“Calliope Medium Pink Flame”
All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant.
~ Henry David Thoreau
(Walden)
Oh my, how things do change! Perhaps because of the poison ivy blunder, and the coronavirus pandemic, as Midsummer approached I was feeling pretty glum. Wistfully my thoughts drifted to memories of celebrations gone by, like the ones in 2016 and 2009. But then I remembered Tim & I had celebrated alone before. 2011. So we tried to make this Midsummer special, too.
We haven’t used our balcony for outdoor living in a long time because it is badly deteriorated and needs replacing. Our turn to have it replaced hasn’t come up yet, but we decided to bring the little outdoor dining set out of storage and make the best of it. We had also bought a pink geranium at the end of May and it was blossoming profusely. In fact, I had to deadhead it before I could take the picture. 🙂
Each new season grows from the leftovers from the past. That is the essence of change, and change is the basic law.
~ Hal Borland
(Sundial of the Seasons)
Since before my radiation proctocolitis diagnosis in January, food has been a big problem for me. I’m still losing weight and have now lost 40 lbs. since November. Sticking to a low-FODMAP diet seems to be my only option for avoiding painful flare-ups.
So we splurged and grilled a marinated swordfish steak to celebrate. Delicious! And we made a low-FODMAP potato salad from my new cookbook, which was pretty good. The Gut-Friendly Cookbook: Delicious, Low-FODMAP, Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes for a Happy Tummy by Alana Scott.
Last fall I had a margarita and got pretty sick, and have avoided alcohol since, but for this occasion I decided to try a Cape Codder made with gluten-free vodka. Mistake. I enjoyed it but a couple of hours later I was very sorry. 🙁 It looks like alcohol is out of the picture for me for good. Lesson learned.
The changes we dread most may contain our salvation.
~ Barbara Kingsolver
(Small Wonder: Essays)
Fortunately we were able to go down to Avery Point to see the sunset before my gut turned on me. It was beautiful! We had a nice chat with another couple from behind our masks and from a distance. They were sitting on their own lawn chairs. Why hadn’t we thought of that? Instead of going to the beach and sitting on public park benches this summer, which we have decided isn’t an option for us, we can bring our lawn chairs to Avery Point and sit for a while. 🙂
Things change, we make adjustments, modify our habits. Nothing will ever be the same.
Your photo of your geranium is beautiful. I like those two-toned geraniums. Your dinner also looks yummy, but sorry to learn about your reaction to the drink. Life goes on, of course. And now that you know what alcohol does to your innards, so be it. Like you said, we make adjustments.
Ally, I just noticed your comment in my spam queue ~ so sorry, I have no idea why it landed there! (I should check more often…) Thank you, I do love geraniums, my grandmother would have dozens of them in pots in her garden every summer, and this one has been a cheerful addition to my weird summer. Looking forward to trying some sparkling water this weekend. 🙂
No problem. I forget to check my spam queue, too. I find comments in there from longtime readers who shouldn’t be there… but they are. The ways of WP are a mystery. Happy Weekend!
So many random things about WordPress are difficult to grasp… Hope you’re having a good weekend, too! 🙂
Lovely sunset and geranium! I’m sorry to hear of your health problems. It must be very difficult to have to so radically change what you can eat and drink.
Thanks, Timi! It’s been challenging, that’s for sure. But I’ve managed to create a couple of pretty tasty recipes out of ingredients I can eat. It helps to focus on what I CAN have and try not to think so much about what I can’t have…
Do you and your husband eat separate meals, or does he confine himself to the foods that you can eat?
He eats everything that I’ve been cooking for myself but once a week, for himself, he gets a frozen pizza and some bagels delivered with the groceries. 😉
Good strategy!
🙂
It sounds like you made the best of your midsummers celebration and found beauty and creativity and connection. I feel your pain about testing the limits of what’s possible to eat and drink. Too bad a person can’t know for 100% sure. It sounds like you may be sure about the alcohol, though.
Yeah, I think alcohol and I are done for good! When I read about your troubles before your daughter’s wedding my heart went out to you. It’s so hard being the one to put a damper on celebrations by saying no, thank you, to most of the offerings, or having to keep asking what ingredients are in this or that… But somehow we will carry on, my friend!
We shall carry on indeed! And have as much fun as possible with our limited choices.
Yes! 🙂