Hot Days Ahead

It's a challenge to keep the house cool on such hot days. The routine of opening the house in the early morning and running the house fan is becoming familiar. Waiting to cook and run appliances until after sundown is more difficult. I predict there will be a lot of outdoor cooking this summer and I'm looking forward to using the summer garden veggies. Only a couple more weeks of school left and we will adapt to a new routine. Walk before the heat and spend the rest of the day at the pool with a picnic in tow.

It's a Beautiful Day

Morning walk
Winding paths
Sunlit fig leaves
Red cherries
Music meanders
Gentle guitar plays
On a balcony
A Grandmother rocks a newborn babe

Now, it's time to bake bread.

Garden Breakfast

Before delving into the monotonous chores, I decided to get a little more creative with my breakfast and use up some of those greens my Aunt gave me yesterday. Beet greens sautéed with red onions and garlic, topped with a poached egg and a Dijon vinaigrette seemed like a good start to the day. Ok, now I can move on.

Greens

 

Our refrigerator was lacking in the veggie department but thankfully I ran into my Aunt on my walk this morning, she enthusiastically loaded me down with armfuls of greens and turnips. The cleaning process can be tedious so I do them all at once, prepping for the week versus going through the process daily. Our own garden is mostly in with many tomatoes and basil still happy even after all the wind the other day. A few peppers, some oregano, thyme and lavender will complete my view from the kitchen window. Bring on the summer bounty!

Reconnecting

Our 4th home in the Shire, feeling so much more connected in this new space. I'm eager to get tomatoes, basil, peppers, thyme, oregano and eggplant in the ground right outside my kitchen window. Without air-conditioning we are forced into new patterns, opening doors and windows early in the morning and turning the house fan on to draw in the cool air before closing up and drawing the blinds. By 8pm we let the delta breeze do their work, blowing out the sunbaked house. I'm actually enjoying the smells and sounds of the neighborhood; flowers are blooming the neighbors occasionally play their fiddles out in their courtyard and the children play in the lane. I'm appreciating and rediscovering my Village.