Onward

77°f/24.5°C, so humid, partly cloudy this morning. Reached 90°, and now storms are beginning to move through. Thank goodness.

These two old folks have stayed inside today. Our county seat and closest town is having the annual big July 4th bash, with a 2k run, parade, stage acts and activities all day, and of course culminating with fireworks later tonight. The heat index is well over 100°, and I am amazed that so many people actually turn out anyway.  Down in Charleston,  sternwheelers line the Kanawha riverbank for the annual regatta, and at the Capitol there is what is supposedly the world's largest ferris wheel, and stage acts, including Alabama,  all weekend. Lots of fun things, but not for us. Larry's face is as red as a poppy from the skin cancer treatments and he cannot be in the sun, and I have no desire to celebrate anyway. 

Interviewers online and on the radio asked citizens of the US how they felt about this country. Almost every single one said they were proud to be American. I wonder, why? How is it something to be proud of, when in truth citizenship for most of us is an accident of birth, not a choice. What are these people proud of, exactly? Certainly not our dubious history! We have had moments of shining greatness, but many more of unfairness, greed, and cruelty. Most of the interviewees spoke in generalities, usually citing freedom and democracy. And yet, are not those two things under threat right now? I wish they had been asked for specific examples of things that exemplify that freedom and democracy. As a woman, there are still ways my freedom is curtailed, and that is even more true for those who are "other". But perhaps my mind is jaundice by the current state of affairs in this country. Something to ponder on this day.

Meanwhile, here in the backwoods of West Virginia, life goes on as normal. Here are more pictures from this past week.

This resin dragon was made by a friend I had not seen on years. She was selling some of her work in a yard sale, and I snapped this up. Here he is hanging in my window. So awesome!

Conefloers and lemon balm have made themselves at home along the crack between the stone wall and the sidewalk.

This guy is so little, only about 2" long! I found him in a box of auction finds, and was surprised that he sells for around $25 online.

A thrift store find this week, a primitive bucket shelf. Best thing about it? It was move-in ready, no work required! I have it in my booth already, filled with crocks and baskets.

More thrift finds from the past couple weeks:

I was a bit disappointed by the Staffordshire pitcher when I got it home and discovered that a bit at the top of the handle had been chipped off. I suppose that considering it is almost 200 years old, that's not too bad, but i doubt I will be able to sell it.

The little Hofbauer Byrdes glass box in front of it is really sweet, anyway.

Arcopal dishes from France, green Georgian pattern glasses, a Wexford decanter, and marigold carnival glass tumblers in this photo.

And here, a green marble apple, nice ceramic planter, and a crock made into a lamp. The lamp part was messed up so we just removed it. I front, two brass seagull wall plaques probably from the 60s.

Nice vintage handbag from the 50s, I think, and a vintage canteen made of metal and covered in wool, made by Coleman.

Pretty little pink Depression Glass jam jar in the Windsor pattern, made by Federal Glass.

And last, a Fenton amethyst carnival glass bowl. I can't remember the pattern name right off.

I don't think i posted these photos yet either. On the way home last week I stopped at the West Virginia Museum of American Glass in Weston. "Blenko Man" was in the window to greet visitors.

So. Much. Beautiful.  Glass! 

The Museum is incredible, with constantly changing displays done by a crew of dedicated staff and volunteers. I have visited here several times, and it never disappoints. This time the display of antique oil lamps was just stunning.

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

Gardens Update

72°f/22°C, very humid. High of 95° expected today, with a heat index of 104°. 

The heat continues, and it is brutal. We were outside just after 6am to get out in the gardens.  We picked a 10 quart bucket of green beans, more zucchini and cucumbers, and I pulled some beets. Then I got out the stringtrimmer and tidied up the garden while Larry tried to get his weedeater running. I swear that next year he is going to have a battery powered trimmer like mine! He has so much trouble with his gas-powered ones, and the one he has right now is only a year old. I don't know what he does to them. 

I went back out before it got too hot, to take a few photos. I have missed getting pictures of most of the lilies as it has been too miserable to take them, and flowers are fading quickly in this heat. 

It really doesn't look hot, does it?

I miss getting a photo of the hollyhocks in full bloom. They were so pretty. This is all that's left now.

The roses are trying, but soon drop their petals.

This garden by the porch used to ve so unsatisfactory, but when i moved the hosts here, that soon changed. I am so thrilled tfat the white phlix is thriving here too. I remember back when I was carrying mail on a rural route, there, was one house that had white phlox growing in the shade beside a small stream. I would often just stay at their mailbox for several minutes, just drinking in the cool vibes of that scene. Carrying mail in summer was a hot, dusty business, driving those back roads for hours with the windows down. Those flowers and the shade just seemed like a distant oasis. For years I tried to grow white phlox myself, but failed until I put them here.

 

The planters on the patio are underwhelming this year. We have not yet completed the project to replace the broken patio pavers---almost but not quite finished. So I waited to put anything in the pkanters because they were not in place. Finally i gave up and threw some plants in, and put the planters sort of in place.

Either I have a lot of pink flowers, or this is just the time of year for pink blooms! Seems like early spring most flowers are yellow, and this time of year, pink. At least that's how it is in my gardens.

I just planted this one last week...gomohrena, I think?

There are a few spots of other colors, and yellow will return once the coreopsis recuperates from being cut back. Here my carefully nurtured butterfly weed is making a tiny showing. There are two of these, actually, both doing pretty well.

I need to cut back the lambs ears and the iris blades, but that can wait for cooler weather.

The planters are handy for providing splashes of color in this big bed.

My "chaos" bed, where I took the last 6 picturss above. It's pretty big, about 20x30 feet, and many of the flowers seed themselves. A friend asked if I had paths through it. Never thought of that! I just pick my way carefully, but maybe paths would be a good idea.

The herb garden is getting a little unruly too, but everything is thriving.

A look at the vegetable garden. This is my garden; I didn't get photos of Larry's this time.  As you can see, the rattlesnake beans have completely covered their arch. The limas, however are finally terminating, or at least a few are, on one side of their arch. I hold out little hope for a harvest from them, and planted cucumbers today on the other side of the arch. Might as well get something growing there. Those are the earlier cucumbers in the bottom center, and bush beans in the middle. I pulled most of the beets in this section today.

From the right, dill, basil, squash and zucchini,  and the cucumber arch. Also a couple tomato plants because I like to have some close to hand to munch on. The bulk of oyr tomato plants are in Larry's garden. You can't see it, but there is Romaine lettuce under the cucumber arch. And you can aee a little of Larry's garden in upper left. 

What I missed getting a picture of is my upper garden, where the peppers, rainbow corn, sweet corn, more beets, carrots and leeks are. Oh, and butternut squash. I have pulled the lettuce, spinach, and radishes, and the kale is doing terribly this year. I also missed getting pics of the cabbage and broccoli, but since the deer munched on them they aren't that great either. Seems like every year, one thing or another takes a back seat.

Overall, it's been a good garden year. I am so grateful for my mulch, which makes garden maintenance much, much easier.

I guess we will be out early again tomorrow to avoid the heat. No big 4th of July plans here, just too hot to go out!

A Hot Week

72°f, hot and humid. 88° already at 11am.

And here he is! Mama Hannah and little Sutton are both doing well. I have not yet seen him, but will wait until she is home and settled to do that. Meanwhile, my son Derek is at Hannah's house, caring for her other children. He's a good Pawpaw.

The moon Tuesday night, just beautiful.

My current morning tea "set".

We have been out getting our booths ready for the July 4th weekend. Usually we do both in one day, but it is too hot to be out working in the afternoons, so we did it on two mornings this week. Yesterday we were in Ravenswood and picked up lunch afterwards, to eat in the car at the little park right by the river.

The old Sayre log cabin. 

It boggles my mind that a walking bridge would cost over 2 million dollars! I think the intent is to bridge Sand Creek and make a walking route from town to the park, which is a little ways from downtown. 

More construction at the park. The sign says this will be a welcome center.  I had heard that it was going to be a waterfront restaurant,  which would be so nice. A welcome center? Meh. That won't benefit the town or our county residents at all.

We have been staying inside during the afternoons. Larry's skin cancer creams have made his skin highly sensitive to the sun, and it's just too miserable to be out anyway. We are getting a lot of squash and cucumbers, some broccoli and a few small tomatoes from the garden. The beans need to be picked, but that will just have to wait. The heat should break Sunday. I hope!

And last, a friend posted this recently.  Sums up this weather.

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