First Zucchini

Yesterday Attila harvested our first zucchinis, one was large (not huge) and the other size usually sold in the grocery store. The large one was diced, sautéed with onions, freshly shelled peas, herbs, and an egg, which made a delicious lunch.

The project to wash all empty canning jars, and store upside down with used lids, continues. I fit the empty jars into a load into the dishwasher whenever possible. It is slow going, but now there are six dozen jars ready to be filled.

We have been waiting for rain for weeks and weeks. Attila kept the garden alive by daily watering, first from our rain tanks, and when they went dry from the municipal water supply. Sunday overnight there were thunderstorms, and lots of rain. It rained a little on Monday. The garden burst with growth after the rain. I think we have the rain to thank for our zucchinis!

Watering the garden keeps it alive, but rain works like magic to wake up the plants.

One year ago yesterday the new heating system install was partially completed, but for the electrical upgrade. The system worked after that point, but just the heat pump, the furnace needed the electrical panel upgrade and that was completed a few days before last Christmas. Today the HVAC service fellow is coming to give the system its annual checkup.

Also one year ago today we brought Ginger home to our house. He is the king of our castle now, and very good company. Attila and I fulfill different roles in his life. I am the provider of food and water, and chief litter cleaner. I am also the authority figure in his life, to the extent that a cat can have an authority figure. He knows my voice tones, comforted by most, cautious with a few. Every morning he expects me to sit for an hour or so in my easy chair, near his stool in the living room. If this routine is missed, he is out of sorts all day long. Fortunately I don’t find it difficult to maintain this routine!

Worldly

Weather

Updated on Mon, Jul 17 at 7:55 AM
21°C
FEELS LIKE 23
Partly cloudy
Wind 10 SW km/h
Humidity 92 %
Visibility 8 km
Sunrise 5:39 AM
Wind gust 16 km/h
Pressure 100.9 kPa
Ceiling 9100 m
Sunset 8:47 PM

Quote

“…the empire was torn by the strife of the warring kingdoms. Men honored deceit and power and scoffed at benevolence and righteousness; yet put wealth and possession first and courtesy and humility last. Thus it happened that commoners grew so rich that their wealth was counted in the hundreds of millions, while among the poor there were those who could not even get enough dregs and chaff to fill their bellies.”

Qian, Sima, Records of the Grand Historian of China Translated from the Shih Chi of SSU-MA CH’IEN by Burton Watson, Volume II: The Age of Emperor Wu 140 to Circa 100 B.C. , Columbia University Press, New York and London, 1961, page 105.

I sometimes wonder if our world is entering such a time of change. Technology facilitates a new order of greed on a global scale. Even were that to be the case, daily life carries on, and many people do what they can, when they can to make the world a better place, while enjoying life as much as they can.