The Third Act

morning walks

The heat and humidity of summer in the mid-Atlantic have forced me to institute a sunrise exercise routine...that's not a bad thing.

 

 

 

(stream of consciousness)

I've been working to get through the assigned reading for a book group tomorrow.  There's still more to go...but it's a book I've read before.  At least it's something to focus on. Paid work tasks are coming up in drips and drabs, which offer a point of concentration as well.

Otherwise focus, for the most part, has left the building.  I'm setting a timer for short bursts (30 minutes) on tasks I need to get through, but seem overwhelming in their scope.  Sometimes I feel like I'm just moving deck chairs on a sinking ship (and no, I don't feel despair about anything, just challenged and sometimes confused).  

At least it's been cooler and, hallelujah!, drier lately.  Not to jinx anything, but pre-autumn may be getting close.  I haven't been to Michael's lately...I'm sure they have their Halloween selection out on display.  However, it's not like I need to acquire new possessions at this point.  The opposite is in fact what needs to happen.

I never would have imagined that when the social isolation of this pandemic experience started, that I'd be that affected.  I figured, my life wouldn't really change that much.  But it's taking its toll.  There's a looming uncertainty ahead for things like...when is it safe to visit my family again?  I guess that's the biggest issue for me.  Ever since I moved far from family, setting up trips back to visit everyone was my goal post, my bench mark, the thing that most gave me something to look forward to.  That being the case, there's a spark that seems to have dimmed in my psyche.  Where did I put that box matches, anyway....??

 

August

We've been fortunate to avoid rain for a couple days now.  It was lovely enough out, that I've left the house open all day.  It's slightly warm, but not bad.  Besides, I like the fresh air.  With the combination of lower temperatures, slightly lower humidity (it's all relative) and the angle of the sun, I'd swear that I could see autumn off in the distance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

into the okra blossom

 

gone wild

The garden has gone wild.  I've been letting the bugs eat what they want.  The paths have been overgrown with purple shiso.  Cucumber vines meander at their will, sometimes giving me fruits to pick, sometimes just carrying on in their way.  In other years I might stress about it, but right now, it's not worth the energy.  The times continue in their weirdness and it's best not to fight that energy.

Out back the fungi are having a grand old time, covering chunks of fallen tree limbs and logs.

 

 

 

Sunday

I still didn't sleep well last night.  There was a trickle of rain still coming down off and on, so it was super hard for me to relax.  Consequently, I haven't asked too much of myself today.  Walkies with Avery, after which I gave myself a half an hour to start addressing stuff (mainly jettisoning crap from downstairs).  Once accomplished, I've been a lump.  I don't even know what's for dinner!!

Tomorrow is another day (hopefully one that will be approached slightly more rested).

Sorry for the boring pictures lately.  I've been distracted and trying to reprioritize my energies.  More interesting imagery will be back at some point.  For the time being, I'm just trying to keep up with my 365 blog post goal for this (totally weird and kind of annoying) 2020.

 

the no-good-very-bad-day

Flooding rains...water in the basement...gutter torn off the side of the house...  

I'm thankful for friends and neighbors who showed support and came to help me deal.

More rain tonight, but I'm not gonna check downstairs until the morning....no use in sucking up water until the rains stop.

Perhaps I picked the wrong year to go off escitalopram...

 

 

 

On my table...

...dried things from the garden...chamomile blossoms, poppy pods, and red clover blossoms.

It's mid August and I'm looking forward to autumn. Perhaps with all this precipitation, if we get a cold snap at the right time, we'll have some good color in the trees.  But for now...it's at least slightly cooler, even if still very humid.

 

 

 

 

dark and stormy

Well...for about 20 minutes it became very dark, with heavy rain and a few rumbles of thunder.  

Another week of this, or so they say, and then we'll see drier, cooler conditions.  I'm ready.  I'm ready to open the windows again at night and feel like just maybe, fall is around the corner.

 

 

 

spinning my wheels

Anybody else feeling like this right now?  It's too hot to work in the yard...or rather, I'd like to have one day, just one, in which I didn't get completely sweaty and bug bitten.  I didn't even go out for my long walk this morning.  I did take Avery for her 1.5 mile jaunt around the neighborhood.  I also managed to get one, just one, cyanotype printed today.  It's another grid which I'll paint on later.  So...here for my blog post...are pictures of a snack of a pear.  I may nap after this (why can I never seem to feel rested?  the answer may be in the weather...) before my 2pm Zoom call with my counselor.  It's been months since we had a session.  We'd left it that I'd get in touch when I felt like I needed it.  I need it.