Hi friends! June is just flying by; really hard to believe 2024 will soon be half over. I keep having to think a minute to determine if it’s 2023 or 2024 🙂
I had a couple of interesting things this week. On Thursday, my former adult piano student, a friend of hers, and I visited Gene Stratton Porter’s home in Geneva, about an hour away. I’ve been there at least twice before, but each time I’ve had a different tour guide and I learn new things. In case you’re not a regular here, GSP was a Hoosier author who was wildly popular in the early 1900s. Our guide spent 90 minutes with our group of 5, so we definitely got our $8 ticket’s worth.
Then on Saturday, we had a bonsai meeting at the local botanical gardens. We had a guest speaker who is a photographer specializing in photographing bonsai. He had a lot of technical info that was way above my head, but he arrived three hours early to set up equipment for photo shoots. We could each bring a tree for him to photograph, and I brought my bougainvillea up above. It was amazing how with his photography he could make the tree look better than it does in real life. His main point: lighting is the most important thing, more important than equipment.
A heat wave arrived here yesterday and we’re looking at a week in the 90s. Not the most pleasant, and I may take fewer (or at least shorter) bike rides this week. Wouldn’t you know, my neighbors want me to water their outdoor plants for a few days this week too while they’re away. I also have many outdoor plants as well as the garden that is turning into cracked earth. Yikes! Oh well, it will all happen somehow.
I am planning a pretty easy week of dinners. Here are the plans —
Monday: Shitake Mushrooms and Chicken — I visited Trader Joe’s yesterday and picked up a frozen bag of this for an easy dinner with rice for my husband, riced cauliflower for me.
Tuesday: leftover buffet — several things in the fridge need finishing up.
Wednesday: Cheesy Pizza Beans — pulled from a magazine, I can’t find the recipe online. Basically, in a crockpot put carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and 3 cans of your choice of beans. Cook low 4-6 hours. Before serving, add 2 c. mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan to the top.
Thursday: Chicken Curry — a favorite around here that I haven’t made in a while.
Friday: hmmmm … still thinking on this one. Check back later in the week to see what I come up with 🙂
And that brings us to the longest day of the year — yay! But also a little sad, since we know what that means: a bit less sunlight each day starting then. How was your week? Are you in a heat wave?
Girls in White Dresses 
The reason people ask you to water their plants and do other chores is this: You are dependable! That is getting to be a rare item in this day and age! If they’d ask lots of people, they’d return to dead plants! Seems like the motto I posted in my high school year book was “Better Faithful Than Famous!” Sounds about right.
I despise this hot weather.
I finished making one Christmas present this past week. Was it ever a challenge!
I notice various posts on FB today about our local Cracker Barrel offering poor service lately. I have not been there in awhile. Usually when I go, they seem busy.
I’m glad the visit to the Porter house was fun and informative, even with your having been there before. Wow, 90 minutes with a guide–I don’t know that I have had that anywhere we’ve visited.
Interesting point about the lighting in photography.
We’re having a heat wave here, too, with no rain in the foreseeable forecast. I actually like when we get past the longest day of the year. I have sunlight streaming in my windows earlier than I want to get up, so I look forward to having a little less of it. I like when sunset is about 8:30–there’s enough daylight to do some things outdoors in the evenings, but it’s not light so late that it’s hard to wind down for bedtime.
I opened the curry recipe and laughed. “2 teaspoons of curry powder”…like one of my vintage cookbooks. Still, if the flavor is great then I don’t mind. I like some mild flavors too. Enjoy your week.
We’re having a heatwave here also. I was going to try to get by without using my AC because it is so expensive but I decided I could not go without it any longer. I hope the heat breaks soon.
I love the long days of summer. I can be out later when it is still daylight since I can’t drive after dark. Those long days are a blessing.
We are finally getting much-needed rain. And yes, it’s hot here but we are used to it and stay more in the A/C. You said the month of June has flown by for you, it has for me also. Yesterday was our 62nd wedding anniversary! Hard to believe!
My latest cooking challenge is fixing meals for a diabetic. My husband has been diagnosed with Adult Type 2 diabetes. Combined with the low oxalate diet he’s on, I don’t know what to cook anymore. I guess I will learn if we plan to eat!!!