Waiting for..

this year's crop! At the end of the season, my neighbour Diane brings me hydrangea blooms for dry arrangements for the winter; I have house full of them now...as they keep for years!  Dry is nice but I often wish for fresh blooms and this year, I will have some! Shawn has planted so many hydrangeas in my garden that I too will be giving away bouquets for drying!

An indoor blip again. Like, why else would I blip dried hydrangeas? We are under a Severe Heat Wave warning as well as a Severe Air Quality warning. Smoke from the wildfires in northern Ontario have blown our way. The government advises staying indoors. This does not bode well; it appears that we may be having another Summer of Smoke? 

The planet is burning it seems.  I am so sad about the Grand Canyon North Rim fire..as are most people I am sure. The Grand Canyon has a special place in my heart. I visited the south rim almost every winter for years; on one of my stays there, I hiked down to the bottom and stayed at Phantom Ranch for two nights - a highlight of my life. 

Back in my Jeep days, ( high clearance and 4-wheel drive required) I camped out in the backcountry on the north rim  three times - twice at Tiyo Point and once at Port Sublime. Words cannot describe those experiences and do them justice. Solo camping on the edge of the Grand Canyon? Awesome is not a good enough word. And to think that it may have all burned? I have not seen an actual map of the fires yet but those places - Tiyo Point and Point Sublime are 7  and 18 miles respectively down the rim from the village so I would think they would be within the fires?. Such a tragic loss..the forest, the animals....Memories of Yellowstone  return - a fire allowed to burn..

It is one of those times when you think you are so lucky to have seen or done something before it was gone. Remember Notre Dame in Paris? When it burned, I cried...but at least I had been there..and many times. I had seen it before it burned. Luckily, it survived and eventually re-opened.  But at the time? As it was burning? Who knew if it would? 

Such things are reminders to "Do It Now" while you can. 

PS: today was doctor day. He is happy with my BP readings so far.  I am to go back next Monday for another check-up. He prefers that I not go to the cottage during this transition time, so I will obey.  Drat.. but I know he is right.  Maggie is pleased that I will not be going away. She enjoys these quiet days together watching TV and napping (extra)