Between the dusk of a summer night
And the dawn of a summer day,
We caught at a mood as it passed in flight,
And we bade it stoop and stay.(From Praeludium, XXII by W. E. Henley)
Yesterday brought the arrival of summer… days you’d really hope to pause, inhale deeply, and linger. However, if you know me… then you know summer is my least favorite time… and really, what I hate is AC. I much prefer having the windows open perhaps with a fan running. I am going to try and spend less time in the AC and more time out-of-doors. (And for those moments that I absolutely have to be inside… well, my Ranunculus is just flying! Sleeves have been divided off and I am racing down the body… AND I AM STILL ON THE FIRST SKEIN OF YARN… WHAT?!? Photo coming Wednesday!)
I am also still on the “high” of last week’s amazing opening of The Obama Presidential Center. (Michelle Norris had the most amazing special Friday night: Hope Comes Home.) Anyways, it is a place I want need to see and it has gone on my list of places to visit soon!
And so here we are on the first Monday of summer and my big plans for the day? To “win the war” with the squirrels who have decided that it’s their job to “unplant” the pots on the patio.
See you all back here on Wednesday!
P.S. For those who wanted to join in on the NYTimes Summer Challenge… sorry I missed last week! This week you get a two-fer! Last week’s Better Sleep Tips as well as this week’s 90’s Style Hangout (sans phones!) And for those wondering… yes, I am leaving my phone behind on walks. It has been incredibly delightful!
Header photo by Chris Abney on Unsplash
The opening of the Obama Center provided me with a big shot of hope that I so needed! I keep rereading his words, “I remain convinced that the overwhelming majority of Americans feel the same way — that as unsettled as we are, people aren’t looking for perpetual anger and division. They are looking for fairness and common sense and mutual respect.” I may need to stitch his words on a sampler so I can see them every day to counteract the next two-and-a-half years.
I loved Michelle Obama’s speech. Yes, hope abounds!!
The squirrel rampage is helped hugely (so far 100% success) by installing a flexible wire/plastic coated grid barrier around the inside edges of my pots. The sheets of the grid are 12″x 16″ (x 30), bendable, connected with zip ties, so it is easy to make a collar. Held down with metal ground stakes (all included).
It is a game changer…no more digging, hiding peanuts, and then digging up the peanuts.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GGB6G6RK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
The squirrel rampage is helped hugely (so far 100% success) by installing a flexible wire/plastic coated grid barrier around the inside edges of my pots. The sheets of the grid are 12″x 16″ (x 30), bendable, connected with zip ties, so it is easy to make a collar. Held down with metal ground stakes (all included).
It is a game changer…no more digging, hiding peanuts, and then digging up the peanuts.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GGB6G6RK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
I am absolutely going to visit the Obama Center — though I think I’ll wait a bit because I’ll bet it’s hard to get into right now! Fortunately we have family in the Chicago area, so we have good reasons to visit.
I am not a huge fan of AC, but I also am less able to deal with heat as I get older (or at least during this stage of my hormonal life), so it’s making getting through the summer easier. But when the weather is like it has been in the past week or so — warm in the sun but comfortable in the shade — I’d be happy to be without it.
Best of luck getting the best of those squirrels!
we are twins, I hate summer as well but unlike you I love AC because I feel so much better than being exposed to the heat and humidity. If I get tired of ac I go outside and absorb some heat like a lizard then I go back inside.
I’m working on a shawl and a pair of socks, loving both projects equally.