The year growing ancient,
Not yet on Summer’s death, nor on the birth
Of trembling Winter, the fairest flower o’ the season
Are our carnations and streak’d gillyvors.
~ William Shakespeare
(Winter’s Tale)
vaas met anjers
The year growing ancient,
Not yet on Summer’s death, nor on the birth
Of trembling Winter, the fairest flower o’ the season
Are our carnations and streak’d gillyvors.
~ William Shakespeare
(Winter’s Tale)
Great pairing for this time of year! I rarely think of Vincent Van Gogh when I think of florals, but this is a beautiful painting. It has reach 103 here. This weeks we are reaching high 90’s and waking to 80’s. I’ve adjusted running my AC from typically 75 to 78. And sometimes completely turning it off to save expenses. I know changes in humidity and the dry pressure makes a lot of difference. My White Oak actually has a few large Acorns finally. The neighbor’s cottonwood tree is making a mess. It seems to me that there are fewer birds because of the heat and lack of rain, but I am still getting hummingbirds and a family of woodpeckers at the sugar water feeder on my front porch that I can watch from the cool inside window. Those tiny hummingbirds birds are so sweet for me to see.
I imagine that you might be getting cabin fever. Although it seems that you have many indoor activities that you like. I spend an hour or two early mornings outside. Then I go indoors, mostly spend my time cleaning, and then I rest. I follow a rule handed down to me from my mother “After 3:00 PM No Work”. I just finished reading a wonderful book. And I will start listening to a CD audio book next.
I received your email and what you did fixed my feed to your blog. I’m grateful because I enjoy reading your blog and learning about what you might be doing. ❤️
Thank you, Teri! I recently bought a Van Gogh poster of beautiful autumn flowers in a blue vase. It’s hanging in my living room and brightens my day. It’s surprising how many florals he did, and kind of adds a dimension to the expression of his personality.
We’re having a brief respite from the heat, if you consider temps in the 80s to be comfortable! I don’t. It’s supposed to return to the 90s next week and I’m not happy about that. But your temps in the 100s must be unbearable. I keep my AC set at 75. I start to feel too warm right before it kicks on.
My flowering dogwood is happy and green with all the rain recently. The drought monitor has gone down to moderate, and I hear the “super” El Niño will be bringing us wetter than normal conditions soon. As always, we should be careful what we wish for. Sometimes life feels like we’re under the constant danger of jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
The deer don’t like the invasive Japanese stilt grass growing in the woods behind my house. It seems to be crowding out the clover they enjoy and I’m not seeing as many of them coming around to graze. Sigh.
I definitely have cabin fever. I can’t wait to get outside again, but for now I’ve been having company in to play board games, and go out to my book club and movies and museums that have air conditioning. The treadmill is getting old, even though I’m listening to audio books while walking on it. But the yoga never gets old!
I’m glad your subscription seems to be working now. Hopefully with the arrival of autumn temperatures I will start taking pictures outside again and have something to share with you and my other readers! 💙
That’s a perfect poster you found as I know you love blue and autumn colors! I agree that 80 & 90s are summer hot temperatures. When it is above 90 I mostly stay inside as being retired I have the flexibility to move around whenever I want. However keeping the AC set to 75 is too cold for me. I tried AC 75 lasts night because I was using the Ai Google tool to help me with ideas on saving money on my AC unit and living with A-Fib. It said not to turn my AC off because of my A-Fib and the Corpus Christi Summer humidity heat would be a high health risk. It suggested keeping it on 79 during the day and turning it to 75 after 7 PM at night with ceiling fan on. I tried the suggestion and I would wake up tense from being too cold. I decided to write my own rules and ignore Ai Google on this topic.
Oh, you are getting more rain than usual! I definitely understand the issues with invasive plants. The deer must adapt to wherever they can find food. It’s a good thing deer travel lightly without baggage like people. But I’m sure you miss seeing them. Are you concerned about living so close to the creek in your backyard?
You are certainly adding new interests to your activities list. I hope that helps with cabin fever. Yes the treadmill would be completely too boring for me! I get a lot of exercise just doing all my property work and home chores that wears me out!
I usually spend 2 hours outside in the early mornings from 7-9 or 8-10. Depending on the mosquitoes!!
I have a male and female hummingbird on my porch feeder this morning keeping me entertained. ❤️💙
High heat and humidity are especially dangerous for people with heart disease. I remember Tim’s cardiologist warning us to never let him get too hot or too cold because high or low temperatures make the damaged heart work extra hard trying to pump the blood to cool off or heat up the body. So it makes sense for you to keep your AC set at a temperature that feels comfortable for you!
I do miss seeing the deer grazing out there. I still see them passing by, but they don’t linger like they used to. The creek isn’t that close to me, it’s a five minute walk and it’s downhill from here. In fact, right before getting to the creek there is a steep decline requiring steps to get down near the water. When we got 10 inches of rain during Tropical Storm Chantal we were fine up here, even though water was rushing by. So I’m guessing we’re pretty safe.
Housework and yardwork do provide plenty of exercise! You’re smart to get outside early in the day when it is cooler. Do you use mosquito repellent? I’m seeing hummingbirds checking out the red roof on my empty bird feeder every day. I bet someone else in the neighborhood is feeding them. I’m debating if I will start feeding the birds in the fall again, after the bear season is over. I’m glad you can enjoy your hummingbirds all the time. 💙
Hi Barbara, That’s pretty cool getting the hummingbirds to your red roof empty (non-chore) feeder! That’s a win to me. 😉 I do have a small can with DEET that I keep in my utility room just incase I have a project that requires me to use it. In general I don’t like the idea of spraying myself with that chemical nor can I stand smelling like it. It’s rare that I have to use it. I must shower immediately afterwards. Instead I have made a home remedy that discourages mosquitoes and benefits my dry skin body. In a recycled plastic non-light container I use Olay Complete Hydration Lotion for sensitive skin fragrance free with some essential oil eucalyptus and tea tree for the benefit of antiseptic and scent. Hummingbirds cannot smell so my scent doesn’t bother them. It keeps bees away too. And I don’t have to shower it off. I don’t use the mix daily. Only if I want to enjoy the porch and those buggers are bugging me.
I have “persistent A-Fib” that I’m keeping controlled with only Digoxin, so I certainly do understand the temperature changes do make my little heart pump more rapidly and randomly. If I begin to feel fatigue, I must rest. 😊 I often think of Tim’s struggle. He managed to do quite a bit for many years.
It’s interesting that when I ask Ai Google exactly the same question including “I have A-Fib.” it gives me a completely different answer! And there’s always the tiny small print that says something like Ai is not a replacement for medical advice and does make mistakes. 🤭
The steep decline of the hill at the creek’s edge might be the best thing to keep floods away from your home. But 5 minute walk is very close! Water moves so rapidly and unexpectedly. Sweat-tember and Hot-ober are quickly approaching. Perhaps the deer will return soon as your fall cools. 🔥🍂🦌
Sounds like you’ve got a good system going there for mosquito protection.
It’s amazing how modern cardiac drugs can keep people living so much longer than they used to with heart diseases. I hope the treatment you’re getting helps your quality of life for a good long time. 🙏🏼 ❤️🩹 💙 I know I’m grateful for the extra 18 years I had with Tim.
AI is funny that way, I’ve had that same experience with getting different answers to the same question. It’s almost as if it has moods and pulls up an answer according to its current mind-set.
We’re starting yet another heat wave today. I’m bracing for the high 90s with high humidity. Longing for my cool New England September weather…
😍 👏🏼
Thank you, Eliza!
This almost looks like crewelwork as the images look three-dimension from the heavy paints.
Interesting observation, Linda. I see what you’re saying and am thinking as an artist yourself you would notice that effect.
Thank you Barbara – it has almost a three-dimensional look if you examine it closely.
Yes!
Shakespeare’s words ring true, but sad. I mourn the end of summer. Although my summer is just a little longer this year than some other districts. Today is the first day of school in several neighboring districts. I go back for the required 2 days of professional development (UGH!) Monday and Tuesday, students come next Wednesday.
My grandchildren started school again on the 24th. When I was a kid, as I recall, school never started before Labor Day. The melancholy sounds of the katydids at night as summer was winding down always reminded me that school days were coming soon. But then I always looked forward to the “-ber” months and the fall leaves changing colors, and apple picking, and cool, crisp, autumn air.