June 29th

Tomorrow, June 30th, would have been

 my Mother's birthday.

She would have been 105!

She was born in 1917, 

the same year as JFK.

Woodrow Wilson was president.

The world was at war,

Her family lived on Royal Street

and she was born in that house.

She was the middle child with an older

sister and a younger brother.

Her Dad was 34 and her Mom was 24.

Always a scrappy, can-do kind of kid,

she did well in school, but had to

leave in her senior year due to the

depression, in order to work 

and help the family.

Then she met the love of her life,

my Dad.

And another war became a heartbreak

of separation for the newlyweds of 2 years.

She followed him wherever she could 

while he was still in the states,

only returning home when he

left for overseas.

When he came back and my sister

and I were born, we lived an 

idyllic life until tragedy struck.

In 1961, she found herself raising

2 girls alone after my Dad's untimely death.

Again, her determination and strength

pulled us through.

She became Mother and Father and 

did the best she could.

She grieved but we never saw her pain.

She suffered silently but smiled 

on the outside.

We made do with her indomitable

spirit, that made her love

unconditionally and 

withstand any trials life had to offer.

Mama,

you saw me take my first breath,

and I saw you take your last.

I never realized how much

I miss you until I reach for

your hand in guidance,

and it isn't there.

So. 

somewhere inside the little girl

who lost her Daddy,

and the woman who lost her

Mom, I hope I can live up to 

your example and make you proud.

*******************************

Our harvest has been good

considering the infernal heat!

The eggplants love the heat,

but need a lot of water.

These are Japanese eggplants,

regular eggplants, cucumbers and jalapeno's

A jar of refrigerator pickles.

More harvested veggies,

and 1 egg!

Thanks Ethel!

There's Japanese eggplants,

regular eggplants,

white eggplants,

cucumbers, peppers and jalapenos.

I canned the cukes the old fashioned way.

This is a white eggplant.

Very tasty!

This is an example of

"low hanging fruit"

that the hens took as an

invitation to snack on.

Watermelons.

They are vines that haven't flowered yet.

Kalanchoe

Close up of the leaf.

That's how they reproduce.

It's also called Mother of Thousands.

Each of those little buds

fall off and plant themselves with

tiny roots. 

Neat plant!

Minew,

about to pounce on a

lizard.

(No, she didn't get him)

Mint flowers.

This one is white, but sometimes they

have lavender or bluish flowers.

Yes, you can eat the flower. 

Basil flowers with

a bumble bee.

Stargazer Lillies 

Birthday bouquet

from the CEO.

💗

Lucy and Ethel

chillin'

and right next to them...

a furry buddy.

***************************

Dear God!,

This was actually in the paper.

So now that I'm 70 I can look forward to this?

Isn't it bad enough that our bodies fall apart

and now we become self propelled!

I love this...

*************************

Here's a great quote:

😀

Young at heart

but

slightly older in other places.

💚💙