seasonal observances
Jul. 19th, 2006 02:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chelidonSummer is officially here. Today I picked the first small handful of sweet wild raspberries walking out to get the mail, and my Ravishing Partner brought in the first ripe tomato. There's nothing that tastes quite as good as food right off the plant.
I'm hoping we'll have a bumper crop of berries this year, barring a bumper crop also of hungry birds and bear -- all the rain followed by bright sunny days (and a couple of years of occasional tending) have caused the berry bushes to explode. I'll probably miss most of them while I'm at Avalon, but I'll catch the tail end, and the blackberries, which ripen a bit later. No doubt my Lovely Housemates will make very good use of the berries while I'm gone ;>
Another summer tradition, barbecues on the back deck, are in full swing, with plenty of fresh sweet corn and other local summer bounty to cook up and share. My dad is coming over on Sunday to share the bounty, my last chance to see him before I head off.
It's funny -- now that C's parents are seriously looking for housing out here, all four grandparents will probably be in the area within a year or so. That's particularly bizarre with my folks, who hadn't been living within 4000 miles of one another for about 20 years. And that's an interesting thing. A big part of it, I know, is the grandkid factor, and I am so pleased they all get to be a regular part of each other's lives. And for me, as an adult I may get to make some of the happy memories I didn't necessarily have with them as a child. But, too, I know age and fear about being alone has to be an issue for them. And I know that one of the things the upcoming years will involve is family health issues. I'm sure that we'll end up tending to one or more parents for some unknown period of time. Having just gone through more than our share of family health problems, the thought isn't one that I am too happy about, but it's also the natural process of things. And, I suspect, as the world and U.S. economies begin to contract over the coming years, extended family arrangements, intentional or otherwise, will once again become the norm, just out of necessity, if not choice. It's a gift, and a joyful obligation. And there are certainly benefits -- for instance, my son is spending two days and nights with my mom right now -- good for them both, and good for the household, who all get to all go out together to a local Mexican place and see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 tonight :>
And it's always best not to borrow trouble -- the future holds what it holds, and in the meantime, a batch of mead is perking in the pantry, we're in that season when I only have to fire up the wood boiler once a week or so (for household hot water), and the heat wave proved blessedly brief up here -- it only got up to 85 in town today, cooler here in the shaded valley, and it's supposed to be in the high 70s the rest of the week.
A perfect summer? Not nearly. My beloved partner is still hypothyroid, tired much of the time, and upset at not being able to do all she wishes she could do. I have a million and one important things to do before I leave for England in less than a week (yikes), and while I'm seriously jazzed about going, being back on that wonderful land, teaching some great material with a delicious story and an amazing team, and seeing some lovely people again who just live too damn far away, it's also really hard to be leaving home right now, and I am definitely torn about being away.
And life is good...so sweet, so precious, so full of wonder, surprise, and delight.
May we all experience summer's joys and abundance.
I'm hoping we'll have a bumper crop of berries this year, barring a bumper crop also of hungry birds and bear -- all the rain followed by bright sunny days (and a couple of years of occasional tending) have caused the berry bushes to explode. I'll probably miss most of them while I'm at Avalon, but I'll catch the tail end, and the blackberries, which ripen a bit later. No doubt my Lovely Housemates will make very good use of the berries while I'm gone ;>
Another summer tradition, barbecues on the back deck, are in full swing, with plenty of fresh sweet corn and other local summer bounty to cook up and share. My dad is coming over on Sunday to share the bounty, my last chance to see him before I head off.
It's funny -- now that C's parents are seriously looking for housing out here, all four grandparents will probably be in the area within a year or so. That's particularly bizarre with my folks, who hadn't been living within 4000 miles of one another for about 20 years. And that's an interesting thing. A big part of it, I know, is the grandkid factor, and I am so pleased they all get to be a regular part of each other's lives. And for me, as an adult I may get to make some of the happy memories I didn't necessarily have with them as a child. But, too, I know age and fear about being alone has to be an issue for them. And I know that one of the things the upcoming years will involve is family health issues. I'm sure that we'll end up tending to one or more parents for some unknown period of time. Having just gone through more than our share of family health problems, the thought isn't one that I am too happy about, but it's also the natural process of things. And, I suspect, as the world and U.S. economies begin to contract over the coming years, extended family arrangements, intentional or otherwise, will once again become the norm, just out of necessity, if not choice. It's a gift, and a joyful obligation. And there are certainly benefits -- for instance, my son is spending two days and nights with my mom right now -- good for them both, and good for the household, who all get to all go out together to a local Mexican place and see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 tonight :>
And it's always best not to borrow trouble -- the future holds what it holds, and in the meantime, a batch of mead is perking in the pantry, we're in that season when I only have to fire up the wood boiler once a week or so (for household hot water), and the heat wave proved blessedly brief up here -- it only got up to 85 in town today, cooler here in the shaded valley, and it's supposed to be in the high 70s the rest of the week.
A perfect summer? Not nearly. My beloved partner is still hypothyroid, tired much of the time, and upset at not being able to do all she wishes she could do. I have a million and one important things to do before I leave for England in less than a week (yikes), and while I'm seriously jazzed about going, being back on that wonderful land, teaching some great material with a delicious story and an amazing team, and seeing some lovely people again who just live too damn far away, it's also really hard to be leaving home right now, and I am definitely torn about being away.
And life is good...so sweet, so precious, so full of wonder, surprise, and delight.
May we all experience summer's joys and abundance.
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no subject
Date: 2006-07-19 08:56 pm (UTC)So that means it's all the way up to 68° there? };->
no subject
Date: 2006-07-20 05:53 pm (UTC)This morning I had the delicious sensation of being just a bit chilly. At the worst of the "heat wave" up here, it got up to maybe 92 with 30% humidity, and I tell you, Yankees were melting right and left. I didn't have the heart to talk about summers in D.C...
It's about 70 degrees here at the moment, might get up to the low 80s, whereupon no doubt someone will complain about the heat...
no subject
Date: 2006-07-19 09:18 pm (UTC)me? I also need to do about 101 things before tuesday night - though maybe after the last couple of days its now 99.
currently I'm covered in feathers from the latest brainwave....
no subject
Date: 2006-07-20 05:53 pm (UTC)Feathers? Do tell...
See you soon!!
no subject
Date: 2006-07-19 09:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-20 06:00 pm (UTC)When I get back in town how about we try to start a wee dialogue about magickal writerly things? I'd love to brainstorm a bit with you, and of course, it would be a good excuse to chat, too ;>
no subject
Date: 2006-07-20 06:10 pm (UTC)I'm excited for you to be teaching there. Hope it's a blast and that camp is amazing for you and for all who are there. Will you give that Suzanne person a big hug for me? And that Raven person? And that Hol person? :-)
no subject
Date: 2006-07-20 10:35 pm (UTC)Most certainly, with pleasure :>