30 July, 2020 - Another Hot Day & Now and Then

Dear, Mom -

Howdy, there. How is your day today? Were you nice and cool today? During the later hours of the afternoon, it was pretty warm. We had (and still have) the fans going to keep a nice room temperature in the house as it baked outside. We currently have 3 fans going and the air conditioner running. The fans just help to push the cool air into the two bedrooms so we can actually sleep at night. Elsa isn't panting like a wild dog any more, so I'm glad that she has cooled down. She is literally a hot dog! I really wished we lived near a stream or river where she could soak her feet to cool down. She is unlike Oliver when it comes to getting in the kiddy pool to cool off. He was so funny. He would get in there and dig in the water so that it would splash on his belly. He was a smarty. Elsa just hasn't been around water enough to be comfortable to get in a little pool. I'd like to find a nice stream that I can take her to on a regular basis, but I think any clean water like that will take time to drive to.

Our boy Oliver who has passed on. He LOVED the water. He loved fetching his ball in the water. 

He was the best boy ever. We still miss him terribly.

Morning Glory flowers

Still one of my favorites along with Bachelor Buttons

I need to plant more Heavenly Blue ones. They are so pretty.

These are some morning glory vines that I planted when we first moved into our house in St. Johns. They are long gone, but I really loved them and the hollyhocks we grew along the fence on the north side of the house. The yard has drastically changed since then. It used to be so bare. It was just a bare fence line with a little stretch for a bajillion, yellow lilies. Those were the only thing planted there and they were thick. It just didn't look like anyone put any effort into it. I dug them all up. After getting to know our neighbor Paula better, she helped me pick out some of the things we still have planted there now; the barberry, the blueberry, and assorted others. Some of them I am ready to circulate out and try something new. I have room now that I cleaned out the beds, but some are so old now I hate to remove them. Anyway, it has been fun being more productive in the yard and garden this year.

This was almost 13 years ago!

This year, early spring.

Now we have a lovely Red Maple in the yard (thanks to Tad and my pruning abilities that developed over time), a Blue Variegated Lilac, a jasmine vine that I planted 13 years ago and it bloomed like crazy this year, two huge, root bound arborvitae in pots on either side of the sidewalk, a gorgeous hydrangea and fuchsia...The entire fence on the side of the driveway is now all jasmine vine that blooms constantly. I can't wait to replace the white window frames and shutters with natural wood and to paint the house a nice, Swedish blue. I also need to start thinking about repairing the yard where I killed the grass by parking on it (as you can see in the middle picture. Time and money, eh?)

I hate to type and run, Mom, but I have an early morning tomorrow. I have to get up and get the dog out for a walk and fed so that I can be to Paula's sandwich shop (Chop) by 9 am to pick up a huge sandwich order to run out to Topaz Farm out on Sauvie Island. It is something like 120 - 160 sandwiches for the weekend crowd. I'm very happy for Paula because there are lots of people in the community keeping her business afloat in these hard times. Her sandwiches really are the best!

I love and miss you very much. I will be talking to you soon via the video chat. Have a lovely day and know that I am thinking about you throughout the day and always have you in my heart!

All My Love to You, ---Your Third Daughter, Sally Ann💗