In spite of the date, it’s BOOMING out there, as it usually is this time of year. Mari is hiding under the table and very unhappy about the noise. Obro was sporting some stars and stripes when he visited today. Since he was upset that Sharky got to spend the night with me on Monday, his mother brought him over for some one-on-one MĆ©mĆ© time. He had a gourmet lunch of bagel bites, Deviled egg potato salad, blueberries and a cake pop, followed by a marathon reading session. He’s such a character!
Last night, Ian drooled all over himself and me. He already has one tooth, and I’m sure he’s working on more. Anders got another “sad note” for misbehavior at day care. It worries his mother and it’s starting to concern me as well. I don’t want him labeled as a troublesome kid, even though right now, he’s acting…well, like a 3-year-old.
While Obro was enjoying MĆ©mĆ©’s hospitality, Sharky was holding a chick at Farm Camp. I should have explained that my area used to be heavily agricultural and there are still remnants of that history. Many of the farms produce berries or flowers; some have turned into hobby farms and special event destinations. A few are still working farms on a small-scale. Zestful Gardens runs weeklong camps in the summer where they do games, crafts, animal tending, exercise and playing. And they get dirty, which is de rigueur!
As for my yard and flowerbeds, I’ve mowed and watered, inspecting the plants for critter damage, mostly from slugs and rabbits. I even have some snails; I don’t remember ever seeing those before! This plant is my biggest disappointment although the tiny flower is unusually pretty. It hasn’t grown one iota. š«¤
Every petunia I bought has gotten enormous. They like the 70-degree sunshine we’ve been having. I’m thankful for no Heat Dome here—yet. Stay cool and hydrated, friends in hot places!
This one is way prettier than my photo shows. It has so many blooms!
4th of July holds many memories for me, mainly of my late husband who loved the holiday. (I do not) We hosted numerous barbecues, played lots of croquet and bocce and he carefully lit off the box of fireworks he’d bought at the reservation. Our most exciting ones were the cones and the roman candles. The girls were thrilled with the sparklers although I was frightened of them. I don’t like sparks flying around! One of our dogs, Kiwi, was a fanatic about leaping after the “bees” and was crazy about fireworks, trying to attack them and bite them. Or perhaps he was just crazy? Our other dog, Teddy, would try to grab Kiwi’s tail and drag him back. They’ve both been gone a long time, but I still think of them fondly and miss their quirky personalities. However, it wasn’t fun that Kiwi hated kids on bikes and chased after them, trying to grab their tires. NOT COOL.
Older Daughter has been doing some painting to work through her disappointment and discouragement over being a close second for two coveted jobs. Acrylic isn’t her favorite medium, but it fit well for this piece. She wrote, “I find the white unfinished portion at the top annoyingly incongruent with the rest of the composition–I want to fill it in with patterns or color, but that discomfort and incongruence is the whole point.”
If she asks me, or if I find a moment to offer my unsolicited opinion, I’ll explain to her that none of us is ever finished or complete. We’re all “works in progress.” I never trust anyone who thinks he or she has everything figured out. I don’t believe that life works that way and we can learn and grow because of our openness in finding out more about ourselves and others. This week OD will head back to her toxic job, which she hates with the passion of a white-hot sun. Younger Daughter will be subbing again in their veterans’ medical office, a 40-minute drive each way; the gas costs are eating up her meager earnings. All I can really do is offer a listening ear, support and lots of love. It doesn’t feel like enough most days.
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