I think my love of gardening last year was a pandemic novelty. While 3/4 of my tomatoes and 3/5 of my peppers are doing well and my radishes were deliciously peppery, the frustration has far outweighed the joy this year. Almost all my herbs have bolted because of the heat. Beans, carrots, and broccoli were replanted but whatever was eating them continued to – raised beds and fence be damned. A deer found my strawberry basket. Violet’s pumpkin is under attack by vine borer moths (despite being advertised as resistant) and while I’ve been busy squashing moths, removing eggs, and applying diatomaceous earth, I’m not optimistic. I’m unapologetically reserving the right to return it to landscaping next year.
In a blink it will be July. My counters are a disaster. My office is worse. The piles of books, shoes, laundry and summer detritus grow exponentially but are ignored because summer is fleeting. Speaking of fleeting, I find myself with moments of quiet in a way that I haven’t in 14 years. I have a lot of feelings about that, but very few words.
Watching: I had some friends over to watch In The Heights (HBO). I love LMM. I think the stage show would be amazing to see. I think the movie be better in the theater. I binged all three seasons of Selling Sunset (Netflix) and the episodes released from this season of RHOBH while finishing a pair of socks.
Knitting: I finished the socks for Jesse’s friend and started a pair in the Fern pattern only to realize I need more concentration than I have during the summer months. Set them aside and started a standard pair but with a 1-1 twisted rib cuff which might be my new favorite.
Reading: Finished Pretty Things by Janelle Brown and am looking for davenport read recommendations. Still listening to Obama’s book with a little over 17 hours to go. The slowness with which I’m getting through should not be mistaken as a review. I just think podcasts/audio books aren’t sticky for me.
Making: Sliced raw veggie boards with dip, broccoli slaw, and chicken salad – with or without pasta. Very much summer.
And that’s me. How are things in your corner of the world? What are your -ings?
Oh, what a treat to see another post so soon from you! And I saw it on the day it posted!
The older I get, the more fleeting everything feels. I’m glad that you are embracing summer. There’s more time to tidy in the fall. That’s what I’m telling myself, anyway. I hope you’re doing OK with those quiet moment feelings. They can be a real challenge.
My biggest -ing this week is watering. I was having a gardening summer kind of like yours last year until 3 days ago. Monday we hit 116, which is just…I don’t know. In September we had the worst air quality in the world from wildfire smoke, and then we had the huge ice storm in February, and now this. So many of my plants are burned. My raspberries are destroyed. I’m not sure how many blueberries we’ll get; they were just beginning to ripen. I’m trying to keep everything in perspective, but it’s been a hard few days. So thankful for AC; many folks in our part of the world don’t have it because we never get temps like this.
I love your photos, as always. The one of your dog is my favorite!
Oh, Rita! That heat sounds terrible, and I’m thinking of you, your community members, and your plants. How miserable. And I’m sure it feels hard to find the line on perspective when dealing with three large climate events in less than a year. I hope, at least, the heat has broken and if not, breaks soon.
“there’s more time to tidy in the fall” is EXACTLY what I’m telling myself. I do have a couple projects I want to accomplish this summer (trading out Violet’s bedroom and my office) but I figure everything else will wait. Summer can be such a short season here.
Thank you for the kind words about the feelings. I am okay. Maybe even good. It’s still my favorite stage, but, as you know, they all come with their own pluses and minuses.
Sending cool thoughts your way.
Summer is a short season here, too. And I’m glad it’s still your favorite age. 🙂 There are certainly things to love about all of them.
I’m glad you mentioned watching Selling Sunset. I remember wanting to watch it, then forgetting that I wanted to watch it because I forgot to write down that I wanted to watch it. And therein is the essence of aging, I guess.
I don’t get into podcasts or audio books either. I’m a good listener when it comes to personal conversations but somehow that doesn’t translate into focusing while listening to those.
We’re back to cleaning out the basement and the garage. Slowly the stuff is going to Goodwill or the trash heap. Every time we do this we get closer to feeling organized, but that may just be wishful thinking.
Ha! It’s funny you say that because that’s what happened with me. A friend reminded me about it.
Glad I’m not alone with the podcast/audiobook issues
Your pictures and your meals sound HEAVENLY. Exactly what summer feels like in my mind.
Thanks, Kari!! I can’t wait for this weekend – it isn’t summer until I’ve had a brat!!
It is July!!!
I understand your frustration with gardening. As you say, “I’m unapologetically reserving the right to return it to landscaping next year.” This was a very funny statement, Kate. Love your gusto!
What is a “davenport read”? I had time to read another 25 pages one evening without falling asleep. This book is wonderful suspense. Enjoying.
My favorite pic is of your feet relaxing in that beauty of nature on the boat. I love seeing how the clouds above feather as your drifting in the water. Nothing better than that for summer.
-ing- I’ve been cooking a lot!!
Hi TD – a Davenport read is what I call something light and fun – the kind of thing I would read while eating an ice cream sandwich on my grandma’s Davenport.
I love to hear that you are cooking!!