great grapes

I would like to formally thank my mother for introducing me to one of the wonders of the summer world: the frozen grape. They never freeze completely solid, but are more of a granita-style consistency inside their taut little skin.

Must go eat more.

Charley Harper

How on earth did I ever miss this artist until today? I stumbled upon needlework sets based on his pictures and was trying to figure out if I wanted to learn how to stitch just to have the lovely images in my home. The shapes are bewitching. They are not all birds, but I find those to be my favorites.

Hello, summer

High summer

my new flag, bought at the Bellevue Arts Fair over the weekend

It's gloriously hot here, savanna hot, the plants trying to channel their veld cousins. The cats are lions in the shade napping the day away. I worked in the yard today and sweated out the last of the dreary winter and wet spring and drank liters of water to keep up with the transition.

harvesting columbine seeds to spread in the fall

blueberries just beginning to turn dusky

The hammock is hung and awaiting your pleasure

The chickens had a hot weather treat (they go bonkers for watermelon)

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My hot weather gardening secret: the Dear Liza bucket. Take a 5-gallon utility bucket and drill a very small hole in the bottom. Glue a little screen patch over the hole if you are feeling industrious, as this will keep the hole from getting blocked by bits of leaf. Place next to your favorite thirsty plant and fill. Over the next 30-45 minutes the bucket will decant slowly into the ground. Targeted watering at it's best!

a hydrangea, crumpling in the heat, is revived!

quince tree taking a drink

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Eggs laid in the coop today: 5
Eggs laid this year: 539

Picnic II

Since there's not been a spot of rain in ages, and none on the horizon, I was entirely lazy last night and left the picnic textiles on the deck. Harry would like to remind everyone that having a blanket on the deck at all times is not just a benefit, it is a necessity.

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Eggs laid in the coop today: 4
Eggs laid in the coop Tuesday: 3
Eggs laid this year: 519

picnic

Harry not-so-patiently awaits his portion

Tonight was a summer picnic on the deck. Grilled zucchini from the garden, a chicken breast that I split with the cats, homemade bbq sauce, and a salad containing a gifted homegrown cucumber. Plus a few back issues of Backwoods Home Magazine, and I inch closer to readiness for the zombie apocalypse. That may explain my urge to hoard large barrels of potable water and wonder if I really need sulfa. Or just bandaids.

wine junket

desert to grapevines: the miracle of irrigation

This weekend we piled in the car with friends Jeff and Suzanne and headed to his parent's place in Sunnyside. Over the pass to eastern washington we went, thrilling at the hundred-degree heat. Honestly, to me that sort of heat is so novel that it doesn't bother me. I just drink a lot of water and don't move very fast.

absolute genius: a mango smoothie with white wine in it

The Yakima region is Seattle's breadbasket. West of the pass things are green and damp. When you move East then suddenly it's bone dry. Brown rolling hills extend for miles. Wherever the river runs there is irrigation and that is where all of our apples and pears and tomatoes and beans and hops and strawberries and cherries and broccoli and pretty much everything else comes from. And wine. Steep rocky hills are perfectly cruel to the grapevines and some of my favorite bottles come from my own state.

serious wine transportation: by semi

We spent Saturday afternoon walking from tasting room to tasting room. The air was roasting hot, sizzling on skin. You'd walk across a parking lot (think an open-air mall, just with all wineries rather than other stores) and into a cool dark room and there would be wine waiting for you. After luxuriating in the air conditioning and sipping syrah, or perhaps a white blend, or even in one case a fascinating merlot rose, bottles would be chosen and bought and slung over the shoulder and it was back out again into the hot glove of summer. Repeat. It was glorious and we managed to cram three cases of wine in the back of the car.

It was one of those weekends that technically was only 48 hours but felt much longer. Charlie finished a book he was reading, I finished a lace wrap I have been working on. Now I am getting ready to make some sort of jam out of the many pounds of apricots Suzanne and I picked from a heavily laden tree in their front yard. I love picking my own produce!

even a gentle pacifist can't resist the (actually quite beautiful) black powder musket that Jeff's dad restored

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With many thanks to Elisa, who gave us this beautiful owl print. It looks fantastic above the bed!
(and yes, that is a batman pillowcase)

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Eggs laid in the coop today: 4
Eggs laid this year: 512

wet chickens

My day started yesterday when the deer alarm (the driveway sensor) went off. I looked out the front windows to see a ginger dog loping down the driveway. Usually when I open the front door to investigate, roaming dogs take off into the woods never to be seen again. Not this girl. She ran up on the porch, wagging her whole body. I grabbed the dog collar I keep in the car and got her roped up to make sure she didn't run off. She tried to run off all right---- right up to Charlie where she pressed against his legs and whimpered with delight. Good dog, indeed!

It's almost too bad I found your home

I made a cup of coffee and took her out for a walk to see if I could find home. It turned out to be our neighbors whom I have never met but have heard their rooster crowing. The dog's name is Stella, and if I could clone a dog I would put her up as the primary choice. Such a sweet girl and so good with chickens.




Talking to the neighbor was fun and also helped me solve one of my chicken issues. Two of the girls have been dropping feathers around their necks and bottoms. It's not exactly the season to molt, and my neighbor is actually battling a bit of a mite problem on her chooks. After closer examination, my girls don't have any mites (they are really obvious if they are there) and just appear to be doing a stress molt brought on by the hot weather. I put some chicken gatorade in their water and brought the two mangiest girls in to have relaxing baths.

Eunice grooming

Penelope napping

I was laying right next to her on the floor for this picture and she didn't mind at all

Yes, relaxing baths. Eunice was a little cranky when I brought her inside, but once I got a girl into the warm soft water they really seemed to enjoy it. After a 10 minute soak they got dunked a few times to rinse and then towel dried. I had brought in the big cage thinking that I would have angry wet chickens but ended up taking the thing back outside. Penelope and Eunice hung out in the kitchen like southern ladies over for tea. They preened themselves and then each other, warbled some happy hen sounds. I gave them some lettuce. Penelope actually took a nap. The cats were more interested in why I was on the floor than they were in the girls. Overall, it was a spa day for chickens!

lady, I could use a spa day. Without water, please.

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Image from the weekend. Charlie went on one of his experimental cooking benders and concocted this lasagna. One layer is mornay (bechamel + parmesan), the next layer is a spicy fenneled lamb, and the green layer is a mix of green peas and mint. The sauce is a very simple tomato with a bit of butter and some rosemary. It sounds overwhelming and by all accounts it should have been. Instead it was incredibly complex and the pea mint layer brought out the summer in everyone. Delicious! (and I can at least say that I made the noodles)

and it was very pleasing to the eye as well

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Eggs laid in the coop Monday: 3
Eggs laid in the coop this year: 492

good

Good things from today:

the second cup of coffee worked its magic and powered my workout
a mown lawn
fed chickens
a watered garden
a sunny forecast for the Tears For Fears concert at Chateau st. Michelle on Friday
a lovely walk at twilight to get the mail, listening to all of the birds nattering about in the trees
discovering Joanna Newsom
Charlie home for dinner

my first attempt at Western sandwiches, a staple of childhood. Mom, I have finally grown up and am making them with onions. Thanks for all those times you made me "easterns" to avoid that dreaded vegetable!

A new wine glass, to replace the one that I broke a few weeks ago. My damn dodgy hands broke two of my favored glasses in a matter of days, leaving me bereft and having to drink out of ordinary vessels. I like to have my own special glasses even if they don't match the ones we have (and Gabriel, you and I definitely have that in common).

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Eggs laid in the coop today: 2
Eggs laid in the coop Tuesday: 4
Eggs laid in the coop this year: 474

rise up

Coffee, please do your work. I am so sleepy and there is much yardwork to be done.

Time Machine

third grade, bows galore

obviously I had strange body image issues, because I drew myself as some sort of chicken with pants.

I knew that dad was sending me a pile of my old comics....we had one of our fun videoconferences last week and he held them up and I picked which ones I still wanted. The rest are going to the eager reading eyeballs of my cousin.

some of the loot. Oh, Punisher, how you helped me with the turmoil of adolescence

What I did not expect was two huge boxes crammed with treasures. Some of it I'm not even sure what it is, but since I got to it late at night it's a bit too late to call the east coast for explanations. Pictures of some of those things will follow once I know what they are.

I find it fascinating that there was a time in my life when I did not know how to write my own name.

patches, pictures, such a varied past

But today? How about my microscope? Or perhaps every single report card of my academic career? Drawings from early childhood. About a bazillion achievement awards. Not that I was awesome, because one of the awards is for completing a math dot-to-dot chapter. I think the bar may have been a bit low, or else the teachers really liked awards. But I had completely forgotten things like the John Philip Sousa award from the music department. Or the certificates and critiques from my piano competitions.

the only sport I was ever good at

If you ever need to clone me, my mom saved a big hank of my hair

girl scouts!

There were letters and notes from my guidance counselor, whom I loved dearly. Lots of letters from my parents to me while I was at summer camp. Dolls, goggles, a hat, and loads of other stuff. I spent the evening paging through old yearbooks and newspaper clippings and laughing at how much of my own life I have forgotten over the years. It was such a treat to be handed so many memories back.

Reluctance

Come on Henry, your cat bed was completely covered in hair. I know you love that thing and spend all afternoon in it every single day, but it had to be done. It had to be put in the washing machine. Meanwhile, you can look at me balefully from that uncomfortable bandana.


I promise to give you treats later.

pre-function explosions

attaaaaaaaack of the enormous tomato plants

My neighbors are starting to warm up for this weekend. Every once in a while I hear a squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-BLAM from a random direction. Sometimes it's dusk, sometimes the middle of the afternoon. I think that people have their hot little hands on an awful lot of personal firepower and just can't wait until Saturday night to set them all off.

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Tonight's meal inspired by summer: gazpacho and grilled shrimp.

harry's post, the comfort of indoors with the appreciation of outdoors

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cats checking out my grilling activities and passing....

like furry ships in the night

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Eggs laid in the coop today: 4
Eggs laid in the coop Wednesday: 2
Eggs laid in the coop Tuesday: 2
Eggs laid this year: 456