The Days Of Wyrd

My parents had their annual Seafood festival garage sale.  So I helped, and hung out, and drank their coffee, and watched the goings about from up on the hill.

For the past two day both the festival and the garage sale have been very, very busy.  Looking over the bay into Charleston, all a body could see was wall to wall cars. 

Lots of people said they were from inland, where the heat was driving them insane.  They oohed and aahed over the plants, as they had to use shade cloth to keep anything but roses burning to a crisp.  Poor city people. 

They also said the whole town, whether it be a motel or a camp site, was totally booked up.  Methinks we should be renting out rooms and rv parking.   But a garage sale is good enough.  People didn't seem too thrilled with the festival itself, but they loved Charleston and just wanted any reason to get out of the heat.  Many said the garage sale was the highlight of the whole trip.  And there are the repeat people, the ones that vacation and come visit us every year.

Today my parents ditched me in the afternoon.  They had previously purchased tickets to see the Lipenzimerblahblah horses at the Myrtle Point fairgrounds.  They did not realize it was the same weekend as their yearly garage sale.  So Derek and I ran the garage sale for awhile and made up stories about some of the items.  It's what we do.

Oh, and about the horsey show?  The parents said the horses were really, really neat.  However.  They had purchased some special tickets for sitting in the front row that cost them extra money.  When they got there, the people had sold more "special tickets" than they had spots to sit.  So they drug out chairs and put them way down at the end.  Basically offering my parents worse seats than if they had just bout the regular tickets and sat in the bleachers.  

So after spending extra money, they just went and sat in the bleachers anyway.  Hoping to at least get some far away view and perhaps a few pictures.  But that too, was not to be.  Oh no.  For the people who planned the building of said bleachers had, in a STROKE OF GENIUS only demonstrated by the people in charge of anything at our small coastal towns, saw fit to build light poles.  That blocked the view in many critical spots.  Then of course there was that blonde doink that was in the front row and had to stand up the whole time blocking the view of everyone behind her.  THE WHOLE TIME.

My parents vowed never to go to a show at that arena or fair ever, ever again.  That was before the $4 parking or the $12 for an itinerary with a glossy horse picture on it.

Posted by Wyrd at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Instead of going camping around in the State in search of beautiful scenery and fireworks (which in Coos County and along the coast are staggered so that onlookers may participate in several gatherings), we opted to stay close to home and celebrate. 

We ventured over to the parental home for a nice family gathering and huge fire-pit barbeque.  Where else could we enjoy a private party with a view of Charleston, the bay, the bar, and south slough.  Plus the family is rich with wonderful cooks who bring many fine ass-fattening dishes.  I myself was instructed to bring "something chocolate".  And so I did.  Chocolate cheesecake with an oreo crust.  I melted a bag of caramels with a half a cup of heavy cream, added a cup of chopped walnuts, and poured it over the crust.  On top of that went the cheesecake.  Frosted with a dark chocolate ganache.  Had I been blessed with more time and a higher pan I would have added more layers.  Which was unnecessary.  Totally.

Also, Mr Wyrd took a few days extra off to work on the new greenhouse he is building me.  So in between planting more beans and peas outside and watering, I was repotting my greenhouse babies for the trip to their new house.  

On the actual day of the 4th, there were not as many people around and about as is usual.  Also, local neighborhood firework activity was down by about 90%.  It could be because our drunken neighbor has left for Alaska for work for several months.  Or it could be the $600 something fine that has been layed upon those who have fireworks that shoot more than 3 feet off the ground, (like all of them).  Which the police insisted they were going to inforce. 

Whatever.

Posted by Wyrd at 07:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

And that's why you are being subjected to one more kitty picture.  Kitty ala carte (without cone).  She is frisky and severely underfoot.  And thusly she has been stepped on twice so far today.  I think wearing the cone for a week distorted her depth perception.  Or else just made her way too brave. 

She is used to sticking to me like glue, crippled by the big blue cone made for kitties with longer legs.  She couldn't always eat without help, or walk, or clean herself.  It made her very insecure and dependent, much like a two year old.  Now she's back to her bratty teenager self.  Pretty much.

In other news, it's still cool and drizzly.  According to the always wrong weather forecasts, it should be that way until NEXT Friday.  Which actually makes me happy.  It's perfect transplanting weather for the garden.  So don't sit on your couch and mope about the weather the whole holiday.  Get out and do some planting. 

Posted by Wyrd at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The past two days were over 100 degrees here.  Today was a cool and breezy 90.  Every plant on the property began showing signs of burn.  My greenhouses and the porch and the garden are all intertwined with sheets and screens.  Thank god I moved so many things out of harms way.  Harms way = almost everywhere. 

Some years we pray for a couple of days of warm, and often we get them.  Maybe an Indian summer in the fall.  But never, ever, and I'm including the Great Coastal Heatwave of I think it was '82, has it ever been this hot on the coast.  At least not in my getting-quite-extensive lifetime.   Do you realize it was only two weeks ago that we had snow, hail and freezing temperatures?  HUH????

Kitty update:  Ripped out a bunch of stitches.  Stitches replaced, drain removed, and now the poor thing is in the dreaded CONE.  Why of course I will take a picture.

Posted by Wyrd at 07:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After the sun started to go down, it cooled to 90 degrees on the porch.  I have been watering constantly today.  Not only is this heat dangerous for plants, but it also poses a massive threat to us used-to-cool-weather coastal beings.  Thank goodness I have trees and plants, it turns my zone into a balmy jungle region instead of a desert wasteland. 

I kept the house closed up today, (mostly because kitty got herself in another scrap and had an abscess, requiring her to have a drain put in, meaning no outside), and the ceiling fan on.  Everytime I thought I was going to die from the heat, I just went outside, where it was 20 degrees hotter.  I cannot imagine that tomorrow will be even hotter.  Is this possible? 

It's a perfect evening for that walk on Sunset Beach. 

Posted by Wyrd at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I woke up to big fluffy snowflakes this morning.  They lasted just long enough for us to wake up our neighbors with the news.  Mr Wyrd and I had already planned on a morning galavant, so this fluffy snow thing just inspired us more.  We drove up Highway 101 towards the Seven Devils Road.  The scenery looked like a Christmas snow forest.  Gone wild.  Something about snow on the coast is just really magical.  Because it is so rare.  And because of the vegetation here that is quite jungle like.  Large firs and cedars and spruces all mixed up with crazy, wild alders, and tons of salal, huck, blossoming salmon and blackberry bushes and grasses all providing the thick undergrowth.

Unfortunately, I cannot share this with you because I forgot to bring the cameras when I ventured out this morning.  Instead, I shall try to console you with the cinnamon rolls I made yesterday while trapped indoors by the cold.

I'll give you the recipe later this week when the cold drives me back inside the warm and cozy kitchen. 

Posted by Wyrd at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)