WTF-Beta

titivating…

He came at just the right time. Glad to hear words of encouragement for Mr. WTG.

I’m not a runner, but I think I get how you feel about peers/not peers.

The hydrangeas have begun blooming

It’s been very warm here, and I was away for the weekend, so there’s a little bit of crispiness on some of these.

I love these. This plant was a from a 1 gallon bucket 20 years ago. It’s huge now.

Not a bloom, but past bloom! The blueberries are in high season. We planted 3 bushes about 25 years ago; one of those remains. I added one more, but it ripens a little later, so most of these are from the original bush. I’ve picked 3 gallons so far.

The raspberries are from plants the kids gave me about 10 years ago. Raspberry shortcake: short plants, thornless. (edited; I said stemless but that’s for wine glasses!)

Food people: here’s a recipe for avocado blueberry quinoa salad; we had that for dinner last night.

@CHAS Ouch. Sorry about your trip. I hope Bob feels better soon, to the extent that he can.

Mr. AM just launched a Parkinson’s support group yesterday, a joint venture with the local community center and Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon. 24 people showed up. We were pleasantly surprised; we expected maybe 6.

It’s a long road, and we’re on it.

Now I’m headed outside to water, water, water. I don’t trust our 100 year old house’s plumbing enough to leave water faucets on with timers!

My mom-in-law used to make fermented pickles; she learned how from her mother-in-law. Sadly, I never learned. So I make fresh pickles. Haven’t done canned pickles, either.

A favorite beverage of mine at a local restaurant: Dirty Grandma Agnes. Dirty martini but pickle instead of olive.

Whew! Hope all works out well, and you have a great trip, too.

There were a couple books (fiction) about these librarians that I enjoyed a while back. One was The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. I remember my mom-in-law coming out of my sunroom saying, “I love this book!” She was in early stages of dementia then; she doesn’t read any more. So thanks for the article, and also for the sweet memory!

@jon-nyc Nah, he would have brought a dumptruck full of seashells.

Ewww.

But well played.

Yes, so much. Not so much with piano for me, but guitar and singing. Making music with friends, recording, singing/playing in church and at events, writing lyrics, writing songs, playing at a wedding…nothing for money, but for the pure joy of it. I love it.

Thanks for sharing, @mary-anna !

@Bernard I saw your blog post about your class, and it sounds like stepping back in time! So wonderful.

I am suddenly working a LOT (knitting), with new designs and editing and herding test knits. I got a wild hair and had to go follow all the things! They’re wrapping up now, and I hope to just knit a sweater that someone else designed and not think for a while…

When hobbies become work, it’s fun but not as much fun as it was before.

@ShiroKuro Yes, I still have my Weinbach grand at home, and still love it. I use it for choir practice, finding my notes. And occasionally try to play it. It also makes a perfect black/white balanced background for photographing yarn. Ha!

I sold my digital piano several years ago. Roland FP something or other. I like the way sound runs through me from my acoustic piano way better.

We have one, and the festival is a lot of fun. But very crowded, yes.

I’ve played that first version before, a long time ago. I haven’t really played the piano in a decade, maybe?

Yes, the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló. Interesting, but really not my taste. So much surface embellishment!

That looks fantastically gorgeous. May need to visit Chicago again, soon.

@Mary-Anna I love that you’re living with Faye’s house accoutrements! And that you’re working on a new Faye story. I miss hanging out with her. But I can always go back and do it again!

Thank you!