Month: August 2014

It’s 4:25 on a Friday afternoon, and I’ve been working on NEPS stuff for most of the day.

Ron left for Jaffrey a little before noon. We went to the Osterville Farmers Market first so he could load up on treats. Altogether, he brought fig balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 2 loaves of Finnish bread, pasta sauce and a lobster bisque starter, plus tomatoes and a cuke from the garden.

I bought some basil, pasta sauce and clam chowder starter for us. Put the garlic from earlier this month (?) in the freezer and stuck the basil in water with a plastic bag over it.

With Ron gone, I set up the laptop in the kitchen and have been enjoying the fresh air. The last two days have been glorious. You can have your “late July”, I’ll take mid-August as the best time of the summer, at least for this year.

Their vines were dying and when I hit them, they thumped, so I harvested the pumpkins today. Hope they keep to Halloween.

After getting my $6 refund from Staples (easy), we had a fabulous lunch at the Silver Shores Shanty in Falmouth, then stopped by the farmers market.

Ron removed the heat shield from his van and pumped up the spare tire.

Ron and I cleaned the bathroom and mopped the floors.

We unloaded yard clippings at Emma’s for her sheep; cleaned up most of the gone-by daylilies at Edgewater; and did the transfer station run. I painted the fence that I scraped the other day and filled in the resulting gap with stones and dirt.

I finished a couple of small tasks for Jim.

I was pretty spent by suppertime, so Ron treated us to salad and pizza at Two Brothers, then drove us to watch the sunset at Sandy Neck beach.

Emma Lazarus’s poem is sure getting a workout these days by so-called “progressives”.

For those who are unfamiliar with her background, Emma Lazarus was a woman of German Jewish and Sephardic descent who was an activist for the immigration of Russian Jews in the late 19th century.

Lazarus was both a Socialist and a Zionist. That her poem is so popular with our local leftists, many of whom sympathize not with Israel but with the Palestinians, seems a fitting irony.

By the way, Emma Lazarus wrote the poem in 1883. She died before the 19th amendment was passed in 1920, giving American women the right to vote. Another irony that this woman who is beloved for her compassion toward others and love of country couldn’t even vote or hold office.

Trimmed the small holly and the front bushes today.

Ron turned the compost.

We had a great time watching the rabbits and hummers tonight.

The male oriole was here this morning!

Finished watering.

After filling the Oriole feeder, we went to South Cape to see the “Super Moon” which wasn’t so super. Pretty, though, and it was a great evening to be out. Perseides start tomorrow morning.

Joe Pye Weed, through the window.

Summer colors.

We spotted a male oriole and a hummer feeding this morning.

Wish I had some pix.

The hibiscus have started!

Tried out a great recipe for peaches, tomatoes, red onion, basil and burrata in a balsamic dressing. Poached eggs over sauteed zuccini and red onion.

We spent about an hour yesterday at the anti-illegal/pro-legal immigration demonstration at the Bourne rotary.

It took us an hour to get to Hyannis for the POPS setup, only to discover that a) they didn’t need us and b) we wouldn’t have been allowed to bring real chairs to the event, making it impossible for Ron to attend.

We had great sandwiches at Lambert’s and a pretty ride home through Centerville with a stop at 4C’s and Osterville.

I did some bush and tree pruning in the back.

Gave up on the wireless mice and picked up a wired one at Staples. Life is good.

Did the lawn today, front and back. Raised the mower up to 4 inches in the back.

Ron has been busy resupplying the bird feeders.

Got some plant stakes from Mahoney’s. Need a few more.

Watered front gardens yesterday and and back gardens today.

We made our weekly visit to the Osterville Farmer’s Market to see James. Picked up cheese, Finnish bread and produce.

I miss Carolyn. So many good memories of the summer we worked together at DelRay.

I miss Nonna, especially when I’m in the garden. Her advice would have been priceless.

Summer is a downer on Cape Cod if you’re living on a budget and not a tourist.

This year, we’ve been making an effort, both of us, to get ourselves financially stable. It’s easy in some ways – any activity that involves expense pretty much gets passed by. We’ve found free music, though, and even a beautiful free beach. We have tans from working outside. Even having our little vegetable garden helps: organic produce is expensive at the farmer’s markets. We’ve been eating heirloom tomatoes, squash and cukes. Want to enlarge the garden next year.

This week, Ron and I made each other a commitment to exercise every day, starting at 15 minutes and building up to an hour by adding five minutes a week.

We started with a walk around the neighborhood last evening and caught up with Tony and his little pal Charlie, who went nuts over Ron.

I had two check-ups this week, both went well. Told both docs how much I appreciated their good work this summer.

We brought a truckload of wood that Ron hacked from a downed tree to the transfer station on Monday, and I cleaned up some more this morning. Thank goodness for Mike and Tim!

Went to the gym at Sea Mist. 20 minutes on the treadmill for me. Ron did the stationary bike. We went for a dip afterward but were cut short by rain and thunder.