Wednesday

This morning, Ed comes upstairs to sleep and give an outside smoke report and I am reminded of that old adage -- never complain about (insert your favorite gripe here), because it could be so much worse tomorrow. 

Yesterday's reading of small particles in the air from the Canadian fires seems so wonderfully low! An AQI of 190? That's only "unhealthy!" Today we are at a whopping 285 which is "very unhealthy" and awfully close to "hazardous!" We have to hunker down inside and it's not even raining!

I walk to the barn wearing an N95 and I'm thinking -- this is so strange... even at the height of the pandemic we had the great outdoors where we could exhale.

(looking out through the mud room window...)

On the upside, we're all taking precautions and at least we can all huddle together inside and enjoy each others misery! Too, Ed and I are breathing okay, helped, I'm sure, by the running air purifier that we purchased as an easier fix to the unvented gas stove problem in our kitchen. And, knock on wood, no one is dropping bombs on our apartment buildings and hospitals. The list of beautiful things in our lives is in fact very long.

I do have to water though. A whole bunch. And so after breakfast...

I mask up and I go out with the hose, like some kind of an alien creature who can't stand the atmosphere of this planet.

(Look what's booming! Nasturtium...)

(The first lilies, which are the true Lilium...)

I am in a hurry, even though you cannot be in a hurry when watering! 

The day is a bit unusual in other ways too: Ed was supposed to go boating with his buddy. Locally, on one of the smaller lakes. Along with millions of others who had great outdoor plans for this summer day, that had to be tabled.

I do pick up Snowdrop... (exuberant girl...)

And I bring her to the farmhouse...

But our time together is a bit fragmented as I have to prepare a family dinner. 

(We read, then she plays with Ed's computer...)

My daughter's super good friend from New York has arrived for a visit and her travels here always sweetly include a stopover at the farmhouse.

So, we are a group of eight for dinner.

You'll have noticed that it's not on the porch.

Not many photos from the evening. Far too busy keeping up the meal prep and visiting with everyone.

(Speaking of visits, here are the two kids visiting over FaceTime with their two Chicago cousins!)

(And more antics, Snowdrop is showing her brothers the Downward Dog position from yoga)

A pause outside. For just a minute. The air quality index is still at 205. "Very unhealthy."

I wish we could linger in the garden longer, but, we have to be patient with that. The smoke will move on after all. And besides, it's way past the kids' bedtime.

It's dark by the time I have the house back in order. As I glance out the window, I see the repeated flicker of fireflies. It's that time of the year! Beautiful at all hours of the day.