JUST A BLIP . . .

It's really Mike's story, and I know he wants to tell it. But today he is having surgery on his left index finger. It's just a blip – really – but once they get you in their clutches you feel like you just as well be having major surgery. You know how it is – no food or drink after midnight, the showers with the special antiseptic soap, the before and after instructions. It's the same no matter what your assigned procedure. We keep reminding ourselves that it's really just a blip on life's highway -- a blip on the roadway of happiness – and we're grateful it's just a blip. We just have to remember today is Monday, August 30^th, and we have someplace we have to be at noon for repair work.

Gilbert homeplace, 8-29-10

We spent Saturday and Sunday at the farm. I had left a box of pears in the house when Hallie and I left last Monday. They were so green and I knew we would return during the week so that I could process them through the dryer. However, Mike had appointments relating to his finger and we stayed in town all week. When I opened the door of the farmhouse upon arrival, I knew immediately the pears were well ready – that sweet-sour aroma of very ripe fruit. Very ripe – yes – but not overly so. Not one pear was turning brown in the center, and I was so relieved. I think it took me three hours to peel all the pears for the dryer. They were mostly ready Sunday afternoon when I had to remove them from the dryer. If the time frame works out, I will process another box. I used to like to buy pears from places like Harry and David. Then I awoke to the fact that since I live in the Pacific Northwest, it's probably ridiculous to pay a premium for premium fruit. In my opinion, we don't have great fruit and vegetables here in the winter and spring, but we do have great fruit in the fall – melons, apples, pears, peaches, plums, etc.

Distant storm, Camas Prairie

Day darkens over wheat field

I couldn't believe my ears last week when I heard the familiar "chooo" of the school bus as it stopped down the street. School started already? Sure enough – The bus stops as regularly as clockwork now – 7:25 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Where did the summer go?

But I have to say -- the signs of autumn with its ever-shortening days are everywhere. During the first week of August, I couldn't stay awake long enough to enjoy the night sky. Daylight was still hanging around the horizon at 10:00. Now all of a sudden I find it's mostly dark by 8:00 p.m. Funny how those short days creep in on us. As autumn approaches the world seems to take on a different glow. Even bright days look and feel different. Why is that? Is it the position of the sun? Is it dust and smoke in the air?

Mike and I keep a magazine rack full of our favorite catalogs, rotating them as new ones arrive. The other day I cleaned it out to make ready for the fall onslaught.

There were summer disappointments. The tomato plants didn't bear much, and the deer ripped three tomatoes off the one plant that tried. Deer don't like tomatoes, but they forget. The zucchini I planted didn't germinate. The pumpkin burned in the summer sun. Some reading materials went unread. Some blog posts went unwritten. Some ideas have yet to be developed. Life goes on, you know.

Barley field at June's

We have a wonderful fall here. As a rule, the mornings and evenings are cool while the afternoons are sunny and warm. Mike assures me it will get warm again, but this morning I made myself a cup of soothing "Ginger Snappish" tea as visions of elderberry jelly, zucchini bread and pumpkin pies dance in my head. And yes, I am indeed going to speak the unspeakable. CHRISTMAS IS COMING. Get ready to get ready.

So -- it's time for the Americana display to shift to harvest items – pumpkins, perhaps a bouquet of wheat and barley stalks with some bright orange and yellow blooms from the dollar store. It will be easy to shift from there to Halloween and from Halloween to Thanksgiving. Then the all-important change to Christmas.

I see you shaking your head. Don't be fooled. Christmas is right around the corner and this year likely won't be different any other. Things will still be undone at Christmas, especially if I don't get started. KW