Puddles on a dirt road don't normally make the news, but after such a dry couple of months, those along South Center Valley Road were truly a beautiful sight this morning.
Evidence of overnight rain also created an opportunity for me to take a pleasant early-morning walk down our dirt road. I did not have to water any gardens, so I had time to enjoy what used to be my daily routine.
Now that the temperatures have cooled, many opportunities for projects put on hold have arisen.
Heck, last night after dinner I even spent about half an hour in our dog run chopping down tansy in full bloom. Later, the dogs and I also went for another pleasant walk in the hay field.
Big change from the after-dinner routine of sitting amidst blowing fans, really wanting to nod off for the night and stay that way until tolerable temps returned for a few hours in the early morning.
"Be careful what you wish for" has resounded in my brain several times over this spring and summer heat wave with little or no moisture. I usually wish for sun and no rain because usually we don't get a big handout.
Moderation will be nice, so I'm hoping we've passed the worst of this summer's extremes.
In other news I thought about a banana split for a little boy yesterday and birthday cards coming like clockwork and gifts of personally autographed books by language expert Richard Lederer.
I also thought a lot about the lady who dubbed my mother "the Queen Mum," sending her orchids and a corsage every Mother's Day for the past several years.
I smiled, figuring that the Queen Mum and Tommi were probably having a great time wile the rest of Tommi's family wept at the loss of their mother/wife while the Queen Mum's family remembered their beloved mother.
Tommi Halter was married to my mother's only nephew Jim. Laurie, Willie and I met her for the first time about 30 years ago while on a road trip to San Francisco.
At the time, the Halters owned a tile shop in Livermore, so we popped in one day, surprised Tommi and introduced ourselves.
Within minutes, Tommi was taking 8-year-old Willie by the hand to buy him a banana split. The three of us had also been invited to steak dinner and to stay overnight at their house. So, we did.
A friendship among the cousins was forged.
About 2004, Mother got to meet Tommi for the first time when she, my brothers and I took a road trip to California and stayed with them at their new home in the mountains east of Sacramento.
Tommi loved Mother as did her hubby Jim. The family friendship grew, and before we left, we were required to give Tommi all the family birthdays.
From that time on, the birthday cards arrived in each of our mailboxes like clockwork and those flowers for The Queen Mum showed up annually.
Tommi also went on cruises where author Richard Lederer was the featured passenger and speaker. She always came back with loads of his autographed books and saw to it that those of us who worked with the English language received our autographed copies.
I received a telephone call yesterday (two years after the Queen Mum's passing) that Tommi had passed away the night before. All I could think of was how happy Mother must have been to welcome her.
What a lady Tommi was and what wonderful memories for us family members who did not know her very well but loved what we saw. Condolences to her family and RIP, Tommi. You set a wonderful example.
Today looks like another picking day---beans, that is. Just one more picking in the blueberry patch for the year---thanks to the deer.
I also have garlic aplenty this year, so I've contacted someone who does a lot of cooking to see if there's some interest. Love that garlic, but it doesn't always love me.
In between the picking and other projects, I've been working again on class reunion items. With the deadline for registrations coming this week, it's been exciting to hear from several classmates planning to come who have never attended a reunion.
Pretty exciting. One said she attended several schools between junior high and high school and that Sandpoint left the best memories because she was accepted. Pretty neat.
On that note, I'd better get on with this lovely, pleasant, refreshing day ahead.
Happy Tuesday.
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