Midweek

 

Freshly Picked Garden Greens

It's Wednesday, already!  We have been having a week of really nice, warm weather, with the daytime highs in the mid to upper 80s (F).  My kind of weather, as most of you know.  

Monday was the 16th anniversary of my mother's death.  I had dreamt of her, early that morning, and in my dream, she was asking me what there was to eat because she was hungry.  I woke up feeling very unsettled, but, later, I called the Temple and spoke with one of the monks (he's the most senior monk at that Temple, similar to a Christian abbot, I suppose, and he's also one of the monks my mother taught English to when he first arrived in the States).  He assured me that he and the other monks will say a prayer of blessing for her during that evening's puja (prayer service).  I fretted about not being able to bring some alms to the Temple due to Covid, etc., but, he reassured me that I can do so at a later date, when things are better.  

Later, at noon, I picked up my groceries; I had bought a bouquet of flowers to take to the cemetery, so, after I put away the perishables, I visited my mother's grave.

After I came home, I made some egg salad for our lunch, watered the back garden, picked more peapods, called and spoke with cousin P, and chatted with friend R.  My daughter picked a bunch of greens from the garden - purple mustard greens, purple mizuna leaves, some chard leaves, some beetroot leaves, and a few Japanese spinach leaves.  She made a salad for us, but, the purple mustard greens are a bit too peppery for me when raw.  Later, I took the rest of the leaves she picked and sauteed them to have with dinner (the cooked mustard leaves aren't that peppery).  

On Tuesday, I did two loads of laundry, watered the front garden, brought in the trash cans (I had taken them out to the curb on Monday for trash pick up on Tuesday morning), spoke with friend A, spoke with friend R, too,, boiled mung beans for brunch and cooked ground turkey and a vegetable stir-fry for dinner, did the dishes, cleaned the litter box, and swept the bathroom.  Watched some Olympics, too.  

Today, Wednesday, M came to do the garden in the late morning.  I enlisted his help to clear the garden shed.  The shed had been on my "mile long" to do list for a long time.  I had listed it with my monthly goals several times and each time, it got postponed.  I put it back on the list this month and after Eileen at A Bracelet of Days had asked me if there were any outdoors work I can get done since I can't do some of the indoors work on my to do list because of my reluctance to have workers come inside due to Covid concerns, I decided that I will focus on the shed clearing.

The garden shed has lots of empty planters, some odds and ends, and a heap of aluminum cans and glass bottles that I had been collecting to take to the recycling center!  Taking these items to the recycling center meant you got paid a certain amount per pound (rates depend on whether it is glass, aluminum, or plastic).  I used to collect several months' worth of cans and bottles and receive enough money to make it feel worth my while to do so.  But, I hadn't been able to take them to the recycling center for at a year before Covid and I have now decided that I will not be taking them to the recycling center any time soon.  So, they will be put into the blue recycling bin that the City collects, instead.  Today, M filled the blue recycling bin with some of the cans and bottles.  There are at least enough cans and bottles to fill another bin, but, I have to wait until this lot is collected, next week!  After the recycling has been removed, we will sort through what else is in the shed.  M asked me what my plans were for the shed - I think I would like to have all the garden supplies stored in it, including the bags of potting soil, etc., that are stored in the garage!  Cleaning the garage is next on the agenda!  

In the afternoon, I picked a small bunch of osteospermum flowers and took them, along with a bag of lemons and some oranges, to friend R.  It was another curbside visit, with both of us wearing our masks.  She returned some of my food containers together with a bunch of celery she had picked up for me at the Armenian store.  She wouldn't accept any money for the celery, though.

In the evening, I spoke with my half-sister and watched more Olympics coverage.

For dinner, my daughter and I had leftovers as planned - salmon, rice, green beans, sauteed greens, with some zucchini chutney.  Cherries for dessert.  I might have had some potato chips for a snack, later!  LOL.

Today, I am grateful for:

- M helping with the garden and the shed!
- Fresh garden produce
- Being able to exchange citrus for celery with friend R
- Phone calls with my half-sister
- The lovely warm weather we are having

Today's joyful activity was the curb-side visit with friend R.

Plans for tomorrow include some tidying and cleaning.

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?