Preview of July Books Read

The vineyard at painted moon by Susan Mallery, according to the Urban Dictionary definition, is a beach book - 

"easily digestable, designed to be guzzled down from a cramped airline seat or reclining poolside chair. Comfortable, happy endings are assured; every couple who ought to end up walking into the sunset together does."

I don't go to the beach anymore, but I do find myself reading more of this type of book during the summer.

After enjoying this one, I'm asking myself why I don't read more of them year round. I like the settings, I like the simple romances and, in the case of this one, I love reading about vineyards and wine making. 

Several years ago we stopped at Windsor Wines in Sonoma County on our way from San Francisco to Portland. That is where I learned that I could order wine and have it shipped to my home as well as choose my own labels. Which I did several times, including the year before I turned 65. I wanted to do something special for my 65th birthday. Then I remembered the Beatles song When I'm Sixty Four and thought, "Why wait?" I ordered a selection of wines and had the words "Birthday Greetings, Bottle of Wine? Will you still feed me, when I'm 64!" printed on the label. I saved one of the empty bottles and bought the little stopper that makes it a candle at the former Dale Valley Winery.

But back to the book. The more I read the more I felt like it reminded me of the 80's TV show Falcon Crest and its tyrannical matriarch. I even wondered if that is where the author got her inspiration.

I never watched Falcon Crest more than a time or two. It was on at the same time as Dynasty, another nighttime soap opera, which I was a fan of. I don't know why I preferred Dynasty over Falcon Crest, but most likely because I was already hooked on Dynasty, which began in January, 1981. FC didn't premiere until December of 1981.

A quick check shows me that I have not read any other books by Mallery but the library has a lot of her books going back to 2009. So, if I do decide to read some more beach books, I have plenty to choose from.

Tomorrow, my other July 2021 reads.

Peachy Memories

 

Bud went to a meeting this morning and came home with three peaches which went nicely with our quiche for lunch.

He said the speaker had brought a box of peaches back from Southern Missouri and invited everyone to take some if they wanted.

Bud said "a box of peaches" and I immediately thought, "a lug of peaches". That's what Mom called them. I remembered when the grocery stores would advertise that peach lugs were in and Mom would buy a lug or two to can. I never questioned why they were called lugs, they just were. Googling tells me that lug is an agricultural unit. A lug of peaches weighs 19 to 22 pounds. 

I remember that there was a small peach tree on the south side of the garden for a long time. After it died Mom's neighbor, Crystal, would invite her to come up and pick peaches from her trees. 

When she was done peeling and pitting the peaches, mother would carry the dishpan of pits and peels out and dump them in the chicken pen. The following years peach trees started coming up which she either pulled or the hens picked clean.

One year I decided it would be a good idea to move some of those little trees outside the pen where they could grow and produce. Which they did. We weren't the only ones who liked the fruit, so did the groundhog living under the corn crib.

These were the little white peaches. It took a lot of them to amount to enough for a bowl full or a pie, but oh, their flavor, it couldn't be beat. Any kind of pie Mom made was always good, but peach was the best. It was my brother Ron's favorite. 

Those three peaches Bud brought home triggered some peachy memories this morning.

A 'Close' Morning and 'Pop Bugs'

 

I was out early this morning doing some watering and checking the flowers. That's when I noticed a bug I hadn't seen before. 

It's hard to see on this black hook, but it is black with an iridescent sheen on its head and wings.

I also took note of the yellow tips on its back legs. Wondering what it was sent me online to search. Nothing matched my description but in the process of hunting I saw this bug....

....which reminded me of a childhood pastime. Somehow my sister and I learned that if we turned this bug on its back it would 'magically' flip itself back over, making a popping sound. So we called them "pop bugs". Not knowing until today that the nickname of the Elateridae is "click beetle". Pop, click - we were close.

It finally occured to me that the yellow on the legs of the bug I was trying to identify might be pollen. Sure enough when I went back out to find it again, it was going in and out of all the portulaca flowers. In addition to the yellow, it now had some red. I still haven't been able to identify it though.

Mid-morning Bud asked if I wanted to walk down to the pond with him. He wanted to see what had been done to fix the dam where it was leaking. You can see how low the water is in this photo. We won't know for certain if the fix worked until we get enough rain to fill the pond back up - hopefully.

The a/c was already running at 10:30 a.m. and as soon as we stepped outside you could see why. It was cloudy, hot, humid, rank. I said: "This is what my Mom would have called a 'close morning'.

Naturally, I took my camera. Between the pond and the railroad tracks is a virtual haven for wildlife. This female Oriole is the first thing I took a photo of. 

And I got close enough to see what those flowers were that I can just make out the yellow color of from the house. It's a nice clump of Gray-headed Coneflowers - accompanied by some Queen Anne's Lace.

Speaking of QAL, did you know its other name is "Birds-Nest Weed? I didn't.

It's because of the way the flowers close after they have bloomed. Like the one in the center of this picture.

I was drawn to the purple Ironweed along the dam.

Which led me to discover another plant I'd never heard of - those little white flowers are Whorled Milkweed. At least that's what I think they are as nearly as I can tell from this photo.

I may go back down and get a close up of them to verify.

The Chokecherries are ripening. I wish I could get enough to make some of my favorite jelly, but the birds will get them all first.

They are just one of the reasons this area is such a wildlife mecca. There are also Wild Plums and Elderberries.

I took a photo of the back side of our house from the pond. Just one of the 35 pictures I took. They are a reminder that one doesn't have to get far from home to discover new territory.  (Other flora and fauna included Honeysuckle, Bulrush, Cattails, Willows, Poplars, Rabbits, Robins, Groundhogs and many more.)

P.S. - The air-con felt really good when we got back. 😉

Achillea Millefolium - aka -Yarrow

 

I'm happy to note that the extreme heat and drought have not affected my Firefly Peach Sky Achillea Millefolium, aka, Yarrow. I pretty much ignore it until it begins blooming and demands my admiration. It's something of a leggy plant and would probably benefit from some support. I'll put that on my "to do" list. 😁

It is probably a good thing my Yarrow does take care of itself. As Cicely Mary Barker said in her Flower Fairies of Summer poem about Yarrow - I would miss it if it disappeared.

The Yarrow Fairy

Among the harebells and the grass,

  The grass all feathery with seed,

I dream, and see the people pass:

  They pay me little heed.

And yet the children (so I think)

  In spite of other flowers more dear,

Would miss my clusters white and pink,

  If I should disappear. 

My Portulaca (Moss Rose) is also doing beautifully in the heat and with little watering. I knew it would because I learned that from my Mom when I was still a child. 

I hope your garden and flower beds are surviving. 

Bergamot Alone - A Poem By Sandor

 

Bergamot Alone 

Ahead lies Bergamot, amongst all other flowers and grasses,

Swaying more sweetly than daisies along mountain passes.

Towering o'r the green, its rosy petals crown the stem.

A floral diadem of royal colours, each a sparkling gem.

In the sun, mighty Bergamot cannot be forgot or lost.

For it is in the light, she dances away morning's frost.

A castle of hope, she guards the beauty of nature well.

All of magic has no equal to the power of her gentle spell.

As sweet as the perfect smile on a honest child's face,

So is her manner, daily lifted to the highest grace.

Free and full as she may often be, folly she hath not,

Amongst all other flowers and grasses, ahead lies Bergamot.

My photo of wild Bergamot was taken exactly one year ago today at 7:26 a.m. along the hidden gravel path near Lake McKinley. On my blog two days ago, I shared a couple other photos of Bergamot, which I usually call Monarda, that I took at Green Valley State Park/Lake. I'm always on the lookout for this North American native plant.

"Royal Is My Race"

 

On Bastille Day (look it up if you don't understand what it is or its history) Family Search sent me a 'family connection' - "Ramona, did you know France is one of your homelands?" - which I shared on FB. A cousin asked if it was on my Dad's side of the family or Mom's side (it was on Mom's, through the Ridnour/Whipkey line). She was curious because she remembered her Mom saying they had some French relatives. 

The cousin asking is related on my Dad's side of the family through the Duncans - my grandmother Bessie and her grandfather Leslie, sister and brother. I had chased the Duncans back to Scotland before, but because I told her I would take another look, I did.

Plus, today is the 130th anniversary of Grandma Lynam's birth and since I was looking for something new to say about her that I haven't already shared, it was the perfect time to look back through those Duncans again.

(I took this picture of Grandma back in the 80's. It makes me feel her presence, like I could walk right up to her and hug her once again.)

This time as I followed the Duncans back - Bessie, Lemuel, George, Thornton, Charles Jr., Charles Sr., I followed back through the maiden names of their spouses. This led me to Charles Jr's wife, Margaret Kirk (1767-1846). Following the Kirks - John Kirk IV - III, II, I - David - to another John, married to Marion Greg (1609-1640).

Now, following Marion Greg, her father, Tom Walford Gregg - John Gregg - to John MacGregor of 

 

MacGregor Ancient Tartan

Clan MacGregor! Oh boy!

John MacGregor - Patrick McGregor - to Malcom McGregor, The Lame Lord - John, Black John, 6th Chief of the Clan MacGregor - Patrick MacGregor Of Glen Strae. From here it gets questionable with another Malcom the Lame, and Gregor "Of the Golden Bridles" MacGregor 1330-1390, 1st Chief of Clan MacGregor - another Malcom, Lame Lord (which has me wondering what that "Lame" meant) - who had a son, Donnchadh (Duncan) "Beg" (Younger) MacGregor.

'S Rioghal Mo Dhream - Royal Is My Race

MacGregor Family Crest

There was a long history of feuds between the MacGregors and the Campbells which led to the proscription of the MacGregors. They survived by joining other clans and hiding out in the Highlands (think Rob Roy) which is why they became known as "The Children of the Mist". (From the Scots Connection website.)

I wish I could have shared all this with my Grandmother. I think she would have enjoyed it. Happy Birthday, Grandma. 💕

If Tuesday Is Chooseday ....

 

.... then we chose very well for Tuesday's morning walk at Green Valley Park/Lake.

Specifically, I wanted to see if we could spot any Monarch Butterflies. We did see one, but, as usual there was so much more to witness and photograph.

On Tuesday Chooseday I saw....

                                                                  Wild alfalfa.

Widow Skimmer Dragonfly.   

Horsenettle Weed.

Monarda, also known as Bergamot, Bee Balm, Horsemint and Oswego Tea.

Sunlight shining on Wild White Morning Glories. And even though there are some healthy milkweed plants there, too, no Monarchs appeared.

But there was a beautifully posed Red Admiral Butterfly.

If this tiny frog hadn't hopped, I might have stepped on it.

As it was, all I saw was movement. It took awhile before I could even find it and see what it was.

So tiny. Just compare it with the clover leaves.

Ahh, there's a Monarch and it's on some Swamp Milkweed. My intended prey is captured.

A late blooming Elderberry cluster amidst others on the same bush that are already forming berries.

I almost missed the Snapping Turtle on that branch out in the lake. 

I did take zoomed-in pictures of it, but I like this one framed by the tall grasses.

There were many Grass Spider webs of all sizes. The sun shining on the dew drops made them stand out.

Bud kidded that this kettle of Turkey Vultures had their eyes on me.

I said, "As slow as I'm moving, they probably do!"

However, with the aid of my Nordic poles and all the stops to take photos, I did walk a little over a mile. 

Tree Swallow.

Some more Monarda with one of the causeways just visible across the lake.

For a leisure pursuit on a Tuesday Chooseday, it's hard to top a walk in nature.

"Come On Now, Smile On Your Brother"

 Everybody get together. (Song - "Get Together" by The Youngbloods, 1967)

Covid-19 put a halt to all our family get-togethers last year, including celebrating my brother Ronald's 80th birthday.

Ron was 3-1/2 years old when I was born, so he is one of the few still around who has been there my whole life.

2020 was even tougher on him - two heart surgeries, no birthday celebration with family - a stroke - and then at the close of the year, he got the coronavirus.

Which is why I was so happy on July 5 when I received a message inviting us to a belated birthday get-together for him organized by his three children.

 

We gathered at one of the shelters at Lake Icaria.

It was a beautiful day, but windy.

Christine designated the theme of the day as pirates because she wanted to hear her Dad say, Aye, matey! (I'm 80.) 😄

(Christine as the pirate, Erick looking on, his mom Lorrie in pink.)

My niece Lorrie, my younger brother, Les, and his wife Susan.

Nephew Andrew contributed his signature pulled pork sandwiches. They were so good.

Others brought side dishes, birthday cake, etc. Plenty of food and all very tasty.

Andrew's partner, Milacha, with her back to the camera. 

Lorrie and her husband Kevin. Lorrie and Andrew are twins.

Christine (Ron's youngest) and her husband Dale.

I should have taken pictures of Ron's grandsons at this time. After lunch they went swimming so I only have the photo of Erick. The other grandsons are Erick's twin, Aiden and younger brother Carston and Andrew's son, Nicholas.

Posed photos time: Younger brother, Les, Me and the birthday boy, Ron.

The last time we were together was in September, 2017 when Les came to Corning for his 45th Class Reunion.

Ron and his wife Marge with Christine, Lorrie and Andrew.

Better picture of Ron's children.

Their expressions say something about their personalities. 😘

We three siblings with our spouses, Bud and Me, Les and Susan, Ron and Marge.

Some unposed photos:

Milacha and Marge.

And Lorrie and her Dad.

Ron brought their highschool graduations pictures - representing their mirrored ages - 18 and 81.

One final picture - a chalk drawing by Lorrie.

It was supposed to be a pirate ship (note the Jolly Roger flag at the top), but somehow morphed into a Viking ship.

Or maybe it is a pirate ship manned by Vikings?

Regardless, it was a wonderful day being with family again. I smiled on, and with, my brothers.

I came home happy and very grateful to have had the time with them.