Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The day was so pretty that we went to the patio to drink our coffee. While we were outside on the patio, we spoke with Joe to bring him up to date on the medical situation. Since we’re going to the Elks today, Mary had me pick a bunch of cherry tomatoes in case we have salads.
Mary took her shower, and I ventured into the badlands of Casa Valencia. On the way to the back door, I ran across our burglar alarm, which was sound asleep.
Someone was a sleepyhead!
Looking at him made me want to go back to sleep!
Via the patio, I entered the backyard on the way to the garden. I was greeted by “Old Red,” a local climber.
Even the patio flowers are blooming!
Continuing on my journey, I looked at our potted cantaloupe, and it had at least seven fruits in the process of maturing.
We have seven cantaloupes on this vine!
1. Not All” Cantaloupe” Is the Same: In the U.S., what we call” cantaloupe” is a type of muskmelon (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus) with a netted rind. True European cantaloupes have a smoother, pale green skin. Ancient Origins: Cantaloupes have been cultivated for thousands of years. They are believed to have originated in Persia (modern-day Iran) and Africa, and were later popularized in Europe.
3. Name Game: The “ame “canta “oupe” comes from the Italian town of Cantalupo, near Rome, where the melon was introduced to Europe from Armenia in the 1700s.
4. Nutrient Powerhouse: Cantaloupe is packed with vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and vitamin C, making it great for your skin and immune system.
5. Water Content: Cantaloupe is about 90% water, making it a refreshing, hydrating snack, perfect for hot summer days.
6. Seed Facts: The seeds are edible! In some cultures, cantaloupe seeds are roasted and eaten as a snack.
7. Ripeness Test: A ripe cantaloupe will have a sweet fragrance at the stem end and will give slightly when pressed. The netting on the rind should be thick and well-defined.
7. Space Melons: In 2006, Japanese astronauts grew cantaloupes on the International Space Station as part of an experiment on food production in space.
8. World Record: The heaviest cantaloupe ever recorded weighed 67 pounds 1.8 ounces (30.47 kg), grown by William McCaslin in the USA in 2019.
I continued my exploration of the garden and came across some great-looking tomatoes!
Tomatoes everywhere.
The yellow pear tomatoes are lovely.
At a distance, they could have been strawberries. These Romas make for delicious eating.
Mary had me pick a mess of tomatoes so she could pass them out at the Elks to everyone having salads (or use as a pre-lunch snack!).
I looked back at our home and realized we still have plenty of room. Every day, we go out for some trimming and use Mary’s small garden cart, then throw the unwanted growth directly into the trash.
Looking back at the house from the garden.
Before we departed, I finally finished the July 4th Day website. Please enjoy!
Click to see the website.
11:00 am means time to ramble over to the Elks. We took the hot rod today, as Precious needed to get out and run!
Zoom!!!
We are approaching our fifth anniversary of having lunch at the Elks on Thursdays at noon. I recall the first Girl’s Night Out, which was five years ago, on July 23, 2020. Mike Andersen, Bill Capps, and Bob Zaitz were there to assist me in moving forward after losing Sue in February. They were all so kind, trying to help me through the loss of Sue, just five months ago. We have done Thursday lunches at the Elks ever since.
Today, we had seven of us, and we just had a ball, teasing each other and creating chaos in the lounge.
We returned home and crashed for about an hour. Scout came in and showed us how it was supposed to be done. We would have lain on the floor with him, but alas, old age is creeping in, so we left him in the hallway and went to the bedroom.
By 4:00 pm, we were up and moving, and Mary planned to fix a carrot salad. She worked for an hour on our relatively meager carrot crop. I joined her and watched a movie. Even after all her work, neither of us was hungry, so we decided it was time for the pool.
We cavorted in the pool for an hour or so. I floated scaring the bugs to death, and they dropped dead mid-flight, dropping into the pool with a small splash. Mary had her trusty bug net with her and collected my victims. I still believe some of the insects fell into the water because they were startled by the light, not because I was flashing them.
Into the pool we went.
When we came inside, it was too late to start a movie, so I developed a plan! I sent Mary off to get ready for bed, and I offered to close up shop and make sure Scout, the wonder Dog, had his time outside.
Being a sneaky kind of guy, I had a reason for being nice. While the baby was outside and Mary was busy in her bathroom, I would raid the refrigerator, and Mary would never know. I know there was cake hiding in the fridge along with a leftover hot dog and some delicious rat cheese. OUCH!!!!!
My genius bride found a way to keep me out of the fridge, avoiding those late-night snacks!
We crashed after I applied first aid to my beat-up arm!
