Sipping with friends!

A circle of wonderful friends.

Some only known virtually, so far.

Others already met in person. . . . . and even looking 

forward to meeting up again once travel is back on 

the books!

Thankful for all these years of blogging and the many

super people it has brought into my life.

Thankful for blogging friends who recommend good things which help 
us through the days and weeks making life even more pleasant.

Meike (Germany), on her wonderful blog From My Mental Library gave

 me a heads up recently on Fentiman's English Botanically Brewed

 'ROSE LEMONADE' which I was able to locate at our World Market 

store last weekend.  This is such a refreshing, and pretty,

drink for the hot weather. Meike suggested make a Rose Gin & Tonic

 with it. I just drank it straight up, secretly thinking ~ "This is just as good

as a fine French sparkling rosé wine!"

I would love to meet up with Meike if I get back to Germany some day.

I passed along this drink to another dear blog friend, Marilyn (Portland, 

Oregon) of Delights Of The Heart who is really suffering with the

 unimaginable heatwave in her area. She can use anything chilled

 to drink this week. She's already made popsicles and gazpacho!

 Marilyn, whom I've met - lucky me - is a tea specialist.

She knows a ton of stuff about tea that even I, a Brit, never knew!

Herbs - Pesto - Growing your Garden.

. . . . . . for late June.

I'm growing all these herbs - and they are doing well.

As it's so unbearably hot in many places across the country here right

now, I'm thinking a really 'green post' will be a little cooling!

First pots of Genovese basil are now being harvested for pesto.

Of course there should be garlic here also!!!!!  Lots of it.

Using walnuts this year - pine nuts are just so expensive.

I add a little lemon juice to keep the bright green color.

Good ingredients, as always, make good, healthy foods.

Extra virgin olive oil, real Parmigiana Reggiano cheese freshly grated, 

fresh nuts of your choice are a must.

These small square Ziploc storage containers are the perfect size for

 pesto - I share a lot and pack the freezer with the rest. 

Big pot of sage, smells so good.

Pots of thyme - regular and lemon.

The long leaves? My amaryllis bulbs over-summering - will repot for 

the house come early winter.

More pots of basil planted later, also more dill. . . . . .. 

. . . . . . because the flowers are tall and pretty. 

The current 'kitchen window' vase is of course filled with basil also!

Are you growing herbs?

Which is your favorite?

Mine has to be basil. . . . . . and hopefully there will soon be

locally grown tomatoes available to make fresh summer dishes.

Yesterday - in the shadows. . . . . .

Yesterday was one of those days - you know, those days when things just don't feel quite right. It could have been the weather, dull, dreary, dark, with threatening rain which didn't come until the afternoon, then drizzled for a while, then poured for a good half hour and watered the garden which of course was good. 

Yesterday I also received bad news from France where my brother was playing in a tennis tournament, reached the finals, and then badly injured a knee - has to wait almost a week for an MRI - and is hardly able to move with a lot of pain! 

Meanwhile, Bob went for his annual physical - it seems all is good despite his recent AFib diagnosis and having to take a blood thinner from hereon out.  He looks amazing and will turn 81 on July 5 - following the fireworks displays of July 4th which his mother always said were in honor of his impending arrival!!!  

I didn't do much of interest yesterday. . . . . . . but was happy when the postman delivered another long overdue UK Country Living magazine, this being the April issue! They are so late arriving due to shipping now by sea rather than air from England since COVID arrived. This is my favorite magazine and keeps me up to date with all I need to know about my far away home. Even after traveling the world there really is "no place like home."  I usually don't stop and literally put my feet up much during the day. . . . . .yesterday I did!

. . . . . .and today?  The sun is trying its best to come out this morning but it's obviously struggling. More showers later, then a five day spell of very hot, dry weather which will require time back in the garden to keep things in check.

Summer in the south is not easy to deal with but somehow we manage.  Would I like to live somewhere else? In all honesty, yes I would, but it's not going to happen this late in life. I used to dream of returning to an English village and living in a pretty 'chocolate-box cottage' ~ now and then a seaport town in New England calls ~ or, if we'd gone wild and moved to the French village some years back, I would at least be there to help my sister-in-law care for my brother.  As active as he is I'm betting he's currently a force to be reckoned with!

More news from the front porch -

How unexpected and exciting!

Yesterday when watering I discovered a rarely seen garden visitor of 

mammoth proportions for its species. A glorious hawk moth - sometimes

 called the 'hummingbird moth' because it's about the same size - sleeping

 under the shade of the morning glory leaves which I'm training

up the porch rails. Note how it clings with its outstretched legs.

It doesn't bite or sting, but apparently when it flies it buzzes.

Its wingspan would be about 4 inches - this is no tiny moth such as

the devils who search through our closets for our cashmere sweaters!

What a beauty!

Pandorus Sphinx Moth : Eumorpha pandorus

Hawk moths are fast fliers and nocturnal. The Pandorus Sphinx Moth

 sports a camouflage pattern of army green color with earthy undertones. 

The rotund abdomen has a dark green band followed by a bright white band

 just after the head and thorax area. The rest of the abdomen is a lighter 

shade of muted green. The head and thorax are mostly cream colored with

 dark green stripe running down the middle.  Thorax sides are dark green. 

Wings are narrow and aerodynamic, unlike the wide feathery wings seen

 in many other moths. 

Nature went all out when painting this beauty.

The Pandorus Sphinx Moth drinks nectar from various flowers

 so it is most likely to be found in gardens, vineyards, near rivers, or

 in meadows. It can also be found near forest edges or blending in with

 the foliage inside woodlands. This species is attracted to lights at night

 and is active from spring through fall. It enjoys warmer climates and is

 best viewed at dusk or dawn, when it is most active.

This is what they love - moonflowers and morning glories. 

I have both growing up the porch with a few morning glory blooms

already, but the moonflowers will come later - this photo above was

 from another summer.

The moth remained all day and I was excited to share it with granddaughter

 Jasmin who came to supper - we grilled out and dined in the gazebo as it

 was a perfect evening. 

Later, after dark, when saying goodbye to Jasmin, and watching that 

awesome rising of the last super moon of this year, the 'Strawberry Moon', 

I noticed the moth had left on its search for supper. . . . . and it's not here

 this morning. 

Sadly, their lifespan is a brief 30 days or so. I'm now searching

 for their fat green caterpillars - maybe they'll be around later when

 the moonflowers bloom!

Any surprise visitors to your garden lately?

Have a fabulous weekend wherever you are.

 

Refreshing the front porch -

Yesterday I went shopping. 

No, not grocery shopping which seems to be what I've done mostly since

 the pandemic started. This was real 'go with a girl friend' shopping to a

 store well known here in the USA, HOMEGOODS!  

We had a ball - the type of fun one can only have with

 a true friend of many, many years.  A friend whom you know so well

 and are so comfortable with, you can share all and anything, laugh,

 giggle, shed a tear, and on looking back you've done it all and more in

 thirty five plus years. . . . . . that's how I feel when with Loretta. 

She has been an awesome friend in so many ways and I love her dearly.

Our small house has a small front porch. It's nothing spectacular but it is
 a place to enjoy the outdoors. Bob and I sit out there a lot, especially in

 the late afternoon at this time of year - usually with a drink, sometimes

 a snack, and something to read. People stop to visit now and then. 

With distancing of the past months we have felt safe entertaining

 one or two at a time with a cup of tea or glass of wine in the open air.

We do a lot of waving and have short chats with passersby - usually the 

younger neighbors who pull off their earbuds and pocket their phones

for a few minutes which is appreciated. The cul-de-sac stays busy 

enough with turning delivery vehicles, dog walkers, a few younger

 children on trikes, and some runners usually in the cooler air of

 morning.

So did I buy anything?

Just this all cotton, woven in Turkey, casual mat. I like the pattern and

 blue and white colors, and think it just brightens up the concrete floor

 of the porch for these summer afternoons. It's machine washable

 if necessary, however I think I'd probably just hose it off and let it

 dry in the sun. It's a bit hefty and might finish off my aging

 washing machine!

Have a feeling the hydrangeas may require a major pruning soon - or we'll be 

invisible on the porch - or rather too secluded and will miss all the action 

in the street. . . . . . .or perhaps be forgotten about, lol!

Do you have a front porch?

Do your neighbors stop to chat?

What would you enjoy drinking on the porch on a

 hot summer afternoon?

A nice French rosé is chilled and waiting!

 

Linen and straw . . . . . . .

Have you gone shopping for your summertime wardrobe this year?

I haven't been in a clothing store for ages but did purchase a couple of

items online from J.Jill - linen pants and a really nice very lightweight

 linen duster coat which will be a great summer travel piece. We have

 planned our annual trip to New England for later in July, having

 missed going last year. Travel time will be here soon, I'm excited.

It's odd that I have no real desire to shop for clothing as I usually do

 with the arrival of a new season. In all honesty I just haven't been

 excited by what is offered this year.

I went through my wardrobe pre-spring, donating a lot of clothes that

I just was tired of, or knew I wouldn't wear. Travel plans were still 

undecided - will we go, can we go etc. at that time.

My favorite Summer clothes seem to be pieces I've had for a while,

 some which I've liked for a very long while and can't give up yet!  

I enjoy the basics for hot, humid days here in the southeast............cotton

 or linen tee shirts, loose linen tops, a couple of longer linen skirts - have

 you noticed skirts are so much cooler than pants in summer - and

 loose-fitting linen pants cropped above the ankle. I now only own one

 pair of shorts - they are longer, to the knee - veins are not pretty on older

 people so remain hidden where possible!

Linen spray brings out the best in freshly laundered bed and bath linens. 

I have to admit that although I really don't mind wrinkles in my linen

 clothing, nothing is more special than resting my head on a smooth

 linen pillow case, and drying my face with an antique linen hand towel, 

both ironed to perfection!

But then there's straw!

Definitely not smooth, but beautifully textured and natural, 

a must have for summer.

Bags, hats, even touches on sandals. . . . . . all look good in straw.

Summer accessories crafted from straw are always fun.

With the hot sunny days ahead I often enjoy a woven sun hat.

It used to protect my color when a red head, but even now

 as a member of the silver-haired club I'll continue to wear one

when out and about, and in the garden. . . . . hopefully those

 wide brims may help to keep the other kind of wrinkles away!

Today I'm remembering fathers everywhere. 

Mine was one of the best . . . . . . your dad too!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.

When you grow a garden.............

This past week you would have found me in the garden every day.  

Not sitting a lot, mostly working, but now and then taking a quick

break and making time for a little dreaming.

The weather held with plenty of sunshine, quite hot and no rain.

The felling of the three large trees along with stump grinding and

pruning of smaller trees, left a lot of areas requiring clean up, 

tidying and mulching. 

Today will be really hot, 95F and all I plan to do outside is some

watering on the plants in pots - mostly herbs - as the next several

days show rain off and on which the garden really needs.

How special it is to have flowers one has grown and can then

cut and arrange to enjoy inside. The hydrangeas are starting to 

fade fast from so much sunshine, their beautiful cobalt blues turning to

dusty shades of pink, grey, green, lavender . . . . . . pale but still lovely.

Have a great weekend.

Monday again and it's Flag Day!

 

Last week never stopped or slowed down despite rain and workmen.

Neither did we!

Tree felling consisted of removing three trees, two more very tall oaks - one

 hit by lightning and dying, one smothered in ivy which had been cut at the

 base but also looking near death's door!  The third, a smaller hickory, was

 growing into a large oak and blocking the sun. We need to keep that area

 drier. . . . . . and hopefully this will enable us to add more grass around the

 potting shed and deck areas.

Between feeding (baking muffins and cookies) and watering the tree crew of

five for two days - which BTW included a lovely young woman - I picked the

 tasty Genovese basil and made the first batch of seasonal pesto. 

There were other firsts, dahlias opening - a glowing Grandpa Ott

 morning glory. . . . . . . .

. . . . . .. and Ms. Deer, beautiful and gentle but enjoying siphoning off the

 bird seed three days in a row, so the feeder is now remaining empty in

 hopes she'll move on to another garden!

 

The rains have left and we are due to have a dry, sunny, and quite hot week.

Still working outside and, as I write, Bob is mowing the grass. I'm off to clean

the sawdust covered windows in back of the cottage.

Life is busy at this time of year. . . . . . actually any time of year

 around here.