Dog Days of Summer

The days we hope will pass us by have arrived. Heat and humidity have arrived for a few days. Grace and I take our walks and do out gardening chores early on these days.

The daylilies in the garden are beautiful though much deadheading of the mushmummies is needed to keep the Happy Returns looking their best. The lilies in the back beds are just beginning to open so their upkeep is presently minimal. A new plant for us this year, a yellow rudbeckia, coneflower, is just beginning to open and how delightful to see a soft yellow, which will go nicely with various shades of pinks and purples.

Grand kiddies are busy sailing, tennis, dodge ball, riding their bikes and walks after dinner in to town for ice cream. Their tastes have graduated from vanilla flavored Superman to chocolate swirl, mint chocolate chip and various coffee flavors.

Today we are grateful our family is able to spend the summer with us Up North.

 

Relaxing after the 4th

A glorious 4th with blue skies, a heavenly 73° at parade time becoming quite breezy later in the day as we relaxed on the patio after friends departed from the cookout and while the little ones played with their friends in the neighborhood.

Grace also enjoyed the 4th, observing the parade of people up and down the sidewalk to town from her comfortable position on the back of the sofa. At curbside Grace watched the parade only barking at a couple dogs in the parade. When two sheep and a Shetland pony, yes this is a small community, marched past, Grace sniffed the air trying to detect whether they were new species of canines then continued watching the colorful, interesting array as it passed her. The various fireworks heard during the day and at night had no affect on her. What a true joy to finally have a Westie that does not tremble with fear during fireworks or thunderstorms, not that we have many sever thunderstorms in this area.
 

4th of July weekend

A more mature, confident grandson, William, returned Friday from a 2-week action packed camping experience in Minnesota. Perhaps he just seems more matured with his voice raspy from singing? camp songs. His first experience was very positive and know he will gladly go for a month next year.

Yesterday William won the backdraw of the club's youth 9 - 13 tennis "tournament." I was amazed at the ability of these children. Their strokes and rallies put those of most adults to shame. How proud we were of William, his sportsmanship, how gracious he was on the court even allowing an opponent a game so she would not be shut out.

The weather last evening makes enduring the cold an snow of winter worthwhile. A perfect night for the grandkiddies and neighborhoold children to roast marshmallows for smore, write their names in the air with sparklers and play red rover, while the adults sipped their beverages and chit chatted.

The perennial garden is just about peak. The shastas are starting to add their white to all the purple of the various species of bellflowers, the reds and pinks of the sweet William and the waning yellow of the digitalis.

With the family here for the summer, every day is a new adventure for Grace and me.