Mid Summer's Day in December

Um, did I wake up today in Australia? It didn't seem like it when I went outside this morning at 7am and the temperature was a balmy 34 degrees F. But by 10am, the Sun was shining bright, and I started shedding jackets and layers like a Siberian Husky blowing his coat (more about huskies later).

I started noticing a few bees around, so I went to check the hives. The little ladies were pretty active at the entrance. They were taking advantage of the nice warm day to take cleansing flights, and even doing a little foraging. The lavender from the distiller seemed to call them over from time to time. And my cup of tea also seemed like quite tasty (I suppose it was the sugar). That reminds me, next week I'll need to order some replacements for a few of the hives I lost last year. Hard to believe it's that time already.

The whole family pitched in today and vegetable garden and the garden around the house. The storms had made a mess of the place. Grass was growing thick, the mint all needed hacking back. The finally dead tomatoes and basil plants needed clearing. And of course, weeding. We even had a chance to harvest a few carrots for dinner tonight. Look at this ugly root my daughter pulled up. Not pretty, but steamed long enough, anything can be tender and tasty! I had some this evening for dinner. Very yummy. Daniella roasted pumpkins for soup tonight. You can make a delicious pumpkin soup very much like the carrot soup I described in my previous post (see Season's Greetings w/ Carrot Soup), but with roasted pumpkin. Use more paprika and garlic rather than ginger (we use jalapeno, because that is the pepper I grow a lot) to spice it up. I'm stuffed now on roots and squash.

I've been taking advantage of the holidays to spend a little time with Sofie, my dog. Sofie is a Siberian Husky. No, she is not blowing her coat right now, thank goodness! But she has been hanging out with me while I do my lavender distilling. Unfortunately, Sofie isn't well. A couple of months ago, she went lame in one of her legs. She's taking medication now, and that seems to be keeping things manageable for now, but the doc says that it is only a matter of time before the medication won't be enough. She is losing weight, but she is still as beautiful as ever. If you know huskies, the advise is usually to make them work for their treats. I've been a bit lax these last few months knowing her state, and she takes advantage of me. Oh well, everyone needs a free lunch now and again. She's comfortable now, and I'm thankful for that.
Well, looks like the mid-summer's day has given way to the realities of the season. The mercury is at 39f and falling. Gonna be COLD tonight!