Day 921: Sad day

2014 has been an awful year for our friend Kathy and it got worse today.  Her brother died suddenly this morning, just a month after losing his daughter to suicide and six months after losing his brother-in-law to suicide.   How can that family cope with these terrible, painful losses?

Then, this afternoon, Steve was called to Westfield where three swimmers were missing.  Two were rescued, but a young mother lost her life.

A cool stretch is coming.  Looks like I may have to take a break from swimming.  I've been able to swim every day, at least a half mile, since June 11.  I did 1.3 miles today for a total of 28.1 miles.

Fifty-four lilies bloomed today.  That's about one third of my collection.

Wolfie's Wonder

Day 920: Ferocious rain storm

I got 140 lengths in before the storm hit and dropped a couple inches of rain.  Logs piled up against the Water Street bridge so the water flowed over the banks like it did years ago.  Village officials brought in heavy equipment and lifted the debris from the creek bed to allow the water to flow downstream.  At Risley St. bridge, muddy water churned madly but did not breach the top.

This was taken about 8:15, two hours after the peak of the flow.  

Desert Moon

Paddy napping during the storm

New grass in the east side yard

Asiatic lily

Day 919: After the storm

Heavy rain fell most of the morning.  Great for the hostas and new grass, but tough on the daylily blooms.

As soon as it stopped at 4, I ran to the pool and completed 110 lengths before book club.  5100 lengths = 26 miles in 26 days.  It's supposed to rain again tomorrow, but I will swim in the rain if I must to keep up the streak.

We read Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd which was the story of Sarah and Angeline Grimke who were abolitionists and early feminists.  I only started the book today, but have enjoyed it very much.

What I didn't enjoy was the reprimand by our hostess about side conversations and informing the hostess about attendance.  Certainly, the topics were timely and perhaps helpful, but the message could have been delivered in a more kindly manner.  Sometimes, I wonder why I keep going back.  I spend my time looking at pictures of other people's grandchildren and listening to the tales of their adventures.

Genessee Red Supreme

Little Rainbow

Yazzo Wild Violet

Day 918: Russian rhapsody

We finished weeding and mulching Willy's garden and I added two hostas to the new redbud bed.  I swam 1.25 miles to make up for slacking off the past two days.   And mowed the backyard ahead of  the rain tomorrow.  And cooked a delicious vegetarian dinner.  And walked to college to inspect the progress and back.

Russian rhapsody (new)

Unique style (new)

Day 917: Sally and Maggie

Today, I feel more hopeful about the country.  Sally and AJ, Maggie, Brie, Abby, Jake and so many other young people give me hope for the future.   Their optimism, integrity, intelligence, perseverance and tolerance could change attitudes.  It will take a long time, but maybe by the time our generation is gone, they cam put things right and get past all the animosity toward minority groups.

We spent the morning shopping for new day lilies at the Nass Daylily farm.  Mr. and Mrs. Nass are incredibly nice, so kind, intelligent and sharp.  I picked up nine lilies, mostly early bloomers, and will go back in a month to get some late bloomers.

Then, we went to see Sally and AJ up in Arkwright.  They both just finished their master's degrees in public health policy at John's Hopkins.  Now, they are enrolled in the Ph.D. program.   Since Sally's area of concentration is family planning, she is going to Nigeria at the end of August to oversee the collection of data from public surveys.

Sally, Steve and I go way back.  Steve was her teacher in 7th and 8th grade, then she was my student in 10th grade.  We did Model UN and backpacking together.  Plus, she traveled to France with us.  She is brilliant, kind, sensitive and driven to make a difference and I believe she can.

After planting the lilies and swimming, we went to Maggie's graduation party.  Maggie shares so many of Sally's characteristics and she also has a brilliant future ahead of her.

AJ and Sally with us

Brian, Leanna, Sally and us

Now, that's a treehouse!

Day 916: Independence Day

The fireworks were flat and had little meaning tonight.  I stood in line for a half hour to get Steve a doughboy.  At the same time, Mary stood in two lines to get candied apples and waffles.  While we waited, the fireworks started, but a tree obscured our view and I really didn't care.  The three of us sat and watched the displays and I was thinking, "Mary Ann, Ginger, Professor."  Kids around us clapped and cheered, but it was generally quiet.

The Supreme Court decision on Monday is so disturbing.  It has already been directed from permitting Hobby Lobby and other family owned corporations to control women's access to contraceptives to discrimination against gays.   The grounds? religious freedom.  Such baloney.   The three women justices are outraged, and Justice Ginsberg offered a warning that is already being realized.  I am so sick of men making decisions about women's bodies and further institutionalizing discrimination.  I have oversimplified this issue here, I know, but it has soured my feelings about the meaning of this day.

We went up to see Steve and see his garden. It was the highlight of the day.  I only swam 100 lengths cause I was just so tired.  It was probably a good thing to have an easy day.

Day 915: Viv

Eighteen different lilies bloomed today including a beauty called Viv.  The spectacular creamy yellow bloom is about 8 inches across.  It's one of the first lilies I ever got and it came from my sister Nancy's first daylily farm.  It was five acres that included a beautiful house, garage, a pond and 800 varieties of day lilies.  They downsized in 2005 and moved to a one acre property.  Before the move, we dug a few fans of several hundred lilies to take to the new house.  They were sad to leave that property, but it turned out to be a wise move after all.  She has a tough time taking care of one acre.  The new house had no lilies at all when they moved and now she has thousands.

I added another mile to the tally for a a total of 23.11.

 Siloam Plum Tree

Viv