“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.”
Everything is as it should be. The trash is gone. My shower has a new floor, the posts on the garden fence are back in place, all my deck flowers have been planted, the table, the grill and the lounge furniture were cleaned and the deck itself was power washed. I have a few decorative touches to add like small tables, prayer flags and candles, but that won’t take long. I’m ready for a summer of lolling on the deck.
The crossword puzzle in the globe had a great clue, one I knew right away. The clue wanted the country between Togo and Nigeria. It is Benin which was called Dahomey when I lived in Ghana. One of my trips was to go from Ghana, to Togo to Benin.
Today is cloudy and damp. The day is already hot, in the high 70’s. The house, though, is pleasantly cool.
I still need a few more flowers for the clay pots on the deck and some potting soil. I also need to put the furniture covers away. They were left out so they could dry. I need to get a new grill cover. That would be cover number 4.
Every night I light the small lamp in the living room, the over the sink light in the kitchen and the lamp here in the den. I still have white lights in the windows and a string of lights outside coming from the big lit star. I noticed a neighbor up the street also has a lit string of lights.
I remember summer nights when I was a kid. The living room was always dark, lit by a single lamp and the flickering light from our black and white TV. I sometimes sat outside on the back steps. I could hear the muted voices of our close neighbors. Their windows and back doors were open. I could hear the TV from next door. I used to sit there a while taking in the night.
Other than last year, I wound strings of lights around the deck rail. Some lights lasted a while while others went dead in a couple of nights. The spawns of Satan chewed the wires. I have three sets of lights I have been reluctant to put outside. The chewed lights were cheap, only $3 or $4 dollars a string, but the store where I bought the cheap lights was closed. The new lights I bought on line. I’m thinking I’ll take the risk. I love the lights at night.
The other night I saw my first firefly. It blinked by the window so I went out, found him and followed his light across the backyard. I remember the field below my house. During the day grasshoppers jumped in front of me as I walked, but at night, the field was glorious, lit by the fireflies which flew all over. I’d sit at the top of the hill and never tire of watching. I knew fairies were real.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 25, 2020 at 2:29 pm
Hi Kat,
The other day was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Several years ago I travelled to São Paulo Brazil in early July. All the flights to South America are red eyes and you arrive in the morning. I always travel over the weekend so that I can recuperate on Sunday before teaching class all week. After lunch in the hotel I decided to take a nap. I forgot to ask for a wake up call at 4:00 in the afternoon. When I awoke it was pitch dark and I was afraid I had overslept. Of course it was only 5:00 PM because in São Paulo it’s winter and the shortest day of the year in early July. 🙂
Glad to hear your deck is set for a summer of enjoyment.
The weather here will be partly cloudy and hot as well as humid. A huge dust storm will arrive here over the weekend from the Sahara desert. Just what we need.
June 25, 2020 at 5:31 pm
Hi Bob,
One summer I traveled from Venezuela to Brazil. It was winter after I crossed the equator so I saw snow on the Andes, and it was colder in the higher elevation countries but not cold enough for a coat. My hooded sweatshirt was just fine. When I finally made it to Brazil, Ipanema was pretty empty because Brazil was warmer than the countries in the mountains. I don’t remember the early darkness, maybe I was used to it by then.
It got hot here so I turned on the air to cool the house. It feels great now. Tonight will go down to the 60’s.
June 25, 2020 at 4:03 pm
St John Fisher Chapel in Auburn Hills has been our spiritual refuge for many years. A group of progressives and activists it was characterized by a commitment to accept all in to the congregation and to better the community. We always knew that we were an out-layer to the Catholic Church and seriously at risk
And so it has come to pass, a systematic clearing out including the Priest, the Pastoral Team and ministries. before the arrival of a conservative academic and a novice Priest at the beginning of July.
To emphasize his control Vigneron fired the Music Director Terry Gonda who committed the sin of being married to her female partner Kirsti. This was no mystery it was known to all for years.
If you are interested here are a couple of links
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2020/06/24/detroit-archdiocese-terry-gonda-catholic-church-same-sex-marriage/3247103001/
Keep us in your prayers. To be tolerant is not to be tolerated by the AOD
June 25, 2020 at 5:39 pm
My Dear Hedley,
What a travesty! The Catholic Church shouldn’t wonder why the numbers keep falling. It is due to the inability of the church to evolve, to reflect the people it serves and to accept everyone. The powers that be knew your little chapel is an out-layer because they chose a conservative to take over. I think it is sinful what is happening to the chapel and the congregation.
You always speak so highly of your chapel and all its charitable events like at Thanksgiving. I hope some of it will stay the same.
I didn’t read the Times was they wouldn’t let me unless I subscribed. The Detroit story was both sad and lovely.
June 25, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Kat,
Just download an app called ‘Pocket’ on your iPad and follow the instructions. There’s also a ‘Pocket’ website. When you save NY Times articles to pocket it strips the protection and you can read the article.
Even with a more progressive pope the Catholic Church is losing membership. A friend of mine at work now attends some kind of Protestant mega church, when they attend at all, instead of the Catholic Church in which they were raised. Their daughters and their families have also dumped the Catholic Church.
Between the conservatives in the Vatican along with the priest sex scandals, it’s hard to attract young people especially in the west.
June 25, 2020 at 8:56 pm
Bob,
I have pocket on my MAC so I’ll try to save to it. I never thought of that. Most times I usually save one or two of the articles they send. Thanks for the help!
I haven’t any idea how the church fares here in the east. I know it is flourishing in Africa, and the Africans are quite devout.
June 25, 2020 at 5:26 pm
Hi Kat,
I just woke up. Glad every thing is working well for you. We don’t see fireflies on West coast, at least not around here. I do, however believe in fairies though ( except the tooth fairy).
I was cleaning up and found one of many cat brushes. This has wires, I must have used it on Jewels Meow Cat. I don’t think Cookie would like it at all.
You are welcome to it if you like.
I don’t know why I’ve been on a sort of cleaning frenzy during this time.
Lori and the nutty gang.
June 25, 2020 at 5:49 pm
Hi Lori,
I always wondered if one of the fireflies was Tinker Bell or a relative. They blinked just like she did.
The only chore left is Henry to the vets. I am afraid he’ll get out of his collar when they take him inside as the car ride would have scared him.
Thanks on the brush, but I have bought a couple of different ones. Jack desperately needs giant clumps to be removed from his belly. Every time I get close he whacks me and shows his teeth. I’ll have to be persistent.
I get those crazy cleaning frenzies too. It was good when my cleaning couple didn’t come for three months. I had no choice then but to clean. They have been back twice. They cleaned today. I just sat and read. It was delightful.
June 25, 2020 at 11:02 pm
Kat, I think my cleaning frenzy is due to anxiety about not leaving the house.
Cheers
Oh did you see Mouth of Babes?
June 25, 2020 at 11:08 pm
Sorry for me, I missed it.
I think everyone who cleaned got to the point of needing to do something or go crazy.