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Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Joys of Summer

It's the second day of autumn already, and we're supposed to experience a 20-degree swing in temperatures tomorrow.  I remember how LOOOOOONG winter seemed to drag on (well into what I would otherwise have termed "spring") and so I want to take this chance to reflect on the joys of this past summer, which I have, until now, failed to share.  What a fabulous summer it has been.

I was once again put "in charge" of the beautification committee for the front of our subdivision.  Actually I AM the committee.  You may recall from earlier blogs that I started a bunch of zinnias from seed to plant out front.  Well, they were tiny when I put them out, and they stayed tiny for quite a while.  I gave it up as a failed experiment, when everything just burst into bloom:





My Facebook friends will remember the great pics I posted of the tomato canning session with my sister, She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on the internet.  Here are a few more, of me in her plot at the community garden, and of our canning session:



These grapes tasted just like grape Kool-Aid.











And who could forget this little gem on a sidestreet near She's garden:

That's right.  A stretch Prius.

We had some lovely dinners as well, and this fantastic pinot at one of them.  I'm posting a picture because I really don't like pinot (a handicap for one living in Oregon) but this one was exceptional.  Many thanks, She and She's husband!


I also had the chance to see She on one of her two rather fine horses, and learned that there is more to dressage than sitting on a horse tapping your heels against their flanks.  I learned this  because her trainer never stopped shouting out crazy commands, like "right hip down" and "left thigh out."  Does a horse really feel that through a saddle and all?



When driving home from She's city, with a nice box of home-canned tomatoes in the backseat, and a belly full of tomatoes (in more ways than one), I laughed aloud when I passed a convoy of these:



My own tomatoes are ripening sloooooowly, but I'm getting two Black Crims and plenty of Green Zebras a day.  When it threatens to freeze, we run out and cover everything. We have the added security of Walls of Water in the beds, but even those won't keep things going for much longer when the cold weather comes.


She also came to visit us here in Oregon, and joined me on my morning walks with the neighbor ladies.  Of course, we had to wear our competing NFC North gear.  Ignore the "Champion" part on her shirt.....  I love her anyway. 


She found a pick your own potato patch, and we visited it with Stevie.  We had a great time.



Ted and I went to see A Prairie Home Companion's summer of Love tour in Bend, and it was one of the best concerts ever.


At intermission, Garrison and and female singer (lead singer of the Wailin' Jennys - can't think of her name) walked through the crowed singing whatever tune came to mind.  It was fantastic, and all the people in my neighborhood loved it.


All in all, it's been a beautiful summer of love!