Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Dog (and cat) days of summer

The hot and humid weather that is typical of southern summers has been hard to adjust to after spending June and 1/2 of July in cool (50-60's in Scotland) and pleasant (70s-80s in London and Italy) conditions in Europe.

The animals are feeling the effects, too. This picture was taken yesterday afternoon. Rosco and Fatty McL were (im)patiently waiting for dinner.







Sunday sunrise as viewed from our backyard. One of the adjustments I have not made is sleeping in. I am up by 5:30 every morning and trying to harness the extra time.










Our coneflowers are going gangbusters. Can you believe these are the offspring of two small plants that a colleague gave me Easter weekend of 2006?















While we have plenty of cucumbers and tomatoes in our garden, I have been yearning to make some of the dishes we had in Italy. Rosco and I made a trip to the Farmer's Market this morning. I was surprised and pleased to see that the market is as big, if not bigger, than last year, and the ethnic diversity of those selling has increased. My favorite Mexican family was there...they have the best produce at oh so reasonable prices. I bought the okra and squash from them, and had to stand in a bit of line to buy from them. I am glad business is going! I bought the potatoes from an older nearly toothless gentleman. He had several varieties, all freshly dug within 24 hours. They are not organic, though. The fella' that sells the organic potatoes only had tomatoes and cukes for sale, and well, I have plenty of them! I bought all of this for less than $7, I even came home with money in my pocket!

I will be back there on Friday, and hopefully will make a venture to get some peaches from Garrad's. Love them peaches!

2 comments:

ikd said...

Ah, Summer in the South. It is steamy but it is absolutely beautiful to those who choose to seek that beauty. About those peaches though. I have concluded after extensive and life-long research that out of Colorado, Georgia, and South Carolina peaches, that those from SC are far superior. Tennessee peaches would have to be mighty good to approach them.

FYI: Phil is a father now. Stella was born on July 9th at 1:09 am. She was 7 lbs, 9 oz, and 21.25". YEAH!!!

Unknown said...

actually, the peaches we get are grown in northern GA by the Garrard family, and they bring some up here. Not sure what the connection is, although one of the grandsons/grandnephews that helps out with the deliver to TN was one of my students.

Congrats on little Stella!