Back on Track

Finally things are beginning to settle. The new boiler was installed. It looks beautiful and it better with what it cost! The new barn roof goes up next week. I have my fingers crossed on that one. And I am large with child, feeling one with the pendulous and fecund garden. Just two weeks ago I was commenting on how strangers don't seem to comment on my pregnancy at all--how lucky am I? Well, the comments have come forth in a deluge. Routine questions: when are you due, boy or girl, and what's the name. The rote response to when I am due (September 12th) is REALLY? You look due tomorrow! To which I wittily respond: Well, you know, being so short he doesn't have too much of a choice but to grow out. Ha, ha, ha! As soon as someone knows it's a boy--this is men and women--they go into this whole thing about how lucky I am because girls are so outrageously difficult and boys are angels. To which I smile mutely and nod thinking: did you know you were talking to a former girl? I wonder what they would say if I was having a girl. Maybe I should try that. People usually don't know what to do when I say we are waiting until he's born to name him. But what are some ideas, they say. And I say, we have a few, but we're not discussing them. And Oh! people get upset when you won't tell them. I sometimes feel bad for them and want to cave. But I don't. Honestly, we don't have many names floating around.

So, it's summer and the weather has been moody. Thunderstorms every other day. I have not had to water the garden since I planted everything. The tomatoes are slow to ripen. I thought it was just my heirlooms but indeed even the Big Boys and Early Girls are slow, according to some neighbors. Here's my first Red Zebra with an unwanted guest, the Tomato Horn Worm. Impressive, aren't they? Sadly they have to die.

Here's the Red Zebra nestled in next to one of my amazing Sunshine Squashes. These are amazing. I saved seeds from a squash I liked last year and they have been my most impressive plants from seed stock. Sadly I have some kind of squash boring bugs infesting the gorgeous leafy vines that spread out like crazy. I don't know what to do about them...

First time ever growing Sugar Baby Watermelons for Steve and they are super cute. How did I do it? I think all the rain helps. I can't help but notice that these small watermelons seem to be the same size as newborn baby's heads. Yipes.

And who doesn't love a little patch of zinnias? They make me happy every day.

The markets are full of local fruit and vegetables so I made a tart with peaches, nectarines, shiro plums, Italian plums and blueberries. I think I ate most of this. Notice the picture is before baking. It didn't make it for the "after" shot. You're lucky I even took a picture!

Now that my final day of work is here I won't be posting as much. I'll be laying on the couch thinking of what I could do if I had the energy, eating pie, and watching this small being wiggle around in my belly (!). It's the most amazing thing.

Wobbly Days

Just two weeks ago things were idyllic and summery but now the days seem to have a sort of pall over them and I am trying to internalize the phrase: this too shall pass. It's one of those periods where everything seems to break down and cost money and you're not quite sure where that money is coming from? Your footing is unsure. It usually comes on the heels of a period of surefootedness. I was in denial until one day I sat on the toilet and it was all wobbly, and I thought, great, now the toilet is in need of repair and how much repair is it in need of? You tend to take your toilet for granted but there is nothing more deeply unsettling than a problem with your toilet. (Well, there are many things more unsettling, but you know what I mean...) That wobbly-ness made me think of the impending (expensive) new boiler installation, both cars having problems, and you know, then it turns into a litany where everything is falling apart. Some people might call this having a pity party for yourself. What compounds it all is when you talk to other people and they have the same things going on. Isn't there some planet in the way or something? Like I know Mercury isn't in retrograde, so what is going on?

So, here are some nice things in the face of wobbly-ness:


Orange yogurt cake. Recipe from Joy of Cooking, sort of. I don't have time to write it up. You can figure it out.


First corn of the season from Davenport's. Holy moly. It was so good. SO GOOD!!


Our family came to visit and we spent the day at this great river beach with a picnic lunch. On the way home we had ice cream!

By The Waterfall

On my lunch break, I don't go for walks anymore because I can't get that far without breaking down into a huffing heap. I've been taking advantage of the waterfall behind my building instead and found a perfect little spot in which to sit and read. It's hard to read, however, when there is so much going on. Like the little honeybees coming to delicately find a safe spot at the edges to enjoy a cool sip of water. Or the huge spider blending into the rocks by my feet. Or the brassy catbird landing on a mossy stone in the midst of the pounding waterfall perkily posing in the glint of the sun. Or the cedar waxwings playing! There seemed to be a large group of them, which is very much like these gregarious birds, and they were, I think, playing: zipping from a leafy branch and skillfully turning on a dime and returning to another branch, while another immediately did the very same thing, albeit on different branches. They continued to do this, up and down the creek bed. It was a beautiful day to sit in the dappled shade by the cool running water, dipping my feet in--very hot, but clear and not at all humid. A truly perfect summer day.