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Altaira
Superuser
Fri, 4:12pm
Post #1 of 26
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*Opens doors wide* It's another Fiesta Friday!
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Hello, and welcome, everyone!
I think I'm in some kind of time-warp. The first couple weeks of June seemed like they took forever to pass by, then this last week - boom! Gone in a flash. It can't be that I've been pushing to-dos that didn't get done to the list of to-dos still to-do?  I did cross a lot of them off the list this week (hair cut, yard clean-up), and I have the longest few days of the year to get things done this weekend, so the end of June should go by at a regular pace.
How about you? What to-dos did you do this week, and what to-dos are to-do for the weekend? The Fiesta bar staff crossed off their to-dos in style, as the buffet is looking especially drool-worthy today, and blenders and cappuccino machines are already hard at work. So, order up, fill up, and let us know how you're doing!
*kicks juke box* a traditional Fiesta summer tune starts to play: "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley starts to play. Play us another and have a great weekend!  
(This post was edited by Altaira on Fri, 4:38pm)
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dernwyn
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Fri, 4:30pm
Post #2 of 26
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And Happy Summer Solstice, everyone!
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Doesn't it seem like however many things you get crossed off the to-do list, other things somehow get added onto it, so the list never ends!
Might I have an iced mocha cappuccino, please, Altaira? I should NOT have gone to the garden shop this morning, looking for snapdragon plants to add to my small cluster. Alas, those are all bought, but I DID come home with two lovely Lobelias (a red and a blue), and a yellow Yarrow. Sigh. Plants are Borg to me, resistance is futile!
This coming week we're going to have a heat wave, so the air conditioners and fans and dehumidifier are in place, ready for action. I've found that just a fan and dehumidifier makes the main floor of the house comfortable. But the A/C is needed for nighttime sleep, when the dew point stays above 70F/22C.
More summer heat! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs8ZNa73OS4
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Altaira
Superuser
Fri, 4:43pm
Post #3 of 26
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Oooh, I love yarrow. We have landscaping on our to-do list (well, on a proper landscaper's to-do list once we find one, as we want some things done that are beyond our skills). In any case, I shall try to work in some yarrow. They're perennials, yes? Your garden sounds amazing. it must be very satisfying to go out and enjoy it whether you're working on it, or relaxing and just enjoying the view.
Iced mocha cappuccino, coming up! Enjoy planting the new arrivals, and have a wonderful weekend!
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Annael
Elvenhome
Fri, 4:44pm
Post #4 of 26
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from the last of my scheduled trips (discounting several weekends-away in July & August). This time I went to New Haven where I met up with my niece, the newly-minted nurse practitioner, and got toured around town, including museums & libraries at Yale, met some of her friends, and ate pizza because apparently New Haven is all about "a pizz' "! (Mine was GF but quite yummy.) Then we drove up to Castine, Maine, stopping off in Boothbay to tour the Coastal Maine Botanic Gardens and see the trolls there. We hit a pretty prime time for blooms and spent most of the afternoon there. On to Castine where we checked into the Pentagoet Inn. Next day we spent in Acadia, going on several very nice walks. Especially liked the Wild Garden at the Sieur de Monts section--again, we hit a good blooming time, with mountain laurel, calypso lilies, and even pitcher plants in bloom! Tuesday was my research day; I spent the morning going over materials that the historian at the Castine Historical Society had looked out for me. That was so much fun! We solved a couple of mysteries, such as who was the "Polly" buried in the family cemetary (the firstborn grandchild who with her mother did not survive long past her birth), and how many ships and what were their names that Major Avery, the paterfamilias of the clan, owned? In the afternoon we drove over to the Avery house, built in 1770-something and still lived in (by a distant cousin) and got toured all around. It was something to stand in the house of my ancestors from 250 years ago! Wednesday we went grave-hunting in Winterport and Bucksport, as well as church-hunting (my dad's grandfather and his father were both ministers in Bucksport), then to Camden for lunch with my college sweetheart and his sister while niece visited cousins and got in a swim and let the old folks natter on about ancient history. Sister was insistent that we drive over to see her house on the water, which was lovely, but eventually we extricated ourselves from their eager hospitality and went on to Portland for the night. Explored the Old Port in the morning, then niece dropped me off in Framingham to catch the shuttle to Logan and went on her merry way. We had a wonderful time together, checked off everything on our to-do list plus some, and managed not to get TOO irritated with each other by judiciously allowing "alone time" every day.
Home again, with a cat who is VERY happy to be on his own turf once again and not having to worry about attention from obsessed Samoyeds (his hosts had gates up in places so he could escape when it got too much). It's cool and rainy here and will be most of the week, so I'm going to take Meneldor's advice to go see "How to Train Your Dragon" and catch up on sleep this weekend--after I refill the pantry, today's chore.
I'll have a cappuccino and a scone, please!
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
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NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Annael
Elvenhome
Fri, 4:49pm
Post #5 of 26
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I so enjoyed the Denver Botanic Gardens
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my companion, who lives in Lafayette, was on the hunt for drought-resistant plants for his new place and got lots of ideas.
Yes yarrow is a perennial. Have you discovered the pink variety? Love that.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
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NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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Fri, 4:56pm
Post #6 of 26
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Yes, it's fun to watch as plants bloom! The catmint are going crazy, the foxglove stems are laden and keep tilting over - does anyone know why those can't seem to stay upright? The spirea are blossoming, and the Rose of Sharons are budding, but the Hydrangea seems in no hurry to do anything. 
My plantings are sort of hap-hazard, so make sure you can get a landscaper who can plant a variety of colors that will bloom at various times!
You have a great weekend, too!
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
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Fri, 4:59pm
Post #7 of 26
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several pink yarrow, I was so tempted to pick up a couple! But when I planted a yarrow a couple of years ago, it nearly promptly died. So I'll start with this one, plant it in a different area, and if it's happy, I'll get a couple more.
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
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Fri, 5:13pm
Post #8 of 26
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What a trip! I'm exhausted just reading it!
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You definitely got to enjoy some of the excellent places around New England! One MUST enjoy Yale and pizza in New Haven.
What a trip into Maine! Acadia is one of our favorite places. Sieur de Monts is gorgeous; did you walk around Jordon Pond, or take a coastal walk?
And what an amazing amount of family sleuthing you were able to do! I'm so glad you were able to tour around the homestead, that must have given you quite a feeling - shivers, even? Sometime you can feel the history in a home.
Where is your niece headed to, now?
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Annael
Elvenhome
Fri, 5:55pm
Post #9 of 26
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We didn't go around Jordan Pond but we went there & looked at it
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Hiked out of Sieur de Monts two different trails and went to Sand Beach. And other stuff I can't remember now
Yes, it was thrilling to walk the place my ancestors lived.
Niece is packing up to move back to Washington state for the first time in 18 years! She's got an internship near Seattle. They're not obligatory but she feels it's a good idea to have a mentor for another year. But I have to say - having worked at a major hospital with a highly rated residency program, I got adept at seeing which of the very smart people who were accepted there were actual healers - and my niece was ringing all those chimes.
We'll be delighted to have her back near us, plus her nephew who will be rowing for the U of Washington this fall!
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
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NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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cats16
Gondolin
Fri, 6:35pm
Post #10 of 26
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That's funny you felt the first part of June was slow - for me, this whole month has been going by on fast forward.  We're coming down from a mini heatwave, so back to more seasonal temps this weekend.
The last few days here were very fun, as I hosted a cousin from back home. We took her out to many meals - she'd never had several cuisines before, so it was fun to see her reaction to trying new things. We went to Griffith Observatory, the beach, and drove around lots of neighborhoods so she could get a feel for how many different versions of SoCal there really are. And above all, it was wonderful to get to spend some quality time together and feel like I got to "know" her in a meaningful way.
Naturally, I managed to pick up a little bug or something after she left. I don't usually get sick in the summertime, but we were out and about quite a lot while hosting and work has been a lot this week, so I suppose I can't be shocked.
Our weekend is a little TBD as a result, so fingers crossed it is just a 24 hour thing.
I'll take some water and Emergen-C to go, please!  
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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cats16
Gondolin
Fri, 6:38pm
Post #11 of 26
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I have a friend in Boston who goes up to/around Acadia often and raves about it. Would love to make it out there sometime.
And that's great you were able to build in some alone time each day. I feel like so many people ignore that while planning, and inevitably their tale of the trip is 50% griping about the other person.
Enjoy catching up on rest!
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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Fri, 7:15pm
Post #12 of 26
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Not only to have her back in your area, but to know she's perfect for her career! I wish her all the best! 
Is this the first time your great-nephew will be rowing for that team? Isn't that the team, the movie was made about?
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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Fri, 7:23pm
Post #13 of 26
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Trying out cuisines one is not used to can be a lot of fun. And you gave her a good sense of what that city is really like. Were you able to get to a ball game?
Sorry you've come down ill, hope it goes away soon. A citrus smoothie might be good for it
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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cats16
Gondolin
Fri, 7:32pm
Post #14 of 26
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Unfortunately no baseball game
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She didn't express any strong desire to go, so we figured we'd have just as much fun doing something that didn't cost as much money. It was funny timing, because the game we were considering is the one that ended up being Shohei Ohtani's first game as a pitcher. Prices doubled within an hour of it being announced!
And thanks! Knocking on wood but some cold medicine has helped the last couple of hours.
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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Annael
Elvenhome
Fri, 7:58pm
Post #15 of 26
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He's just graduated from high school and was heavily recruited by both UW and Berkeley, but he likes the rowing program at the UW better - and yes, he's a bit influenced by it being the famous "Boys in the Boat" school.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
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NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Greenwood Hobbit
Doriath
Fri, 8:17pm
Post #16 of 26
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Solstice greetings, one and all!
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I've just come back from the annual get-together with my two old (yes,we are!) schoolfriends. We stayed at the same place near Gloucester that we went to last year, which was reassuringly familiar - unlike the labyrynthine green lanes of the Forest of Dean, in which we became enmeshed when we took a wrong turn on our day out! At some point my friend became able to access satnav on her phone, so we reached our destination eventually. We spent a pleasant few days chatting, sharing pictures of grandchildren etc, but it was rather too hot for us. 29C is out of our comfort zone! It's hot here at home too, but we hope for a few thundery showers tomorrow and a drop in temperature which will please me - and the thirsty garden.
Someone mentioned yarrow; I have the yellow one, 'Gold Plate', and a red one with yellow centres, 'Red Velvet'. They don't spread too fast in my heavy soil, but I think they could be invasive in a lighter soil. They're so attractive that I'd forgive them though! All my hardy geraniums are flowering now; when they've finished I'll give them a haircut and they should put up some more flowers later in the season.
It's fascinating visiting the places of our ancestors; I was able to take my dad to the small hamlet not far from Plymouth, to which his earliest paternal ancestor, born in 1717, had been traced. It was tantalising looking at the higgledy-piggledy row of stone cottages and wondering if one of those had been his home.
Have a good weekend, folks; enjoy the longest - or shortest, depending on where you are - day! Cheers!
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Annael
Elvenhome
Fri, 9:40pm
Post #17 of 26
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I discovered that one branch of my ancestors came from Pill. In Somersetshire. Pill, according to John Wesley, was "a place famous from generation to generation, even as Kingswood itself, for stupid, brutal, abandoned wickedness."
My ancestor married a woman his parents did not approve of and emigrated . . . to get away from them, or from Pill, is not recorded.
So were they Pillians? Pillites?
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
(This post was edited by Annael on Fri, 9:41pm)
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Kimi
Forum Admin
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Fri, 11:13pm
Post #19 of 26
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Although the calendar must somehow be wrong - it puts me at a decade or two older than the me inside feels.
The weather today is mild for winter solstice, with a valiant attempt at sunshine. In a rather perverse activity for one's birthday, I finished submitting our tax returns :) The sense of relief at having that job done is pleasant in itself, though.
I had breakfast in bed, a nice wee treat. And cake for morning tea. Tonight will be slow-roasted lamb, which we also have at Christmas, so it's a sort of mid-winter Christmas treat. Also Nigella's trifle, which is berry-loaded and delicious.
My monthly book royalties arrived, a nice birthday present - especially as they're the highest of the year so far.
Mr Kimi says he can't understand why there isn't an annual holiday for my birthday, but this year a very lovely one more or less coincides:
https://www.matarikifestival.org.nz/.
Wishing everyone a pleasant solstice weekend.
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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12:04am
Post #20 of 26
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Pillferers who practiced Pillates? //
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Annael
Elvenhome
12:07am
Post #21 of 26
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Always better to feel younger than what the calendar says than the other way around.
Is "morning tea" the same as "second breakfast"?
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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dernwyn
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12:17am
Post #22 of 26
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Especially if it gets humid. Did your cottage have any air conditioning or fans? Still, what a treat to still be getting together with old friends!
Ah, nothing like getting lost in the woods...a nice little adventure!
Thank you for mentioning that the yarrow can tend to spread, I'll find a spot so this yellow one will have a bit of growing room. What colours are your geraniums?
It feels strange, wondering how our ancestors ever survived in some of the old living conditions - but then, they must have been hardy souls, and that's a good trait to pass along.
May you get some decent showers tomorrow!
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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12:24am
Post #23 of 26
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Yes, those years must definitely be off by at least a decade. But it's only proper that there should be a New Year celebration coinciding! And breakfast in bed - knowing Mr Kimi's culinary talents, that must have been exquisite!
What kinds of fruit will you use for the trifle? I was looking at recipes for it, and one used rhubarb!
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Kimi
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1:13am
Post #24 of 26
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more of an early elevenses :). Just a hot drink and a wee bite (not so wee in the case of this cake).
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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Kimi
Forum Admin
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1:16am
Post #25 of 26
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Mixed ones, in this case strawbs, raspberries, blueberrys and blackcurrants. The recipe also uses marmalade (I just made a batch from our own Seville oranges), which adds a lovely bite. Plus orange juice (our sweet oranges are just ripening now), and pomegranate. Really nice, and with a festive feel.
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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