Summer's End

The summer went by so rapidly. My consulting assignment was very demanding and now it is about done. The new Executive started her work a week ago and I am only helping to orient and make a smooth transition for everyone.

My dearest, best friend J arrived with her husband in late August. The first day she was here she slipped and fell and broke her wrist, which required surgery. She stayed an extra nearly two weeks to recuperate and her husband went home. My friend V left the end of August and is home packing to move to Minnesota. Big changes ahead my darling blog buddies.


As you can see from my photos - one of things I promised to myself and delivered on this summer was preserving food for the winter. I have canned raspberry jam, ginger peach jam, crab apple jelly, dilled green beans, pickled beets, whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sauerkraut and made frozen pesto. Applesauce and apple butter are on the schedule for next weekend. It is great to capture the bounty of summer's goodness and look forward to eating it next winter.

I know I have been MIA but I am back and have lots of new things on my horizon. I hope you are enjoying these last days of summer as Autumn arrives - today is very blustery and even I little chilly - I started the wood pellet stove this morning to take the chill off and it is so cozy and pretty.

Take care - a lot more to come.....

Nine Nine O Nine

Tomorrow - the anniversary of the day Tom and I married. Tom loved our wedding date - when we set it he said, "nine, nine" how can I ever forget. I think he was talking about more than the date. :-)

We reveled in our nine, nine, ninety-nine celebration without a thought that one of us might not be here for the next set of "9's".

Last night I laid in my bed and longed for my husband - I know, I know in the deepest part of me, I know he is gone from this earth - yet I just want to hold him and be held in his arms one more time.

I have walked this path of grief, of pain, of healing, of coming to my own terms of the loss of the love of my life. The days of wild-eyed wailing are over. And yet, last night I hugged the pillow and cried - not the gut wrenching sobs of the past - but the tears born of the ache I will always have for HIM - my man, my companion, my friend, my teacher, my love. Remembering.

Catching Up.......................

This is the longest I have gone without posting in the four years that I have been tending to this blog. It seems very strange = here is my story.

Of course, I am still doing the executive transition project - it is nearly done, the new CEO begins September 21! I shall be released! The work has been crazy-making and one of the most profound blessings in my entire consulting career.

My friend V was here for a month and we had a lovely time. He has decided to relocate here from Seattle and will return in October - much more about that to come. :=)

My best friend J arrived on August 23 - a few hours after getting here, she slipped, fell and broke her wrist in 4 places. She had surgery on August 27 and has been staying with me to recuperate. It has been a very trying time for her = painful and filled with tons of heavy duty pills, therapy and rest. She is healing nicely though and the rehab therapist tells us that she is going to have a complete recovery of the use of her wrist and hand.

Yesterday was the Farmers Market and as you can see from the photos, I put up ginger peach jam. I made pesto for the freezer (and our tummies last night). Downstairs is 60 pounds of tomatoes awaiting the canner later today, which I will tackle after I go to my personal trainer for a Pilates session this morning.

J has her follow-up session with her surgeon on Tuesday and is departing for home on Wednesday. Twelve days later we welcome the new Executive to the beloved organization. Once she is on board - I will have plenty of spare time.

Even though I haven't been posting, I have done my best to drop by my dear blog buddies' sites. I hope you are still dropping by here for a visit and I promise that I am truly back on the planet.

As summer turns her face towards Autumn I hope you are enjoying these waning days of warmth and the bounty of the harvest. The journey continues....... Namaste