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| Scorched Succulents |
Didn't we just begin September? How can it be one week into the month, already? This has been a week of hot, sometimes record breaking, heat.
Yesterday, Tuesday, I relaxed and took it easy during the heat of the day. Then, in the evening, I cleaned the litter box and the fridge, took the kitchen composting bits to the compost pile in the garden, took the trash cans to the curb (since Monday was a holiday, the usual Tuesday pick up got done on Wednesday), and watered the front garden. Aunt C called and friend R called and neighbor S called to ask if I'd like more fried fish and a tray of cut up vegetables and dip that someone gave her! I asked her if she didn't want to keep them for herself, but, she said she had enough, so, she brought over the extras:
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| Veggie Tray and More Fried Fish |
I told S that I will not need to go grocery shopping this week!
Today, Wednesday, it was slightly cooler in the morning (in the 90s), but, we went up to 104F in the afternoon. I brought the trash cans in, opened the gate for M, and took a couple of photos of the front garden. When M arrived to water the garden, I asked him to pick the rest of the Asian pears that were on the tree because they were getting baked in the sun!
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| Freshly Picked Asian Pears |
It's a mixture of varieties because the tree has four different varieties grafted onto it. I really can't tell the difference in taste between the varieties, but, some are crispier and juicier and some are softer and sweeter. It's not a big harvest, but, this is only the second year for the tree and I'm just grateful that it produced anything at all with our drought and heat! I gave M a couple of them and he ate one immediately and said it was very sweet and took the other with him.
Later, I called neighbor S and asked her if she'd like to have a couple of the Asian pears (I know her daughter N loves them) and she said she would. I took her two of the larger fruits and also a classical music CD (some of Mozart's compositions) which came with its own book about the composer. I thought she might enjoy listening to the CD or, she could give it to one of her music students. In return, she gave me more gata (in the plastic bag) and freshly made bakalava that she had baked!
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| Baklava and Gata |
I enjoyed a piece of the baklava with a cup of tea after I came home.
Breakfast had been a freshly picked Asian pear. Lunch was the last piece of pizza I had frozen. Baklava for tea. Haven't decided on what to have for dinner as I am not hungry, yet (it is 9:00 p.m. as I type this).
Today, I am grateful for:
- We still have electricity to run the fans
- M tending to the garden
- Freshly picked Asian pears from the garden
- Being able to share some of the fruit with M and with S
- Receiving more delicious food from S!
Today's joyful activity was sharing some of the fruit from my garden.
I am not making any plans for tomorrow! It's going to be another triple digit day. I did receive a notification that the car was due to the next scheduled maintenance, so, I'll probably call and make an appointment. At least it will be air conditioned at the car dealers waiting area! LOL.
How was your Wednesday? Any plans for Thursday?
You're doing really well for gifts of food this week and all look delicious.
ReplyDeleteI don't know ow you cope in the extreme heat, take care.
I'm blessed with many gifts of food, this week, and it is all quite tasty, too! I enjoy warm weather, Eileen, but, even I am ready for a day of slightly cooler temperatures! Saturday is supposed to be cool and the forecast calls for rain, as there is a hurricane headed up the coast! Amazing! We don't normally get hurricanes!
DeleteYou mentioned S and her students. Are you thinking about piano lessons again?
ReplyDeleteI've thought about it, June, but, I think I'm going to hold off on them for now. I should get back to it before my brain turns to mush, though! :D
DeleteI think you're sensible, resting during the hottest part of the day. As your temperature stay high, ours has dropped considerably. Today the high was 22ºc in this area as well as several heavy rain showers.
ReplyDeleteS is so generous. The food she's given you looks delicious and it was lovely of you to share your pears with her and with M. I keep forgetting to ask you ... have you given up on piano lessons completely or is it still something you plan to get back to one day?
I've had a quiet day today (Thursday), just pottering.
I'm glad you are having cooler temperatures and some rain, since I know it's much needed. It has been cooler here (low 90s), this morning, with a cloud cover and some breeze! But, the forecast says it will go up to 103F by afternoon. There is actually some rain in the forecast for Saturday! Compliments of Hurricane Kay! I am thinking I might have to ask M to take the a/c unit off the window, because, when it is up and we get rain, the rain drips down the sides of the unit and soaks the window sill and the wall as there isn't a tight, waterproof seal around the unit.
DeleteIt was very kind and generous of S to share so much food with me. I feel that the few Asian pears I shared with her don't compare! I haven't quite given up on the piano lessons, but, I'm dragging my feet on resuming them. I'm wondering if it is one of those bucket list things that will go on the alternate list. I'm giving myself a little more time to consider.
I'm glad you are having a relaxed day. I'm trying to motivate myself to get a few things accomplished while it is still cool, relatively speaking (92F/33C).
Maybe it's the formality of the actual lessons. Would you enjoy it more if you just carried on working through pieces by yourself without the stress of having to get it perfect?
DeleteYes, I think I might do that. I found myself getting stressed when it was time for lessons, although the reason for stopping them was the sciatica. Afterwards, I found it difficult to sit at the piano for any length of time and, I must admit, enjoyed not having to practice! :D
DeleteMore food! Your neighbours must think you need fattening up! Your poor succulents have really had a baking. I hope they will recover once the worst of the heat is past. In the past couple of days I have seen two yukkas in bloom! Amazing. I have never seen that before and wonder if I was just unobservant or whether perhaps they have enjoyed our hot summer.
ReplyDeleteMy Thursday was ok for the most part, till my sister messaged me to ask if I had seen the news. I knew broadly what was going on but went downstairs to watch the BBC coverage. I turned it off after about 45 minutes because they were repeating themselves but a couple of hours later a headline flashed up on the computer so I turned back on. Such horrible news which I had not expected when I woke up today.
Yes, more food! I'm going to freeze some of the fried fish, shall I save a piece for when you visit? The succulents will recover, eventually. We are expecting rain over the weekend! Yucca flowers are pretty, aren't they? I have a cluster of flowers on one of my yucca plants, too. Apparently, they are edible, but, I haven't tried eating them!
DeleteI, too, have been watching the news coverage of the Queen's passing. May she rest in peace.
I hope September will slow down a little! Your Asian pears look interesting. Our son has an apple tree with 4 varieties grafted onto it. I think S is making sure that you are well nourished, but I am sure that fresh pears and a Mozart CD were equally welcome to her. I do hope you get some relief from the heat and maybe even some rain, but not leakage in the bedroom window!
ReplyDeleteI have been listening to the radio quite a lot since the news that the Queen died. Then I took a walk down to the river which is so peaceful on a calm day. I couldn't help thinking that DH was missing it with his travels. No doubt he will be anxious to go down there when he returns at the weekend.
Time seems to going by too quickly! It seems to happen each year, as we approach the end of the year, I think. The poor Asian pears didn't have the best growing conditions, but, they have provided a bit of a treat. :)
DeleteThank you, Bushlady; I was happy to have something to give S in return. :)
I am looking forward to some rain. I think I will ask M to take the a/c unit down! The forecast calls for cooler temperatures next week. I can ask him to put it up, again, if needed.
A walk to the river sounds delightful, Bushlady. I'm sure your DH will enjoy a walk to the river when he returns home.
I've been spending the evening watching news coverage of the Queen's death; such a remarkable life of service!
Well, so much for the menu plan! Gifts of food is a good problem to have. The baklava looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteThe news shows that is still very hot for you. I was hoping things would cool off a bit. I'm glad you're not doing much. It's too hot and the housework will wait that's for sure.
I hope this car service appointment is more affordable than your last one. I remember that was a pricey visit.
I had my own pricey car repair a few weeks back - $1600!!
But my car is good to go now for a while.
Now I have a washing machine situation. The repairman is coming Tuesday so we will see what he says. In the meantime I have gone to the laundromat for the first time in decades. The good thing is they have those huge machines so my two loads turned into one and I was in and out in 30 minutes. (I brought it home to dry.)
LOL! I decided not to even bother with a meal plan, this week! :D I am not complaining. Gifts of food are very welcome and a blessing! The baklava was delicious! I love baklava!
DeleteIt continues to be warm, but, now they are forecasting that we will have some rain over the weekend and the heatwave will end. It is cloudy and 98F, today. I am going to ask M to take the a/c unit down because, in previous years, rain has leaked in with the unit in the window.
Oh, I'm so sorry you had such an expensive car repair, but, glad it's good to go for a while. Hope your washing machine can be repaired and it won't be too costly. I'm glad you were able to get the laundry done at the laundromat!
My car service wasn't too costly and I won't need anything done for another 6 months, I was told, and it would be a regular oil change then.
I love the idea of so many varieties grafted on a single tree. There's a tree growing in a hedge locally that has both crab apples and normal apples which I always found fascinating.
ReplyDeleteHaving many varieties grafted on a single tree is a wonderful way of making the most of the garden space. I seem to recall you posting a photo of that apple and crabapple tree, a couple of years ago! :)
ReplyDelete