Tuesday

What changes when July morphs into August? Little stuff: the garden shifts to a deeper set of colors, but with fewer blooms. I walk with snippers to take out not only spent flower heads, but also stalks that in many places are completely bare now.

Still, the garden feels luxurious.





And I'm certainly not at the end of the lily run. 481 snipped blooms this morning!





What else changes? The light is still intense and if the days are shorter, I don't notice it. I'm working outside a tad later this morning and I feel the heat of that August sunshine.

(Scotch, I liked you a heck of a lot more before you upped your pecking of poor Henny, who hides from you all the time now...)






Breakfast, on the porch, but also in the company of a skype visit with Ed's colleague and friend (there is a computer on the table...)






And shortly after, I'm off to pick up Snowdrop...






There is no doubt that today is a great day for the pool.





It remains reasonably calm, which surprises me no end! Does August mean that the summer programs are finished and the buses are no longer bringing hordes of energetic kids this way?


At the farmette now, Snowdrop appears to have forgotten about her sweater and I smile to myself as she continues to play, oblivious of her "bare arms."





(Ha! No sweater!)






... until she remembers. Ah well -- small steps!


I try to rush things a bit today because we have important plans! For me, the first of August will always stand for a birthday -- my older daughter is 36 today.

Thirty-six?! I remember when she was just short of three (we were in England for the summer, I was pregnant with her younger sister) -- in other words, close to Snowdrop's age!






Oh! Let's compare two pool shots: one of Snowdrop, from today, the other of her mommy, 33 years ago at a bed and breakfast pool in York (where the temps were... nippy!).











For Snowdrop, it's mommy's birthday. So... special mommy time is in order....






And then we all go out for dinner. (Ed and I, on his motorbike -- a chance for a selfie once we get off!)






Snowdrop is a bit wired tonight. But why should we be surprised? She's had a packed day once more and she is terribly hungry for a good meal.





Here's a group shot...






And a quieter moment...





Another month, another birthday, another beautiful summer day. Tomorrow, I am slowing down considerably, because after that -- well, the month is one huge whirligig of happenings!