It Looked Like Snow

The cottonwood trees have been sending their fluffy seeds out for the last couple weeks but today there must have been some sort of signal because the air was thick with them.  DS works for a landscaper during the summer and he complained that the cottonwood fluff stuck to his sweaty skin all day.  Man, that had to feel awful.  When I walked around the block the other day there were rolls of the stuff on the grass and sidewalks of the house where the trees grow.  I'll have to spray the fluff off the vanes of the air conditioner one of these days.

This morning I tiptoed into the garden (I needed some chives to snip for my slaw) and saw a couple bunches of unripe blueberries.  Hooray!  After last year's rabbit depredation recovery I am thrilled to see those clusters of little green orbs.

Oh, I was so clever tonight.  I got home from the Y and a quick grocery run around 1:30, had lunch, tidied up a bit, and then lit the charcoal to cook a whole chicken on the rotisserie on the Weber.  I set the timer for 50 minutes so I could make the slaw and not put the bird on too late.  Well.  The timer buzzed, I went out to put the rotisserie ring on the grill only to discover that the charcoal pile hidden by the side of the kettle hadn't lit.  Arrrgh.  I had supper guests coming in just over an hour.  What to do?  I put on the leather grill gloves and grabbed the tongs, removed about a dozen of the lit coals, tonged the same number of unlit coals off and put them on the lit ones, then replaced the dozen lit coals on the unlit ones.  By golly, it worked!  The bird was golden, fragrant, juicy, and done in an hour.  I didn't take its picture because I was busy having guests and making sure that the meal was set but it was tasty, and a good time was had by all.



I've been working on that crazy sock that is actually two socks knitted as one tube with white waste yarn where the heels and toes will be.  I'm about halfway up the second leg, I'll only have the cuff to knit, and then I can remove the waste yarn very carefully to finish them.  Can't wait.



After snipping chives I decided that I needed to fill the birdfeeders up by the fence behind the retaining wall.  I thought it was a good idea to go over to the end of the wall and walk across on the new dirt so I didn't disturb the grass seed.  It rained yesterday.  It rained a lot yesterday.  I picked up about 2 lbs. of mud on each garden clog.  Maybe I'll leave those feeders alone for a couple weeks until the grass is growing again.




Today was a weight machine day at the Y.  I spent about an hour going around lifting, pushing, twisting, and sweating, then I spent 15 minutes on the treadmill.  But I wanted to take a walk too so I waited until 9 o'clock when it had cooled off.  Great idea.  There was plenty of light yet, the sunset was tinting the western sky a gorgeous peachy orange, and Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra (the harp) peeked out from behind the clouds just in time for me to take her picture.

25 June--Barbara Malcolm, Horizon. 

              As Samara and I left the classroom in the craft store on our way to the café the following Tuesday, I was surprised to see Mr. Baker looking at the display of frames nearby.  I immediately stopped talking and started to steer Samara down the next aisle hoping to avoid him.  But he must have been waiting for me because he turned with a smile.

“Boy, you all sure have fun in there.  I could hear you laughing with the door closed.”

“Yes, Mr. Baker, we do have a good time.  Have a nice evening,” I said and turned to catch up with Samara who was going out the door.  He fell into step with me.

“I was wondering, Mrs. Logan, if you’d like to get a cup of coffee?  We could maybe go to that new café down the road.”  He blushed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

I stiffened.  That’s where everyone in class headed and I didn’t want him insinuating himself into the group.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Baker.  I couldn’t possibly go with you.  It’s late and I have to get home.  It’s a long drive,” I said, turning away again.

“Are you sure, Gail?  It’s only ten miles.  I mean, I heard your grandson talking to his mom on Saturday about you taking this class, and I just thought it might be nice to meet you and go for coffee.  We could talk about getting your garden put to bed for the winter or what you might plant in the spring…” He trailed off, sounding just like a fifteen-year-old asking out his first date.

I tried not to smile at the pleading note in his voice.  Not so confident now, are you, Mr. Horticultural Experience?  I made sure to wipe any trace of a smile off my face before turning back to him.

“I’m sure, Mr. Baker.  Thank you for the invitation.”  I walked out of the store, got into my car, and drove away.  I could see him standing in the store watching me leave while the employees turned off the lights behind him.

Everyone from class was already seated when I got there.  I started to place my order as I passed the waitress, but the waitress shook her head.

“I got it, honey.  You’re the decaf mocha latté, right?”

“I guess I’m too predictable.”

             The waitress laughed.  “Honey, everybody’s predictable about coffee.  You go on sit down with your friends and I’ll be right along with the drinks.”

             As I sat down, Mona, a young secretary, was telling everyone about a class at the museum she was thinking of signing up for.

             “The instructor teaches at the University and he’s had a gallery showing in Chicago,” Mona said.

             Viola sighed, “A gallery showing in Chicago?  Wow, that’s so cool.  Gail and Samara are the only ones at this table who even have a chance at that.”

             That took my breath away.  “Me?  Are you kidding, Vi?  I agree that Samara has a chance, but not me.  She’s so relaxed and creative.  I’m still strangling my brush.”

             A chorus of denials and reassurance that I was indeed good enough for a gallery showing answered my statement.

          “You’re the best in class,” Joe Benning said.

          “Why do you think June spends most of every class bending over your shoulder?” said Mona.  “She’s worried you’re better than she is.”

          Vi said, “When I saw your first painting I almost gave my paints away.”

         “Gail,” Samara put her hand on my arm, “you can’t be serious.  You’ve got real talent.  I have plans for you and me conquering the art scene in New York just as soon as I get out of college.  I’m thinking those four years will give both of us a chance to develop our own styles and then, look out, New York, Gail and Samara are on the way.”

          I looked at my young friend and at all the smiling faces around the table.  “Thank you all for those kind words.  Like I said, right now I’m just hoping to keep from giving myself arthritis.  But you’re all invited to my first gallery opening.” I finished with a flourish.  I looked up to discover Mr. Baker standing at the cash register waiting to be seated.

           Samara saw the smile suddenly leave my face and whispered, “What’s wrong?  Who is that guy?  Wasn’t he waiting for you after class?”

           I picked up a menu and tried to hide behind it.  “That’s Abel Baker.  I told you about him, didn’t I?  He’s the guy from the garden center who keeps trying to wrangle an invitation to help in my garden.  He asked me out for coffee tonight and I told him I was going home.  I’m so embarrassed.”  I hid behind the menu while he was seated and was relieved that he sat with his back to me.  “I can’t risk him seeing me.  I have to leave.  Make my excuses to the others, please, Samara.”  I gathered up my purse and jacket, tossed five dollars onto the table for my coffee, and left.

          I wondered during the drive home if Mr. Baker had seen me and felt terrible for lying to him at the craft store.  Maybe I’ll take him a jar of pickles the next time I go to the garden center.  “What am I thinking?” I said out loud.  “He bugs the crap out of me.  Why would I worry if I’ve hurt his feelings?”

Dad's roses started opening today.  Man, they smell good.  Thanks, Dad.
--Barbara