It still sounds like summer. In fact, the cicadas are so loud we're sometimes tempted to open the door and scream, "SHUT UP"! but that would be rude...
All the plants are looking leggy, but are not quite spent. I can't hear crickets, yet, but it's only a matter of days. And the hundreds of butterflies that frequented the lythrum, phlox, and million bells have been reduced to only a few. This time of year puts me in mind of a short story I used to love to teach: "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst, that begins "It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born..." A most powerful story, it.
We do have a groundhog living under our steps. He's taken to climbing into our pots and eating the coleus and trailing verbena. Linda, our neighbor, told me to soak rags in ammonia and place them in the pots and around the ingress/egress holes he's dug. Evidently he didn't like this intervention because the rags are now scattered throughout the back yard. :) His way of 'flipping us off' I suppose.
I still attend PT two or three times a week. I'm driving, taking short walks, and performing truncated workouts at the gym. I'm careful not to overdue and am very thankful that I'm approaching normalcy. I think Richard is, too, as he asked if we could host and 'Wine and Cheese' for a few neighbors on Sunday. I agreed. The menu has morphed a bit to include cannelini bean hummus and naan, beef brisket, baked beans, Key lime pie, and lemon bars. Haven't decided on the vegetable, yet and the plates demand something green. You're all invited, of course.
All the plants are looking leggy, but are not quite spent. I can't hear crickets, yet, but it's only a matter of days. And the hundreds of butterflies that frequented the lythrum, phlox, and million bells have been reduced to only a few. This time of year puts me in mind of a short story I used to love to teach: "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst, that begins "It was in the clove of seasons, summer was dead but autumn had not yet been born..." A most powerful story, it.
We do have a groundhog living under our steps. He's taken to climbing into our pots and eating the coleus and trailing verbena. Linda, our neighbor, told me to soak rags in ammonia and place them in the pots and around the ingress/egress holes he's dug. Evidently he didn't like this intervention because the rags are now scattered throughout the back yard. :) His way of 'flipping us off' I suppose.
I still attend PT two or three times a week. I'm driving, taking short walks, and performing truncated workouts at the gym. I'm careful not to overdue and am very thankful that I'm approaching normalcy. I think Richard is, too, as he asked if we could host and 'Wine and Cheese' for a few neighbors on Sunday. I agreed. The menu has morphed a bit to include cannelini bean hummus and naan, beef brisket, baked beans, Key lime pie, and lemon bars. Haven't decided on the vegetable, yet and the plates demand something green. You're all invited, of course.
