Green beans, strawberries, a bottle of rhubarb ginger juice, a cuke, polenta bread from Red Hen Bakery, spinach, Napa cabbage, radish micro greens, carrots, and baby fingerling potatoes. I am not a summer gal, but, gosh, the farmers market in Montpelier sure makes me smile.
A vireo nest, out in one of our Liberty apple trees, crafted from dead leaves, birchbark, grasses and twigs.
Out in the meadow. Where crickets and lightning bugs play.
The hoop house is filled with tomato and pepper plants, some greens, herbs and other goodies.
The upper gardens are looking good, too. Sadly, the indigo seedlings we started and planted did not make it. They are tricky little seeds to manage in Vermont. We have had hot and hazy days…the last few have been complicated with ash from the Canadian wildfires again…
The California poppies continue to self seed and thrive. They remind us of dear friends in the Bay Area. xo
Life update
Since this past February, we have curated my Mumsie’s possessions, moved her into a studio apartment at an assisted living community, cleared out her house that she moved into as a bride 70 years ago, put her house on the market, sold it, closed on it and all of this while navigating my own medical journey (which has come to a pause, I remain vigilant and hopeful.)
It was a lot.
At one point I lost track of myself.
I missed myself. I couldn’t find “me”. That had never happened before. It was scary.
So I asked for a bit of help, and got it.
I’m still tying up loose ends, with change of address BS, power of attorney updates, and helping my Mumsie navigate some of her own medical adventures…because when you’re ninety, there are bound to be hiccups, right?
But I am so glad my Mumsie is safe, well cared for and happy. She says to anyone who asks, “Why didn’t I do this 5 years ago?!?!” Such a great outcome!
And one of the best silver linings was time spent with one of my brothers and his wife. Batman and I teamed up with them and we were a remarkable force. We spent many weekends driving down to MA to empty the house. We worked hard together and then we relaxed and ate good food at their house and walked the beach to restore our equilibrium.
We were able to distribute some of my Mumsie’s things to others who appreciate them. I did not keep much for myself, but I treasure two scrap books filled with pictures drawn by my dad when he was a little boy. Perhaps someday I’ll share some of them here.
I have not spent much time making things, but I’m setting July aside to see if I can’t get back some of my inspiration.
One afternoon I lit a candle and sat down to make some curtains for the pantry shelves in our “room of requirement”.
I used a tablecloth that had been my paternal grandmother’s. Rather than have it sit in a drawer, I was inspired to have it out in the open. Now whenever I look into the room, the clutter has been hidden, and I smile with memories of my Gram.
The news is filled with things to be very concerned about. I’m trying to maintain some sort of equilibrium in the usual places…meditation, reading, writing snail mail, checking in with friends and family.
I hope you are finding some balance in your lives, too, dearest readers.
xo