September Chat

Glenda, good thoughts for your surgery!  Callie, I sure hope you feel better soon! It has been too long--which I am sure is an understatement!. We'll take a bit of your rain--we are in a drought up here--had to water the garden again yesterday.

Just made 6 pints of pickled corn relish. Yummmm. I need to check the green and yellow beans to see if there are enough to make another batch of dilly beans.

I had an unexpected overnight guest last night--a shih tzu. Just as I was getting ready to let Ronnie out for his bed time business, I looked out on the deck (slider doors) and the was there asking to come in. It was pitch dark out--poor little beast. (I have no idea how it got through 2 fences to get there; I'll have to do another fence inspection today.) My neighbor to the north and I wandered around the neighborhood knocking on doors, but no one knew the dog. So, I chatted with our island cop and we decided the little one would stay with me for the night. (I now know why I have 6 crates!) She did fine--and my Mozey wanted to play with her this morning. Good news ending: This morning, I talked with my neighbor to the south (who wasn't home yesterday) and he knew the couple who owned the dog. He went and got them (both older senior citizens--they had worried all night) and we got the little one returned. The dog was a good 1/2 mile from home (at least)--it had a collar but no tags. All turned out well, thank goodness.

Fun filled trip to Pet Expo for food. Took Jr because he needed some time out of the house. He stopped at a pillar on the way in-still outside- and did his 4 legged bladder routine. People walked by and stared. Big puddle. We went in and half way down the main aisle, he dumped-big time. People stared and giggled . I cleaned up and got a clerk, who was understanding. On the way back to the checkout, Jr marked an end cap. I got another clerk, who was polite and understanding. The cashier did not give Jr a treat.

Still raining. Apparently it is the MN monsoon season.

I have a post floating somewhere in the world wide web. I posted earlier today, but I don't see it now.

Still dry here, and we're entering an official heat wave--oh yippee! And I get to teach in a classroom with no AC on the 3rd floor. It's supposed to be 95 degrees tomorrow. I think we'll be doing something that takes us to the library tomorrow--it is air conditioned!

Just picked a gallon of green beans and some figs! Oh fresh figs--yummy! My dad had two fig trees that are in pots--we roll them into the garage for the winter and then back outside for the summer. The crop this year is excellent--I resisted the urge to eat more than one.

The island is pretty quiet-finally! I get why people visit in the summer, but I'm so glad when we get back to the quiet of the fall, and I love the real quiet of winter. Ronnie saw a bunny tonight and let everyone know. I talked the the shih tzu's "aunt and uncle" and apparently she got scared by some fireworks and took off. My Mozey would do the same thing if she were out. She hates noises like that; they just terrify her.

Doug, I think Jr has been communicating with Rock, who will mark anything and everything indoors and out if I let him. (He wasn't house trained until about 9 months ago--he was almost 5 years old! He wasn't used to being in the house, so he had no clue about house training.)

What a beautiful day! And we spent it at Fenway Park! Great game ......I love seeing the "kids" and Big Papi. Was 90 at game time and up to 92 by the end of it. How cool is this? When I checked the weather, instead of showing the city it said FENWAY!!

Very dry here too Kate.....maybe Thursday for some rain.

Off to the airport to pick up DS!

Rain is supposed to arrive here tomorrow--we need it!

I have 2 cars in the shop--completely forgot that my mainland Subaru needed its inspection done in August. Oops!  It needed a brake job, so that's happening today, along with the inspection.

Glenda, I love that the weather said Fenway--totally cool. I have never been to a game at Fenway--how bizarre! I've seen games in Minneapolis (indoors first, and then at Target Field), St. Louis and Kansas City, plus minor league ball in Durham, but never the Red Sox. I need to make that a priority.

I should make some dilly beans tonight, but it is so hot. Maybe it will cool off later.

I think fall is starting.  Trees are turning colors, sumac is getting red, mosquitoes are under control.  Morning air is brisk, and jackets feel good.  Running Sky through the rough ground.  Chased a bunch of pheasants around, kicked up two deer.  watched an owl in the bottom land forest.  Wife might start walking these rough grounds with me again.

Walking by some corn, JR started sniffing, dove in and ran a bit.  Birds came up..  he is showing more stamina as the air cools.  Of course, each run through a corn field means a bath and scissors work.  The black soil is really heavy and sticky, and lots of burrs in these fields-the corn is left for wildlife in winter, so no weed killer.

I think the snipe are moving through.  Long beaks, thin legs, fly really erratic.

Sat in the high seats at Target Field once.  You could watch storms move in from a long way out.  Thought I would need an oxygen tank to climb up there.  Kept thinking about the results of a slip on that cliff side. Never got into the Dome.  Saw a few at the old Met Stadium-watched Micky Mantle  from fairly close, as he played in the outfield and thats where the cheap seats were. Saw the Vikings play when they were the Purple People Eaters and won a few in a row.

Glenda, I don't envy you having to go through that surgery, but if it helps you breathe better, it'll be worth it.  One of my college roommates had a deviated septum, and when she finally had it repaired, she had a nose job at the same time (actually, it was probably the other way around:  she wanted a nose job, so she had one and had them fix the septum, too!).  Anyway, she felt and looked great afterwards.  That reminds me of when my Mom had hernia surgery a few years ago -- she asked the surgeon if he could give her a tummy tuck at the same time, and he said, "Sorry, that's not my area of expertise!"  She was only partially joking!

Kate, I'm so glad that little shih tzu founds its way to your door and didn't have to wander lost all night.  And I'm happy you found the owners so quickly.  We've had to house dogs overnight a few times when we find them after the shelter closes, and we're always grateful for crates in those cases.  

Boy, I'd love to try to grow fresh figs.  I wonder if the trees would do well here?  DH cooks a lot with fresh figs -- he has a pork loin recipe that uses figs to make this delicious sauce that goes with it.  Delicious!  Our gourmet cook neighbor served figs as an appetizer when we were there for dinner last weekend.  It's funny -- until about 5 years ago, I only knew figs that were stuffed in Newtons -- I had no idea they could taste so good other than in a weird cookie!

Doug, sorry that Sky had to make such a strong effort at marking his territory at the store.  I'm glad the clerks were nice about it.

You know, I've been a Red Sox and Patriots fan since I was about 10 years old, and I've never been to Fenway or Foxboro.  I've only been to one NFL game, and that was in the old Kingdome in Seattle many years ago, back when the Seahawks were terrible.  We went to a Green Bay game because DH is a lifelong Packers fan.

Tracy, our figs are in big plastic flower pots (huge, actually!). We roll them on little furniture dolly things into the garage  for the winter and then roll them back outside for the summer. (Some people around here bury them, I think. They have a big trench and put the pots and bushes on their sides, then cover them for the winter. I've never tried to cook with the fresh ones--a sauce for pork sounds very yummy! (I love Newtons, too!)

I've never been to an NFL game--there is train service from Providence to Foxboro for the games, so who knows. Maybe I'll get there someday!

Rain is on the way--Mozey refused to go outside, so it must be within range.

Jacket weather--that sounds heavenly!

Well CRAP. Nice long post that wouldn't post in the regular mode. Sigh.

Kate, what the heck is a dilly bean?????

Fenway is a magical place. For the first almost 30 years of my life I was a die hard Tigers fan. Then I married a guy from Boston and one fateful summer day he took me to Fenway. I never looked back. There is just something about that ballpark that hooks you and won't let go. I so love going there.

It is raining here!!!! Finally. Beautiful, glorious rain. The temps for the next week are supposed to be in the low to mid 70's as opposed to the mid to upper 80's of the last couple weeks. The heat just kills me, so I'm so glad to see lower temps in the forecast. I used to sweat like normal people. Now I don't so I really overheat easily 70's will be a complete blessing for me.

In 5 years, DH has maybe taken a weeks time off, and that includes when Mike died. He simply does not use his vacation time unless we have plans to go somewhere. The business manager pushed him this year into finally taking some time. As a result, I've been entertaining him. Monday was Fenway, yesterday we picnicked and took.around the lake. Today, we picnicked and went for a swim. Gosh, that water felt nice in the heat! Even though simple pleasures mean a lot, keeping DH entertained is exhausting!

Glenda, I think dilly beans must be a southern thing--I learned about them when I lived in NC. They are pickled green beans (or yellow beans) with dill and garlic. They are on the salty side (which is probably why I like them!) I'll email you the recipe I use--it's from this year's canning book (from one of the major canning jar companies-I am guessing the name will get bleeped by the censors). . It is really easy--you don't cook the beans, just water bath them after packing the jars.

We got a brief shower this morning with thunder. More to come, I hope. I had to "help" Mozey get outside because of the thunder--and she had to go potty!  She gets "stuck" in her afraid mode, so I drove her down the road about a mile. She got out, wanted to go for a walk with her tail wagging, went potty, went potty again, and was a happy girl.  I may try the puppy pee pads in the cellar to see if she will go potty on those when there are storms. (Her fears about thunder seem to be getting worse with age.)

OK, off to get the car from the shop and who knows what else.

Thanks Kate. They really sound good.

It is fall in MN.  Jackets in the morning, short sleeves at noon.  The air has to be felt to be understood.  Two days without rain. Brisk, moist, cool.  No mosquitos.  Sky can run for a lot longer in the deep grass now.  We've been harassing a flock of pheasants this week. moving them from place to place at the WMA.  Yesterday, Sky was moving well through the deep grass when I watched him halt, put his head down and sniff a bit.  He started moving on a track and put up a young rooster.  This was very deliberate.  He knows!!!

The WMA has been reworked to be a prairie grassland over the last few years.  Excess tress cut, burned off several times, and prairie grasses and flowers planted.  You get into the shoulder high grass and you can see the flowers blooming.  Really pretty.  Hope my wife cold lets up enough to get her into the grass before the flowers drop.

Sky enjoys sitting in deeper water at the finish of a run, and heads for the stream.  I carry a towel now and a plastic seat cover.

Can not believe how he bent the credit card this last month.  The liver thing, the cough, and now updating his vaccinations.  He let the girls at the vet shop  trim his nails with no fight.  Just hold a treat by his nose.

I know my hair is white, but it is still a shock when a pretty young girl holds a door for me.  Yes  It happened again.  May have to dye my hair.  The outside may look old, but I am still young behind the eyes. At least after the first cup of coffee.

Rock started his classes for pet assisted therapy yesterday. I almost chickened out--he is loud if he "honks" (bays). But, we went and I am glad we did. He loves people and practiced meeting folks who use wheelchairs, walkers, and canes. The equipment didn't phase him. He also practiced entering the facility, walking in the halls, etc. He did honk twice but I moved him away from the group and he got that if he honks, he doesn't get to be with "his people".  Lots to work on, for sure, but definite success!

Today, we're having a lunch thing here on the island to celebrate Dad's life. So, I'm going to go get the community center ready now. With all the helpers who have volunteered, it will be short work for sure.

Doug, the weather in MN sounds perfect! I'm heading up to the Adirondacks in a week, and we're supposed to have cool nights and nice days. Yeah!!

Glenda, I emailed you a link for the recipe. Here it is, too, just in case email wasn't cooperative: www.freshpreserving.com/Dilly%20Beans%20-%20WaterBath%20Canning

Have a good day, all.

It's nice to hear that there are people who still hold open doors for others, Doug -- no matter what their ages.  I understand what you mean about  it giving you a bit of a shock.  At my age, I'm pretty much invisible to anyone under 40, but every now and then a young guy coming in our out of our office building  will hold the door for me, and it's quite nice.  Also, the guy who makes the pizzas at the little shop we like always calls me "Miss" when I pick up an order, and that sure is better than hearing "Ma'am!"

Kate, I'm so happy to hear that Rock did so well at his first class!  I loved doing the patient visitation work we did with Tonka.  He was so gentle with everyone and did so well with things like wheelchairs and hospital beds, etc.  There's no way we could do it with Ruby.  I love how you refer to Rock's vocalization as "honking."  I'm picturing you walking around a hospital with a huge goose on a leash!

I hope the lunch celebration for your Dad went well.  What a nice way to memorialize his life.  How is your Mom doing?  I'm sure you both still have sad days.

Busy weekend for me -- I should have been home doing the "event cleaning" for my mother's arrival tomorrow, but I had a few social invites I couldn't turn down.  One was to go to a fundraiser for the Portland Audubon Society and the Feral Cat Coalition -- it was a tour of "catios."  My friend had an extra ticket.  It was really fun -- people had some amazing outdoor spaces for their cats.  Some were smaller "cages" attached to their home, accessed from a window or kitty-door, but others were free-standing structures in the middle of the garden, large enough for cats AND people to relax in together.  It was cool how they promoted the welfare and happiness of cats AND birds by promoting this idea.  If you've never seen a catio, just google catio images, and you'll be amazed.  Some of the cats we saw have fantastic spaces to enjoy!

Thanks for the link Kate. I too really enjoyed the therapy work Tyler and I did. I'm thinking that when I get a new dog, we'll get back into that.

I get the biggest kick out of people opening the door for me. I almost want to ask "do I really look THAT old?" but so far have restrained myself I chuckle though because I'm usually the one opening doors for elderly, handicapped, or those with a large burden in hand. When we left Fenway last Monday, a young man with a young child stood back at the door and let us enter the train first. There was only one seat in the car and I mentioned to Todd that I'd stand and let the man with the child have the seat. We moved up a couple spaces and a young couple both got up and gave us their seats. Todd didn't sit, but that allowed another woman to. It's funny how little acts of kindness get multiplied in such a nice way.

Those catios sound really cool!

I'm slowly winding down the garden. If it's dead or finished producing I've been pulling things out. Zucchini, yellow squash, herbs and leeks are still going strong, as are the peppers and tomatoes. Oh, and the green beans. My first batch of sauerkraut is ready to eat, and I did another large batch today, processed the garden pickings, transplanted several herbs to come inside and in general, stayed busy all day. Have a huge pot of harvest stew in the oven and made sourdough "bowls" to serve it in. I really love the cooler weather and being able to put the heartier meals on the table. I know a lot of people enjoy soups and stews year round, but in the hotter weather, those are just too heavy for me.

Hoping everyone else is enjoying less brutal weather now as well.