Ann’s Weblog

My friends in “Garden Chat” have been wondering where I disappeared to. I’ve just emailed a couple of them to report that our computer is in the shop, and that I miss so many of them a great deal. I’ll be back posting to my weblog and chatting in the Garden Room as soon as I can.

We’ve been very busy in the garden, at the Farmer’s Market, and taking care of others’ pets, so I haven’t gone looking for the use of any other computer or Internet connection. I do regret if anyone was terribly worried about not seeing me online.

Take care, everyone.

~Ann

First thing this morning, my dear sister phoned to urge me not to feel so blue, and that friends will accept me as I am. That was a lovely step toward having a better day.

We went to a little concert in Dunster last night. This was a nice “date” with hubby! I enjoyed the main performance a lot, and this was a singer from Australia named Emaline Delapaix. Her “band” consisted of a violin player from Tasmania, a bass & guitar player from Liverpool, and “guest” keyboard player Dana Shellmire and drummer Mick Collins. The accoustics in the Dunster Community Hall were crappy for a relatively “big” sound, and many people complained that they couldn’t hear the lyrics properly; my solution was to pre-order “Emaline’s” newest CD which, I believe, will be delightful. After the main performance, Dana Shellmire and a backup singer and guitarist, and the drummer played several tunes which were FAR TOO LOUD and we escaped early. I was thinking “ENOUGH ALREADY!” as they played song after song, and I thought other people were really starting to squirm, also. At any rate, this was a fund-raiser for a new ECOVILLAGE being founded about an hour’s drive from my town of McBride, B.C..

This morning I’ll pick the raspberries again. Goodness! We don’t have a very long row by other’s standards around here, but we get at least a dozen gallon bucketsfull from them and make them into jam, jelly and “raspberry vinegar”, to use and to sell. Raspberry canes are so easy to care for: I wish something that tasted like STRAWBERRIES would grow so easily and not get lost in weeds easily. I do love raspberries too though.

Well, this isn’t getting the work done! I’ll see what mischief I can get into outside, as it looks like another fine day. Woo hoo! TWO good days in a row? Too awesome…

Love, Ann

We are preparing to go down to Vernon to see our friend Sharon’s play at the O’Keefe Ranch. We’re going during the days that we can take my daughter Susan on her days off from cooking at a remote camp. I always love the company of any of my daughters or Gary’s daughter, so I’ve been looking forward to this time. Gary and I haven’t been away together for two whole days for ages.

Even with all that is positive about this little jaunt, as I’ve cleaned up the truck this morning I’ve felt lower and lower. I feel shy about being out “in public”, among the crowds that are at the show and elsewhere on a busy summer weekend in the Okanagan. I’ve not lost the weight this year that I had planned to. I feel old, homely and fat, and I don’t have cool (in any sense of the word) clothes which FIT, and certainly no time to shop while we’re out this weekend. It’s silly: I don’t want to GO and I don’t want to NOT GO. I’ve got over being unhappy about missing Farmer’s Markets because attending the show and travelling when Susan can is much more important. Also, I wouldn’t want to keep Gary and Susan from going.

There is nothing to do but pretend that I feel normal and get through it. And eat less (wan smile). It’s merely a cycle, a “blue” period, that I have to talk myself out of, as always. I have so many blessings. The weather here at home has suddenly turned to SUMMER.

Our friend Zev will be wanting to get haying done just while we planned to be away. Gary will go out to Zev’s farm and help tomorrow, at least, and then get back at it Sunday, if the weather has stayed dry and warm. Not only is he a great help to Zev, Gary at this time of year gets paid in hay, for his horses. If the weather “holds” there will be a lot of relieved hay-making farmers in the Valley!

There are so many things needing doing around here, it’s almost paralyzing. Plenty of “green stuff” in the garden could be harvested, raspberries picked, weeding of terribly neglected flower beds, and household tasks like tidying and cleaning should be done. I’ve been waiting for an order of wholesale jars for my preserves to show up, and then I’ll get back in production with THAT.

I absolutely find it hard to believe that this is AUGUST! I don’t know where the time goes, and our weather has been crappy since at least June. We’ve had rain almost every day, and many days that it just stayed overcast. I need some sun on my face!

Okay, so THIS isn’t getting out to enjoy the warm, sunny day. Thanks to whoever has allowed me to whine through this blog; I haven’t been keeping a paper journal, so this is my outlet on the good days and the blue days.

Take care, dear reader. Will write again soon.

~Ann