yes, AGAIN! I’m so sorry. But LIFE is kickin’ my patoot – still! Add to it, we have some sort of program running underneath that is slowing down our computers something fierce and crashing it and slapping it around, etc etc…and here it is, 9:30p and I just got back from Book Club and I got nothin’, perfume-wise. So I think I’ll just tell you what I’m up to these days (the Good stuff, not the patoo-kickin’ stuff, which is garden-variety tiresome)….
….and when you finish snoozing through this, perhaps you’ll let me know whazzup with YOU?!!!
1. Garden. More rain than Moses…no, NOAH! Yes, the Ark Master himself couldn’t have handled all this rain. Upshot of the rain? Gorgeous dark leafy greens and with the onset of extreme heat, the tomatoes are popping! Downside? I can’t even begin to tell you how many weeds.
2. Chickens. The Butt Whisperer must really know how to heal a chicken butt. Take a look. I challenge you to tell me which one is Chicken Little Butt!
3. Everything I’ve grown from seed is up in full force! It’s like living in a rainforest. Only without the anacondas and 10″ spiiiiders.
4. What I’m reading. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. Jane Vows Vengeance by Michael Thomas Ford (third in the Jane Austen, vampire bookseller series). Re-reading all the Georgette Heyer Regency novels. I had to read Defending Jacob for Book Club – and I regret it. Too much like Life. Give me a vampire bookseller or a sassy Regency heroine. And no…I am NOT going to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. And you can’t make me.
5. What I forced a friend to eat. The combination of savory and piquant-sweet is awesome. Chicken salad with dill, slivered carrots, almonds, celery…it’s good. Add…..minced pickle and mango and finish it off with some finely shredded red cabbage and it’s heavenly! She doubted me (she is very traditional in her food choices). She tasted it. She’s hooked!
6. What I’m craving……fresh lemonade with ginger. I think I yapped about this recently. I have the lemons, I have the sugar. I have the ginger. What am I waiting for, an invitation? It’s Reamin’ Time!
One more garden picture. Then I’m OUT! This is my peach tree. Planted it last year. Can you believe it? This is what a long, rainy Spring does, I guess!
But what are you guys doing? Besides indulging me, I mean. Sorry I can’t muster up a perfume review but…..soon, I promise! Lord. I am such a piker.
Soon! I PROMISE!
peaches!
Musette I can completely understand. Life is moving much too fast and I’m only now getting a chance to catch up on what I missed at the Posse. Love reading your update posts, except now I’m craving ginger lemonade!
Love seeing the picture of your chickens! I’ll bet they’re happy in their nice “chicken house”! Also enjoyed seeing the peach tree with so many peaches on it!
Totally understand if you delete this comment! After reading this post I have the Steve Miller song “The Joker” lyrics stuck in my head. “You’re the cutest thing that I ever did see, really love your peaches wanna shake your tree.” And I don’t like Steve Miller!
Oh, your ginger lemonade reminds me of a delicious drink we had at a Himalayan restaurant in Big Bear. I think it was just ginger and lemon and a wee bit of sugar. Maybe it was carbonated? Possibly the most refreshing drink I’ve ever had. Don’t know why I haven’t thought to try and replicate it. I will do it the lazy way – lemonade plus an extra gingery ginger ale. I like my lemonade bubbly! My husband is a ginger ale connoisseur and likes his super gingery, so whenever I see different brands, we try them out. I’ve even made ginger ale myself, which was good too (using this recipe – http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/Ginger_Ale_Ag0.htm)
There’s a Himalayan restaurant in Big Bear? I guess I should have branched out a little from La Montana!
Ha! You certainly wouldn’t expect it there! I think we found it on yelp. It was an amazing meal!
My husband’s family has had a cabin in Sugarloaf since 1976; I have been tagging along since 1986 or so and with God as my witness, other than the occasional McDonald’s drive-thru quickie, I do not believe we have eaten anywhere but La Montana for lunch/supper or the Lumberjack Cafe for breakfast. (it used to be called Colonial something or other I think)
Okay, I take that back, there was a place across from Chad’s in the Village about 10 years ago called Wolfgang’s or Mozart’s or something we tried one time. Man, I had to beg and plead for that!
Second day of summer vacation – I teach three-year olds. I was ready! Over the weekend, I read Heads in Beds – about the hotel industry. Fantastic! Yesterday I read Revenge Wears Prada in one sitting. How decadent. Today I am reading a book about the making of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Saw a very young deer in my yard this morning and let it nibble away on my hostas.
I will be happy to have my parents back sometime tomorrow after dog sitting for 5 days. I don’t know how my folks can deal with 3 Labs running around and all I’ve been hearing is them and their squeaker toys. I’ve been cleaning up clutter and cleaning up dog hair. I am going to make my parents chicken scampi. Yes there is shrimp in the freezer but seafood really stinks up any place for a week. No apricots for me this year because the deer and squirrles have eaten them all.
My own life has been running on about 201 cylinders, too, but I just had to op on and say that as if I needed any further indication that you are more own personal goddess, you drop a Heyer reference!
I have been laughing my way through her books for almost 40 years now. She was the original modern Regency romance author and there have been none to touch her yet. I infinitely prefer her to Madame Austen, though this gentlemen you mention above who has added vampires to the mix? Sign me up! But first Imma go read The Grand Sophy! What would Sophy’s signature scent have been?
Say, how about a Heyer thread some day? We seem to have plenty of fans here…
PS Glad you wee chick is thriving!
PPS: Seconding the MalwareBytes and Crap Cleaner recommendations; I use both daily. Also, Kapersky (sp?) has a great rootkit virus killer should you need it.
Aw, hope things improve, and I love your garden & chicken posts and pics! My crazy old man neighbor has a big lot between our house and his, half planted with an amazing garden every year and half in fruit trees. My tiny lot with my ginormous maple tree doesn’t really support a garden (we’re trying some containers this year), so I enjoy watching his garden grow – he has heirloom tomatoes from seeds that go back almost 40 years, and the peach and pear trees are jam packed, literally 🙂 He lets me glean at the end of the summer when he’s exhausted and everything is rotting on the vines……he cans most of the yield and man, there must be mason jars 20 years old lurking in that cellar of his. Every now and again he brings over a bottle of his homemade wine (huge grape arbor too, natch) and it’s like alcoholic pancake syrup. It’s fascinating and kind of sad to watch this compulsion repeat itself every summer, but I appreciate the sharing.
Hey, sweetie! Hang in there and take comfort in knowing that we are all pulling for you that this rough time passes quickly. Love your garden and sweet chickie reports — they always make my day! Big hugs to you …
Ooh, the peach tree has me thinking. Landlord cleared out a bunch of weedy godknowswhat from behind the garage, and I have always thought an espaliered fruit tree would go nicely there. (The deer probably think so, too, alas)
Will keep hoping that life gets a little less strenuous for you. Keep up the ginger.
Looks like your chickens have deluxe accommodations. And that peach tree! What a beauty. I hope the fruit turns out well. Let’s see, peach pie, peach ice cream, peach preserves…
Those are some great looking peaches, I can see a cobbler lurking in that tree. Take a thick paper towel, spray on a fair amount of Demeter Gingerale, put it at the bottom of your wastebaskets around the house. Instant refresh, and it would be good with your lemonade.
Ruth Ozeki! Never ran into another fan of hers, very cool. I love reading your posts no matter what you talk about, you have an amazing gift; your writing breaks through barriers and I feel like I’m chatting with an old friend. Keep up the good work, m’dear.
For your computer woes: download rkill. (I am making a gross assumption you’re on a PC, I have no advice for mac! And if you’ve already done these things, just ignore meh!) Also downloadCCleaner and Malware Bytes.all are freeware.
Boot your computer into Safe Mode (usually by pressing F8 button like a mad person as the computer loads up until you get to the Safe Mose menu. Choose Safe Mode w/ Networking , run rkill (this kills any pesky scripts that are running to hide bad programs), runCcleaner, (select all option except Wipe Free Space, I have yet to have Ccleaner wipe anything i need, but it will clear all your cookies and saved passwords, FYI) then malware bytes and your anti virus scans, fix anything they find.you might also run the Registry cleaner under Ccleaner utilities and fix all problems, let it backup before fixing 🙂
This whole process can be done on a regular basis to keep your computer running lean 😀 hope anyof it was a smidge helpful!
Also, if you’re using Chrome, check under it’s options that it’s not running add-ons and helpers when chrome closes.
Good luck!
I’m another big fan of Georgette Heyer. I’m about to finish reading “Bath Tangle” this morning, in fact. Love her. My local library started getting those new reissued oversized paperback editions, and they’re great! Your garden looks super. We’ve been getting tons of rain, too. I need to trim my hedges before they cover up the windows. I can’t believe how many peaches are on that tree. Amazing. Your chicken gals look like they are in fine feather. Kudos to the Chicken Whisperer!
Musette, I love your garden and chicken reviews!!!
Your chicks look all nice, and busy and plump. The two closer to the camera made me laugh! When I pose in front of the camera I get that same funny hobbit-feet pose. Also when I do yoga.
I shouldn’t be proud of it I know!
Your peaches are amazing!
I’d love to have a garden, but, you know, my plants might disagree on that point.
Anyway. I vote for regular garden and chicken posts with the bonus recipe thrown in. 😀
Hey Musette
Life may be throwing you lemons but it looks like you are at least THINKING of making lemonade. The chickens look FAB, now I feel like chicken & waffles
Portia xx
Musette, I love Georgette Heyer, they have started reprinting the books in large paperback format,very easy to throw in a totebag. Have you ever made fresh ginger ale?, it is to die for. I got the recipe from a southern cookbook a few years ago. You take a couple pounds of granulated sugar, 1 pound of grated ginger root and 2 tablespoons of yeast, put it in a large bowl on the counter with a quart of water, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit out for 2-3 days, then drain the liquid into a saucepan and reduce on low til you get a thick syrup , it is great in tea, with sparkling water for ginger ale or drizzled on fresh fruit. P.S kudos to your chicken whisperer.
That ginger ale recipe sounds delicious, thanks!
Seconding Rosarita here on the ginger ale — thank you for sharing!
Sorry about the patoot kicking, but it sounds like you’re handling it well. In no particular order, how cool! I’ve not run into a fellow Georgette Heyer fan and I just adore her. Her writing is just head and shoulders above most of the other regency authors I’ve tried; very witty and a perfect summertime read.
How on earth is your peach tree doing so well as far north as you are? Good heavens! granted I’m not known for my green thumb, but I’m terribly impressed.
And finally, all hail the Chicken Butt Whisperer! Those are some fine looking girls.