Almost Summer in Everyday Ramblings

Wildflowers in a scrub patch on the way home from the garden today. A lovely day, not too warm yet and Mt. St. Helen’s looking mysterious in a light brushstroke of cloud.

Other than my morning class I had and have nothing specific scheduled for today and so far, I have been enjoying this quite a bit. One of my students who is a close friend of Walt’s kept me after class to talk at length about the history and current thinking of The Open Road: a learning community that I am involved with. We are having a “vision quest” most of the day on Saturday for the nonprofit going forward. It was lovely to have the time to talk to her at length.

Then I went to the garden. Yesterday I took a bus to the other side of the river to go to this hip cooperative garden center I have known about for over a year but haven’t been able to get to thinking I needed a car. Mrs. Sherlock has suggested we go there about six times, I even bought her a gift card for anything her heart desires for Christmas, but it has never happened.

It is closer in than going out to meet with the guys on Thursdays. But a slightly sketchier part of town. Still, super easy to get to. I could have spent a fortune. Everything is organic and they specialize in native plants and locally grown ones. I got a Millionaire Eggplant and a Japanese Black Trifele Tomato. Exotic. I know black tomatoes are all the rage this year. That one will need a cage and it is an heirloom variety. I will go back, oh baby, will I go back.

Apparently, bringing plants home on the bus is a new thing I will be doing.

Everything is lush and green, and the wild sweet peas are going to town. That means summer. The chicory, the Queen Anne’s Lace and other umbels in the carrot family. The blueberries are fruiting, and the raspberries are having an excellent week. There is a big patch of raspberries in the garden across from my plot. After chatting to a long-time fellow plot holder, whose house is across the street from the garden earlier, he says we all take a few. He was eating them while he was talking to me.

This run of dry weather has been such a luxury. Eight days in June with no rain to speak of is unusual. It is still getting in the 40’s at night. The plants are a little confused with the 30-degree swing during a day. But I am enjoying it. We are all dreading a hot hot summer and drought conditions.

I have a League board meeting tomorrow evening. I am not officially on the Board until July 1 and we still have to transfer authorities and towards the end of next week I need to hop on that train and learn what I need to about this position. This all is about to become a big part of my life. But hey, if I can do this to support the incredible work these folks are doing to keep democracy alive, and voters informed than I am good with that.

Friday, afternoon I am getting my last problem tooth extracted. I have waited a good long time for this appointment, we were all hoping for a cancelation so it wouldn’t happen so close to my birthday, which is next Wednesday, but no dice.

I will be glad to have it out. It has been a good old warrior all these years but also a source of infections and many patch jobs. I expect to feel relief as the area heals.

Speaking of relief. The doctor who performed Mrs. Sherlock’s PET scan yesterday called her the same day and said, listen, I don’t see any cancer. Can you believe that? What a gift! A kind of horrible gift, but a great one. She had just returned home from a funeral for the husband of a woman that used to be in our Women’s Circle when she got the call.

Maybe now I can get her to go to the darn garden center with me.

Such good news.

Last updated June 13, 2024