Mosaic Monday #91: Savoring Summer

Shaking my head in disbelief, I begin to pen this post about July 2020.  How can it already be August 2?  If you’re like me, August rouses memories of back-to-school shopping, and last-minute attempts to collect on all of summer’s unfulfilled promises.  A few days ago, I was weeding along the roadside, and a neighbor paused to chat while walking her dog.  She listed the summer visitors she had been hosting, and then switched gears to describe the fall activities for her kids.  “And then it will be Christmas,” she said.  It might have been the heat and the dazzling sun, but I almost passed out.  Christmas?  Stop the bus, I want to get off!  It feels like summer has just arrived, and it may disappear again with the blink of an eye.  Even Whitefish Mountain Resort joined the conspiracy by sending out an invitation for past employees to re-apply for winter positions.  Really?  So, this post is my deliberate attempt to drag my feet, to savor summer, to deny that fall is around the corner. 

It has been a full month, when I pause to reflect.  Three hikes plus one over-night camping trip.  Several doctor’s appointments (all is well) and a lengthy visit to the dentist for a crown.  Volunteering at the museum.  Coffee chit-chats and kayaking with my Dear Neighbor Friend.  Ongoing job search support with #1 Son.  And of course, joyful intervals in my beloved garden.  Activity seemingly makes the hands of the clock launch into overdrive.  Occasionally, I long to simply lounge on the deck, gazing out on the beauty right in front of me.  When these feelings occur, I rationalize that the season of “lounging” will come of its own accord, when I can no longer be so active.  And I jump back into the fray!

Non-human animals have it much simpler, and maybe we (you know I mean me) would be wise to take some lessons from them.

First: take a nap in the heat of the day (not my strong suit)

Second: Eat well (A+ on this one thanks to Head Chef)

Third: Avoid predators (in my case, it's mosquitoes and ticks that threaten my health, and dare I mention the c-word?)

On July 21, I was working in the garden and the badger strolled within 5 feet of me.  I was caught by surprise and didn't get him on video.  But wouldn't you know he stuck around most of the afternoon, apparently hunting chipmunks, and for your viewing pleasure, I have two videos below.  Don't worry, no death and carnage in either one.  But if you watch the second one closely, you will see a chipmunk escape the foliage and run under the deck, literally under my feet and then the badger follows.

Fourth: Hang out with buddies (COVID has put a bit of a kibosh on this; I've relished my coffee/kayaking dates with Dear Neighbor Friend, and we invited a couple for dinner on two separate occasions.) 

Our back forty is a popular location with the swallows given the lake and the multitudes of flying insects that congregate there.  A dead aspen has become a gathering spot for the swallows, until something triggers them to all take off at once, as you can see in this video below.

Fifth: stay hydrated (I don't have any animal pix for this one.  And I don't think alcohol and coffee count toward the 90 ounces of liquid I ought to be drinking ... maybe I should move on ....)

Sixth: look after your offspring (this is a joy, not a "task".  We are so excited #1 Son is moving to Montana while he continues his job search, and #1 Daughter and her boyfriend are visiting in August.  The family reunited!)

July is the month when most plants in Montana progress rapidly from leaves to blooms to seeds.  As many times as I have walked our property and the surrounding land, I still make new discoveries.  And I rejoice in seeing old favorites as well.

My garden is also flourishing; you can expect another post on that soon.  For now, I am tickled “yellow” with the success of the yellow penstemon since in previous summers it seemed weak and prone to insect infestations.  Sometimes, gardeners have plants that tend to crowd out others, and we have to actively restrain them.  I am not quite ready to do that with the coreopsis (the yellow plants in the pictures below), but I can see the time is coming.  Just look at how prolific they are and all from three plants at the time the landscaping was installed.

I have managed to tear myself away from the outdoors long enough to draw a birthday card for a close friend in the UK, and for my father-in-law.  Note: if you are planning to send anything overseas, allow plenty of time.  Two weeks passed before my friend received her drawing, and it was three weeks for my father-in-law.  Yikes!  I was also proud and honored to have my Violet Protest square included in a display of Montana-made squares at Honey’s Café in Red Lodge, Montana.  Organized by Maggy Hiltner, the installation features 24 squares that will be forwarded to Phoenix to join squares from all over the U.S. for the main Violet Protest organized by Ann Morton.  My second square is halfway complete and will be ready in time for the November 15, 2020 deadline.  You can still participate!

No summer is complete without a “campfire” and S’Mores.  As faithful readers know, I always take the makings for S’Mores on our camping trips, so this summer “promise” has been partly fulfilled.  But you may be shocked to learn that we had not yet used our firepit this summer!  That was rectified last weekend, and at the end of the night, Spousal Unit said “We need to do this more often.”  In Montana, it’s never too hot in the evening for a fire – as soon as the sun begins to dip, the temperatures drop dramatically and the stars blink on.  You are likely to spot several satellites tracing their way across the sky.  Night sounds are distinct, and identifying them (or letting your imagination run wild) is entertaining.  That evening, we saw a crane fly up from the lake and land at the tippy-top of a pine tree some distance from our house.  So special. 

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, what remains on your wish list for the summer?  I am dreaming about swimming, attending an outdoor concert, and a picnic at the lake.  Oh, and definitely more ice cream!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time). 

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog. 

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back. 

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by. 

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully. 

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

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