~Tangling With Summer~

“Summer was here again. Summer, summer, summer. I loved and hated summers. Summers had a logic all their own and they always brought something out in me. Summer was supposed to be about freedom and youth and no school and possibilities and adventure and exploration. Summer was a book of hope. That's why I loved and hated summers. Because they made me want to believe.”

― Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Summer has crept quickly into Lane Home Place. Warmth and sunshine lighten the shadows of the day making it impossible for me to sleep past daylight. There is not a reason in the world to be up but my inner clock has not gotten that notice and so out of the bed I get to greet the sunrise and afresh new day!

The heat has not yet gotten unbearable for front porch sitting and reading, with a sweet tea with a slice of lemon close by for quenching my thirst, I spend my days idly and do what catches my fancy. There is no purpose that beckons my attention so I maintain.  My heart, and hands and brain do not like this idleness and rebel with restlessness, encouraging me to make plans, but the desire to strive for something more is just not there.

Before 'Poison Ivy' took me down

 

Our Gardenia Tree waited for my return home to begin her lovely show of her silky creamy white blossoms with their sweet alluring scent and I am grateful for being present for the blooming. It is my treasure, my child if you will and my constant. When did it become such a cherished part of our family? It has been around for 20 years or more now. Reminding me of a funny family story, said to our Mama, Muriel Rose Engle Johnson, by our daughter Amy Lane Germano, when she was close to elementary school age, she always would do overnight's at her Granny and Papa's house in Clinton and it was usually for two nights and then she would come home ( which was at her request) and then perhaps she would go again the next week. She had received a silky cover-up and night gown when she was a toddler and it was her night wear of choice, so when she would pack her overnight bag this is what she always chose. Well she was at her Granny and Papa's and she went up to put on her night wear and when she came down her Granny said "well Amy, I do believe you have outgrown that robe and gown, it use to be touching the floor and now it is way above your knee's", Amy looked down and said "Oh Granny you know it's been in the family for years, it's a keeper!" Needless to say Granny got a chuckle from that and could not wait to call and pass that little 'Amyism' on. The Gardenia Tree is like the robe and nightgown it's been in the family for years and is definitely a keeper! I have never given 'her' a name but I have decided to call her Soliloquy because she is a stand alone kind of lady, that provides for herself, makes a statement, while keeping her purpose always the same to provide a vision of beauty and delight to all who behold her radiance.

Creamy white ready to burst open

Sweet Gardenia Blossom

'Soliloquy' a lady of stand alone beauty

 



Stinging Nettles

Poison Ivy

I am nearly 68 years young and have been quite fortunate to not have had a personal run in with a devious and nasty plant called poison ivy, but this week to my dismay my luck ran out. I was out front tussling with an influx of red-bud trees in my flower bed and reached to grab the little suckers  and without thinking managed with my gloveless hands to also tug on a poison ivy plant. I thought "oh great" I went and washed with soap and water immediately hoping to perhaps escape, but alas it was not the case and a week ago the itchy rash filled with it's nasty venom appeared and today I gave up on over the counter and went to the Doctor. Somehow it affected my finger, my inner forearm, and behind my left ear...totally odd I know but somehow, someway it happened. Our grandson Hunter gets eat up with it every year, as did our brother Butch but this is my first and I want to make sure it is my last encounter.  When we were living in England, we rented a lovely home with a large yard with flower beds galore. Our Dad had us outside with him to clean out the flower beds and there was these terrible plants called stinging nettles that I ran into, it was like I had been eaten up and the pain was like nothing I had ever experienced then or since. The rash went on for weeks and  I have made sure to stay away from that unfriendly plant..

Behind the ear



inner forearm



finger's top and inside

The remedy's....

 

As I walked around the yard today I was thankful to see floral offerings of  Easter Lilies blooming, as well as a yellow bloomer, with the orange day lilies loaded with blooms and the wisteria as well as the rosemary offering up their individual fragrance's. I had no tangling with poisonous plants today which is more to my liking, and my bed sheets too are grateful, they have been washed so many times this week, to ward off the leavings from the rash, that the striped pattern have almost been washed off!

Yellow Day Lily

Easter Lily a gift from son 5 years ago

Orange Day Lilies ready to pop

Wisteria on their second blooming

 

Just so I end on a positive and uplifting note...Yesterday I was craving an old time Custard Pie, so I made one...It turned out quite well. I shared with The Wiseman family and I got a thumbs up...so it was worth the effort.
Tangling with Summer is going to be interesting...so bring it on Mother Nature, I will do my best to make it through...

 



Grandma's Custard Pie

  

"I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:12-13 ESV