A Summer's Afternoon

A lazy Sunday afternoon in August after a couple of days of canning jellies, jams, and pickles and a late "girls' night" evening with a Call the Midwife marathon with m-e (so much for a mystery, eh?). If you haven't discovered this show you really must.

I am so happy to be able to write that v is regaining some of his strength and energy and has been out working in the garden several days over the past couple of weeks.  We've so neglected it since his illness began.  I was afraid it was lost, but he has been painstakingly resurrecting it for us.  He has even been coaxing the tomatoes to fruit. No corn or beans this year, no pumpkins.  One sunflower came up from seed from our stand of last year.  However, one success that has nothing to do with us is the apricot harvest this year.  After last year's complete absence of that fruit due to a late frost we have an abundance of beautiful rosy yellow fruit to harvest. 

We've even been having a good share of sunny days, so far, this summer.  Not necessarily warm days, but the sun has been showing itself more often than in recent summers past.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

To Read in the Summer

More summer windows.  I'm just drawn to windows right now. We have been so busy here and will continue to be, a window like this makes me think about the slow times with a good book. My favorite reads are mystery novels, and not the gory or graphic ones.  I sometimes go through phases of reading the early detective novels from England. I also love the Dasheille Hammett stories; The Thin Man and The Maltese Falcon.  I've read all of the Raymond Chandler novels and especially love the ones written of places I knew growing up in Southern California. And yes! I'll admit it: I was (am) a huge fan of Nancy Drew. On my book table I have Annalee Newitz' book Scatter, Adapt, Remember  How Humans will survive mass extinction and Alan Bradley's latest Flavia de Luce novel Speaking From Among the Bones.

v started his latest round of chemo today.  He's been at this for ten months now.  He is stronger, has more energy, but less hair, and a very good appetite.  The doctor saw him today and is very pleased (almost giddy) with v's continued progress and good cheer. The nurses have called him their "healthiest sick patient", but I'm beginning to disagree.  He's not sick.

We continue to work on our latest project (soon!) and the garden and the aquarium.  We have such a busy and tight schedule this week that I was afraid we might not be able to take advantage of our impending apricot harvest, but I was able to get up early the other morning and can some apricot/cherry jam before breakfast!  I keep forgetting that jam and jelly making is so much easier than pie!

So, here is a window with a cushion just inviting anyone who wants to just curl up with that book and a cup of whatever...

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

Another Spring in the Garden

I headed out after breakfast to v's workshop to try to photograph the birds outside his window. Well, of course, today they saw me!  Any other time I can press my nose to the glass and dozens of birds will descend on this feeder and never notice me.  

However, it was time to share what the garden looks like this year.  It has been neglected, but sallies forth without my assistance anyway.

Look at the apricots!  Last year there were a total of two!  A late frost had taken the blossoms.  This year there should be bushels, as long as our neighbor doesn't reach over the fence with his long handle picker and clean me out again.  V watches closely.

Another guardian of the garden, Fortuna.  She never complains that the weeds are getting tall.  She is forever hopeful that one of the birds will alight amongst the blades.  Sadly, this does happen on a rare occasion.

This one is called Honey Scent and makes such a beautiful bouquet for the kitchen table.

I'm letting the nasturtiums clambor up the back steps as long as I can weave long strands between the posts.

I shall end here with the optimist awaiting her prey.  Of course, I don't wish her any luck...she has plenty.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

First Blush

Not quite spring, yet, but the apricot is beginning to bloom. Last year we had a frost just after the majority of blossoms opened and for the first time since I moved into this house 15 years ago, it had no apricots!  Fingers crossed for rain and no frost.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v