Fruit

 There was another observation at work today and they gave me more swag dollars.  I'm being told that I have a lot of potential.  Part of me is very happy about this.  Another part thinks I should go back to school and get some training in something that isn't working in a warehouse pushing packages.  Truth is, if I knew what I wanted to do, I could do both.  With income comes the ability to pay for some education.  I'm not willing to take out loans at this point in my life.  The other thing that I would need though is time.  Ah well, I'll just keep dreaming.  Other happy things for today:

• After work I suggested to Keziah that we take a few minutes to take care of the peaches.  With the massive amount of rain we had the last few weeks many of the peaches rotted.  We still have enough good ones for Keziah to make a peach cobbler.  There is also a big part of the tree left to be harvested.

Keziah, picking.

• The apples might be ready to pick too.  

There are many more than just this one,
I just liked this picture.

• Today is the last day of the "dog days of summer."  

☮

Currently reading: Backpacking: A Hedonist’s Guide, by Rick Greenspan and Hal Kahn.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Dog Days of Summer

 It was hazy and hot today.  Unfortunately, the haze is mostly smoke from distant fires.  This, and other things, led me to look up the meaning behind 'dog days of summer.'  If you aren't sure, feel free to check out that link, seriously.  

This morning Keziah came into my room and asked, "You love me unconditionally, right, Mom?  No matter what."  She is thirty years old.  

"Of course, what's up?" I ask.

She proceeds to tell me a short tale in which mistakes were made but everything will be fine.  It has nothing to do with me.

About an hour later, she came into my room again.  "You love me unconditionally, right, Mom?  No matter what."

Now I feel like this is a game and I say something like, "As long as you aren't planning to kill me," with a short laugh.  She assures me that this is not going to happen.

"We might be getting a puppy," says Keziah.

My happy things for this day:

• It looks like we are getting a seven month old part spaniel on Thursday.
• I got out for a nice walk with a friend.
• Two boxes full of fabric are gone, out of the house, and given away. 
• And the pictures.

Common evening primrose complete with a bee.

Ducks.

I was hoping this photo would capture the haze more.

I've been looking at the branches touching the ground.
I looked up at Marjorie and noticed how
 many peaches she is carrying.

☮

Currently reading:  The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Chosen Family

It was another day where I was tired.  Here are some happy things from today:

• The peaches are getting a little bigger.

• Last week I figured out how to get the audio files from my phone to play through the car stereo.  This means I get to listen to Podcasts again (Unlocking Us with Brene Brown) as well as my music mix.  Driving home tonight I was able to sing loudly to classic rock, not so classic rock, and folk music.
• Dinner tonight was at a restaurant with close friends who are chosen family, remembering a part of that chosen family. 
• That the adult children from that chosen family still consider me like another mom is a super special feeling.

❤☮❤

Currently reading: Backpacking A Hedonist’s Guide, by Rick Greenspan and Hal Kahn.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Happy Monday!

 It has been a few weeks since I have walked out back on the property.  I came in from the road out back and through to get home from my walk today and retrieve the SD card from the wildlife cam.  The growth is such that finding ones footing is difficult.  Sloshing home I put the SD card in the computer and there were only fifteen files.  I'm wondering if the camera isn't picking up as much because of the growth in that area.  I'm going to consider repositioning the camera.  It was really good to get out there, even with the sodden ground.  Other happy things:

• Along the sidewalk there is a sunflower.  Like it escaped and is making the best life where it can.

The sunflower seems to be facing East.

• The wintergreen is flowering.  I feel like I usually miss this phase of the plant.

American wintergreen.

• The witch tree seems to be doing alright.

• Peaches on Marjorie seem a little more colorful today.

• Gideon is a little less colorful?

Gideon will be more colorful tomorrow.
😉

☮

Completed reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.
    The final chapter was about making maple syrup.  My favorite sugar!

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Ups and Downs

 For the second day in a row, the plants I potted seem untouched by critters.  Yay!  I tried and failed at sleeping this afternoon, boo.  I've been mostly awake for about twenty-two hours so this will be short.  Good thing it is the beginning of my weekend. There was family time this evening watching some Doctor Who.  Other happy things for today:

• I took a walk around the yard and found that Marjorie is getting heavy with peaches.  They still seem small, but there are quite a few of them.

Marjorie's branch is almost touching the ground.

• After seeing all the peaches, I decided to check on the apple trees.  We haven't named them.  There are apples, most likely crab apples.

This is smaller than it looks here.
It is probably the size of a small plum.

• A week or two ago I posted a picture of a flower, I think the bindweed, which had a sweat bee in it.  I think I found the home of the sweat bee.

There was a bee crawling into there and
I am fairly certain it was a sweat bee.
It was shy and wouldn't come out for a picture.

• The spruce tree ( I think spruce...) has quite a few cones.  There is a little grape vine growing there too.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Happy Independence Day

 The zinnia that I planted in the garden have been consumed, most likely by the woodchuck/groundhog.  I missed the window of no rain today by being distracted by things to do inside so no changes were made in the garden.  I need to rethink my strategies.  Instead I will do my best to focus on the things growing well in the garden.  Happy things for this Fourth of July:

• The peaches in the garden seem to be doing well.

Marjorie.

• The basil and Egyptian walking onion are also doing well.

• Some of the inside plants that are waiting for a safe place to go outside are doing okay.  

A zinnia, blooming, even though it is getting root bound.

Petunia.

• After dinner I went for a walk in the sprinkles and rain.  I had a lot of steps to take in order to reach my step goal.  On the way back to the house, I could watch the fireworks being set off down the street from us.    

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Thanks for reading, stay safe.

Fabulous

Waking up early used to come easy for me, not so much lately.  I was able to get up and out on time this morning to go pick Keziah up in Massachusetts.  The drive went well with no traffic.  It is wonderful to have my daughter back safely.  Other happy things for today:

• I wore my fabulous socks to help guide me in having a fabulous day.  

• This is one of many times that I will be mentioning hugs.  The pandemic made hugs problematic.  It is strange to be able to hug again, but I am loving it though.
• There are itty bitty beginnings of peaches on Marjorie.

Marjorie the peach tree.

• Making dinner today I turned on some music and danced around the house.  It was fun and helped me reach my daily step goal.

☮

Currently reading: The Burgess Book of Nature Lore, by Thornton W. Burgess.

Stay safe.

Monday.

 Yesterday I had such high hopes for being productive today.  Unfortunately the first part of the day I was in a bit of a funk.  Early afternoon I realized that the funk was most likely caused by the overwhelming aspect of all the things I hoped to do.  Many things were set aside and I went to the garden and planted radishes, lettuce, and carrots.  

Under the burlap things are now planted.

Those are the things that seemed most time sensitive.  Looking at my list now, there were a few other things that probably should have been put ahead of that, oh well.  Planting things is good, other happy things for today:

• After working in the garden I mowed part of the lawn.  I like a mowed lawn.
• The flowers on Marjorie and Tucker (peach and cherry trees) are changing and getting closer to preparing for fruit.  

Marjorie.

Tucker.

• It was just me at home for a while tonight so I finished watching a movie, The Dig.  It was a very enjoyable movie and now I want to go to the British Museum.  

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.

Green

 With all the indoor work I have been doing with the coif I feel I have missed part of spring.  It has been two days...  the leaves are opening and so many things are green!  My part of the stitching is done for this weekend, but Keziah will need help now.  Soon I will get to spend more time outside.  Getting outside was refreshing, other happy things for today:

• The coif is done and the outfit that Keziah adapted to be Elizabethan looks great!  Saturday there will be pictures.
• We have a guest for the next few days.  Being vaccinated means getting to spend more time with people.
• Gideon and Zed are putting together a computer.  What a wonderful father-son project and learning experience!

• 

  Apple blossom.

  
  

  

  Peach blossom (Marjorie).

  
  

  

  Cherry blossom (Tucker).

  
  

  

  Lilac.

  
  

  

  Norway Maple.
  

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.

Deer

 Yesterday I walked for over fifteen miles.  Yesterday I remembered to stretch.  Today I only have minor aches from yesterday's escapade.  I went for a short (about 2 miles) walk today in the neighborhood and on the property.  For this I am happy.  

This is a garden row I prepared last week.
It should not look quite so crooked.
I didn't see footprints,
so I guess the wind moved the hay.

Peach blossoms and leaves opening
now on Marjorie.

Cherry blossoms and leaves
are now opening on Tucker.

Other happy things from today include:

• Keziah and I got more yard work done today before a company came and sprayed for ticks.  That was all the yard work today because the yard was sprayed for ticks.
• The burlap I ordered for the garden arrived today.  If it isn't raining tomorrow I hope to start using it.  There are a few more things I think I can plant and not have to worry about a frost now that I have the burlap.  Average last frost in my area is June.  
• I planted some more seeds today, in the house.  
• A few days ago I attached the wildlife camera to a tree on the property.  Zed and I checked for pictures this afternoon.  I learned that I need to check the settings.  The placement seems alright, there is a setting that should allow for video too, and apparently I didn't choose that one.  The SD card will go back in tomorrow and I'll try to figure that out.  The pictures either have no noticeable animal or have deer.  I've picked two of the better ones.  Someday, maybe this area will be cleaned up.

Day picture with two deer.

Night picture with a deer.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.