It is still cool.
We’ve had bits of rain overnight and in the days.
June was like July and so far July is more like June.
Bear, Auggie and I are enjoying every moment of the current cool, pleasant and sometimes rainy days and nights.
Peace and Light.
The odd chair arrangement speaks to an event from last week.
I was trotting down my driveway in hopes of speaking to the UPS person as he was delivering a package to my “end of the driveway” box. At one point, I said “OW!” I didn’t twist anything or step wrongly – there was just a sharp pain in my left shin.
Back at home, I thought that since I don’t normally run and I was not in shoes that had much cushioning, it was probably a shin splint. I iced and took some ibuprofen and massaged and stretched.
Through the week, it got worse in both pain and swelling.
By Friday afternoon, I was sporting a “platypus” foot, fat ankle and shin. The pain is on my shin bone but the swelling went from there all the way through to my toes.
Saturday morning, I went to an urgent care orthopedic clinic for an exam and x-ray. The thought is a stress fracture – inconclusive as stress fractures do not show on x-ray until they heal … or actually fracture.
Well, phooey.
The Dr. suggested a cane for the next week to wait for the swelling to subside and then to get fitted for a walking boot to stabilize things and allow healing vs a full break.
I’m using ski poles vs a cane which allows for both support and a more normal stride than a cane. The more normal stride will hopefully keep other joints and muscles from objecting.
Plus I am keeping my leg elevated as much as possible …THAT is what the chairs are saying as I moved them in order to have a leg rest when outside.
And a lot of “icing” … well, a bag of frozen peas was too small…the bag of blueberries is just right and the heavy paper wrapping is much more comfortable than the plastic wrap around vegetables :) !
The second story from the chairs is weather related. We’ve had some rain. Not a lot, but off and on light showers the last two days. Yea!!
The chairs have spoken.
The End.
Via the cat thermometer (curled up cat vs long, long cat), it is still cool :) !!
Actually, it is nearly normal temperature with low 70’s daytime and upper 40/low 50’s overnight. Pure bliss in my book and I could take this for the rest of the Summer.
Bear agrees!
Plus, we got a nice bit of rain yesterday (Tuesday) morning: .26 inches per a headline article in the paper.
I have been enjoying Asian-spiced turkey meatballs during the heat wave and even now that it is cooler. The recipe is Mel’s Kitchen Cafe Baked Orange-Glazed Meatballs.
I made the orange glaze with the first batch and it is very good. I didn’t have an orange on the second round, but did have some of the cranberry jalapeno salsa – also a Mel’s Kitchen Café recipe. (Mel’s Kitchen Café Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa)
The spiced up flavor of the turkey meatballs with the cranberry salsa on a bed of lightly dressed cole slaw … all wrapped up in a flour tortilla has been making for one light, refreshing and tasty lunch!
This recipe is the first time I’ve used ground turkey and I am sorry I waited so long to try it. Mel’s method is to bake the meatballs in a mini-muffin pan. I was baking mine on a half sheet pan so I added an egg and some shredded zucchini to add a bit of fat and moisture since mine were not contained in a little pocket of their minimal fat. These meatballs are full of flavor, tender and versatile: good warmed up with the glaze, good cold and they freeze wonderfully. Another winner from Mel!
I doubt we’ve seen the last of Summer heat, but hopefully we’ll stay cooler than the upper 90’s of the last weeks.
We are all enjoying being nearly normal.
I was afraid to believe in the forecast of a 72F high on Sunday. It has been in the mid to upper 90’s for over a week.
Sunday morning started at 68F and overcast … at 5:00 a.m. Shortly after, the wind came up and the temperature dropped to 58F in 20 minutes. And it rained. Well, it drizzled. But, it was moisture.
And it stayed cool all day. I was able to leave the windows open, the fan and A/C off: blessed quiet and cool.
Overnight, it dropped into the 40’s making for a wonderful sleeping night.
The fuschia survived the heat and I enjoyed the blooms I cut inside as well. We are to warm back up, although not quite as hot and possibly more rain this coming weekend.
So far, there are 2 fires: 1 which has been contained and is burning out in the middle. BUT, high winds on Saturday night sent a spark from that hot center that ignited a 2nd fire. The fires are near the Canada border about 50-55 miles north of where I live. So far, no smoke or ash has come this way. Hopefully the forecast thunderstorms will have plenty of moisture, but it is very, very early in fire season.
Still, will enjoy this break in the weather and cool respite.
This week was a repeat of last week…took time midweek to head to town and stock up on supplies so we could hunker down over a forecast hot 4th of July weekend:
Full frig and freezer!
Version 2 of the long, long cat … a cat inside to escape the outside heat!
Good news, bad news: The good news is that all fireworks have been banned this year. The bad news is that the fireworks have been banned because of the severe fire danger from heat and lack of rain. I don’t believe I’m saying this, but I’d rather it was green and moist and I was complaining about fireworks for a week. The fire danger is off the charts. I have the motorhome fueled, filled with water and stocked with food and clothes. We can roll quickly if necessary. Hopefully, it will not be necessary.
Meanwhile, my across the road neighbors, home to the chickens that supply me with THE MOST GORGEOUS EGGS – the neighbors went camping. They had hoped to do a 2 day trip but because of the 4th and fire danger, decided on an overnight. They asked if I could collect eggs, feed the horse and pony, the chickens and the barn cats and water the garden…in addition to eggs, I also get extras from the garden. So, I said: “YES”!
So, for 24 hours, I was Ms. Farm and Ranch Person. This is SO out of character for me. I do not like to be out in the hot and dusty and stinky, etc. BUT, the chickens are not only beautiful and supply the most wonderful eggs but they are a kick to be around. The horse (Bernita) and pony (Lexi) and cats (Oscar and Gerti) are so much fun also…
Lexi and Bernita. Lexi aka “Miss Piggy” LOVES her food. Bernita has restraint. They now love me because in addition to forking (pitch fork!!!) over their hay, I took carrots – YUM!
The cats. So funny – these cats are like Auggie: Norwegian Forest Cats!
Oscar, the gray. Oscar kind of has Mr. Bob’s build… wide body!
Gerti, a calico is a bit slimmer but still fluffier than Auggie and shorter tail.
They are both sociable and followed me around as I did the chore routine.
Some of the “girls”. These are last year’s chicks. For whatever reason, this year’s prefer to stay in the coop per Mel. But they are all together in the coop overnight so it is not a “get along” thing ??? Chickens are funny, I think. I can’t remember the breed names, but I think these are an incredibly beautiful group of hens and it was fun to feed and talk with them.
The “inside girls” … this year’s chicks in the coop. So, the other funny thing is that inside the coop there are nesting boxes for each chicken. BUT, the eggs are almost always in the left side boxes…rarely in the right side per Mel and Jesse.
On my watch, Friday night there were 6 eggs on the left side: 3 in 1 box and 2 in another. Saturday morning there was 1 egg on the right side but above the boxes! Saturday, 11:00 a.m. ish there were 2 eggs in 1 box on the left side.
Hmm.
But, there are 15 chickens so I told them a few of them were slackers!!
They said: “bawwk, bawwk, BAWWKKKK!!!”
The garden – lush and beautiful. Jesse set things up so I only had to turn on 2 faucets and all of the garden got a good drink.
After Saturday morning chores, I headed home and gathered my boys for a walk in the woods while it was still cool…
Mornings – still the best!
The long, long cat and the hot, hot dog.
This week.