We Give Busy A New Meaning!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

We are expecting an 80-degree day, so we’d better get to tending the garden early before the heat hits.  Our peppers are still producing, even after we’ve given away thirty of them to friends.  The ones below are mild and excellent in salads.

Remember: Gardeners know all the dirt!!

Keep them coming, little plant!

Mary thought about doing some painting or other fun arts and crafts things, but after remembering what the closet looked like, she stayed with me all day! As Mary often says, “When in doubt, just add glitter!”

Oh my!

The cucumbers are so good that we decided to visit Trader Joe’s and purchase a special mix used for cucumber salads.  Mary makes a cucumber salad to die for.   One can eat a boatload of salad and not exceed 50 calories.  My kind of salad!

Cucumbers, often mistaken for vegetables, are actually fruits, specifically berries, and are remarkably high in water content, making them excellent for hydration

We had six of these guys hanging around.

The best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat and some old clothes.  And with a hoe in one hand and a cold drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.

While the veggies are doing well, the grape vineyard is doing magnificent.  We have been keeping a close eye on the grapes this year, trimming back the suckers and ensuring the inner part of the plant receives adequate sunlight.  The plants have responded well!

Remember:  Life is full of grape expectations.

We have two to three weeks of table grapes to devour in another month!

We were thinking more like this:

Table grapes will do in a pinch!

Mid-afternoon, we went out to do errands.  We visited Home Depot and purchased additional plants, as well as small trellises for the cucumbers and melons we have in pots.

Then we went to Trader Joe’s and came back with a basket full of goodies, we always do.  Finally, we stopped at Marie Callender’s and picked up a cherry pie for our neighbor, Jeff.

The people at Trader Joe’s are so friendly; it’s a pleasure to do business with them!

Upon arriving home, we began to unpack the car.  Mary went to the backyard to get the wheelbarrow when my phone buzzed, alerting me that the US Army Parade was beginning.   I turned on the kitchen TV and then headed outside, yelling for Mary; I did NOT tell her what it was about.

We watched the parade with both of us having a little tear in the corner of our eyes.  Mary enjoyed it as she was a Captain in the US Army and recognized many of the insignias.

When Mary was in the army, her soldiers would follow her anywhere, but only out of curiosity.  Her staff likened Mary to a small puppy – she runs around excitedly, leaving little messes for other people to clean up.  They also said, “This Officer should go far, and the sooner she starts, the better.”

We need a strong military and military leadership; thank you, President Trump!

The parade ended with the American flag flying proudly!

God Bless America

Oh, I didn’t mention that we got two filet mignons at Trader Joe’s.  The stakes are products of Argentia, and they were terrific.  You know, when the steaks gossip, they really know how to beef up a story.

This beef was so rich, it should come with a bank account.

Bringing them to room temperature is essential!

After being seasoned with salt and pepper, they receive a three-minute sear on both sides in a very hot pan.  The garlic cloves work well but tend to burn after a few minutes of cooking.

Sizzle sizzle little star!

Mary’s cucumber salad and freshly picked corn (picked while I was preparing the steaks) made for an effortless but fantastic dinner.

Life does not get better than this!

We sent over to Jeff’s, bringing him a half-cherry pie and some cucumber salad.  We visited with Jeff for a while and watch the morons in LA doing their street dance to protect criminals and waving the Mexican flag.

Returning home, we went into the swim spa.  Both heaters were on full blast, warming our robes while we sat in the hot water, cooking away!  My gardening suit got more wrinkled!

Scout was sound asleep, so we had suspicions that he had been up to no good!

Sometimes Scout can be rather sneaky!

After going inside and getting comfortable in the TV room, we fell soundly to sleep.  We lasted about five minutes watching TV.  Tomorrow is a busy day; it’s Father’s Day, and we are off to the Elks with family and friends.

About Paul

Just an old retired guy trying to finish out my last years on this planet. I lost my best friend and wife in early 2020. I was blessed again by reconnecting with Dr. Mary Côté, a long-time friend. Mary and I got married July 28th, 2021, and are enjoying life together and plan to spend the rest of our lives being a blessing to our friends and family.
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