Dog Days Weather Report

Last night after midnight I went outdoors to add one more bag to the trash can, already set out on the street. I was wearing light pajama wear and felt a chill go through me. Is summer over now, after all my complaining, I pondered?

Ha. I checked the 8-day forecast this morning. Look at Tuesday 8/7. Here we go again, with night temperatures next week cooling all the way to 74 degrees!

All I can say is some of that rain and indication of thunder and lightning had better materialize.

 And I am so thankful to have that new air compressor in my Subaru!

The Rental House is Listed!

As of Friday night, our student rental house went live with photos on the web! Our realtor (JC) went a little nuts as he was given control over the final details. More new carpet. Air-conditioning! A new toilet! All new doorknobs! New smoke detectors replaced. He knows how to make things happen! He even brought soap dispensers and towels and shower curtains for the baths.

But, I was a little behind on my responsibilities for the yard. I was not ready for a Friday listing! I worked all Friday afternoon, but did not finish the weeds in the corners of the backyard. And the mowing (the husband's responsibility) was not done until Saturday, after the first showing.

Now, I'm thinking of a few flowers! Flowers, with no one on site to water were unthinkable in the 90 degree weather of the past weeks. But I have a leftover flat or so of begonias....

I "wasted" part of a day on a kind of birthday bash mid-week. The 7th annual bash did not get to Grand Haven, sadly. We went to a beer and hymn fest at the Knickerbocker. I put a video of that up on Facebook.

Color and chaos!

But the weekend was work, work, work. I worked on all four properties today (soon to be three!). While the weeds are winning on my uncle's property, the front perennial garden (above) looked pretty colorful today. And the church garden is quite spectacular. I had three helpers on Thursday morning and we whipped it into shape, removing all the daylily stems and other spent flowers. The phlox are in their full glory and the annuals are blooming their heads off. I emptied two bottles of spray-on Miracle-Gro on Thursday night to try to keep things going!

Phlox and friends!

While the husband mowed (quickly--with the little riding John Deere tractor), we spent Saturday evening together at the rental, weeding and mowing and even sprinkling the front lawn while we were there. I was thinking that after a hard afternoon's work a retired person should be having a fun Saturday night. We hired all the other stuff done on the house. Why am I pulling weeds under the dying back yard blue spruce on a Saturday night?? Could there be a more menial task??

 I suggested we (me) at least pick up a pizza on the way home. And I had part of a summer shandy in the fridge. And some Perrin Black. So the thought of pizza, Orphan Black (our new series) and a Perrin Black kept me going, pulling weeds (2 contractor bags full!) until 8:00 PM. And then it was finally couch time. And then bath time.

I surely wish my house was as clean as the rental house (but I am not ready to give up everything I own to make that happen). Every surface has been painted, even the basement (walkout level) floor--and every other room except the kitchen has been carpeted or has new linoleum. All the closets are completely empty and freshly painted. What a dream! And with air-conditioning keeping things cool, fresh and de-humidified! I want to move into a perfectly clean home!!

Maybe this house (the one I live in) will one day be vacant and ready for a new owner. Meanwhile this old house was a little chaotic. A new mattress, and a new 65-inch UHD television arrived this week. The empty boxes are still in the entry awaiting recycling. And a new bed frame waiting to be assembled sits in pieces in the living room.

Pardon all the exclamations! Perhaps I am a little overstimulated from all that late-night pizza and beer after a busy afternoon.

A Steak, a Reuben and a Beer

Reeds Lake garden by Rose's

Birthdays come and go with less importance these days. It is enough to be alive and well another year. But I had another birthday last week and managed a little celebrating! The youngest daughter found the time to send an E-card from her company that does paperless cards and invites. She was hosting a party after work that day on her 24th floor deck and probably had no more than that moment to herself. The oldest daughter managed a long evening phone call in which we discussed important things like her dog's possible gender issues--which made us both giggle. I don't want to talk badly about her dog, but she revealed some incidents that involved some irresistible ears ... and some lavender oil!

And my oldest brother who is disabled managed a (rare) phone call. A day early. That was a bit of a surprise. I called him back a few days later on his birthday for a longer chat. Among other things, we discussed cars and the prudence of replacing the compressor on the old Subaru (which I had ordered ($$$$) the day before. He told me the clutch had likely failed. Who knew a compressor had a clutch? Back in the day he probably could have installed it for me.

On birthday evening with our family of three, I ordered the most expensive steak on the menu at the local Houlihans (after we found that the wait would be over an hour on the deck at Rose's). It took too long and was overcooked (still tasty) so they gave it to me for free! Three dinners, 3 diet cokes and a shared dessert for $38. And they didn't even know it was my birthday.

A gooey butter cake topped with salted caramel and ice cream

I was taken out to a lunch downtown for a Reuben by O. and for a happy hour beer on the lake with J. I also treated myself to a large strawberry shake after my weekly dump run. That slid down so well in my hot (un-air-conditioned) Subaru.

Three nice, real paper cards and one new button-up from the hubby filled out the remembrances. Also, a new very large screen television was ordered (delivered tomorrow) for our viewing pleasure.

 Life is good. Hopefully I will be cool for the rest of the summer. I heard it was 106 degrees in Japan. And humid. Whew! It was 100 when I was there back in the day--and I almost died on the trip from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji when the air conditioning failed in my host's car.

Apparently it is going to be even hotter than that in Southwest USA.

But enough about the weather. It has been raining here and the earth and flowers are refreshed. The rain alone would have been enough of a birthday present!

The Weekend: A Cottage, some Coq au vin, a new pair of Capris, Church, and a Chocolate Candy bar from Kazhakstan

The weekend was crowded with lots of good c-words, including a chillin' good time carpooling with friends and conversing with fellow clubbers at a cottage "up north".

It was the annual book club/golf event on Saturday, six couples participating. I have a short tradition of contributing a 7-layer salad to the after-golf cuisine. The salad was assembled the night before with the help of the vegetable-chopping husband. The ratty recipe card dates back to a 70's Thanksgiving dinner but the salad still pleases the palate every time it is consumed.

It was another 90-degree, deadly dew-point day--and I declined to participate in the annual singing of the national anthem at the ballpark on Friday night. Instead I watered the flowers for a full hour at church, shopped for salad ingredients and purchased a much needed pair of cotton capris.

Rising early to get packed and travel north for the 11:00 tee time, I hastily pulled on my new capris, pairing with a favorite top trimmed in black. When I looked down by the light of day in the car the capris were blue, not black! (I think I had my sunglasses on when I shopped.) I was mortified. I do not like mixing navy and black. When I got to the golf club I pulled a full price polo off the rack in a pretty blue color. And paid for it.

Brats on the grill, baked beans, potato salad and fruit salad filled out the food buffet.

But the dessert by Jeri was more unexpected, and I thought, photo-worthy: a chocolate mousse trifle with a delicious brownie base. So I attempted some creative camera shots:

Dessert on Deck

But the best thing about the day (although I should say fellowship with friends) was the deliciously cool lake breezes that wafted up to the deck and into the cottage! It was amazing--so much cooler than parts inland.

On Sunday morning after church we attended the presentation of our young Russian-speaking friend Jeremiah who we support to teach and work in Kazakhstan. He gifted us with some chocolate from Kazakhstan:

Then we enjoyed a Coq au Vin dinner with cousins D & A. Carrots, too. Homemade pies were peach and rhubarb, ending the string of good things starting with c--but served with coffee! Too bad not peach cobbler and rhubarb crumble!

Oh, and all this deliciousness followed the encounter (close and personal) with that crazy corpse plant! One would hope that a whiff of this disgusting plant would have taken away my appetite for a few days, but no such luck!

One more photo of Putricia!

The "Corpse" Plant Blooms

Amorphophallus titanum - (misshapen penis giant!) aka titan arum

When I heard that Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park's titan arum (easier to pronounce and less sexy, lol!) plant was starting to bloom I immediately determined that I just had to see it! I had been following the progress daily on Instagram.

So Wednesday night the resident horticulturalist did a live broadcast after hours, declaring Thursday to be the day to see the plant and "sample" its famous aroma. The spathe was opening and the smell was beginning to emanate. And he was thrilled!

I stood in a long line for almost two hours to see this rare plant, native to Sumatra, on Thursday afternoon.

Was it worth it? I think so. (I also had to pay the senior fee of $11, since I don't have a membership this year).

The spathe was already beginning to close and the smell somewhat diminished when I photographed it around 2:45 PM. A volunteer suggested that if we wanted a proper whiff (she didn't say that) we should stick our nose up close on the left side.

Yup, rotting flesh!

This specimen has been growing from a seedling for 18 years! I have been following the Chicago Botanic Garden and they have had some success and failure, as I recall, with this plant. But now we have one blooming right here in West Michigan!

The 24-36 hour window of inflorescence (bloom), occurring at a convenient time for me was a must-do event. I had to go alone, parked far away in a full lot and stood in a long snaking line just ahead of a friendly woman and her adult son.

I did not know that there were (reportedly 5,200) other folks crazy enough to travel and wait in line for over an hour to see this plant. That's how many people passed by the stinky plant between 9-5 on Thursday! And there were a surprising number of children.

I suppose I should have taken a selfie with Putricia (a perfect name!) but I had hat hair and was hot, so declined the offer from the friends I made in line.

These children made a much cuter pic:

These children give some perspective to the size of this rare specimen.

New Word for this July

I have traded HOT for DRY.

I know there are many things happening in the world and I am paying some attention to things besides the weather...

The World Cup is entering the final games and my guessing game has gone to pot. I have England winning today in the family on-line game.

Trump made his second SCOTUS pick this week. The new justice-to-be seems like a winner out of central casting--brilliant, personable, family man, church man--and still young, with a cherubic altar-boy face. He could serve 30 years! The libs are shuddering that the court could shift to a majority who actually interpret law rather than inventing it.

And the soccer team in Thailand has been rescued by Navy Seals from their flooded cave. We all needed a feel good real life drama!

However, even as the swamp of high dew point heat has drained from West Michigan (if not so much in D.C.) it was replaced with a hot dryness. Things have gone from moist to crisp, drippy to crunchy.

I see thunderstorms in the weekend forecast. I will take the humidity back, if it means a little rain!

I was at the church gardens for an hour last night, until 9:45 PM. It was peaceful and I don't see all the emerging weeds at night!

And I saw a recently opened Oriental lily growing tall through a Kousa dogwood shrub. I watered it profusely--it has some more blooms to produce!

But, yes--the word of the day is DRY!

Earth's Fever Finally Breaks (Briefly)

Heavenly temperatures arrived here on earth last night, even as I was returning from the church gardens after a late night watering session. I opened my Subaru windows and let the cool air (around 70) blow up my sleeves.

I'm discouraged ... not only with the recent heat wave, but also with the lack of rain. I have allowed my front lawn to go half-brown, but I have been desperately trying to keep the potted flowers here and the hundreds of dollars worth of annuals at church happy. A few are thriving. Some are struggling. Next week looks to be another pretty hot week, maybe not with the dew points that put us at feels-like-100-plus, but 90 degree highs that keep me locked into air-conditioned spaces.

In other news, I finally felt like I had the energy and time to donate to Michigan Blood. After a brief Thursday morning church team weed and water session, and a brunch coffee and hearty breakfast sandwich at a local bakery, J. and I went for (my) annual blood-letting. My hematocrit level was at an all time high of 45 (and I think I was quite hydrated for once) so I may have to consider donating more frequently!

I took it easy for the afternoon, but did not feel as lightheaded as usual. The only glitch was, the stupid phlebotomist couldn't find a vein (even after brutalizing her arm) on J. and I had to identify the cities where I stayed (for over 24 hours) in Colombia last year--to make sure I wasn't in some Amazonian malaria zone. The phlebotomist had to use his own phone to zoom in on Villa de Leyva to see if was in the safe (mountainous) zone.

Anyway, the cooler temperature (even if for only a few days) renewed my spirit, enhanced my sleep and made me ready to face a new day with a better attitude.

World Cup Soccer

The kind of foootball the rest of the world is excited about has never been as popular in the United States. And I haven't paid much attention.

But this year I agreed to join a soccer "polla" with family for the World Cup competition. Points are given for guessing winners and correct scores. I am doing reasonably well at my mostly random guessing--at least I am in the middle of the pack for now. Craziest thing I've been talked into since my fleeting foray into Fantasy Football!

In eight years the games will be played in North America. Two Florida cities are included as possibilities and I have connections that could provide tickets. So 2026--I'm in! Who knows. I may be living in Florida by then!

Word of the Day: HOT!

 I watered my pots late morning, just before the excessive heat warnings for the weekend began officially at 12 noon. The area weather map is all hot-pink.

I will hit two other properties briefly later in the day, adding some algaecide to the uncle's waterfall pond and watering some dry spots in the church garden.

It didn't feel so bad in the shade. But by the time I came inside, my t-shirt was drenched. The heat index is very high (the dew-point well over 70) and there is no evaporation. I do not go outside much when it is over 90 degrees! I am a pansy, not a rose! Or a tomato. They love the heat. A small first tomato is ripe on the potted plant labeled "4th of July."

Sitting comfortably now inside--bra-less in a tank top and barefoot, I am not suffering. I feel for those who are. I feel like even the birds are too hot to eat from the feeder I filled to the brim yesterday. Do they fly to catch a breeze, or does the expended energy just contribute to possible heat stroke? That would be my dilemma if I were a bird!

Some reports are that the heat index could reach 100 or even 110 degrees! That's insane! Inhumane!

Even though I am comfortable, I had a bowl of Breyer's butter pecan for lunch. It's the least I could do to beat the heat!

I know. Too many exclamation points...

That's what excessive heat does to me!

Death and Taxes

As "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace" the "retired" life of mostly gardening and golf here in West Michigan mostly bumps along with a certain same-old same-old feel.

However, we are preparing our rental house, which we have owned for 20 years, for sale. So that is always on my mind, even though I am not doing much of the work. I took the only decent drapery rods home--just in case--on Saturday. I made a trip last night to put out the trash and recycling. I am cleaning up the debris from the recently trimmed bushes. I had to "sign off" on everything else on the property. The last thing I took home before the drapery rods was two fire extinguishers--things you never want to use but presumably remain viable if they are not.

And I have mixed feeling after 20 years of ownership! Will I feel badly if I drive by and the lawn is not mowed? Our neighbors have been frightful ... no more!

Even as we hope to collect profits from the sale of the house, we face taxes--one of those two unavoidable realities of life.

And in other news, people keep dying (some in their sixties!), reminding me of how brief life can be!

I was not a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, but I did watch when he visited a country I was interested in. Like Colombia. But it is always sad when someone feels the need to commit suicide. And Kate Spade ... I have her purse!

Impacting the Fox News crew this week (and me) was the death of Dr. Charles Krauthammer. His life story is so remarkable! And he had become the leading conservative intellectual columnist and commentator in the country, reminiscent of others before, like William F. Buckley, Jr.

Krauthammer was appreciated by all who knew him. Brit Hume, who is a Christian, reflected that Krauthammer (a non-practicing Jew), did not share his (Brit's) faith, but couldn't imagine that God would not want Charles around! And I, too, would hope that he and his wheelchair sped through the pearly gates without judgment. But I have no assurance of that passage.

There are a few simple rules for entry into God's presence...

Speaking of "crossing over," if it turns out that heaven's rules are enforced as loosely as our country's border policies, well then maybe ... but it is not for us to say.

Crying babies "ripped from their mother's arms" at the border or unaccompanied youngsters housed in metal cages has been the media focus of the week. Nobody wants that!

What is surprising is that some of the same people who claim to care so deeply about children, have no problem with a woman's right to have her late term baby be "ripped" from her womb.

The hypocrisy of selective moral outrage!

Even as my life bumps along into what is now officially summer, the 24-hour news cycle moves at a dizzying pace.

The historic meeting of this administration (my button is bigger than yours) with the North Korean dictator (little rocket man) and the prospect of denuclearization, and the possible reunification of the Korean peninsula is almost forgotten as the issues on the southern border are once again front and center in the news.

My escape to Netflix was further stressing, even as we finished the second and last season of Dr. Foster last night! I couldn't wait to finally get to the end, after all the trauma! But no spoilers...

Time to get back into the gardens to enjoy the happy surprises I find there, as each new lily opens with a gorgeous forgotten color!

Out of the Garden and Out on the Town

Strawberry salad at Bistro Bella Vita

Saturday began hot and rainy. It was great to have a break from all the watering and weeding, even though I spent the morning in the gardens of the 25th annual Ottawa Hills garden tour. It was just 3 years ago that my daughter's garden was featured on this tour and I was weeding and watering like crazy to help her achieve garden perfection, if only for the day. Now she has just 3 plants in a lower Manhattan one bedroom apartment.

Last week Saturday I toured a hosta garden with 750 different named cultivars, sporting red Crocs boots and an umbrella. On yesterday's tour I just got wet, happy to be cooled down by the constant drizzle. Yes, we are having some more hot pre-summer weather.

So O. and I snooped in about 10 backyards to see delights you miss when just driving by. I kept my camera phone dry and zipped away in my purse. Once again Howard promised to share a slip of his special daylily if we would return in July. He is now in his early 80's and still fit, sharp, and enthused about his yard.

If I can take away one good idea, discover one new plant, I call that a success for any garden tour or club event. O. snagged a handful of a new color of lamium and we were promised a piece of that daylily.

So after the two tours I bought a Wheee! hosta at Countryside Greenhouse--which O. and I both found irresistible. She bought a bigger one last week, but hey--it's a hosta! Give it a year and it may be enormous.

My new Wheee!

I was also intrigued by a nice castor bean plant--impressive and a little bit naughty, with its poison beans. Think ricin.

I got home in time to dry out and dress for a play--a 4:00 performance of "The Most Reluctant Convert" featuring the words of C.S. Lewis. After all the walking in the rain (and waking early to dye my hair before the first tour) and shopping, I found myself very sleepy in the dark and cushy theater seats. In fact, I briefly dozed off. As soon as I started breathing heavily (snoring?) I got nudged awake.

Along with two other couples, by 6:00 we were sipping adult beverages (a small glass of wine for me--didn't want to fall asleep again!), eating the above strawberry salad and sharing a delicious pizza with the husband who shared his pork chop dinner with me. And we shared a macaron dessert. The macarons were not NYC quality, but the ice cream was decadent.

It was good to take a break from the rain, the heat, and the weeding, to enjoy some adult company and (wholesome) adult entertainment--even if I briefly fell asleep! And I haven't had a proper meal out since that amazing steak dinner in Fidi on April 21.

Rustica? pizza

Mickey Mouse Macarons?

Another Orchid Blooms Again

The orchid from Grandma Rose's funeral has bloomed once again. This orchid never photographs true to color (it's more purple) but the blooms are gorgeous. Seeing this plant come to life in its original pot, bursting at the seams, makes it all worthwhile. I have been watering it from the bottom more frequently this spring than I think is prudent, but this amount of foliage seems to suck it up!

What's interesting about this photo is the reflection on the wall from the new skylights. It's a ghost bird!

Who knows the hymn numbers??

Backyard Beauty

Tiny blooms on the rosa glauca

The month of May flew by, with rain and record-setting high temps keeping me indoors more than usual. May is the month I like to sit out on the deck with a cup of coffee in the morning. Somehow that didn't happen this year. And those Big Easy chairs remain virgin.

But now, in early June, the weather has moderated and I have been in the backyard, if not lounging on the deck. The perennials are big and blooming and the birds are singing loudly and feeding happily from the newly-baffled feeder. I was actually surprised to see four peony plants blooming gloriously in my shady yard.

Columbine gone wild!

The columbine plants that I allowed to reseed grew extraordinarily tall this year. I don't have any roses here except the blue rose above, which has very tiny and insignificant blooms. The allium, now fading, were tall and stately. The dwarf lilac's scent was intoxicating. Only 4 poppies were blooming by Memorial Day, so not a good year for the poppies. I love the unfolding sequence of spring blooms and sometimes wish I had an excuse to just sit idly and enjoy it more.

One reason I didn't sit outside so much was that it has been noisy. Our street has been worked on early in the morning (beeping of vehicles backing up, etc. at 7AM) for several weeks. I have been documenting the process on Facebook. Today the street was cleared and swept clean, which must mean that the final paving is going to happen soon. It has been a noisy obstacle course out there, and my street-side lawn has been torn up significantly. I can't wait for a new smooth street. I had no idea how complicated it was to fix one block!

I am behind ... with weeds growing swiftly and the planting of flats moving slowly. I simply must finish this week!

Maybe next week I can leisurely sip coffee on the deck. And there had better not be any bugs joining me. June is when the bugs really wake up. And I don't want them waking up with me!

*Apologies for all the -ly words. I usually valiantly attempt to avoid them, but today it was impossibly difficult!

Hot TIme, Summer in the City

Photo by O. on planting day.

🎵Hot time, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty🎵

It was PLANTING WEEK at the church garden and it was HOT. Keeping the fledgling flowers and the leftover flats of annuals watered was challenge enough. I am not going to PLANT any more now until the weather cools down a tad. Tomorrow, Memorial Day is expected to reach 94 degrees. I'm sure that will be record-setting for this time of the year.

So I water, water, water...

I had to compete with a funeral of a parishioner and ended up with a team of only 5 women this year. I was at the church by 8:30 AM on Thursday. I watered and cleaned up until 2:00 PM, long before the visitation which was scheduled for 4 PM. Friday morning was the funeral and I was too tired to plant more anyway.

I forgot to stay properly hydrated and by the end of the morning was carrying heavy, freshly watered flats up and down the steps to accommodate the planters. It was George's job, but he was AWOL this year.

I was more tired and dehydrated than I can ever remember being. I could barely walk. On the way home I tried to finish a bag of Lay's potato chips that I had made available for snack time. I thought the salt might help me feel better.  But my mouth muscles were not moving properly so I sort of sucked the chips down. Too tired to chew ... never happened before!

I laid down for an hour under the ceiling fan, drank a gallon of water and a Power Zero. My legs and feet were cramping. But I knew I was going to be okay. Then I laid down some more.

The Big Easy (Chairs)

We have a table and chair set for dining on the deck, but our other plastic Adirondack style chairs are stained and old. They might be slated for the next dumpster.

These Big Easy chairs from Lowes looked like just the right thing for sitting outside with a morning cup of coffee or watching the birds feed. I told the husband the chair was his belated birthday present. He did not appreciate it that I thought he needed an over-sized chair to accommodate his width and breadth--but I think he will get over it and just enjoy the comfort!

A Royal Waste of Time

I confess. I watched the royal wedding coverage. All if it! I watched it later in the day, and the next. I am not proud of myself, but I got sucked in.

My interest in the history of Queen Elizabeth and all things royal was piqued recently by watching two seasons of "The Crown."  I  think her long reign is worthy of admiration, no matter what your opinion may be of the monarchy. It is remarkable how well she and Prince Philip can still walk on their own without falling. Recently having turned 92 (on the husband's birthday), the Queen looked amazing.

I was not as interested in THE DRESS or the HAT PARADE as I was in the ceremony itself. It did not disappoint. The majestic organ, the liturgy, the hymns, the choir of men and boys ... all seemed right and fitting. But the fiery African-American Episcopalian priest's sermon was a departure, as was the gospel choir singing a secular number. The young cellist at the end of the ceremony was also impressive, especially with the Ave Maria.

I thought Harry's behavior throughout the ceremony was inappropriate. Could he not behave himself for one hour? Looking around, talking, fidgeting, touching his face, smiling too large, Harry could not help but be Harry, beloved in his unconventional road to taking on a role in the monarchy, but always with a little too much of his mother's independent spirit.

What do you expect of a royal wedding when a motherless royal falls in love with an American bi-racial previously-married Hollywood actress?

Fortunately, Harry is 6th in line to the throne, now behind a tiny baby boy and even the darling Charlotte!

I Can See Blue Sky--through two new glass skylights!

Looking up through the raindrops. Notice the paint damage.

Every now and then some home improvements actually happen on this our old house--a house as old as I am, and neither of us falling down yet--or (now) leaking!

We might still need a professional plaster person to repair the damage done, but the leaking has finally stopped!

So things are looking up.

Today is a dark and rainy morning, but the big honey locust tree is clearly visible through the new skylight. The old skylights were nearly 30 year old plastic and failed to look clean with any amount of scrubbing

Nephew John once said that there are two kinds of skylights. Ones that leak and ones that are about to leak. Hopefully we are good for the remainder of our years in this house!

Two days of pounding, saws, men walking around above ... and more than a few nails found in the grass--but finally we have a good roof over our heads.

Mother's Day 2018

Two daughters and a son-in-law around for Mother's Day is a rare event in these retirement years. And all the other requisites were present, too. Food (charcoal-grilled steak, baked potatoes, grilled asparagus, buttered corn, and cake and ice cream. And gifts! Flowers--a pretty hanging flower basket. Fine Chocolate--a gourmet Belgian milk chocolate bar. Coffee mug (can't find an f-word)--a Starbucks coffee mug with zebras on it. And a Fonecall--from the missing (and missed) daughter, with a promise of a gift in the mail!

Now I have peacocks and zebras on beverage  containers--and even one in teak. All gifts. All favorites. All too pretty to use!

And one more f-word. I was also gifted with some Frosted Flakes! Don't ask!

Volcanic Language

Anyone who writes necessarily pays attention to words and their impact, hopefully picking just the right ones to convey intent and tone, without artificiality or exaggeration. Even if one writes in emojis, attempts are made to get just the right facial expression.

While some words have a mellow ring (like most Japanese names, for example), other words just sound hard--like myocardial infarction (from Latin, to plug up or cram ... sometimes I have an infarction in our low-flush toilet, lol), which sounds much worse than a heart attack, even a massive one.

Recently I have been noticing the sounds of the words used to describe the eruption of that volcano that has become active in Hawaii. I sort of love the graphic violence in the headlines! And the images, both the small videos on my phone and the imagined nightmarish ones that are conjured up in my brain, are terrifying. I am so glad to be far away. I am even considering taking Hawaii off my travel bucket list!

I do feel for the people who live there and have to evacuate, but why do they build houses near a volcano?  When one chooses to live at the foot of a crater, one takes a calculated risk!

And then I see (images of) the fiery flow of magma and try to imagine how it would feel to be engulfed in that flow of molten rock. The temperature of the magma (another great and terrible word) is between 1300 and 2400 degrees Fahrenheit! I guess I would fry up extra crispy soon enough and feel very little!

Today on Yahoo News I noticed some very descriptive language:

"Molten lava oozing out of fissures..."

"A massive new fissure opened on Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, hurling bursts of magma with an ear-piercing screech."

...a crack ... fracturing the side ... a lake of lava ... earth shattering explosions ... explosions that hurtle 100 pound lava bombs 100 feet into the air ...  scorched earth ... splatter that is flying tens of meters in the air...

...volcano erupts, spewing lava ... new fissure spatters lava ... spurting lava ... volcano could soon shoot large boulders out of its summit... (Boulders the size of refrigerators!)

Shoot, spew, splatter, shatter and spurt...

I guess "s" words are the ones with that special sizzle needed for explosive volcanic language!

Last Supper

I think this will be the last faculty dinner. Two friends, another John, and a Michael, were being honored as retirees. And it is the end of the line.

The dinner is always this time in May and I am always up to my elbows in dirt and flowers ... and I don't relish getting all scrubbed up for just "okay" food at the country club--with no "happy hour."

But a cheesecake bar was a novel dessert event--and I indulged!

 I created a work of art, don't you think?

For the Birds

Discreetly taken by E. from indoors, with zoom.

We finally broke down last weekend and bought a proper squirrel baffle at Ace Hardware, and also a new feeder that suctions to a window. The squirrels are learning (with great annoyance and hilarious antics) that they cannot access the bird seed.

Today birds were dive bombing for the two positions on the window feeder. Every day more interesting and colorful birds are finding our stations. We are back in the bird business, sans squirrels!

More of Summer ... and Tons of Tulips--at Meijer Gardens

Looking down the Cherry Tree Promenade

Day two of  "early summer" weather was HOTTER than predicted and yes, we flipped the switch to AC. The system wasn't working optimally (good to know before July) but it moderated the inside temps to tolerable.

As the week progressed, Meijer Gardens claimed on Instagram that the weekend was to be prime cherry blossom viewing in the Japanese Gardens.

However, by Sunday afternoon I found that the cherry blooms were past prime and blowing to the ground. I never seem to catch that fleeting optimal day ... but the tulips, early magenta rhododendrons and other blooming white trees were glorious.

View of Japanese Gardens from bridge

A walk in the gardens is always a good thing. There was construction happening in the main area and that is always unpleasant, with messes and re-routing.

But whenever I come I observe new things and always appreciate the abundance of plant life. And today, the beauty of another unfolding Michigan Spring.

Because it was Spring, there were still blooming daffodils, Lenten roses, frittilaria, Virginia bluebells, trillium and more than a few things I can't remember or name.

But the tulips were prime! Thousands of them. I wasn't surprised that Ian found a funky one to include in the children's garden:

But nary a tulip in the Japanese gardens!

The cherry trees in the Japanese gardens are growing. The plantings around the pond are still "leaning in" and the enormous rocks remain (duh) in their strategically placed prominence.

I sat on one of the many benches and used the selective focus on my new camera phone:

Early rhododendron--PJM?

And I tried out the slow motion movie option--without much success--waiting for the tulips to wave in the wind to activate the feature.

I always say hello to the horse, observing some new detail, listening to the observation of children or watching the poses people strike under his hoofs. He is one great horse!

How would you like a huge rock in the middle of your backyard? It would probably look odd, but here it works:

Yes, I took myself to the gardens today. I set my own pace and stopped to photograph without complaint! Next time go with me. It is a lovely place for a Sunday afternoon walk.

A May Day Heat Wave

First tulip opening

It happens. Suddenly summer...

Sing with me ... Suddenly Seymour, is here to ... whatever. My girls all loved Little Shop of Horrors!

I'm flat on my back. Voluntarily immobilized. Except for one index finger tapping on my new Samsung S9. All the house fans are spinning, but no AC on! Not for one hot day in May!

It has now reached 82 degrees Fahrenheit--more than the predicted high of 80. It is also dry and windy. (Actually eventually reached 83!)

There is a red flag alert--which means I cannot play with fire today. Michigan has become California!

I played with water earlier. That is a Rite of Summer for me. After the Ladies Spring Salad Luncheon I hauled out the hoses from the shed for the church gardens. (The hoses at home were never put away last year.) I watered the developing tulips at church and at home. I "watered in" the "acid-blue" fertilizer at the base of three Endless Summer hydrangeas and gave the (blooming) weeping white crab (installed fall of 2016) a nice drink. There is no sign of color on the (google image fave--check it out) coral burst crab or the dwarf Korean lilacs yet, and most of the tulips remain closed.

We usually do have a May heat wave ... but I am not ready for this! It looks like it might be a one day affair. At least for 80 degree+ weather.

We really need a gentle spring rain, or rather (since it is so hot) a summer thunderstorm.

Just the words summer thunderstorm evoke a flood of childhood memories. Rain on our not-so-little farmhouse (and corn and alfalfa fields) on "the prairies" of South Dakota was always welcome. The sounds, the smells, the way things greened and grew after the rain ... (especially after lots of booming thunder and lightning) ... all good!

Ups and Downs in NYC

My favorite skyscraper - reflecting the afternoon sun.

(This is a lengthy post--just scroll through the photos and plan a trip of your own!)

Weekends in NYC are always exciting ... and exhausting. This past weekend was no exception. And that is the first of the ups and downs of NYC.

This time was the first time I flew into NYC with the husband since I started visiting NYC three years ago. So except for the first night, which the girls had pre-planned, the dynamics were a little different this time. It was a birthday weekend and we accommodated the birthday boy's preferences.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in the Financial District, which was just steps away from M & S's lovely new apartment. They are up on the 33rd floor with a great view down to the bay. On Sunday night I looked down from their living room window and saw fireworks popping up. Not sure what the occasion was, but maybe it was for earth day...

We were assigned to the 12th floor (out of 55) of the hotel (the tallest Holiday Inn), which was still too high up for the one who is afraid of heights. Immediately upon entering the room I was asked to put the window shade down while he looked away. The single shade closed via a remote control hanging on the wall by the bed. It was just as well it remained closed, since this was the view down below:

Not so pretty!

So the first night we walked just a few blocks to the Osteria della Pace restaurant in Eataly, located in the World Trade Center complex, building #4, the first one to be completed, featuring 65 floors above ground.

Sangria at Eataly

I had a sangria (while the husband and M. upped the bill with several martinis). We split some pasta and downed a shared meatball appetizer and an eggplant dish, but the insalata rossa was the Instagram star of the evening:

Roasted red and golden beets in a delicious pistachio sauce were down under there...

We sat by the window, facing in. The window views from Eataly are great. I took a funny selfie which I really cannot share full-face. Notice the load hanging from a crane--a common view in NYC. I guess NYC building and repair will never be finished. Cranes and scaffolding everywhere are just part of the picture.

A cropped view of my hair (with freshly dyed roots!) and the view behind me.

View from my "obstructed view" seat up on the second tier looking down. 

It was a long subway ride to Carnegie Hall, but we had the tickets in hand and quickly found our box seats on the second tier up. The Grand Rapids Symphony was warming up and it was already 8:04 PM when I took this photo, according to my phone and the downbeat was likely around 8:10. Many were still waiting outside for tickets when we arrived and were allowed in later, filling a majority of the seats in the hall. It was a surprisingly large and enthusiastic crowd. We enjoyed the guest pianist and the symphony choir, with our own Aaron singing sincerely from the front row of tenors.

We had purchased obstructed view seats, not really knowing what that meant. My only obstruction was the head of the husband of the French horn player, but I also could not see directly down at the trombones and basses. That was okay, because the tickets were only $17.50! The French hornist's spouse who sat a foot closer to the rail said he paid $35, which he said was the discounted GR Symphony price! Upon reflection, I'll bet he was confused. He had his daughter with him and that would have been $35 for the two of them!

I enjoyed the program and the view from up on high in this famed hall very much. M. found the program to be a little too long to sit quietly. The husband seemed engaged throughout!

Maestro Lehninger returned on the same late Monday night plane. We were able to greet him and tell him how much we had enjoyed the concert.

The next day we four received a surprise Uber Eats breakfast, compliments of the Floridian kids, for the husband's birthday. It included a variety of delicious breakfast foods. The delivery girl sang, danced, and twirled the husband around in the hallway. She made up extra verses and would not stop! She was so badly out of tune! And M. has it all on her phone. Hilarious!

Saturday was sunny and in the sixties. We took a long, narrated bus tour, through sections of Manhattan mostly south of midtown. We went past Madison Square Garden, Stuyvesant Town, the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building, and learned that Soho (South of Houston) was the place for shoe shopping. We got off to eat lunch at Madison Square and had to wait in a long line (on a sunny Saturday) at the original Shake Shack (which was kind of a minor bucket list item for me). I had a chicken sandwich and an apple pie shake. Very tasty! The husband had a draft, a Shack-cago Dog and some fries. Not everything in NYC is so expensive! We also had a Dunkin' Donut shop right next door to our hotel. A small coffee was only $2.09 and we enjoyed two croissant breakfast sandwiches and two coffees for $9.99 one morning.

We sat up on the top of a Greyline bus and took photos looking up at tall buildings. My neck was a little "cricked" from looking up so much! Now have a much better sense of the enormity and diversity of this amazing city.

Typical city view from the tour bus - blooming dogwoods and World Vision building in view

That evening a big steakhouse dinner was planned for the birthday boy. We had ribeyes and filets that were aged and large, tasty and pricey. Plus a nice bottle of wine. I have no photos of brown steaks in a gracious but dimly lit steakhouse. Nothing Instagram worthy. But it happened! I went to bed with an overstuffed belly of beef, having shared, but not wasted one bite of my steak.

I navigated the city streets successfully in my black dress flats on both our "dressed up" nights out on the town, with the help of some new gel inserts which I had cut to fit. It turns out the daughter has the identical pair of black flats (a size larger!) from Nordstroms, which I spotted under her desk at work. My shin splints were only minimally twingy on this trip--even with all the ups and downs.

On the way home from the steak dinner we passed by the NYSE which looks extra cool at night:

NYSE at night.

Sunday we (three) grabbed a taxi to Redeemer Presbyterian Church on the UWS. We went down below ground to enter the worship space. A fabulous violinist played Mozart and we sang traditional hymns to piano accompaniment. The preacher for the day was lengthy and learned, speaking about how to think about using our work time in a way that reflects God's will for our lives and prepares us for the life to come, when we can truly experience Sabbath rest. Something like that. The sermon included an abundance of content, ample examples and appropriate biblical and literary references.The husband was super happy with this traditional worship service. The congregation was friendly and filled with many Asian faces--presumably Korean Presbyterians.

Spring in the Cloister Museum garden

We found a nearby French coffee shop for brunch, where S. joined us and then grabbed a big Uber to take us up north to The Met Cloisters, part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. The Cloisters Museum was set up on a hill overlooking the Hudson river. We enjoyed the warm spring sunshine in the outdoor areas as well as the indoor art.

I took some photos in the Unicorn Tapestries Room while I listened to some thoughts from the docent. These tapestries were woven in Brussels around 1500 and were gifted to the museum in 1937 by John D. Rockefeller Jr. The Museum opened to the public in 1938.

Unicorn tapestry detail

A winding path descended down the hill from the Cloisters and led us to the A subway line which took us all the way down the Island to the stop near our hotel--the longest subway ride for me ever.

We relaxed for a bit and then returned to the 33rd floor apartment where we enjoyed a pizza and salad delivered via a new service called Seamless. We watched some old family movies that we had brought along on a device for them to download.

Monday morning we asked for a late checkout, packed up a bit. grabbed some Dunkin' and walked past Battery Park to the Staten Island Ferry, which is a free ride that every tourist seems to do. We viewed lady liberty and the skyline on the return trip and it was okay--especially for the price!

Then we locked up our luggage at the hotel and toured M.'s office. It is a great space and it was good to see her work environment. We found a quiet neighborhood restaurant/bar, Suspenders, where the husband enjoyed a Founder's Breakfast Stout and a burger with fabulous real mashed potatoes while the girls had salad and nachos. We met Romeo, who loves the stouts. I told him I was from Founders country and that they had other good stouts he should try!

Suspenders empty afternoon bar area

After saying goodbye to M. we took a peek in a Brook's Brothers shop and sat for awhile in the new garden area below the WTC Freedom Tower. That is when I snapped the photo (above) of the reflected sun.

With tired legs and city-weary heads, we decided to avoid the rush hour (ha) and get a cab early. We engaged the help of the concierge who snagged a taxi for us. The taxi driver's meter was broken! We had exactly 50 dollars cash between us which he was willing to accept to take us to La Guardia! (It was over $70 with tip when we arrived.) Traffic was horrible and it took well over an hour to get to the airport. But our flight was much later and we had plenty of time. Everything kind of went wrong for us until we actually boarded our flight back (gate changed twice, long walk, long line, no TSA pre-check line--shoes off, arms up scanner, couldn't work the I-pad for ordering dinner, etc.

The plane ride home, however, was fast and smooth. We were glad to return to the quiet comforts of home, as always. The only damage done (with all the ups and downs ... besides a little cash expended) was that the husband left his Kindle on the airplane and is not sure if he will ever get it back. It did not have any identification on it, sadly.

My photos were taken with my brand new Samsung S9. Can you tell any difference? I didn't edit much!

Every new building reflects--this one taken into the Oculus!

The Morning After (Book Club and Spring Snow)

Book Club - set up for 13. (I was going to stay in the kitchen or something.)

Whew! I survived another book club event.

I couldn't get to sleep last night after all the stress of the evening, so after some TV time I played a few lightning rounds with WWF (in bed) trying to bore myself into slumber ... but that game is actually fast and stimulating!

 But it's all good. It's over for another year. Next year: Pizza. Delivered!

If you had to host 14 non-family members for dinner, wouldn't you stress just a little?  Not everything was perfectly executed, but the food was good and the husband-led discussion was interesting enough. They were all gracious ... but they always are. I have to believe things are tasty and that the book is interesting, and then my conscience is clear. Actually, one couple cancelled on the day of. I took one of those mid-century Danish teak Eva chairs out of the above photo, and there was room for all. Actually, the cancellation was a permanent one, and we are back to an even dozen.

All events and church services were cancelled on the morning of book club, due to icy roads, but by afternoon the ice and snow had turned to slush and a snow plow or two had come roaring down our street. 250,000 homes in Michigan lost electricity, but this time we were spared!

I had moved almost all the over-wintering plants from the sun room. (It is my greenhouse!) I hope they survive in the cold garage for a month until they can be set outside again. M. picked up her Boston fern that I "babysat" for 7 weeks while she gallivanted around in warmer climes. I thought it might freeze in the garage with the "spring" storm descending upon us and urged her to pick it up.

Also, I had Modernistic shampoo the carpets. The old Berber was surprisingly well revived with the 220+ degree steam extraction, except for a couple of deep old spots. It desperately needed to be cleaned and this was a good time for a spring cleaning, even if it was just before a slush storm.

E. wanted to make shepherd's pie. We ended up making massive amounts--and have delicious leftovers. The peeling, boiling and smashing of the potatoes late afternoon was the messiest part. The sauce had been fried (3-1/2 pounds of ground beef) and simmered in a big pot for a few hours on Saturday night, and had been set in the cold garage overnight, to be heated again before assembly. I made a simple Caesar salad and bought two very special pies (cherry berry and rhubarb/peach), served with vanilla ice cream.

The husband was good for something. He re-read the book, tidied his TV table, peeled 15 pounds of potatoes--flinging the peelings onto an old bath towel on the floor (while watching the golf tournament), and agreed to take his shoes off in the entryway! I will compost the potato peelings (still towel-wrapped in the garage) as soon as the SNOW MELTS IN THE BACKYARD.

Yes, it was the husband's turn to pick a book. He chose an old classic, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Our yellowed copy was published in 1963. I don't know when it was written, but not until Khrushchev's time was it allowed out of the country. Three out of 12 clubbers, surprisingly, had studied Russian history in college and knew something of the Stalinist regime that led to the formation of the work camps, which the author himself survived for 8 years, providing him with the knowledge needed to write about, with excruciating detail, all the atrocities of that one single day in the life of Ivan. Several clubbers said that every time they read the book they felt chilled. I know I would not have survived that camp. I probably would have given up in one day (the first day!), curling up in a snowbank for a long cold sleep.

Anyway, as I type, the third and final load of dishes is quietly sloshing in my Bosch. I am attempting to keep the house tidy for at least one day. The husband asked if he still had to remove his shoes for another day. I said, yes, UNTIL THIS "WINTER" SNOW MELTS!

Two Major Events

Without getting into all the personal details, the husband and I attended a funeral in Minnesota last week, connecting with a small family group on my side of the family. It was a sad time of loss for the St. Paul contingent of the family and we were glad that we had the time to drive the distance to be with them in a show of love and support.

Overnighting in Naperville with the husband's sister, twice, still left a long, cold journey. Even with sunny skies, the temperature on Friday--the day of the funeral--never rose out of the frozen twenties.

In stark contrast, the weather for the Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club looked perfectly lovely.

Yes, it was also the week of the Masters, a favorite of golf aficionados. I would love to go to the tournament one day--if I could get tickets and afford it--if nothing else to see the glorious azaleas and immaculately manicured grounds. The husband managed to catch most of this important golf tournament (and the first of the 4 majors) with replays and DVR'd recordings. The event was on at the hotel bar where I enjoyed a brisket sandwich, sweet potato fries and half a pint of a local (Dead Poet) stout before the visitation Thursday evening. We watched the final tense moments of the tournament here at home with the three of us on Sunday evening.

Look how colorful the azaleas, spring-green grass fairways, brown pine mulch, white sand traps and blue skies appear on the television screen!

Our favorite, Spieth, was leading on the board in this shot, but in the end Patrick Reed was the one to win the green jacket--and that was okay, since Jordan Spieth already has one!

Speaking of immaculate (I only recently learned what the immaculate conception really refers too!), the funeral was held in a beautiful long-established Catholic church. The sanctuary had been newly built at some point and was large and impressive, adorned with many stained glass windows, etc.

We are unfamiliar with the "Mass of Christian Burial" and participated as best we could. I knew some of the sung responses and hymns. We (6 of us traveling family members, sitting in the back) were invited, but chose not to go forward to receive even a blessing only (to be signaled with crossed arms) as everyone else went forward to receive the wafer (host), which becomes the real body of Christ as it is consecrated and elevated for all to see, according to Catholic doctrines. The careful ritual after the distribution was interesting to observe. And I confess (not formally!) that I have no clue about the smoke (incense presumably), or even what you call that bit of mystery which was part of the Mass.

As Reformation Christians, we do not have much interest in or opportunity to attend any kind of mass. But the dignity of this service, the use of Scriptural readings, a personalized homily, the lovely music, and the use of organ and cantor made for a meaningful time of worship and remembrance. The excellent singing of Ave Maria by the church cantor was touching, and even tearful for some.

Our local (Protestant) church has mostly abandoned hymnals for screens, the old hymns of the faith for praise songs, the organ for a "band" and has "lead singers" (with loud microphones) in place of choir or cantor.

This Catholic church still had wooden hymn boards, with hymn numbers, ready for the next service. Hymn boards already seem quaint to me. I have one hanging in my house, now an antique, found by daughter R. in a Presbyterian church in Pennsylvania, as I recall.

In many ways my church has accommodated to the culture in ways that this Catholic church has not. They even had an Italian-born priest, with an obvious accent. How authentic is that?

On the way home the husband mentioned a very recent article from First Things magazine entitled "A Tradition Unlike Any Other." Comparisons are made between the vigorously controlled traditions of the Augusta National Golf Club and the acquiescence of the (Catholic) church to societal and cultural pressures. I was intrigued and found the article on-line when I got home.

And besides, I thought I could glean something that could possibly tie these two events from last week together (in a more important way than by contrasting temperatures) in one post! (A favorite device of mine--as in my recent post on Demons and Saints, a theme which allowed me to talk about totally disparate things--like my early affection for pigs on the farm and what the recently deceased Rev. Billy Graham might be doing now in heaven!)

The Augusta National has always strictly controlled (not only the immaculate grooming) but its membership, its television coverage and its advertisers. I also learned from the magazine article that it was not until the 80's that the tradition of employing all black caddies in all white jumpsuits for the Masters ended. I noticed that they still use the (ugly) white jumpsuits! They only recently allowed a few women to join, including Condoleeza Rice.

But most of  the regulations and traditions have continued, uncompromised, throughout the years. Augusta National remains a revered and respected golf course and tournament--perhaps the greatest of the four majors.

What if the church remained true to its long traditions, protecting those practices as rigorously as the Augusta National Golf Club has?

Perhaps then the church would be more respected! Perhaps it would not have been abandoned by today's younger generation. Perhaps it would be more attractive in its distinction from "the world" ... if only it followed "The Master" with more reverence and dignity.

Interestingly, from my brief visit, it would seem that the church I visited in St. Paul has held on to much of its rich tradition.

Well, of course the Mass was not in Latin...and we were allowed to sing--a lot! 

(For example, we sang "On Eagle's Wings" which was written by a priest from the St. Paul community in the late seventies and is a favorite at Catholic funeral masses, as well as making its way into many other church traditions.)

We can only hope that the Christian church in all its manifestations--like the Augusta National Golf Club--will find success in holding on to something of that which is good and traditional.

I recommend taking a look at the article mentioned above. It is currently available without a subscription to First Things. I did not use any of the specific language or points made. These reflections are mostly my own. You will find it to be a thoughtful and well-written piece (better than mine!), with many astute response comments as well.

...................................................

And yes, as always, I photograph food and flowers. The food was tasty (and the service excellent) at the Minneapolis Four Points Sheraton. (We used some Starwood points.)

And the funeral flowers were abundant and gorgeous:

Hot apple pie and creamy vanilla (we split it!) ... good enough to be my last meal of choice before my execution, lol.

Some of my favorite flowers and flower colors. So pretty!