Wordy Wednesday

49°f when I got up at 6am. That's 9.4°C, pretty chilly but what a welcome change. It was 52 yesterday morning, and only a high all day of 72. Currently 75, still just perfect. No rain, of course, and none expected for days. Still watering.

Does the full moon keep you awake? I swear I must be part vampire because I have a difficult time sleeping during a full moon. I was up before 6 yesterday, and went out to try to take a few photos.

This one was by the house; the next were up on the ridge. 

It was lovely, if cold, to be out before the sun came up. Usuallybi am up around 7, but drag around drinking tea and playing the NY Times word games before I get outside. 

Pretty peppers

We had a welcome surprise yesterday, a visit from son #4, who was on his way home from a job interview. He left his job in May, and has taken a break before actively seeking another. It has been very good for him---time to do some things he's wanted to do, rest, spend time with his family. We met him in town for lunch, which was nice because we could just visit. If he had come here, odds are I'd have been cooking and he and Larry would be out in the garage. 

I had a break from the kitchen all day yesterday.  I painted a chest of drawers and the base of a table, caught up my receipts in the spreadsheet, and worked on organizing the knobs and pulls into bins to take to our Ripley booth. Then I finished the book I was reading--a 1929 title by Booth Tarkington titled The Young Mrs. Greeley

I have to say, it wasn't very good. Oh, his writing is excellent, and I enjoyed the slang of the day (like calling someone a jay, to mean silly). But the storyline,  not so much. Basically it is about a wife who gets the big-head after her husband's promotion, and how she is egged on to be jealous of his success but her very jealous friend. Much marital uproar ensues, but the saintly husband remains clueless and saintly throughout. Oh well.. This was not one of the better books by this two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and even Wikipedia does not list it with his novels. The book came with an auction lot, and I decided to read it before putting it--it's a first edition, very cool old paper--into the box for the booth.

On a sad note, our elderly neighbor Devon passed away on Monday. He was 87, and was recently diagnosed with cancer. It was he who sold us the land we live on, 50 years ago. It was part of his family farm, and in recent years his sons have been trying to convince me to sell it back. Not happening any time soon. Devon remarried in 2020 to a very sweet lady about 10 years younger. I know the whole family will miss him greatly.

A few zinnias from the garden. No deer visits last night, thank goodness.

I am back in the kitchen a bit today, putting up those horrid "wicked weenies" that the family loves. Most unhealthy thing I make! But fortunately I don't make any so they won't kill anyone. Basically, they are cut up hotdogs and banana peppers in a tomato sauce. Supposed to use hot peppers but I use mild and add my hot sauce. I do not like working with hot peppers at all and won't grow any except cayenne for drying.

Well, i certainly have been chatty today. Now,, back to the paint brushes. I may actually finish that table today. 

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.