True confession: I've long been a Neil Diamond fan, and this song tugs on my heartstrings as I think about my little boy growing up and moving on to college in a few short days. Still, I am looking forward to getting more sleep. Poppy won't ‘whine me awake’ because Brian's alarm is going off, even as he sleeps through it because he was out until all hours (last ‘night’ it was 3:45, ostensibly because he got so tired coming home from work that he pulled off the road and slept in the truck a few hours). Rick can just go to sleep, but moms lay awake and wonder....
Once Poppy is awake I usually just get up and take her out to potty and do chores. Hunting is her passion so we check out the henhouse and tack room in the process; one morning she investigated the gopher holes in the side yard, too.
Once chores are done and the sun is up, Poppy likes to sunbathe on the deck. Chuckie often joins her there; this morning I caught their easygoing interaction in video format.
The weather continues to be hot and dry, although the forecast for the next week or so has been adjusted downward from record-breaking heat to ‘just’ hot. Plants and bushes around the yard look stressed; I'm focused on keeping the pots and garden and animals watered. I've given up on the sugar peas; I need to pull up the plants and feed them to the sheep. But the other fresh veggies provide lots of ingredients for our meals, including this recipe from The Splendid Table which got two thumbs up (Brian was out late and didn't eat with us). Yay for another excellent way to use zucchini, and it utilized one of my jalapeño peppers, too!
My hill of Red Kuri winter squash is taking over the garden with very little to show for it. I didn't think it had set any fruit at all, but the other morning I found two peach-sized squash. I'm not sure what mature Red Kuri look like; Mama Pea?
Inside, my littlest orchid is arrayed with breathtaking purple flowers,
and pretty blue yarn is being plyed when I have time.
I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open and still need to finish the church newsletter, so I'll sign off for now.
Just call me Sleepy South of Seattle . . .
10 comments:
Last two photos - beautifully brilliant colors! Love that. Love the Poppy, Chuckie love too. If Poppy is a gopher hunter, that would be great, assuming you don't mind your yard being all dug up! :)
I do like Neil Diamond. Takes me back to my teens :) Raising children through those teen/college years is such a challenge! They worry you when they are home (and you are with them each day and know they're up to something!) and they worry you when they leave (and you wonder how they're doing). SIGH. My youngest is 21, and it's still a struggle.
I wonder if lots of squash type plants are simply late developers. We're so used to produce maturing in the summer. I remember my loofahs a few years ago. I thought they would do nothing but bloom. Finally, some fruit ... well into late fall, I finally harvested SO many loofahs! Hopefully your pretty squash will do the same.
We have two more days in the mid 90s, and then we will start to cool off. Awful hot!
Michelle - do you sell fleece? I'm looking for a shop link on your blog. I want to get back into spinning. I'd like to buy from somebody I know. I'd like to find cleaned fleece, maybe dyed too, but I enjoy the combing, so I don't want it fully processed for the wheel, if that makes sense.
No one tells you that when you have a child "worry" becomes your constant companion. And even if they told you in advance, you probably wouldn't believe it (Nature's way of protecting reproduction.) Both my kids are in their 40s now. The worry takes a different path when they are full fledged mature adults. I know my kids will make the right decisions now since they are responsible adults. That is the only worry now off my plate. But now I worry that life treats them fairly, that they don't get sick with anything serious, that their paths don't accidentally cross with some evil intent individual, that they aren't emotionally hurt by people or events beyond their control, that they get what they want out of life, that they are happy, and on and on and on. Sometimes I think this worry thing is just me being a worry wort. I even worry about the pain I will cause them when I die. Crazy thinking, because worry and pain are just part of life. At least a mother's life. Once a mother, always a mother.
Your Red Kuri squash will be a very dark, deep, vibrant orange (almost red) color when matured and ready to eat. I'll try to get a post up today of a picture I took of mine a few days ago.
The sleepless nights will improve a little when Brian is off at school. Sorry to say they won't disappear completely as there's always those worrisome thoughts that always pop into your mind when you're lying in bed trying to fall asleep, but at least you won't be waiting to hear him come in the door! A child leaving for college brings a different phase to both his life and yours. He's not completely gone, but on his way. As it should be. (Still not easy!)
Leigh, Poppy doesn't (yet?) have the patience to hunt burrowers, she's all go-go-go. But she'd like to! And the gophers (and ground squirrels) already dig up the yard, so that's not a biggy.
M.K., no shop link; my fleeces go too fast! Nine of my eleven fleeces-on-the-hoof are already reserved for next spring's shearing, which means I still have two available. Email me (link on the right) and we can chat about whether either of them interest you.
Well put, Elaine! I do try to turn my worry into 'prayer prompts,' as God loves Brian even more than I do and can work most effectively to correct and protect.
Thanks, Mama Pea. I may only get two little 'treasures' but will enjoy what I get (all by myself, since my guys aren't big fans). Last night Brian got home earlier and it was SO nice to get more sleep – even though he woke me up at 5:30 getting ready for work. 🙄
And thanks to ALL you parents who understand and sometimes commiserate with parenting pain! I remind myself often that many others have gone through this and their kids have come out okay on the other side, so the story isn't over yet. (I also know from the experience of my step-brother than some just continue to go downhill....)
I love that you included music in this post :-) And doesn't everyone love Neil Diamond? I do!
Michelle- I want to find some fleece to work with this fall (when it turns chilly!), so I'll pass on your fleeces that are walking around, haha. They looks so beautiful. I'm thrilled that there is such a demand!
Oh that precious Little Rock Star!!!! Thanks for my Chuckie fix! !
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