Afternoon

Evening

It is clouding up, but supposed to clear and cool.

Having just crossed the 1 month in, 2 months to go: Summer … my least favorite season … we also had our first 90F day. BUT, 90F in town, 88F at my house and with a humidity of 27%, NOAA says the heat index is only 85F. Whatever, it feels hot to me.

But, I set up A/C #2 yesterday morning. Test run yesterday and all is well so today we are very cool!

Meanwhile, on Sunday, pickles DID happen.

Monday morning dills to the left, Sunday sweet and spicy to the right.

The “sweet and spicy”! The dill did happen early Monday morning. To date, 2 batches of dill and 1 of sweet and spicy. More to happen this coming weekend and I have a new steam canner to hopefully streamline the process a bit. I really enjoy preserving. I think I rebelled at the process as a child and then did not do any until the last several years. I like the process as well as opening a cupboard and seeing jars of food that I like, that is preserved from a local source. I also freeze and ferment. It is especially meaningful in the current uncertain time, to know that I have good food.

Food insecurity is part of our current time. Even before Covid-19, but much more now, per my reading. If you have food and resources, consider looking into your local food bank or online organizations to share whatever you have extra. I am thankful for every good meal that I have and I have GREAT meals: healthy and delicious. I do not take my meals for granted.

Changing topics: productivity! So far, I have continued on my productivity streak: yard, house, paperwork, cooking/baking/food preserving and WORK! All while getting out with Auggie and Emmett, of course.

But, in the work arena:

Go big or go home!

So, a week ago Tuesday, I was troubleshooting a bit of code that was working in one place, but not another … well, that’s what it seemed like. As I was trying to see what was different/wrong, I got frustrated trying to set up windows of code and corresponding windows of the user interface. I got as far as I could and then called on a work partner for help. He would be available in 15-20-30 minutes.

In my frustration, I said to myself: “if I had a bigger monitor…” In 15 minutes, I went to the Dell site (my monitor source), found a very WIDE monitor on sale and bought it! It arrived last Friday.

I am very happy. I can fit 3 “screens” across and 2 up and down. It is a curved 34 inch diagonal monitor. I like the way it looks as well.

In the heat of Summer, we are out and about as much as we can be … early in the day.

So.

We are all about JOY. And gratitude. And giving to others. And trying (not always successfully) to not be angry about other’s choices …

It is Wednesday evening. We are on the downhill run to another weekend!

Happy, happy to all to who visit here!

Saturday morning :)

Montana’s Governor: Steve Bullock, issued a Mask Mandate last week. I am extremely grateful for this.

With privilege comes responsibility and unfortunately, Montana did NOT step up. If “we” had behaved with responsibility in masking when appropriate and distancing, this directive would not have been unnecessary. And now … whatever, I am happy that there IS an official stance and in my limited experience out and about, it has been kindly adhered to. Yea!

So.

I went to Farmer’s Market this morning to collect my “no contact” online order of vegetables. All were masked and also, all were distancing. Yea!

The first garden tomatoes!!! Heirloom and a few slicers. Zucchini, cucumber, mini lettuce, cabbage … hidden carrots and uncured garlic.

Pickle pack!!! Pickling cucumbers, dill and fresh garlic. Tomorrow is Pickle Sunday :)

Next week, there are some 90F days in the forecast, so A/C 1 of 3. In place, filters cleaned, tested and good to go.

The pickling pack is on deck. I plan to prep tonight and so be prepared to pickle early on Sunday … when it is cool.

Meanwhile …

Also on Saturday’s list was adding 2 more motion sensors to our Guardline system.

I am not concerned about human intrusions, but more about wildlife intrusions. I like to open the house to cool overnight, but have concerns about wildlife being attracted to house cooking aromas. So… a number of sensors around the windows furthest away from the bedroom. We will see!

Super Saturday here. Hope your Saturday was super also.

Some photos from the past week to celebrate this Friday … with JOY!

I wrote in a previous post that the “common harebell” were not showy. BUT, this year, they ARE showy! There are a lot of them in my woods and many multiple blooms. Beautiful!

Well, thistle. I confess that I LOVE the blooms. But the stalks are kind of yuck and they can take over. So. I enjoy the blooms and then whack the plants before they go to seed.

We had a good week and I am looking forward to a quick visit to Farmer’s Market in the morning. I have pre-ordered so have a no contact pickup, plus we (Montana) are under a Mask Required Mandate (YEA!) which applies to the Market. Market is outdoors and I anticipate that with the directive and climbing numbers, people will also be distance respectful.

So, Happy Friday and hope all had a good week!

Even though I have NO excuse, considering my lifestyle before COVID-19 is not much different than during, I STILL had a long period of … the doldrums.

I have had short spurts of non-doldrums, but until a week or 10 days ago … GAH. And I have felt so guilty for the drag because: see above … NO excuse.

Last year, at this time, I was in a work hiatus as a bid process resolved at my primary client. A projected 30 day hiatus ended up as a 4.5 month hiatus, which strained my budget and retirement planning. And yet, all of that time, and a list of things to do and learn and …

I did do a lot of thinking, learning new skills … BUT, it also felt like I did not accomplish much.

Fast forward to the last 3-4 weeks.

I got my groove back.

I reset my schedule.

And now, I am getting work done, enjoying time with Auggie and Emmett (including continuing teaching/training) AND I have completed some items that have been on my “to do” list for over a year:

• Blog updates
• House and yard tasks
• Misc maintenance items

YIKES!

I’m feeling pretty good at the moment. I hate to even write that as I feel like in the next moment, all will regress. Oh well. At THIS moment, while there are “to do” things, I am feeling good about my current schedule of:

• Auggie and Emmett time
• Me exercise and reflect time
• WORK!
• To do list time

Things are getting done and the accomplishment of that is contributing to a wonderful sense of well being in a world gone mad.

Onward.

Photos from June 8, 2020.

The lilac blooms are long done.

I am catching up on some older photos and I loved this little series.

Happy Tuesday, 07/14/2020.