Hi, my friends.
I’ve missed quite a few days, I know. Yes, we got the garlic hung up… there were almost 300 heads!
Our days are mostly fun and productive. We just shelled a five gallon bucket of peas while watching T.V.; that makes scarcely a couple of quarts for the freezer, but OH! they are tasty.
I had an awesome time at the Farmer’s Markets this weekend. The weather was good and lots of people stopped. I sold about 5 dozen jars of jam, a bunch of produce (peas, carrots, cabbage, garlic, beets), cheesecake by the slice, some perennial plants, and more. I chatted with folks from all over the country and from further away.
The kennels have been almost beyond full. Now, a few have gone home and I feel more relaxed… for me 14 or 16 dogs boarding makes life pretty hectic, and I feel when there are 8 or 10 they get a fairer measure of attention. While I stood at the Community Market on Friday, my week ahead for pet grooming became all “booked up”, as people would see me and ask about an appointment for their pooch (or cat).
I have another friend who died from cancer this week. She was only 60 years old. Last summer this friend and I were commiserating about “weight control”, and I remarked that she seemed to have done well if she was trying to lose weight. She said, “Well, Ann, I’ve been sick, and haven’t told very many people. But hey, as far as weight loss… it’s getting the job done!”. I feel extra sad to remember that conversation. Be careful what you wish for.
I didn’t write in my weblog that the friend who gave me Kelly, the cat, has also died. Gosh, this is tough. I’m feeling pretty spooked as friends keep winking out.
A dear elderly friend had two strokes about 10 days ago; I’ve known this lady for thirty years, since she was approximately the age that I am now. She drove me to the hospital when I was about to give birth for the first time and has been a pal and confidante. She never turned her back on me when I left the farm at Dunster, so many years ago. And now it looks like M. will be unable to care for herself ever again, after being so kind and nurturing to so many others; it seems too cruel.
Another friend has just lost her husband to Alzheimer’s; it’s one of those situations where many people say that it’s “a blessing”. Still it is such a sadness, and part of the tragedy was that the man’s life was such hell for several years.
I was going to say something about working at feeling joyful while we can, and that didn’t seem quite what I wanted to say. We WILL feel joy while we can… live, love, maybe travel, spend our money, mend fences, eat good food, help others. It doesn’t usually feel like “work” for me to have that joie de vivre, though sometimes THAT irritates others. If we all have to meet the same fate, why NOT view the glass as half full instead of half empty, while we have life?
Ah, I’ve worn myself out with emotion again. Pictured at the top is a bouquet that I picked this afternoon.
The chihuahua picture above is “Kita” who has become an occasional boarder. This is, I think, the fourth time I’ve looked after her. We are “great friends” now, but the first time that this little dog stayed with us, it took about four days before I could even TOUCH her without her lunging at me with teeth bared. I kept a leash on her and let her drag it about the house, and I just picked it up when it was time to go outside. That first time, Kita stayed with us for 2 weeks, and we were buddies by the time she went home. Now she seems to look forward to seeing both Gary and I, and as you can see, Kita allows herself time on the couch for naps AND overnight, occasionally visiting her open kennel in the kitchen for snacks. I still walk her on the leash when we go outside, and she still objects strenuously to getting her little toenails trimmed (it gets done anyway).
Thank you for reading my weblog. ~Ann
