wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Last weekend, the whole family converged on Lake James for a few days on the water. It's the perfect central meeting spot: 2½ hours from Chicago, 3 hours from Cleveland, and 3 hours from Dayton.

I love waking up at the lake and being the first one up in the morning. Watching the sunrise is such a peaceful way to begin the day. The water is so still, with only a couple of boats already out pulling water skiers. The sun's golden rays reflect across the water, illuminating the sides of boats and the delicate spider webs woven along the docks.

Todd and I have been bringing our gang to Lake James since they were babies, and now our grandchildren have made their first visit to the lake. We spend our days in, on, and around the water. There's something about being at the lake that instantly helps you relax. For people with busy lives, lake living has a way of slowing you down, helping you breathe a little deeper and refocus on what matters. After a full day of swimming, boating, and fresh air, bedtime comes easily for everyone.

No trip to Lake James would be complete without a stop at Tom's Donuts. Since opening in 1970, Tom's has served up sweet treats for residents and visitors. AJ was especially happy with his blue donut covered in sprinkles!

Monday took me back to work for a busy day at the farm. Just before closing, a storm rolled in with little warning. Lightning, high winds, and pouring rain quickly made it unsafe to be outside. We rarely close early, but on Monday we sure did. The weather made it too hazardous to stay open.

Lastly, I said goodbye to my car. I needed to retrieve a few things before it was towed away. Driving through the parking lot filled with vehicles ranging from minor dings to complete totals, made me a little emotional. My car sat in the very back left corner, its bumper torn off, looking so forlorn. I felt the same way. I gathered my belongings, then pressed the remote one last time, listening for that final familiar beep before walking back to my rental car. Sigh. Now to gear up for car shopping.

flower-of-an-hour

I used this photo in last week's white flower post, didn't know its name, but my curiosity got the best of me and I had to find out what this sweet little bloom was.

It's called flower-of-an-hour, a name inspired by the short life of each individual blossom.

Each flower opens for just a few hours, usually on a warm, sunny morning. By midday/early afternoon, the petals have already withered, collapsed, or closed for good. While each bloom is fleeting, the plant keeps producing fresh buds every day for weeks, so there's always another tiny flower ready to take its turn.

Not everything beautiful is meant to last. Some blooms are just meant to brighten a morning.

monday's mulling: bummed out

A few weeks ago, I shared the story of getting rear-ended on my way to work. Last Tuesday I took my car in for its repairs and then on Friday got a call from the insurance agency handling the claim that my car is a total loss. Oh no! I've been driving it for three weeks with a noisy exhaust pipe and it's handled fine. 

And now the insurance company is telling me that my rental car is coming to an end today. 

And now I have to start arguing with the insurance company.

And now I have to start car shopping. 

And now I'm just a little grumpy.

the friday feed: zucchini rollups

When you're retired, one of life's little luxuries is having the freedom to call a neighbor and say, "Hey, Happy Hour on our front porch at 4:00?"

My neighbor's garden is producing zucchini at its usual lightning-fast pace, and she's generously shared the bounty with me. Three beautiful zucchini were sitting on my counter, and Happy Hour called for a fun little nibble. Zucchini roll-ups it was.

There are a few steps, but these roll-ups are easy to make. For this batch, I used three zucchini, olive oil, goat cheese, tomato pesto, and fresh basil from my garden.

The recipe in a nutshell: Using a mandolin, slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch strips. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until tender. Let the slices cool, then spread each one with softened goat cheese, followed by a thin layer of tomato pesto. Add a couple of basil leaves, roll the zucchini up, and secure with a toothpick.

Voila! Fun, easy finger food.

Sitting on the porch with friends, Scotch for the guys, wine for the girls, watching the world go by and chatting about whatever comes up...that's the good stuff life is made of.

 

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

A couple of days ago, I took a walk around the neighborhood to clear my head, gather my thoughts, and get some little fresh air.

Sometimes a walk is just a walk. I put one foot in front of the other, drift into my thoughts, and before I know it, I'm back home.

Other times, a walk becomes a noticing walk.

This time, it was white flowers.

I saw the first one and then they seemed to appear everywhere. 

Once again a walk made me appreciate how much beauty exists around us every day. Sometimes what's restorative or inspiring is right there, blooming in plain sight.

When we give ourselves permission to slow down, the world has a remarkable way of revealing its quiet gifts.

This wild potato vine is the first white flower that caught my eye. Look closely for the five-pointed star.

The common white clover. Pollinators love these flowers.

Make a wish or two...

 

Queen Anne's Lace...seen on a piece of land that was once an open field and now a building site for a large home.

Begonias

I don't know what this but it fits the white flower theme and I like the shadows it makes on the street.

Hibiscus. This is the size of a dinner plate. I don't go into peoples' yards to take photos but a woman was mowing her lawn and I asked if she minded me taking a picture of her beautiful flower.

Sweet daisies...I remember making daisy chain necklaces in my much younger days. I'll have to plant some daisies at my son and daughter-in-law's house so the grandkids and I can make daisy crowns and daisy necklaces.

I don't know what this is but it was in a field. Look at the little star in the center...how perfect is that?

wednesday's words and wanderings and wonderings

Day by day, more and more sunflowers are filling the field at the farm. This is the first planting, with bright yellow faces reaching toward the sky and spreading seeds of happiness. Two more plantings are coming along behind this one, and the hope is that the fields will be blooming with sunflowers through mid-September.

Right now the biggest question we get at the farm is, "Do you have lettuce?"

We do not.

Lettuce is a spring and fall crop. Summer heat makes it bitter and tough, so it's just not at its best this time of year.

One day a young man came in looking for lettuce.

"Do you have lettuce? If anyone has lettuce, you guys will."

"Sorry, we don't."

Then the drama began.

"My wife and I are missing our lettuce salads. We like to have a salad every day, and we're going nuts without lettuce!"

"It sounds like you probably have plenty of vegetables at home," I said. "Have you ever tried chopping up a variety of fresh vegetables and marinating them in an oil and vinegar dressing? We carry Garlic Expressions, and it's a delicious dressing. Add some fresh sweet corn kernels to the mix. They're a wonderful addition."

The young man left with a bottle of Garlic Expressions and a couple ears of sweet corn.

Crisis averted. Salad saved.

My neighbor has a fully loaded elderberry tree and invited me over to pick some berries. I've never harvested elderberries before, so she gave me a quick lesson. First, cut the clusters (called drupes) from the tree and place them in a bucket. Swish them around to loosen any debris, strip the berries from their stems, and pack them into freezer bags.

They're tucked away in my freezer now, waiting for cooler weather. When cold and flu season arrives, I'll turn them into homemade elderberry syrup.

We've had a couple of rainy days. I love this bee at the top of its coneflower mountain, with raindrops still clinging to the base of the flower's spiky cone.

pumpkin vine, part 2

You/ve seen the photos of the pumpkin vine taking over my patio. There's another one just around the corner that's now covering a dead bush. We've watched it grow and grow, gradually hiding the bush from view. Even our neighbors are enjoying the Great Pumpkin Adventure. It's not something you see every day in a quiet suburban neighborhood.