Game Day

OJ had two soccer games today. One at 10 A.M. and one at 4 P.M. It was hot, in the mid to high 80s, humid, and sunny with a slight breeze that was so appreciated by both the spectators and the players. Although I suspect that the players didn't notice it because they were running and sweating. DS took along his canopy tent for shade for the team in the second game. I'm sure the players appreciated being able to sit in the shade when they weren't playing. They didn't win either game. In fact, they got creamed both times, but they played hard and didn't give up. They have one more game tomorrow at 10 A.M. and then the season is blessedly over.

 

Early this morning a Downy Woodpecker landed on the suet nuggets feeder and stayed long enough to have its picture taken. There must have been a lot of birds visiting all day because when I got home after the second game I saw that the nuggets were nearly gone already.

 

 A male House Finch landed on the birdbath and then went right to the grape jelly for a snack. It wasn't facing the sun so you can't see how bright its head and breast were, but the reddish color was impressive.

 

Today's flower is an Iris, and a French Iris at that. I feel intimidated when I turn the page and see such a complex flower, but if I get over myself and take it one step at a time (there are 10 steps), I can do it. The French Irises on the retaining wall didn't bloom this year. I don't know why. I see the leaves but no flowers came.

 

I spent the time between games at home cooling down and reading the mystery manuscript. I didn't have any brilliant insights but I did make sure the city name was spelled the same through the manuscript, which is a good thing. And I started making chapter breaks. In one place I made a note about what has to go there but I wasn't in the right frame of mind to act on the note. I'll get there.

We went to lunch at Culver's after the morning game and DS and DIL1 bought us all paletas (frozen ice pops) at the start of the second game. Mine was coconut. So delicious and white, which was good because if it dripped it would have blended with my white t-shirt. But I managed to eat and lick it fast enough that I only got a drip on my ankle. Don't ask me how. It was crazy at the playing fields today. All of the city league teams played their last games today so every field was in play and there were a zillion cars parked along the streets. There were food trucks and paletas vendors, even a shaved ice truck. Madness!

--Barbara