Monday

Well, the heat's moderating a little, but we are still without rain. 

In some ways, this comes as no surprise. We've had dry springs before. Hot dry air fronts set in and they stay past their welcome. I remember our CSA farmers thanking their stars a couple of years ago because they decided to invest in irrigation. It made me understand that of the two extremes -- excessively wet is far worse than excessively dry in our state: we do not (yet) have a water shortage and so, as David the flower farmer said last Saturday, a drought merely means that you're going to be spending more money and more time on watering your plants.

And that's exactly what I'm doing. Not so much "more money," since we are not on city water, but most assuredly "more time."

This morning, as Ed yet again dealt with the raccoon issue (another one attempted to raid the coop), I yet again uncoiled the hose and watered the newest meadow, the tubs, and the occasional plant that looks rather desperate. 

All this took long enough so that breakfast (of leftover croissants) was close to noon for us. On the upside, the sun had moved higher up and we ate in a shady porch. Very pleasant!

Snowdrop is here this afternoon. 

Only three more days of school!

There is a bit of sadness in every ending, even when the ending is completing 2nd grade. But it's a sadness with a sweet face: a year well spent, the reward of summer, the anticipation of something new next year. Who knows, maybe something even better.

In the evening, Ed takes buckets of water to the trees we planted in the back field of the farmette. Many trees require many buckets. Dinner is very very later.

As I listen to the radio, I hear an interview with Robert Waldinger, the author of The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Let's see if you can answer this question (posed by the NPR interviewer): if you had to change one thing in your life to improve your chance at happiness, what would it be?

Maybe you guessed right: more than anything, the thing that lessens your stress and increases your chances of attaining happiness (and longevity in life), is your ability and willingness to engage in warm relations with people. With your partner maybe, or family, or friends, or the mail carrier, or the barista. Repeatedly. 

Tomorrow, do yourself a favor -- be warm to the mail carrier. I mean it!

With love...