8/5/26  Every sunrise is a fresh start. Be thankful.

   Clear, calm, 61 degrees.  Sunshine today, a WSW breeze, high 90, low 62.  Sunshine tomorrow, a light west breeze, high 92, low 68. Mostly sunny Friday, a light WNW breeze, high 92, low 68.  Thunderstorms Saturday, a light ESE breeze, high 81, low 67.  Thunderstorms Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 88, low 63.  Partly cloudy Monday, a brisk west breeze, high 85, low 63.  50% chance of showers Tuesday, a west breeze, high 80, low 61.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday through Saturday the 15th with brisk WNW breezes. Wednesday and Thursday's highs about eighty, , lows 58.  Friday and Saturday's highs eighty, lows 56.  Possible showers Sunday the 16th, a brisk WNW breeze, high 77, low 54.  Partly cloudy the next three days, WNW breezes, highs about 75, lows about 54.

    I'm pleased with my kombucha.  I had never tasted any.  I made it because the bacteria that make it are good bacteria.  More and more I'm seeing articles about how important a healthy gut is tied to a healthy brain.  Fermenting foods not only is a way of preserving food  but gives our bodies bacteria that will help the body prevent damage from the toxins that surround us.

   It is important to use pure salt when fermenting foods.  We've used sea salt in the past.  Now we find out that sea salt has a lot of microplastics in it because so much plastic garbage has gone into our oceans.  I've ordered  pink Himalayan salt, a suggestion from the class I took.

   I have friends in Alaska who have made sauerkraut in an old stone crock for years.  Now they make it in a food grade plastic bucket because the crock got a crack in it.  The crack may have done them a favor.  I learned in class that the glazing in old crocks often contained lead. I was able to buy a new lead free crock fifty percent off on a black Friday sale.  We also plan to use glass  jars.

   Monday all the fledglings were fighting with each other.   Because it was a rainy, windy day I kept the feeders full.   The kitchen garden was filled with squabbling birds because they all decided eating at the feeders was easier than finding food in nature. I usually only have seed in the feeders in late afternoon, perhaps early morning if the birds didn't empty the feeders before going to roost.

    TodayI'm deadheading bee balm and delphiniums in hopes of getting a second round of blossoms.  Yesterday I made butter.  We are thankful for the high butterfat in Mathilda's milk.  This is the time of the year for lobster feeds.  People who don't usually buy our butter buy it for lobster.  When they spend the money on lobster they want our good butter to go with it.

     May your day be blessed, Sally