A Poe-m

The writings of Edgar Allan Poe made a tremendous impression on me when I was young, due in part to a high-school English teacher with a flair for the dramatic.  Hearing him read 'The Tell-Tale Heart' sent shivers up my spine.  We had a good, long, steady rain last night, enough to bring out the rain beetles and Poe once again came to mind.  Sitting alone with the cats and dog, a tapping at the darkened windows...here, then there, is enough to bring up 'The Raven.'  "...suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door."  Turn off the sound on the tv to better hear what I thought I'd heard.  Yes, there it is again.  Even now, after thirty-odd years, that random tapping at the window out in the dark quickens my heartbeat.  Rain, tapping, ah yes, the beetles are back, and I return to my program.

Who says there's no drama here.

Stay safe.  Be well.

One Day

A pattern has been developing...one day on, one day off.  A day of ambition is followed by a day of recuperation.  Yesterday was a day off.  As long as something gets done, I'm not complaining.

There have been more sightings of bears in the area lately.  That only makes sense.  After the fires, they are out of their habitat and looking for food.  I have only seen deer.  A gorgeous buck came by the other day with his harem, a wonderful perk of living here.

Nature favored us with a lovely, almost-warm afternoon yesterday.  It was one of those days when Michael asks to go outside, not to piddle, but to just sit on the porch and enjoy being outdoors.  I'm a willing partner.

It's a warm, sunshiny morning.  We'll see if Nature switches gears for the afternoon.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Blow Hard

Boy, did we ever have some wind the other day!  It was one of those days when the constant thought was save the trees, save the trees.   Up here on the crest of the hill, we get wind especially hard so it wasn't an idle thought.  Luckily, no damage was done and we didn't lose electricity, another concern.  Let's just say Michael and I didn't spend much time out on the porch.

We've also had a tremendous drop in temperature, enough that I've had to hunt up the bean bag to heat in the microwave and wear an 'outside' jacket indoors all day.  I'm not complaining!  The cats are once again piled on my lap and on each other and Michael seeks patches of sunlight.  Acorns are dropping like mini-bombs.  If Michael and I weren't confined to the porch, we'd have to wear safety helmets.

I've unexpectedly had a burst of housework ambition and have been busy with that which should have been done, and wasn't.  Dusting, of course, has been saved for last.  As I've said, aversion to dusting is an inherited trait.  My mother said that was the reason she had girls, so they could do her bidding for that chore.  My boys weren't so lucky.  I was an equal-opportunity mother.

Nature is stretching her seasonal muscles, what with the wind and the cold.  It's light enough now to see that it's going to be a grey, overcast morning.  Who knows what she''ll come up with for the afternoon.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Hot Stuff

During hot weather, I attempt to keep cool (a relative term) with a glass of ice water by my chair.  I drink the water, then crunch the ice cubes.  This summer I drank enough water to float a battleship and crunched enough ice to sink the Titanic and still sweat like a horse.  Oh well.

The onset of cooler nights has sent me in s different direction.  After sundown, the doors that have stood open for months get closed and I head to the kitchen to make a cup of cocoa or hot cider to sip and warm my hands.  Cats that had the sense to lie in front of doors hoping for a breeze once again pile on my lap for warmth.  The bedtime battle for blankets has begun.  If I don't get settled before they do, the fifty-pound behemoths weigh them down and I don't get my share.

We got a good steady rain last night.  There is still standing water on the deck, and that's a good thing.  If nothing else, the rain might help the firefighters on the line at the Caldor fire.  My robe and long-unused slippers feel good this morning.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Not My Style

I am an avid fan of 'The Great British Baking Show."  I am in awe of these amateur contestants who work against time to create fantastic bakes and create such works of art.  Presentation is the end-all, be-all for the winners, and that would be my downfall.

Feeding a family of six, the main goal was to make as much as I could as fast as I could and get it to the table before there was an insurrection.  Everything was served family style and did not require the niceties of a decorative sprig of basil or artistic placement on the plate.

To me, cakes were boring and pretty much reserved for birthdays, six spread out across the calendar.  Pies were more my forte, and I say with some pride that my Kids never took bought cookies in their lunches during all their years in school.  I passed on cookie recipes for a measly couple of dozen.  Those would have been gone as soon as they came out of the oven.  I needed recipes that could easily be doubled or tripled, and I remember the one for molasses cookies that started with five dozen.  The goal was quality and quantity, and little to no decorating involved.

No, I'd never make it on TGBBS.  I might win Star Baker in the pie category, but would fall flat on my face in the artistic arena.  That's just not my style.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Food For Thought

I am surrounded by extra-special nice people.  Florence and Dan quite literally kept me alive during and since Caldor with food and good company, as well as rides here and there.  Cousin Sandy calls frequently to say hi and spread cheer.  Chuck came yesterday and voluntarily vacuumed my carpets, something I've not been able to do in some time and they were deplorable.  I am grateful for one and all.

It took Ralph a while to recover after his terrible experience in the great outdoors.  He didn't come out of the bedroom for two whole days, and he's just now starting to run zoomies through the house and torment his sister Celeste.  I'm glad to see the old Ralph back again.

Michael is a perfect host, greeting guests, sitting by their side for awhile, and then retiring to leave the grownups to talk.  Yesterday was a bit different.  Chuck, when he visits, sits on the loveseat.  Because he was moving furniture and giving the rug a good cleaning, he would periodically sit and rest...on the loveseat.  Michael became uncharacteristically territorial and jumped up to take Chuck's space.  "My mom, my couch, my space, Dude."  He was polite, but firm, and would not move, leaving Chuck to perch on what was left of the edge.

We're due for a twenty-degree drop in temperature in the next few days.  I can't say it won't be welcome.  Summer is not my favorite season.  Florence was inspired by an offhand comment of mine about lima beans and, don't you know, made a big pot of beans and ham hocks, and was kind enough to share.  Ahh, fall is here for sure.

Stay safe.  Be well.

The Great Outdoors

While it may hold great allure, Ralph found out yesterday that the outdoors is not all it's cracked up to be.  I can only assume that he snuck out while Michael and I were going out for one of Michael's potty breaks.  All I know for sure is that I was on a phone call when I saw a panic-stricken cat running frantically back and forth in front of the screen door on the outside.  Leaving my caller waiting, I opened the door for a cat who bolted inside, headed for the safety of the bedroom, and wasn't seen again for the rest of the day.  I double checked for any other ways of egress, and found none.

I am ever so grateful that I was in the right place at the right time to see my little red-headed miscreant, because up here there really are lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Ralph spent the rest of the day repenting.

Stay safe.  Be well.