these two cats snuck into my life I'd never had a cat that got on tables and counters. At least not in front of me. My reward for getting them out of the cold.

I decided I was going to drive yesterday. For those who don't know, I started having debilitating pain in my back in 2021. It was bad enough that I was barely able to walk, so Mark had to drive me to the only place I was going to. A medical clinic. I drove once in 2023 to bring Mark home from a medical procedure and that has been it. I believe I need to regain my independence, so I decided to go to Aldi and drive myself. Mark felt the need to come with me. Oh, dear. As an aside, when I was driving before this happened to me, I refused to drive if he was in the car. He is completely unable to stop telling me how to drive. This time was even worse and I don't take that well. Anyway. Another thing I don't do anymore is grocery shop, I order online for pick-up. The mother hen hovered over me the whole time, leading me to a bit of frustration, which means I forgot a few things. When I go back to buy what I forgot, he will stay home!

On the weather front, yesterday and today temperatures in the 90s, dew point was 75 yesterday and the same today. Minnesota is not the tropics. Or, at least it wasn't. My air conditioner is a 1984 model! Until the last few years I rarely needed to use it, the only reason I can think of that it is still operating.

Just because. Last evenings pasta and bean salad dinner.

Stay cool. Or warm.

A Gentle Reminder of a Civil Society 

A Thought

Living in the Tropics and Cats

It looks nearly tropical. There is some creature roaming about that enjoys impatiens. They were just dug up on the porch, but pots I have in another place have been emptied. Rabbits doing the eating, I think. Squirrels doing the digging. I prepped the porch floor for painting spring of '20, then my mother died and I spent eight months of my time in St. The next year I began the medical mystery tour, so....ya.

Today is going to be the most tolerable of the coming week, as of the latest forecast on the weather app. I have lots to do, only time will tell if I do any of it. I know the malaise has much to do with the chaos and dread surrounding all of us. Grasping the reality of the consequences, current and future, is overwhelming. Moving on.

The dining room table officially became a cat perch when Frieda moved in. Gatto has sealed the deal. I do clean the glass once-in-a-while, so I have not not completely given up on it. Cats. Can't live with them, apparently can't live without them.

I had two country style beef ribs which I decided to use in a ragu made with tomatoes I froze last year. I was able to start dinner in the afternoon and not think about it until time to eat. This evening it will be leftover egg bake. Yippee.

 

 

I thought I'd check in. I'm afraid not much has gone on in my world lately, as if that's a change. The PT gave me a new exercise she thinks I'm now ready for. Who would think using your abdominals while elevating your shoulders as you walk would be exhausting. Not me. Yes, it is exhausting. She said, which I know to be true, that people who slump forward think pulling the shoulders back is what works. It's not, obviously, because I've been trying that for years and yet here I am. Slumpy old lady. It seems I must retrain my muscles to allow my spine to straighten, which means I must pull up from the pelvis, while engaging my abs, while raising my shoulders. Say this three times fast. It's exhausting and somewhat painful. It works. When I look in the mirror I'm still somewhat forward but there is a definite difference. It does mean every time I walk not only do I need to engage all those parts, I must also engage my brain, as this is no longer muscle memory. Slumping is. This got long.

Different subject. Gatto alerted me to this unusual caterpillar on the door screen. It's new to me. It seems predators would easily spot such a bright colored fellow.

Because it wouldn't be me without a food photo. I so wanted to type phood photo.  I guess I just did. Fish with a lemon/butter sauce. 

We had a nice light rain this morning so I don't need to water the plants. I've been looking for the motivation button but still haven't found it. If anyone has a clue where it's kept, let me know.

Frieda taking a nap next to poppy. Can you tell Mark hangs onto things way too long? Like a t-shirt from 1995. A paragon of fashion.

Yesterday was the first time in a while I was able to get outside and yesterday was too humid for my liking. I got most of the yard mowed and plan to finish this afternoon. It's Monday, so it's also laundry day. We have a bit over an acre of yard and I cannot go very fast while mowing, so it takes hours. Like around five hours to mow. Yep, it's a wild and crazy life here on the farm.

 

We didn't do anything on the fourth. But then, we usually don't. I was having one of my ongoing sinus issues and found doing nothing to be just fine. I used the grill for the first time on Saturday. First I used it as an oven to bake bread and then later in the evening I grilled steaks.  I buy most of the meat through Butcher Box and have done for many years. It's all pasture raised, organic and a reasonable price. 

Mark's plate.

Mine.

I really do not like mushrooms and he really does like mushrooms.

Mr. McCool.

He is one of the four born in the barn ten years ago. He's decided he is mostly a house fellow. When you wear a tux it seems reasonable to live in comfort.

Neigh. No Bark

In times of stress and despair, amidst the chaos and shame, there is need for humor. 

A smile.

 

Amazed

We went into Mound yesterday to pick up a few groceries and stop at the hardware store. The hardware store has a small nursery over the summer and I was going to look for a few annuals. When we pulled in the sign said 'All Plants Are Free' I read it several times, not believing my eyes. There were several people loading up carts and I joined them.  I was so surprised, I never have seen such a thing. Mark surmised they decided to give what was left away rather than dispose of it. It's a locally owned store. I'm going to write a thank you note. With mean, rude, greedy behavior being normalized, this was a real beacon of light. 

I'll attempt planting my bounty today. It's already hot and humid so we will see how long this wilting flower lasts.

We all know by now the big beautiful budget bill passed the Senate. It will sail through the house and then the reality of what this administration is all about will start to hit those in states that are solid MAGA. We will all feel it, but there are a number of states with high poverty levels who depend heavily on federal money. That's all I have to say. Except I experienced personally that there is still good among us.

Stormy

There was another overnight storm along with a tornado warning. The weather has been volatile this past week. High temperatures with very high humidity will do that. In my elder years I have become extremely heat intolerant. I use extremely because it really is. I am now, with our weather change and my age, a complete winter gal. It does keep the cats quiet, so there is that. My spirit has been willing to work outside, my limited common sense has told me nope.

Gatto does not care what I do as long as he can sleep undisturbed. He does have some grey cells up there.

Yesterday Far Side mention she made potato salad, which then made me want potato salad. This is slightly different from the standard, made with tarragon and vinegar, as well as mayonnaise. No egg. There is enough left for lunch. I have some burgers I made then froze that will accompany the potato salad. A summertime meal if ever there was one.