Summer days and warm tomatoes . . .

As you can see, my husband's tomatoes are still producing. My favorite summer time lunch is a bowl of tomatoes, warm from the sunshine, dressed with a tangy dressing, and topped with Feta cheese and lots of ground, black pepper. The contrast between the cold dressing and the literally hot tomatoes fresh off the vine is one of my favorite treats.

The trick to getting a good crop of tomatoes every year is not planting them in the same patch of ground. The plant-eating critters usually don't find the tomatoes the first year in a garden space but always show up if you try growing your salad works in the same place the next time around. Next year, the tomatoes will grace our now filled in pool. It won't be quite the same as cooling off in the pool but tomatoes are tomatoes and almost a good exchange.

I got three bags of tomatoes sliced and bagged for later in the season. We usually get one, huge harvest just before the plants all give up so will probably add a few more bags to my freezer stash. Next year, my husband vows to raise tomatoes, cucumbers, and Basil . . . until he comes across some other plant that interests him.

Clouds on a very warm and sunny day . . .

Views of the pretty clouds from our backyard. The temperature is climbing and already at 108 degrees. The air conditioning is set for 82 degrees which is more comfortable in regards to power usage costs that actual temperature. We were supposed to have thunder storms this morning but our weatherman usually seems to be 12 hours behind God's schedule so we may still add muggy, warm rain to the schedule today.

I made the mistake of climbing up to get something off a high shelf and then spent the morning cleaning said shelf. It stores my daughter's pottery. She is very productive in that department so we have quite a lot of it. My husband is a bit worried because both she and my younger daughter are taking ceramics this semester . . . and we are running out of shelves! His major thanksgiving in life, right now, is that my son couldn't get into a ceramics class at his college.

The dog is very unhappy about the heat. She sheds so is allowed 30 minutes here and there throughout the day to come inside the backdoor and cool down a bit. We need to set up her wading pool as she likes to walk through it and get her feet wet. She also drinks from the same water she puts her dirty paws but who am I, a mere human, to judge?

What a world . . .

Just read in the news exactly why our electric power was disrupted yesterday for almost two hours . . . Someone broke into one of the power substations and stole all the copper wiring! It caused power outages in over 25,000 homes in our city and on a record heat day, too.

You know, we can't be the judges but it seems to me that sin is more or less depending on how many people it affects and putting 25,000 households in that position for that length of time has to expand the crime of that sin greatly. I'm sure there were   elderly involved, people with medical support systems, etc. who had an extra hard time dealing without power and air conditioning for that space of time.

It is sad how much we have turned into a self-serving world where people can steal what they want, when they want it, and because they want it without a thought for the other person. You have to wonder who these thieves will call when someone breaks into their house someday?

Blessing trials and tribulations . . .

“The Blessed Sacrament is indeed the stimulus for us all, for me as it should be for you, to forsake all worldly ambitions. Without the constant presence of our Divine Master upon the altar in my poor chapels, I never could have persevered casting my lot with the lepers of Molokai; the foreseen consequence of which begins now to appear on my skin, and is felt throughout the body. Holy Communion being the daily bread of a priest, I feel myself happy, well pleased, and resigned in the rather exceptional circumstances in which it has pleased Divine Providence to put me.” 
 ~Blessed Fr. Damien, Apostle of the Lepers

Eventually found the humor in the situation . . .

Looking back on yesterday from the much cooler standpoint of this morning, I can finally see the humor in our situation. As I've posted, after more years than I want to remember, we finally got a working air conditioning unit installed. We had been putting up with 90 degrees of heat and sweat in the house for so long, we didn't realize what a difference comfort makes. We keep the temperature set at 82 degrees and when it is 108 outside (as in yesterday!), 82 in wonderfully okay.

I was busy preparing dinner with plans to bake it in the oven. Pots were simmering, dishes were piling up, and I had stopped to pay closer attention to a radio commentary when everything stopped. All the power just disappeared. We can always tell when it is a general power outage or just us with a blown fuse. A rather reclusive gentleman across the street appears when this happens and stands in front of his garage. I looked over and he was standing there so I knew a replaced fuse wasn't going to cure our problem. Yes, we had air conditioning. No, we were not cool!

It lasted for a couple of hours and I had to make changes in cooking methods. It was amusing at how I felt I was 'roughing' it because I couldn't use the rice cooker and I had to refigure how to cook an oven dinner on the stove. Complaining wouldn't change the time  line of the power outage so I just coped and it all came together. By the time my husband got home from work, dinner was done and the power came back. Got to count one's blessings! I figured out how to turn the burners on without the use of the electric start and I didn't have t haul water from down by the creek . . .  Not that we have a creek!

The hot weather also brought out some creativity. My son was longing for some dessert that was chocolate and peanut butter. I baked (before power outage!) three, thin layers of sour cream chocolate cake. Then I whipped up some vanilla ice cream with peanut butter and a touch of orange extract. I filled the layers, topped it with the rest of the ice cream mixture and froze it. Since there is only half of it left, this morning, I'm thinking it was well received.