Summertime In May

Once again,our little Granite State is HOT! Today it's going to hit 90 degrees,with some areas of the state inching towards 95. Needless to say,we are not working outside today. I did get my gardens nicely watered this AM after Zach got on the bus,while it was still somewhat cool. I doused them well. Our Jumbo Cornish Game Hens are doing A-OK in the turkey cage,and our smaller chicks are getting the food they need.

My peas are coming up,and I noticed this AM that my lettuce is starting to make an appearance,as well as one carrot stem. The Walla Walla onions are doing well,the pumpkin vines are growing,and the cukes seem to have taken to their new home. The strawberry plant leaves are a beautiful rich green color,and I do see some leaves coming out on our blueberry bushes. So things seem to be moving along nicely so far.

Rick was going to work on the chicken coop this AM,but after he checked the chicks,he wound up on the phone with the VA trying to make sure that his pre-surgery physical was going through . Dartmouth requires the Dr to OK Rick for the surgery,otherwise they will not do it. Apparently,Dartmouth has been playing phone tag with the VA for a couple of weeks trying to set this physical up with Rick's primary Dr.Friday we went down to the Somersworth VA Outpatient Center where Rick sees his primary to talk to them about it,and they informed us that the VA does not allow primary Dr's to clear anyone for surgery. Rick's Dr did make a referral to another Dr who is a cardiologist who does pre-surgery physicals,and Rick called today to see how that was going. After a few back and forth calls,and the VA calling Dartmouth,he finally got good news. He has an appt on June 4 with a Dr. His surgery is June 7! Talk about cutting it close!

I came back home from grocery shopping at 10:30,and Rick had finished the dishes and his phone calls. It was already broiling out,and he was dripping with sweat just from helping me bring the bags into the house. So I told him,no working outside today.We'll see if he listens to me. He worked really hard yesterday,all by himself. He wasn't feeling very well in the AM,and we had to cancel his appt with his PTSD counselor,Ken. Later in the morning he felt better,so while I brought Zach down to his physical for Boy Scout camp,Rick had started on the coop. He got the floor,the framing for one wall,and a window put in. He pushed himself,as usual.The coop is 7' x 8',and is tall enough so Rick,who is 6 ft tall,can walk in to it.

This morning as I was watering my lavender, I noticed a tiny garter snake,laying right on top of it! I have never seen a snake laying on top of lavender before. I don't like snakes. Actually, I don't like when I come across them unexpectedly. If I see them from a distance, I have no problem checking them out. I am thankful that here in NH poisonous snakes are rare. There are some timber rattlers up in the mountains,but not many,and one might find a stray copperhead or water moccasin,but that is very very rare. We have milk snakes,garter snakes,black snakes,rat snakes. This little garter snake was actually cute. He was just hanging out,watching me water,and then when I got to where he was laying,he slowly slid down to the ground,and slithered off along the foundation of the house.I find myself observing more of the world around me as I putter in the yard. Butterflies,bees,birds,snakes-they are all a source of interest for me. I will stop what I am doing and just watch them. I find it relaxing. They don't have schedules to keep,they just do what they do. This is their home,too,and I enjoy sharing this little piece of earth with them.