waffles and edelweiss

A lethargic Tessa. As the day progressed, she lost more and more energy and insisted on staying under the blanket even though she was hot to the touch

I made her special waffles, which she seemed enthusiastic about until she ate less than a quarter of it. Grossed out because it was multigrain? No an illness started to settle in.

finally some blooms on my edelweiss

plenty of lupine, which I have not grown successfully before. I got bold and planted 15 dahlia tubers yesterday

squash in bloom

My fairy garden. I got this clay village almost 40 years ago at an art fair

callas and zinnia sprouts

at the nearby lake the other day

weird cattle at Domino's farms from my bike ride Sunday. From a distance, I thought it was some sculpture from rusty 55 gallon drums

The road I used to run on when I lived at the Albatross. I biked on it the other day heading east into the sun. Tough when there weren't enough trees to block the sun. I now run on the same road 8 miles east of this point. And instead of me having to run north to go on it, I have to run south.

The drought continues. Lots of promises of rain and big green patches slowly coming in from the western part of the state only to disappear once they approach Ann Arbor. I am spending lots of time making sure all is watered.

One danger of having a house dependent on so many systems, is that we have no idea what to do when something breaks down. Something is not right with the water softener cycle. Weird noises and clanging keep me up a lot of the night. Oh to be blissfully deaf as my husband! The water softener expert comes in tomorrow.

And my annoying insurance company. My dentist office called to complain that nothing has been paid, no sign of receipt or even denial. No one answers the phone. Could I please intervene? Big sigh. I did seem to reach a helpful person. I am approved to have the dental work (thousands of dollars) reimbursed from the accident. The claims were not to be mailed to the office on my insurance card. Nope, they were to be sent to the local branch of my out of state insurance, who will deny them and then send them to the 'proper place'. Yep and how were we to know that? I had the insurance company call the dental office to confirm and miracle of miracles, they did! But I suspect I haven't heard the last of it.

Boy do I wish I didn't fall.

Strange animal sightings of the last few days: an enormous hawk-like bird flew through my yard while I had my co-worker over, larger than the Cooper's hawk and the red tail hawk that come through. Larger than the many vultures (who fly high) and didn't have that ugly red head. Later I consulted the bird book. No hawks around here are all brown. Then I looked up eagles. It takes 4 years for an eagle's head to turn white. I probably saw an immature eagle. And there are eagles around here. A big to-do when someone shot one a few miles away from here.

And those bizarre cattle at Domino's. They are not Texas longhorns.

And today, a mink ran in front of me.

My tiny vegetable plants are now quite large. I can harvest Swiss chard if I want to.

We had Tessa last night for her first overnight. She was quite excited. She by far, is the easiest grandchild enthusiastic about anything we suggest. She even asked to be put to bed. In the morning, she initially was her sunny self but then soon just wanted to chill on the couch instead of following me around outside or jumping on our trampoline. I felt her. She was burning up, which wasn't much of a surprise as her brothers were just getting over a fever. Shanna thought Tessa had escaped but no such luck. I am hoping this is just one of the many kid diseases that adults were long ago exposed to and thus immune.

And grandbaby six this week is the size of the prune and could finally be considered a fetus versus an embryo.