How Are Ya?

So, hi. It's been a while, huh?
I mean, it's been a while since I actually put words here.

Rather than trying to re-tell the stories of the last several weeks, how about I just start with yesterday and we move forward from there?
It was hot. I mean, swelteringly hot here. We didn't get much of our beautiful spring weather here before summer arrived and my tomatoes are definitely suffering.

I mean, there are yellowing leaves and it looks like early blight or maybe powdery mildew are going to get them before I get many tomatoes. If not that, then the fruitworms that have been eating at my plants will probably get them before I get many tomatoes. However, they are very tall and have stayed green and thriving for my longer than my tomatoes last year.
I am improving.
I'm not saying it would take much to improve on my gardening skills from last year, but I am improving nonetheless.
Our snow peas are just about done - the heat is just killing them - but the cucumbers are doing well and the squash are blooming. Hopefully, I got those out early enough to avoid the squash bugs that ate all my plants last year, but with the hot weather setting in early, I'm not sure. I may have to resort to pesticides if I want any food at all, but I don't want to do that. I might try neem oil first. I've heard good things about it.

In the early heat of the day, though, Andrew's jazz band had a concert at one of the local lakes. The school district hosted a fine arts festival downtown and it was lots of sweaty fun. We enjoyed seeing the work of local kids on display and hearing ensembles from various schools perform.
We also enjoyed this random dude.

He walked across the front of the stage while a local high school band played Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" - and he totally air-guitared it.

It was awesome.

And a little bit gross.

As for the rest of our Saturday, errands were run, yard work was done, and we built a fire in our back yard.




As the sun went down, the heat did too and a nice breeze set in.
A stiff enough breeze to blow smoke into little girls' eyes.

So yeah. We are the kind of family that has safety goggles laying around the house.
Emma ducked inside and came back to the fire, prepared and protected.

As for me, I am doing well. I still have to write my bit about that photography final, but other than that, I am done with that class. It's been so much fun, but so much work too and I'm looking forward to taking pictures just for me - and not because somebody told me to.
I don't like being told to do things.
Speaking of which, I have been told by a doctor to take a bunch of allergy medicine. That should help me get my voice back - apparently the problem is the heavy pollen season. But I tell you what - that stuff makes me sleepy! I don't take medicine, as a general rule, so when I do, it's super-effective. I am not a good sleeper - I'm prone to insomnia and love staying up late. But.
Once I take that allergy medicine at night, it seems I am a goner. I am sleeping so hard for so long and have such a hard time waking up. It's weird.
Due to all of that heavy sleep, I have no idea what my wake-up playlist is. That feature will return when the songs do. Or the memory of the songs. Whatever.

But...

Daily Bliss: coffee, coffee, coffee