feels like July, continued

They say it's cooling down, but today is transitional -- not beastly hot, still humid, very wet after yet another rain shower overnight. 

Up early, snipping away. And yes, I exceeded yesterday's count: 672 lilies. Two bucketfuls! This is what a cleaned up garden looks like:

(stepping out of the farmhouse)

(lilies by the porch)

(the never seen by anyone --including us! -- bed to the west of the porch)

(to the east of the house)

(just by the door)

(to the east again...)

(along the secret path)

(by the driveway)

(nymphs and shepherds and everything else)

(checking on the new orchard: lots of pears this year, and a meadow that's beginning to look a bit like a prairie!)

(returning from the new orchard: the Big Bed)

(Breakfast)

I pick up my now finally fixed car, I stop at the grocery store once more, I come home. And again I lose myself in the details of daily life. One task -- finally completed! -- is to put together my new camera. It used to be simple: by a UV filter, screw the darn thing on, call it a day. These days, at least for certain compact cameras (namely Fujifilm compact cameras) the procedure gets complicated. To put on a filter, you need an adapter ring. Separate purchase. But what if you also want a hood? You know, for the glare? (I never used my hoods in the past because they were too clunky to pack, but this small camera has a very nice small hood, so I add that to the list of necessities.) I pick up a recommended hood. Which has a separate adapter ring. Off comes the other adapter ring. I screw on this one, then retrieve the filter then attach the hood. With screws. Meaning -- that baby is not comin' off until I croak! It all has to work together: moving parts, separate pieces. 

I'm done now, but it took a while to figure all this stuff out. Here's a photo taken with the new kid in town, with its hood and filter. I'm sure you would not have noticed any difference. Indeed, much of this initial prep stuff is to have your camera ready for those extreme conditions that will hit you just as you're crossing Tasmania, or some such destination. All you get is the farmhouse, in the late afternoon.

The kids are here today. Again, they want solo pictures, then one together. Happy to oblige!

(he always picks this spot for a photo...)

(together; we'll skip the shots where she photo bombs his solo pic!)

A bit of a rush at the end: she has Girl Scouts, he needs to get home. And I need to get home for my own period of far niente (doing nothing)! Wait, did you say I need to fix dinner first? Damn! There's always something, no? How about a kir vin blanc, to give the appearance of a vacation moment? A dash of cassis, a splash of white wine. Just like on vacation! With a smile...

And with love...