Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
It is Thursday, and when I saw the wall clock, I jumped out of bed thinking it was gym time, but alas, I was off by one day! This week, we did Tuesday and Friday, avoiding the days we went to the eye doctor with Amy.
When we went to the office, Mary asked me if I had any comments about her artwork. I suggested a little penning to draw out the turtle. I hope I was correct. Mary plans to give this to Charlotte at dinner this Sunday.
Turtles have existed for over 200 million years, making them older than many dinosaurs. They are almost as old as I am!
Then, before the day really got started—and while Mary was busy getting ready for Girls Night Out—I made my rounds through the garden, conducting a highly official varmint inspection.
Not a single one was in sight. So either we’re extremely lucky… or the varmints have upgraded their stealth program.
The rotary containers are in full blossom!
Talk about red? These flowers can be seen two blocks away!
Red: the official color of ‘look at me’.
It’s hard to believe that just 60 days ago, these planters were bare and freshly prepared. Since then, nature has taken over in the best possible way, and we now have vegetables growing everywhere. We’re grateful to have friends to share the harvest with—otherwise, we’d quickly have more than we could manage.
Climbing skyward.
Speaking about skyward, the peas and cucumbers are about to join hands ten feet above the garden walkway! Romantic little devils they are.
Cucumber climbing trivia:
• Cucumbers are natural climbers: They use curly tendrils to grab onto supports like trellises, fences, or netting.
• They climb to save space: Growing cucumbers vertically is popular in small gardens because it keeps vines off the ground.
• Climbing can make straighter cucumbers: When fruits hang down from a trellis, gravity helps them grow longer and straighter.
• It helps prevent rot: Cucumbers on the ground are more likely to sit in moisture and develop disease or soft spots.
• Tendrils are touch-sensitive: When a cucumber tendril touches something, it curls around it to anchor the plant.
• Not all cucumbers climb equally: Vining cucumber varieties climb well, while bush cucumbers stay more compact.
• They’re related to other climbers: Cucumbers are in the gourd family, along with melons, squash, pumpkins, and gourds—many of which also vine or climb.
Summer shade is coming soon!
The grapes are doing well, and we keep removing leaves so the Sun can reach them.
The grapes are doing well for only being three years old!
The Zuchinnis are popping out all over, and we plan to find a few more plants, as some finished production early.
Wow! They get big fast!
We have corn, and the ears are fattening up quite nicely. Mary and I will be applying mineral oil to the silks to prevent varmints from entering the corn.
Forty-nine corn stalks are working together!
We MUST get the artichokes cut tomorrow, and they will soon produce flowers.
I have to use a ladder to reach the tops of these plants.
Hello, applesauce, my good friend!
Another few weeks!
We departed for the Elks around 10:30 to run some errands first. While driving to the Elks, I was thinking about life *always a dangerous thing to do!).
We arrived at the Elks around 11:45 pm, took our places at the reserved table, and waited for the gang to arrive. Robin joined us today, making for a fun dining experience.
Iris is 99 and will be 100 on New Year’s Eve!
This is the sixth year we have been having lunch together at the Elks on Thursdays. The luncheon gets better as we get older.
Bill, Sandy, George, and Bob
Everyone is amazed at us since we giggle and laugh the whole time. Mary is a joy to be around, always happy and never (maybe never) having bad thoughts.
Just us!
Returning home, Robin and Mary peeled off together on a vital mission to Michael’s for art supplies—because apparently, the day was not complete without a raid on the glitter-and-craft aisle. I, being a man of simple goals and low sticker-shock tolerance, went straight home.
Once we all got home, we all observed the sacred household ritual known as “the short nap,” which somehow lasts either 12 minutes or three business days, depending on who’s keeping track. Properly recharged, we reconvened in the TV Room for an evening of Yellowstone, where family bonding consists mainly of wine, dramatic cowboy staring, and people making terrible decisions in expensive hats.
Mary whipped up an abbreviated dinner featuring last night’s meatloaf, proving once again that leftovers are just food with a second chance at glory. The girls chowed down enthusiastically, while I heroically waved myself off, still full from the entire sandwich I had demolished at the Elks earlier.
So we poured some wine, settled in, and binged Yellowstone until the cattle, conspiracies, and cowboy angst carried us off into the night.
Robin hit the hay around 10:15 pm, and Mary and I stayed up until midnight, only two more episodes to go!
