Happy Labor Day weekend to my Sunday Letter readers.
This year at our house, Labor Day weekend looks like any other weekend. Maybe you have something entertaining on your agenda? If so, please share in the comments so we can all join you. Virtually of course.
Often during this strange year, I’ve longed to be traveling someplace, someplace with a beach or lake or even a swimming hole, someplace different from today’s normal. Back to yesteryear or ahead to a time when life is more settled. Other times, most times, I’m extremely grateful to live in a comfortable home in a safe community, coexisting with both nature and kind people who are trying to change things for the better.
I’m a Ninja
My exciting news for the week—I have a new blender. YES, I am easily entertained.
The truth is smoothies are a big part of my breakfast menu, and when our blender petered out (actually it began leaking like a sieve and we couldn’t fix it), I did a little research and bought myself a Ninja.
Man alive, what a difference it makes.
Compared to our old blender, I might as well have been chopping my frozen fruit with a plastic straw and then mixing with my elbow.
Check.It.Out.
Not only can I now make smoothies as rich and luscious as ice cream, but I’m pretty sure I could head into the back yard and drill for crude oil with this blade.
Don’t mess with me. If things get ugly here, the Ninja blade will be my weapon of choice.
= Me. Ha.
The Leaves Don’t Lie
This time of year while walking Annabelle, I enjoy watching the turning leaves. Even on a warm afternoon that feels more like July than September, the leaves don’t lie. As the days grow shorter and sunlight lessens, the leaves tell the season’s story.
Some years are more colorful than others, because of rain or lack of rain.
I think this fall will be a pretty one.
2020 owes us that much.
I say that to be humorous because, really, we aren’t owed a thing. And I’m not sure we deserve much of anything either. Nature’s beauty is not ours to possess or squander or ignore. We are fortunate to merely admire.
Late for the Party?
This coneflower popped up in our herb/butterfly bed here at the end of the season, as fresh and as bright as her cousins who bloomed on Independence Day. Most all of our other coneflowers have dried and gone to seed. Those with any remaining petals have faded to pale.
But this beauty?
I think she waited until I deadheaded the tangle of gray-headed coneflowers that hogged the bed all summer. She waited until she had room to breathe. Then, when the coast was clear, she sprouted from a seed that must have patiently bided its time, soon shooting taller than the lavender penta, stronger than her swamp milkweed neighbor, that has grown raggedy with hungry monarch caterpillars.
She waited until she could be the star of the show.
And she is.
I admire that about her.
Remember, it’s never too late to join the party, if the party is worthwhile.
Twining
Speaking of our raggedy swamp milkweed, these twins have been feasting and feasting. They’ve grown quite plump and healthy, nearly doubling in size every couple of days. I don’t imagine they will gorge much longer.
Soon they will wander off and transform.
Even though ours is mostly a survival of the fittest garden, I’m happy to report our birds and caterpillars have been able to coexist quite nicely this year. I attribute this in part to mealworms. I make sure our birds have a variety of fresh seed and dried mealworms every day.
Mealworms must be candy to birds, tasty enough to forego the caterpillars.
FYI, mealworms aren’t worms. They are the larvae of the darkling beetle. And they attract a wide variety of beautiful songbirds. Since early this year when I began adding mealworms to our regular feed (a combo of black sunflower seed and a nut mix), the variety of birds has increased dramatically.
Yes, corona-2020 has made me more of a birder. And that’s a fun thing.
Things Momma Says
Have you seen that pill that helps with memory? I want you to get me some, but I can’t remember the name of it.
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Thanks for reading another rather disjointed Sunday Letter. Stay safe and mellow this Labor Day, y’all.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
Always enjoy your letters & blog. I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I enjoy your pictures . You’re quite the photographer 😊
Thank you so much! I enjoy taking photos and have about a million on my phone:))
Happy Labor weekend to you and yours. Love your caterpillar updates. Friday we had a steady stream of Oriole activity at our jelly feeder and then yesterday it was like poof and they were gone. I haven’t seen any this morning either so be ready for them to come your way.
Yay! I’ll put out my oriole feeder today. Thanks for the heads up.
I remembered “the memory pill” – Previgen!! Anybody out there taking it? How is your memory? Better or a waste of time and money? Great Sunday Letter, Talya, and your pictures are great. ❤️
Enjoyed your Sunday letter. I love the music. Josh Groban is one of my favorite singers. Happy Labor Day Weekend!
I just got a Ninja too – it’s kinda scary how powerful and sharp it is. I LOVE the glass for your smoothie (makes me think of Gracie Lee). I look forward to your Sunday letter each week! Happy Labor Day!
The cardinals have been taking care of the tomato horn worms for me. I thought one cardinal wasn’t going to survive….those worms are huge. She spit it up & choked it down three times before she finally swallowed it with glee then went for another. I read this week that dusting your tomatoes with plain ol’ flour will keep the tomato worms off so I’m going to try that.
Where do you buy meal worms?
So I have to share my find at an estate sale that like your Ninja, has made me realize that my previous (14 dollar) blender basically could barely blend water. There it was, I had heard of a Vita Mix, but the lady next to me whispered “those are over $200 in the store”. I truly needed a blender so I picked it up for $20. Unused….still in the wrapping. Looked it up online and it was going for $449 on Amazon😲. While I would not have ever paid that much, it transformed this quarantine time into a new world of smoothies, soups and freshly ground coffee beans. I have to stop myself from writing weekly in my own “Wednesday letter” to my sons about what I made in it this week!
We did have to turn down an invitation to a bbq with a new group here on the lake because even though outdoor, it was going to be well over 15 people…still makes me sad that the times are such that I feel I have to choose carefully what I consider low risk. But tonight we’ll get to join 8 friends for dinner outside and corn hole and laughs. And this morning I “Labored”…planting gifted bulbs and hens and chicks that have been waiting in pots for a less rainy, cooler day…today!
Barbara, I am following your comments to this question. I checked on them, $60 for 30 days. Worth it if it works but would like to hear from someone who has tried them.
My brother-in-law who is 80 thinks those pills help.
I always love your chatty letters and beautiful pictures. I’m looking forward to that fall color and cooler temperatures.