Losing track of time

Indeed I have lost track of how much time has passed since my last post.  I actually have probably 2 more Italy posts in me, but I will get back to that in the next few days.

Missouri Botanical Gardens- Chihuli installation

I have been losing track of time a lot lately.  I am in my late summer transition.  I find myself resenting leaving my house, trying to make space for school stuff in my head, beginning to think again like a teacher.  I get distracted by my garden, my pictures, my thoughts.....  I want to talk to people about anything but work and yet find myself thinking about it all the time.  The kids are telling me how much they miss my art room and I went there today to start to unpack boxes of supplies.  I am unwillingly shifting, slowly,  but it is happening.

Miss Ava Kay

Jon and Ella

After July happened, I went on a little road trip again.  I began my journey visiting the Mad-oldest son and Sarah Grace and the girls in Janesville, and no one was sad that they had literally left my house the day before I arrived.  :)  They came to Park Falls for my birthday weekend, which was fabulous, and then I headed there and had a layover until I traveled to visit my sweet friend from Missouri.

Rotary Gardens in Janesville.

Do you see me?

I didn't get a lot of pix of the two of us in Missouri, we were too busy doing things, I guess.  And a lot of things we did!  I won't go through the entire trip, but we covered a lot of ground and did some super things.

Pickle Springs in Missouri

The Depot in Bonne Terre

Chihuli gate at the Botanical Gardens

One of the covered bridges in Missouri.  We got there when it was really too dark for good photos, but it was fun to see. 

I am all about getting into art museums whenever possible so the St. Louis Art museum was a must.  It is a super museum, so going just doesn't get old.  We also got to the botanical gardens, the zoo, went for a good long bike ride on the Katy trail, hiked Pickle Springs and ate Italian food and Sushi in St. Louis.....  not all on the same day, mind you!

EGRET!! 

At the St. Louis Zoo

Botanical Gardens

We ate dessert for supper, stayed up late and got up early.  When you only see your bestie once a year, you just can't waste your time sleeping.

A mini waterfall! 

On the pontoon on Lake Mendota

Another little layover in Janesville was in order after I left Missouri- 11 hours is a long way, and really, who wouldn't stop and see those two cute girlies, and of course their parents.

Ava doesn't appreciate the boat ride yet

Pickle Springs

Botanical Gardens

 It really was a nice way to finish up the summer....  The trip was a perfect length and I saw some pretty amazing people.  :D

The capital and the university from Lake Mendota

 And I already have tentative plans for another adventure next summer, because I was sad it was all over....  so I contacted my partner in all things adventure and we have begun to concoct our next big thing....  It involves airplanes, mountains, waterfalls and perhaps an ocean!  YAY!  Stay tuned.

Sunset skiing in Madison

Sunflowers

So I will proceed with the next 10 day or so and try so hard not to whine.  I will allow my mind to change to what it does 9 months of the year, but you know I will be dreaming of what that other 3 months will hold.  And no one is saying other adventures won't happen in the meantime!  

Beauty over Butternut Lake

The weather has broken, the humidity and heat is mostly gone.  The summer days are getting shorter and thankfully the sunsets are quite beautiful!  The year moves on and a hoodie is added to my evening walks around the yard.  Time moves along whether we want it to or not.

And I will be finding my joy even if I am dragging my feet and wanting to stay in the amazing season that is summer.

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

Late season garden pictures

Zinnia "Zowie"

I have a gardening friend who recently had a traumatic injury and is now forced to be confined to a few rooms in a house that is not hers.  I won't go into any particulars, not that I really know them, other than the fact that this vigorous, healthy,  active woman is now forced into life of stillness, and relative solitude.

Rudbeckia (Goldsturm)

Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis 

Solidago Rugosa "Fireworks"

I've been thinking about this a LOT.  What would I do, what would I feel like, what would happen, if I had a similar outcome to a probably quite ordinary accident?  Would I handle it with grace as she seems to be- I know I could detect in her writing a bit of shock and disbelief at the beginning.

Helianthus

Ornamental Grass (I don't remember which it is!)

End of the flower garden with Karl Foerester grass, Prairie Dropseed, a Miscanthus,  and a Panicum.

I am pretty sure I would have put a blog post up the first day whining and crying and carrying on- maybe not, though.  You just never know.  Being forced into relative silence- probably painful immobility- and being removed from the place that you are comfortable and familiar, not being able to come and go as you wish, and just the general looking at life-as-you-no-longer-know-it in the face, must be something that is a daily, indeed hourly, struggle.

Frosty cherry tomato

A daisy that was given to me by a friend- species unknown

Sambucus nigra "Eva" (Black Lace)

 So to give her a possible boost and to know that I am thinking about her, as well I am sure as are many many people, I want to post some seasonal garden pix for her.

Aster species unknown

Echinacea in October

Echinacea in September

Prairie Dropseed, Miscanthus "Zebra grass", Ladies Mantle (Alchemilla)

She will be happy that she doesn't live in northern Wisconsin, at least.  :)  This is called counting my blessings, in spite of the snow.  Life needs to be celebrated, not bemoaned.

Lola standing stoically through all the things mother nature throws at her

Sunflowers in the snow- beautiful contrasts of seasons.

And a little joy should be shared with those who need it.

I want to do a little shout out to my buddies (and hers) at the Sprout-off forum where we first met.  It is a great, quirky bunch that are always ready to talk all things gardening, and then some!  :) Please visit if you are a gardening person- this is a fabulous group!!

This 'n That

FIRST of all-  Hang on to your hats everyone--- that's right, ELLA IS COMING TO SEE GRANDMA AND GRANDPA - and Uncle Mike!  I wanted to get that said immediately, as it is such GREAT news!!  YES!!!  Of course, what this really means is that I need to do some additional cleaning upstairs.  I had gone through and cleaned up the one room, when I thought it was just Greg and Sarah, but now we need the other room as well. I am in the middle of trying to get rid of certain people's old junk *coughgreg*, so there is chaos up there.  That will be my after school task!  I have to insert here that I am thrilled that Greg and Sarah and Toby and Ruger are coming, too!!  YAY!!  I love having the dogs here. And, of course, someone can get my outdoor speakers hooked up again!  :)  and I need someone to look at Grandpa's clock and figure out why the pendulum stopped working....  I bought brats from the Fifield grocery- just sayin!!

Ok, now that we have all that taken care of-
my hands are killing me today.  I weeded much of the weekend and I feel like my right hand is swelled up, and in fact it sort of looks like it is!  I got a lot done, and I feel like I should have done a lot more, but I needed to clean in the house (see above) and I had to wash clothes and for some reason the MA thinks he needs to eat on the weekend! Such an imposition!  Lol.  We were both unstoppable - he is working on the new garage doors, getting in the garden and hogged the "new" Cub Cadet and mowed the lawn for the first time.  I got a zillion tomato plants transplanted into bigger pots, rearranged the garden shed a bit (I used it for the first time!!!) (hey, I also get wifi out there.  THAT is awesome!), weeded, walked, groomed the horse- partially (that boy needs a stylist), laundry, dishes, etc. etc.

We put onions, spinach, chard, peas and beets in the garden so far.  I have a gazillion tomatoes in the garden shed, and we probably could put in the first planting of beans. It seems like it is going to stay warm, so we may not have frost.

Speaking of garden- I have been a vegetarian now for a year!  I am very pleased with this fact.  I was never a big meat eater and it was the next logical step.  To make that commitment to not eat meat was not hard.  The only drawback is the convenience factor, it is easy to rip open a package of tuna or heat up a hot dog in 20 seconds..... but I feel like the health benefits for me far outweigh the inconvenience. I am used to it now- I have things that I can quickly make/eat if I am starving.  And let me tell you they are a whole lot healthier than the things I used to have!! I can see this as a lifetime lifestyle- along with my no soda rule.  And no Doritos.  Lol.

This is the last week of school for the seniors.  I love my kiddos, but we are all ready for summer vaca. The seniors have been phoning it in for the past couple weeks and the rest of them are getting restless.  And the teachers are daydreaming about sleeping in, going to the gym, spending the majority of the day outside and traveling around the state and midwest...... oh wait, that might be me.

Usually I would be outside going for a walk at this time of the day- as I have found it is a great way to start the day. And get some extra calorie burn in.  But the rains and the fact that I have a mountain of laundry are keeping me home for this morning..... oh and I guess i am updating my blog!  :D  Lord have mercy, my hands hurt from typing too.

I have pix to post, but I just don't have the ambition this morning.  I need to start on that mountain of clothes folding and think about my shower, and run out to the garden shed and water my baby tomatoes!  3 weeks of school left for the majority of our kids, so I have to make sure I am ready to go.  The end is in sight, and we have a few things left to learn in art class!

And did I say that Jon and Sarah and Manny and ELLA and Greg and Sarah and Toby and Ruger and of course ELLA are coming to visit!!??!!

This weekend will be a joy!

greens and beans- vegetarian style!

Yeah, I realize I am totally out of control!  

Regardless, I want to blog this cool recipe that was so fast and easy it was ridiculous.  I need fast and easy for when .....um...... let's just say later in the year when I am much more stressed out and cranky at night.

Beet greens with baby beets

I just took the nearest available bunch of greens, which happened to be beet greens with a couple of tiny little beets attached and sauteéd them in the water still clinging to them from washing.

 I added garlic- fresh from the garden- along with redpepper flakes to the greens.  Let the flavors develop a little from the heat - which should be lowered.

 Meanwhile I took a can of cannelloni beans (white kidney beans), rinsed them a bunch to get rid of some of the salt and then lightly mashed them.  You can use any kind of beans.  At this point you could add anything else you wanted as well!  Left over veggies, onion, mushrooms, rice, maybe even marinara sauce, what have you!!  I just added water to loosen it up a little and then some Spike seasoning and fresh ground pepper.

Serve!  I added a little grated cheese, because I am a cheese fiend. This took all of 15 minutes- tops- to prepare!  It was yummy!!

And I think I figured it was about 300 calories, including the few tablespoons of cheese on top.

Beans and Greens

1 bunch of your favorite greens- kale, spinach, beet, whatever

1 can of beans or  1.5 cups dried and then prepared beans

garlic

redpepper flakes

water or vegetable broth

what have you for extra flavor!

Saute greens. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to greens when almost wilted and tender. Rinse and mash beans. Add to greens, season and enhance as desired!

DONE!!

What a joy!

SPECIAL thanks to my friend Christine for this awesome recipe!!!