Wordless Wednesday

Morning Glory 'Scarlet O'Hara'
(said in a hushed whisper as it's "wordless" Wednesday)

8:30pm

Steamy. Opressive. Breath-taking. Humbling.

Sun's peaking through the thinning clouds as it sets, turning some clouds a pale pink against the gray.

Storms passed through at dinner time but heat & moisture still make it a chore to be outside. Sitting on the porch I'm surrounded by pungent scents; the moldy wood of 'Oranges & Lemons' Blanketflower and the purple Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) which reminds me of Easter Hyacinth's though not as strong. Even the sour scent of salty sea water is in the air right now! (Good Lord, try and say that 10 times fast, lol!)

Just a few moments out here is all I wanted. Doc told me not to be out in this weather before I left the office today. (It was iv treatment day). The din from 62 plus air conditioners running at the same time doesn't make it hard to head back inside to cool off and rest.

What's missing here? Crickets. No crickets chirping here yet but they're around us, down on the beach and just inland of us. Odd.

And now as I bid Nature's oven good evening, the Lightning Bugs are starting to take their flights for the night, coming up, blinking, from the grass, bushes and flowers. A sight that never ceases to make me stop & stare in awe.

Supporting Our Troops

It's been a long, hot, sweaty, rewarding day. Today the VFW Post, with assistance from our American Legion Post, hosted a "Welcome Home!" party for 143 Marine Corps Reservists home from Iraq and Afghanistan along with their families. Over 500 people not including Post members!

I suppose my 'official' capacity was photographer. (I created 2 photo collages of previous joint Post events for the bulletin board early this morning before we left). As things wound down mid-afternoon, I also helped with the garbage cleanup and breakdown, as did Hubby.

With temps that peaked here at 100 actual degrees (I don't want to know what the "real feel" or "heat index" was) along with the humidity everyone stayed hydrated, took breaks by going inside the Post and no one got sick, including me! (I don't usually do well in this kind of extreme heat). Though a great day, I was so happy to be home this evening in the cool air conditioning!

I've been called Mame more times than I can count today as Marines are very (Very) respectful and polite. Coming from them, it makes me smile. But my Marine was still the best looking one out of all of the Marines I was surrounded by today, hands down! (Really, it's true - he didn't pay me to write that).

I'm so proud of my husband, my Marine, 1st Vice Commander of the AL Post, for all of the hard work he put into helping set up this event yesterday and today.

Lastly, I want to say Thank You USMC NJ 6th Battalion Motor Transport for your Service and Welcome Home! I hope this has been as good a day for you and your families as it has been for us!

Now it's time for bed and up early tomorrow for my iv treatment (in the doctor's office - due to new insurance, we can't afford the in-home treatment). Sweet dreams!

Posted via My Palm Centro.

Friday Favorites

For more Friday Favorites, head over to New Jersey Through My Eyes.

Wordless Wednesday

Posted via My Palm Centro.

Despite The Heat

I did a little gardening early this afternoon. Because that's what we gardener's do, we brave the elements to tend to our flower & veggie flocks!

I re-potted my Pacino Sunflowers (1), which have begun to bloom, with my Lavender (2) and just the thought of the two together made me smile and think of Provence. (Ah France!) Along with the Lemon Balm (3) in the container below them, I'm hoping this arrangement turns out to be one that will please the senses when our bedroom windows are open.

1) Helianthus annuus
2) Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue'
3) 'Melissa officinalis'

Posted via My Palm Centro.

A Night At The Fair

What better way to celebrate Hubby's birthday today and the Summer Solstice than to head over to the opening night of one of our local annual fairs for dinner?! I asked him where he wanted to go & this was his choice, which was fine by me since this fair always has great food.

We had so much fun! Walking around hand in hand, having dinner in the 'beer garden,' talking & laughing, people watching from our pub table and listening to the band which consisted of kids from the school that throws the fair who were Awesome! (And by kids, I mean they looked to be from the ages of 10 to Maybe 15. They'd switch after every few songs with kids waiting on the side of the stage). Better musicians than most adults! We were very impressed as was the crowd that gathered to watch in front of the stage. Those kids Rocked! Around 9pm we'd had our fill of food & drink and decided to head home.

That's when I noticed how light it was still and realized we'd only have nights like this here for another couple of days before it starts getting darker a tiny bit earlier each night again. (The Summer Solstice is said to have the longest amount of daylight of the year, however, technically, it's the days immediately following which actually have the longest amount of daylight time).

Once home I surprised Hubby with an ice cream birthday cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to him in English & Polish, a tradition in his/our family. He tested out his new binoculars (one of his presents which he opened before we left for dinner) and they are amazing! (Whew! I wasn't sure I'd picked a good pair honestly). Have you ever looked at the moon through binoculars?! You should!

Now he's sleeping soundly at my side. It was such a good evening and given how special & amazing he is to me, I hope I made it a happy one for him too.

Posted via My Palm Centro.

I was inspired by my friend Michelle today to wish a

Happy Father's Day to

all of the amazing and powerful single mothers out there!

(Like my Mom!)

And I'd like to is wish JAWS a Happy 35th Anniversary today as well!

daaadun daadun dadun dadun...

Emerging...

Dahlia 'Night Ruler.'

(For Lizzi).

Friday Favorites

Enough said?
:-)

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day! (June 2010)

To get in on all the hub-bub, go to Mary Dreams Gardens.

Monday Musings

Introducing...

Our gorgeous niece and her handsome husband, married just this Saturday.

I'm still bursting with pride & love,
even getting teary-eyed looking through the pics today.
(Her brother is pictured in the previous post entitled,
"Friday Favorites").

It seems as though this is going to be a Summer of
Infamous Jersey Humidity.
BLEAH.
It's been around for days getting to the disgusting stage yesterday.
Because of it, I walked out of a nursery yesterday
Empty-Handed!
I even forgot the bag of soil I needed do so some re-potting for things I already have at home.
Today is just as sticky out as yesterday was but more cloudy with less sun.
Lots of haze again.
When the breeze comes it only covers you in the moisture from the air instead of bringing you relief.
Movements are sluggish.
Thinking is jumbled.
Breathing in is like sucking a too-thick shake through a straw.
Disgusting.
Makes you dizzy & sick.
Thunderstorms bring no relief.

Bff Kath turned 40 yesterday.
We spent 4 hours together at her house,
(in the air conditioning)
talking and laughing.
That made up for getting sick at the nursery earlier in the day!

Next to impossible to get true peace and quiet in these parts nowadays.
Too many people, too much traffic in the air (there are 4 airports worth of air traffic over our heads every day) and on the roads in general, too much going on around the clock no matter the day of the week, too many houses, buildings and concrete,
not enough green.

I was talking with a friend this past Friday
(well, actually texting)
about how I'd love to pick up and move to a small town in the country "in the middle of no where"
but it's just not as easy to do that kind of thing as it once was.
I'm tired of the suburbs and the city (practically one in the same here in Jersey),
of the constant noise and frantic pace.
I've no illusions or delusions that "the grass is greener" in some small North Eastern PA or southern town,
but in many ways things would be more simple.
And truly quiet.

Someday we'll get there, I pray sooner than later.
Simplicity
is just so hard to manage when living in an area like this one.
And simplicity
is something I'm feeling the need for more and more of in all aspects of my life
as I'm getting older.

Friday Favorites

Dinner with Family from TX.
Meeting our Grand-Niece for the first time.
Falling in love with our Grand-Niece.
Sunsets that take ones breath away.

Head over to
New Jersey Through My Eyes
for a (if I don't say so myself) stunning sunset pic taken them same night as the one above.

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday

I'm too stinkin' excited to keep my mouth shut for this week's Wordless Wednesday. Since I've no idea how I could picture my actual super-duper-oober excitement, I will show you what has me smiling ear to ear (and possibly jumping up and down, not that I'm admitting to anything):

This, my friends, is Gaillardia 'Oranges & Lemons' Blanketflower, a dearly beloved favorite in my garden since 2007 and missing since the squirrels dug it up & absconded with it in 2008. It's not an easy Blanketflower to get a hold of and I've been on the hunt. Thanks to Mike at Sickles Market, who emailed me yesterday to let me know that these Blanketflower would be arriving today, I know have 3 containers of 'Oranges and Lemons' at home once again. I am so stinkin' Happy, I can't begin to tell y'all!

Of course I had to roam to see what other wonderful things they had in right now and throughout my travels around their beautiful nursery, I happened upon this most gorgeous and unique Bee Balm I've ever seen. It's called Monarda Hybrid 'Pink Lace.' I knew as soon as I saw it where it would go at home!

Lastly, we have Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue' Lavender and the soft green foliage alone smells so heavenly I can't wait for it to bloom! I'm going to pot these into the containers just outside of our bedroom window. I may have to swing back and pick up 2 more come to think of it since the containers are on the large side. (As Mom was saying goodbye, she turned to look at me and I was standing on the front porch with my nose buried in the herb and she laughed!)

Of course we bought goodies from their market as well (for me: yellow beef steak tomato's (my favorite!), Sweet Pea Ravioli & spinach artichoke dip mix and for mom: ice cream cake roll & white grapefruit) and Mom also picked up a very pretty Hosta that I didn't think to check the name of. It was a nice time out, not too hot nor too crowded and the rain didn't start until we were leaving. When I thanked Mom (again!) as she was leaving my place, she told me the smile on my face when I brought the 'Oranges & Lemons' over to the cart was thanks enough. (Which only made me smile even more).

A Simple Act Of Independence

Right now, I'm unable to drive because my optical/aura migraines have returned with a vengence and I can go from seeing perfectly to, for all intensive purposes, blind in a matter of seconds. So with Hubby back at work (I mentioned that didn't I?), any where outside of walking distance requires a ride, usually from Mom. A frustrating place to be for someone my age, but there's nothing to do but make the best of it!

Today, I needed to get some things from the foodstore and didn't want to be dependent on anyone for getting to & fro. Luckily, there are 2 foodstores within walking distance of home and one had just about all I needed on sale so I grabbed a few re-usable totes and went.

On the way home, I realized just how much simple acts of independence elevate my soul and help to balance out the days when I'm unable to be fully independent, something all of us living with disease need so we can feel like more than our diseases & the burdens that can come with them.

Posted via My Palm Centro.

We All Bloom In Our Own Time...

And cannot be rushed.

Paeonia Hybrid 'Cora Stubbs'
Garden Peony

June 2010 "Picture This" Photo Contest from "Gardening Gone Wild"

To find out all of the info, please visit Gardening Gone Wild.

My entry:

I've been in love with this photo since I took it last month!

Wordless Wednesday