Wednesday, July 26, 2006

The sun is up early these days, and very far to the north. It's early morning rays leave slanty broken lines across my little patio and make dancing patterns on my living room walls. For a time, the flowers in my window boxes are in shade.
But this is midsummer, in my part of the Northern Hemisphere, and the sun will climb far above the shade of the tree in my front yard. The broken lines will become a glare of heat and light on that same wall.
And I will shut the door and close the blinds to keep it out. I know that actually June 21st is considered mid-summer, in the tracking of the sun. But just as March 21st doesn't bring springtime, June 21st is just the beginning of summer for us. Our summer is from about mid-June til mid-Sept. Lots of hot, hot, hot days spent in the first few weeks of back to school.

Heavy storm moved across WI again last night, following equally heavy storm on Monday evening. We got rain on Monday, but last night they tracked mostly north. Apparently hot and humid air from the Gulf region being pushed north, and colliding with cooler air coming down from Canada. At least it is bringing us some rain.
I find myself with more and more time on my hands as the calender moves me further and further from the "family" years. I am not old, but among my Blogger counterparts, I think I probably am the oldest. Which is fine. I learn much from them, and they can learn from what I share, if they choose. You'd think having more time would be a blessing. In some ways I suppose it is. My days are pretty much my own, only containing as much structure as I choose to put into them.
No choosing today, I need to and will see my dentist. Not my best thing.
Yesterday I put borders on the wonky yellow polka dotted top from last week. I can call it done at this point, and find a backing for it. I made some royal blue friendship stars to go with left over Aunt Gracies blocks. I finished up the bill paying month, and made a few appointments. I took a nap, still recovering from the weekend and more, of company and family obligations. I watched tv and I ate popcorn..*VBS* I DID NOT spend any time outside except to put the the gargage by the curb and picking up mail from the box. The humidity was enough to make you think you were in a sauna...I stay inside when that happens. I don't breath well with humidity. Luckily the asthma wasn't a part of my life while I was raising my family.
Tonight I will mark off one more day gone, in July. That leaves just 5, and then we are into August. Time, like Old Man River just keeps rollin' along.

19 comments:

quiltpixie said...

hope the dentist goes well....

Joyce said...

I can't believe you are getting cool air from Canada. It is stinking hot here and DRY. We could use a little of that rain.
Here I thought I was the oldest blogger.

Patti said...

Boy am I with you - I hate to be outside in the summer unless I am camping. Even without air conditioning it's still more comfortable inside and out. This is really appliqué weather for me - way too hot to have a hot iron in the sewing room. I can't believe how much it heats up the room! I think that's the main reason my Broken Dishes top isn't finished yet.

dot said...

You are right. Time gets keep rolling along. Sometimes way to fast for my liking. Enjoy each and every day we get, we don't know where the next one takes us. I have learned through the years to not hold to tightly to anything except my Lord. Have a great day.

Nancy said...

Sometimes I long for the days when my days will be my own. :-) But then that would be wishing away my life and I'm not wanting that either. So for now I'm content to have my weekends and the occasional weekday off for myself . I did not work the last 4 days and set foot outside only to feed the cats. Didn't even check the mail until I left for work this morning. The rest of the time I did a bit of sewing, a bit of laundry and housework and slept a whole lot of the time. But that was okay as that's what I needed to do at that time.

And anything you choose to share with us I promise I might not use right away but file away in my head for someday. Like the baptist fans I'm currently handquilting. :-)

Melzie said...

Your writing is so calm and soothing Finn I love reading your blog :) Good luck at the (yuck) dentist! xoxo melzie

Jeanne said...

A melancholy {{{{hug}}}}.
Jeanne

McIrish Annie said...

Finn, you sound a little down, my blogger friend. Heat and humidity can play havoc with us humans.. cooler days are coming, too fast for my liking, as September is around the corner...

HSTs are done and now becoming blocks. hope to post them tomorrow. stay cool and good luck with the dentist. ugh>>

MARCIE said...

Love the picture of your mnother and your tender sentiments. Take care, Finn.

Hanne said...

It is getting darker here night by night and in a few weeks time the nights will be all dark again.

Age is as much a question of state of mind as numbers, isn't it ?
One who has both feet on the ground stands still.
One should only touch ground with one foot and have the head up in the skies as we say here - to see the possibilities and grab the day - Carpe Diem.

Good luck at the dentist.

Linda C said...

A little sewing, a little "hafta do" and a whole lot of trying to stay cool.

Your mom was an attractive woman too soon gone. Is the picture tinted with paints? My grandma and maybe my mom used to do that---I've got one of me on the tricycle around here somewhere that is tinted. Try to make red hair on a black and white pic

Katie said...

I'm challenging you and Joyce for the oldest of us quilt bloggers. Maybe we will have to share the honor. And an honor it is! Finn, have you ever thought about putting some of your stories and musings into a book to give your children? I've done this and then made CD copies for the grandchildren. More precious than any gift you would buy them. I'm helping another lady do her stories now. She had a physically and mentally abusive mother. How she became the wonderful adult she is, is just a miracle. I think what is important is not how much good mothering you get as much as how good the mothering is.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Oh...I don't like going to the dentist, so I won't say have fun!

We are to have rain tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it. The house needs a good cleaning and the flowers a drink.

Sometimes it's just nice to stay inside and relax and not do anything.

Judy said...

The passage of time is something that no man can stop, and really the alternative isn't something anyone wants, for when it stops your life is done and there is no going back.

Heat and humidity is awful these days and even though we are futher south we also have the longest summers here. Ours go from Mid May to Mid Sept. I am soo looking forward to November this year!

Maggie Ann said...

I love how we can learn from each other. Like getting a fresh look at life through another's eyes. Special!!

Lily Mulholland said...

We are in the dark morning and evening for a long time here in Australia. And we are fogbound every morning. It's grey and dreary and then the weak sun finally manages to burn off the fog and it magically transforms the day into one of blue sunny skies. It's still very cold, but also very beautiful.

Good luck at the dentist!

Eileen said...

This weather has you waxing philosophical, I see. I still have the family stuff going on-daughter is a senior in college, son just graduated, is engaged and looking for work. I sort of stand on the sidelines and offer suggestions. lol
Your retirement sounds like how I want mine to be someday. Hubby has 3 more years. We'll see what happens then.
Good luck at the dentist, I have to go on Tuesday. Yuck.

Fiona said...

Well, Finn, I have to say you always seem very young at heart to me. One of the things I like about blogs is that they even us all out - doesn't matter how old or young we are - because we share a common interest age is irrelevant.

Libby said...

Dentists -- blech. Yet a necessary evil. Hope it all is okay. Our "wacky weather-guy" predicts more soupy days for us. I guess we have to remember, "This, too, shall pass." I'd send a hug, but I'm too sticky *s*