This past spring, my neighbor, Ellen, died of pancreatic cancer. She was about my age, and was the first neighbor to stop over. She handed me an invitation to her Christmas open house. I truly felt I had arrived! She invited me to the knitting group and introduced me to many other neighbors. The following summer she let me come down at milking time and milk one of her 40 cows. That was a bucket list thing! She also gave me an open invitation to pick raspberries in her amazing patch.
This spring, her husband Dan said to come pick the berries. He would not be picking and they'll go to waste. I stopped today. The berry bushes are covered with an invasive vine, but there were a few berries to be had.
Their dog came down from the house to investigate. Finke's Strawberry Farm has 8 days left in their season. It goes by so fast, but as I lay here in bed swatting Mosquitos until I'm blue in the face I have to say I am happier than usual that tomorrow is August 1st. I am thankful for the wonderfully lush and vibrant July we've had, complete with adequate rain for the garden, the orchard and to put the meadow in bloom. But, this year I will look forward to the dry, hot, dusty days, and a break from the worst mosquito season ever.
Scrawny Irene loves having her *own* residence and me all to herself!