June Catch-up (including one hot dog)

Oh June was a full month and I didn't take nearly enough pictures and I didn't keep up the blog. 

Now I am inspired by the Bloomingtonauts (who did take lots of pictures!) to do a little catching up.

Our themes for June:  company and performance!

Granddad was delighted to have company on the front porch of Garden Villa, where he is now staying.

He was so happy that folks came such a long way just to see him!

Then the Bloomingtonauts arrived to begin several weeks of activity,

in which we managed to get in lots of typical Bloomington sights--

the Farmer's Market

the B-Line trail

Lake Griffy

and our old house, now completely redone.

Wow!  You should see inside!

Check out the article about it in Bloom Magazine.

(Scroll down, it's the "50's Ranch Reinvented near Bryan Park" )

We had celebrations --

Father's Day

and Midsummer.

There was storytelling

(we taught a two week course together)

and singing --

Granddad is even singing along, "Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts..."

In fact he is still telling us about the evening when the Bloomingtonaut played and sang songs that he actually knew!

And we got to hear the Bloomingtonaut's original songs performed on stage at Max's Place.

Okay, July, come on - can you top all this?

Take me out...

Take me out to the ball game

Take me out with the crowd

buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks

I don't care if I never come back

'cause it's root, root, root for the home team

If they don't win it's a shame

and it's one,

two,

Three! strikes

You're out at the old ball game!

August Outside

I'll continue my August retrospective with some happy outdoor memories.

One would be hiking with my brother by the "lake" that isn't currently a lake -- I know that looks like water behind him but it is actually dense deep weeds in the sun.

We did find some water on that hike, off the trail and down to the creek that fed the lake.  There was almost enough to skip stones...and I was with a champion stone skipper!

On the hottest afternoon of the whole week we took off for a real lake,  racing across the burning beach to get to the --ahhhh--cool water.

We floated up and down with the gentle waves and wondered where everyone else was.

Wouldn't you think on a fine hot afternoon like this that the water would be full of folks?  We swam, waded, built sandy structures, and pretty much had the place to ourselves.  One of us sat in the shade up on the hill with a good book, and I am NOT sharing the picture of the chair that ripped apart when I joined her and sat down in it. 

Hot?  You need something cold.  Cold and sweet.  So many choices, it was hard to decide...

but, YUM, when you got exactly the best flavor ever!

Bring on the ice cubes

The Bloomingtonauts sailed back in to Indiana's hot August weather after a stay in the cool Virginia mountains.  

Our thermometer says 100 degrees (F).

We're staying cool and pretty much inside.

Doesn't mean we don't go out - just that we go out to places with air conditioning.

Which so far tend to be places to eat or drink.

We're picking out cold soups and crisp salads to eat and cool drinks to sip.

Here is today's refreshing and energizing summer drink --

cucumber puree, juniper soda, and a sprig of thyme.

Yum!

The visit of the Pless People

Hello to the Pless People, who made a stop in B'town yesterday! We had perfect summer weather to welcome you.
I'm glad you like exploring.

The pool was at its peak of growth, full of cattails and pickerel weed and waterlilies and big frogs.

There was even an entertaining turtle to pet and watch,


and an opportunity for everyone to relax.

We had to sift a few leaves and spiders out of the sand, which turned out to be just the sort of work we like.

After a picnic with Mimi and Hoosierkitty, (with fresh Michigan blueberries, thank you!) we were glad to float around in the cool refreshing pool.

We're so glad you came to see us!

Hope the rest of your trip is fun too.

Heat Index = 101

Oh we love getting wet when it's hot! Water! Chase it down! Get all wet! Love that hose! Woof woof woof!
Not so fond of drying off.

Too bad Dog can't join us in the pool.
Wish you all were here to get wet too!

Tops and bottoms

In June we eat the tender tops - garlic scapes.
In July I take up some tender bottoms -

homegrown garlic, strong and sweet.

P.S. Don't worry, I left plenty in the ground to fill out for Fall.

July comes in like an oven

Can it really be old hot July already?

Let's see - 90 degrees or above? check.

Mosquitoes? check.

Insidious poison ivy? check.

Little baby toads hopping everywhere? check.

Teenage crows squawking all afternoon? check.

Impossible traffic through the construction zones? check.

Swimming pool green with algae? check.

Turn over the calendars, folks, it's really July.

Time to seek out some serene shade and contemplate summer.

Saturday evening post

Saturday evening - Our first summer picnic!
Granddad was ready and waiting long before company arrived and food was produced.





It was fine weather for sitting outside - not too hot, a little breeze, a few clouds to moderate the sun.






We had fine company for conversation and celebration.

Plate on head? Now it is officially a party.

We had plenty of picnic fare from nuts to watermelon, salad from our CSA share and an English cheddar from a farm near the town of Cheddar.

Some bubbly to toast our two honorees - the one with a new job and the one with a birthday.





There was a marvelous birthday torte provided by HoosierKitty.

And Mimi loved the torte, the champagne and the funny plates..

featuring picnic ants.

Does this remind you of something?
It should. Remember how Mimi used to sprinkle little plastic ants across the picnic table at the farm?

Another happy Summer memory!