PORCH PONDERINGS

Father's Day

So today is Father's Day and the second day of Summer. Summers fleeting here in Montana. Grab it while you can. Today it has been sunny then raining then sunny. Good for the garden.

Father's Day is a non-event for us. No children here, no parents. We married in our mid-50's. We don't have children we share. Hubby's kids live in Virginia, mine live in Ohio and California. No children want to visit here with any regularity. In fact, when we announced we were leaving Ohio back in 2000, our families pretty much thought we were nuts. And then when we announced Montana would become our home, well, you'd think we left the country and moved to Siberia. Our attitude? Their loss, not ours. We love living here, away from the craziness.

In honor of hubby being a father, I baked him cake. A real chocolate cake with chocolate icing. No box baking in this house. Everything is made from scratch. We figure we have the time, we have the ingredients, and we love the process. Why not? Things taste better and are better for you if you make them yourself.

As the summer solstice now is over, the days will start getting ever so slightly shorter. I dread that. I live for light. My house would not have curtains if we lived in the country. I can't understand people with houses all boarded up, or with dark heavy curtains summer and winter. I need the light.

The chimes at the Catholic Church are now going off. Must be 5 PM. I love that sound. Drives the neighbor dogs mad, but to me it is so comforting, almost like being in a big city with a cathedral nearby.

The handyman is also here. He came by earlier to do some drywall. Now he is back to check his work. I hope this process is done in a few days so we can paint this room. Then we'll redo the floors in there. Then hang the ceiling fan. Then find some hardware for the closet. Then put up the woodwork. Then....then....then.....then........eventually move into the room and sleep in a bigger bedroom.

My garden is going great guns. Corn is growing - in Ohio it should be 'knee high by the 4th of July'. Mine is right on schedule for that. We're eating kale in salads, there are tomatoes on the vine, the potatoes are growing, the beets are going well, the carrots are going well, and I have one raspberry bush that is doing pretty good. So, great garden news so far.

I enjoying the cool days of summer in the far North, everyone. Keep safe and healthy.



Queen Norma Jean