I Love Summer

I know SO many people who love winter.  Fine.  Go ahead.  I like the sun.  I like the heat.  I like having the option of going into the backyard naked without shrinkage.  I DON'T go into the backyard naked, but there IS that option.  I like to keep options open.  That's the way I am.  I like flowers and I like the birds that show up in bright plumage looking for a mate.  I like the vegetables in the garden and I like long summer nights and sitting in a lawn chair reading a book listening to the sounds of summer.

Yes, there are the neighbors' dogs that seem to get my dogs blamed for barking.  Sure there are a few parents that let their kids roam free after dark.  Sure there are people who mow their lawns 17 times a week...so what?  I love summer.

I got a slight sunburn the other day...I was working in the backyard under the tree and painting that sign...I did not wear a shirt...I must have strayed from the shade a might too often and ended up with a semi-pleasant burning across my shoulders and upper back.  Ahhh, summer.

I am looking forward to my crop of tomatoes, which seem to be taking their sweet time getting here...

I continue to work with a bunch of poorly trained baboons.  But, what are you going to do?  At least they manage to grunt an English word once in awhile.

I don't mind.  It's summer time and the living...well, it's nice.

Fire!!

I thought you might like a few more of the incredible 700 pictures we took on our vacation ( I say incredible because neither of us thought we had taken so many!).  Both Cora and I like this photo...even though the top of my head seems to be missing, I like it.

I believe I mentioned I was in charge of fires.  I made small ones through out the week since we brought our own wood and did not want to go spend money on the campground firewood.  I might have been a little stingy with the wood and we had a few smoky fires from it.

As you can see, or perhaps not, Cora is in there somewhere.  She was in the process of taking a smoke bath which was successful, in that even after three showers (AFTER we got back), her hair smelled of smoke.  She also took showers at the camp showers...apparently smoke baths are just too efficient.

She tried to get some reading in, in between smoke plumes.  I am somewhat amazed that she was able to breathe during this time.  I mean, look at that picture above!  No matter how long you stare at it, she never comes out for a breath!!

So, yeah, my fire making skills weren't so good at first.

Today, I started back to work.  As a maintenance man.  We are cleaning out the old elementary school, getting it ready to house yet another school while that school is rebuilt or who knows what?   Still, the mess left behind by the last school has to be cleaned up before the new one can move in.  That is our job.

You didn't think I was cleaning an entire school by myself, did you?  No, I have a "CREW."  That crew was working all last week...I was on vacation.  However, my boss, the great guy he is, told the "crew" to listen to me, since I am their boss...huh?  So, I have seniority among the subs.  Yet, my boss still sends back our beloved lazy bastard.  We also have back a hard worker, though socially inept among conservative macho males.  The next is a new guy, who promises to work out well.  So, that is what I have to look forward to...should be interesting, although, I can obviously not post all of my opinions here.  No need to piss off everyone!

We sent off our application to get a table for our coloring books at the Hop Festival.  First weekend of August!  Come and see.

So, from here on out my beloved sun will sink lower on the horizon.  Days will only grow shorter.  I shall mourn the return to winter, even as we gain the first day of summer.  I know, a real downer, huh?  I think it may have something to do with the weird weather this year.  We had tons more rain later in the spring than usual...good for my lawn, but bad for developing veggies and me sitting outside for extended periods of time.  On the bright side, the heat of the summer is coming!!  The veggies will make it all worth it.

We had BBQ chicken and asparagus tonight...it was fair fare.

Garden

I walked out to the bck yard the other evening and took a few pictures. I had intended to post them immediately, however, I seem to have caught the LAZIES in reguard to my blog. I think I have been just too tired to do much.

So, enjoy these pictures of summer...I keep getting little reminders that Autum is on it way...stupid stores and their bck to school sales that start in early July!

Squash and Zucchini in the unmowed part of the lawn...since it is now garden. Cora's brilliant idea was to use part of our yard for growing things...works nicely!

above you see Tomatoes, Cukes, and Corn...if you look closely you might be able to see peas growing up on the corn and cilantro and basil growing in the spaces in between.

When I returned to the back door, I heard a loud little bird in the tree,I looked up to see this little fellow enjoying our thistle in that sock thingy. He was abou 6 feet away and unbothered by my presence.

Summer Macros

The view from the yard is green. I don't know if you knew it, but Green has always been my favorite color. I don't know why, but it is.


I took this picture of the corn in the garden...I rather like the concentric shapes.

Maple leaves backlit by the sun.

and here is a macro of a maple leaf. I think this one is a keeper!

Other than that...well, we went shopping today. We sweltered in the 100 degree heat(...something around 38 C for my Australian reader). Ah, summer! We also grilled some steak and zucchini.

Now we are relaxing watching a movie.

Summer Appreciation

I appreciate summer, more than most people I know. I like the time of the year when it is hot out. I like the warmth. I like the fact that it allows plants to grow. I like the color green. I like that I can go outside with few clothes and be comfortable. People I know prefer the chill in the air you experience in the fall. Others love the snow. I say snow belongs in the mountains where no one goes. I don't mind a walk in the snow, but if we could limit to a weekend sometime in November, winter would be fine with me. I don't mind the fall, and if it was on the weekend prior to the winter weekend I just mentioned, that would be o.k. Why not have six months of spring and five and 3/4 months of summer? I think it is a grand idea! I would only have to bring my plants inside for a week. I could live with that.

Today is such a nice summer day. It is not hot...not the scorchers we had there for awhile. It got cool last night, and if I was in control of such things, I would ahve left the night time temperature at about 65. It's supposed to get up to 82 today. i would guess it is that right now. It's ok. I have laundry up on the line and am watering the lawn and enjoying those summer activities. I am also reading. I just bought two books on Barnes and Noble.com...believe it or not I saved about $15 by going there instead of the normal Amazon...I think that must mean something. I am beginning to feel better about my Master's. I don't think I can realistically finish this quarter. I have been a bad student, but December might be more realistic and easier to deal with.

I also made some iced tea...a nice change. Well, I worked yesterday, nothing spectacular, but I did take my computer to the comp. doctor. I hope to have it back by Monday. Summer is going TOO fast, but there is not much I can do about it. I guess I should enjoy it while I have it, and maybe make frequent trips to southern latitudes during the winter. Wonder if Kim has a spare room...

Summer Solstice today. That means it is the longest day of the year, which sound wrong, should be the day during which the sun is highest in the sky and shines longer than any other day of the year. It is also a sad day of the year for me. It means from here on outthe days will be getting shorter...I am a sunshine person...I like daylight, though you would not know it by how much time I spend indoors...alas. Anyway, it deserves mention. Also, it is West Virginia Day. I have never been there, and since I am unaware of any air museums or ship museums, I will probably never go there.

Cora told me I write too much. She is probably right. The common web traveler probably would rather look at pictures and have short flowery sentences…too bad, too. I say some really funny shit. Nah, that was just a joke, I am really quite serious. So, I have posted more visuals today! Happy Summer Solstice!!!! Oh, and as for visuals, I wish I could post the expression on Cora's face when I wish her a happy Solstice first! Instead I will post a picture of her potting plants...isn't she pretty?

I think I finally got a video from the other day to work. Have a look for yourself…just a tractor, but, still…it’s one that moves! I know it doesn't show much, but tractors don't move THAT fast. My Father-in-Law is in that particular tractor.