6/18/26  Be careful with your words.  They may be forgiven but they won't be forgotten.

Cloudy, calm, 55 degrees.  Rain today, starting between 8 and 9, ending late this evening.  Overnight fog.  A SE wind, high 61, low 55.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a light WSW wind, high 76, low 56.  Perhaps an early morning shower Saturday, then partly cloudy.  A strong NW breeze, high 65, low 53.  Afternoon thunderstorms Sunday, a NW breeze, high 71, low 54.  Showers Monday, a SW breeze, high 76, low 56.  Rain Tuesday, a NE breeze, high 67, low 56.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 75, low 55.  PM showers next Thursday, a SW breeze, high 75, low 55.  Showers next Friday, a SSE breeze, high 73, low 55.  Possible afternoon showers next weekend and Monday the 29th.  Westerly breezes. highs Saturday and Sunday 74, lows 55.  Monday's high 77, low 59.  Partly cloudy Tuesday the 30th, a WSW breeze, high 79, low 60.  Partly cloudy July 1st and 2ed, highs about 80, lows about 60.

   Our plants are loving the rain, we aren't worried about dry wells, now  "When can we make hay?"  Farmers are making round bales, they don't need to be as dry as the hay made into square bales.  Round bales are often wrapped, square bales go in barns.  We aren't complaining about the heat, in fact we are putting  pellets in the pellet stove.  Today will be a raw, chilly day.

   We weeded the front flower garden yesterday.  Bekah has sme iris she is planting in the blank spots.  Tomorrow we'll mulch it.  I'll spray horticultural vinegar on a strip along the house.  It isn't good for the house to have plants or mulch against it.  We have never used vinegar, we are hoping it will eliminate the hand weeding.  I pour boiling water around the rocks by the step.

   Breakfast at my sister's this morning, a perm this afternoon.  In between the forecast says to plan to fill the cookie jars.  I've been washing hummingbird feeders this morning.  I'm only hanging them back up a quarter full.  Their babies need lots of protein so hummingbirds are catching aphids for them. One of the feeders hangs by my climbing rose bush in hopes that they will eat the aphids that always seem to get on it.  Also many flowers are blooming, supplying them with natural nectar.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 6/17/26  Today, let’s bring back the lost art of being neighborly. You never know whose life you might change.

 Sunshine, calm, 60 degrees.  Partly cloudy today, a SSW breeze, high 78. low tonight 50.  Rain tomorrow, a SE wind, high 60. low 55. Partly cloudy Friday, a WSW wind, high 75. low 57.  Cloudy Saturday, a strong WNW breeze, high 69, low 54. Showers Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, a NW breeze Sunday, SW breezes Monday and Tuesday.  Highs around 70, lows about 64. Partly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, SSW breezes, highs 76, lows 55. Cloudy next Friday, a SSW breeze, high 74, low 37.  Possible showers Saturday the 27th, a WSW breze, high 76, low 58.  Cloudy Sunday the 28th and Monday the 29th, highs 75, lows 58.  Possible showers the 30th, scattered thunderstorms July 1st.  SW breezes, highs 79, lows 61,
    Another beautiful day for working in the gardens.  I have a doctor's appointment.  My annual pemphigoid appointment with the Penobscot Dermatology was July 28th.  Yesterday the office called and asked if I could come today.   I will be seeing a new doctor.  I wasn't happy about giving up a good gardening day but I said yes.

    As the dandelion seeds blow away in the wind I'm seeing more birds back at the feeders.  Nothing like the winter numbers but enough so I'm filling the feeders every few days.  The hummingbirds aren't coming very often.  There is always a spell where they don't come much.  They'll be back when the fledglings leave the nest.

   We have several kinds of squash plants but we're out of buttercup.  It isn't too late to start cucumbers from seed and squash probably would ripen.  Soak your seeds overnight in water that has a few squirts of hydrogen peroxide in it before you plant them..  We're out of most tomatoes, we have some container tomatoes left.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

   

 6/16/26  Maybe today we should all look for the hidden gifts from God around us. Who knows what treasures we might find.

 Sun and clouds, light east breeze, 68 degrees.  Mostly sunny today, a brisk NW breeze, high 75, low 50.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a south breeze, high 75, low 31,  Rain Thursday, a strong SE breeze, high 62, low 55.  Partly cloudy Friday, a strong WSW breeze, high 75, low 56. Cloudy Saturday, a strong WNW breeze, high 69, low 55.  Showers Sunday, Monday, into Tuesday morning,  A WNW breeze Sunday, high 70, low 53. A west breeze Monday, high  72, low 53.  A north breeze Tuesday, high 69, low 54.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a WNW breeze, high 77, low 55.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, evening thunderstorms, a SSW breeze, high 78, low 55.  Mostly cloudy next Friday and Saturday.  A strong WSW breeze Friday, high 75, low 56.  A west breeze Saturday, high 76, low 58.  Partly cloudy Sunday the 28th and Monday the 39th.  WSW breezes, highs 75-77, lows 57.  Cloudy the 30th, a WSW breeze, high 78, low 58.

     The current long range forecast that was posted today is for a cool summer.   Other long range forecasts are for hot and humid weather. Take your pick.  I look at long range forecasts and say, "We get what we get."  I am thankful for the nice rains. The flowers looked a bit battered yesterday, today they are beautiful.

    We're planting patches of sunflowers over the next few days.  Some seeds, some plants we started.  We'll be moving some plants that have grown from sunflower seeds that spilled from the bird feeders.  The birds spilled some seeds, I spilled some seeds and a critter came in one night and emptied a feeder.  Probably a raccoon.  The fences that keep the cows in keep the bears out.  We hope to have a long period of blooms.  People like to use sunflowers as a background for pictures.  None of our sunflowers are the pollenfree varieties.  Our sunflowers provide pollen for the birds and bees.  The birds eat the seeds.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 6/15/26  On these longest days of the year, there's plenty to be done in the gardens but make a point  each day to marvel at this beautiful world. 

 A quarter inch of rain, raining lightly. 60 degrees.  Rain this morning, mostly cloudy this afternoon, partly cloudy tonight.  An east breeze, high 72, low 54. Partly cloudy tomorrow, a brisk NW breeze, high 76, low 50. Partly cloudy Wednesday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 78, low 51. Rain Thursday, a strong SSE breeze, high 64, low 56.  Partly cloudy Friday, a strong WSW breeze, high 76, low 56.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a strong west breeze, high 69, low 54.  Possible showers Sunday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 70, low 53.  Partly cloudy the work week of the 22ed, mostly westerly breezes, highs in the mid seventies, lows in the mid fifties.  Scattered thunderstorms Friday the 26th. Partly cloudy the weekend of the 27th and 28th with WSW breezes, highs 78, lows 58,  Possible showers Saturday night and early Sunday morning.  Occasional showers Monday the 29th.

This Week’s Resilience & Abundance Boost from Common sense Home
Notice one small wonder. A wildflower, a bird song, a patch of clover buzzing with bees — taking time to notice life's small gifts helps keep us grounded.
Prepare while the skies are calm. Check flashlights, weather alerts, emergency supplies, and family plans before severe weather is on the radar.
Spend time in living places. Gardens, parks, woods, ponds, and even a small patch of flowers can help restore perspective when life feels overwhelming.
Savor the season. Enjoy fresh foods while they're available, whether that's cucumbers from the garden, berries from the market, or a meal shared with friends. 
Choose progress over perfection. A thriving yard, garden, home, or life doesn't have to look magazine-perfect to be rich with beauty and purpose.

A few years ago I admired the large snapping turtle Gilbert had placed in Barbie's yard.  He looked real,as if he owned the place.  A few weeks went by,  I looked out the kitchen window and there was a big ugly snapping turtle by the kitchen pond.  Weather has not been kind to him over the years, his shell was cracking and falling away.  Two packages of black epoxy putty and he is impressive again, uglier than ever.  Gilbert would be impressed, I smile(maybe with a tear in my eye) when I look out the window at Mr. Turtle guarding the little kitchen pond. I ordered another package of putty so habe it on hand if he cracks or chips in another spot.  I'm not always frugal.

   Yesterday the girls picked 21 quarts of strawberries before getting rained out.  Today Maegin is making a couple strawberry/rhubarb pies.  Most of the berries went in the freezer for jam.

   We are sold out of cucumber and tomato plants.  A lot of people had to replant because frosts killed their first planting.  We still have pepper and other vegetable plants.  There is a nice selection of annuals, perennials and shrubs.  We have plum, peach, apple and cherry trees.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 6/13/26  A good rule in life is to set about perfecting yourself instead of trying to reform others.

1.04 inch of rain. Fog and clouds, 65 degrees.  Sunshine this afternoon. a brisk WNW breeze, high of 84.  Yesterday's high here was 94. Tonight's low 58.  Overcast tomorrow, rain tomorrow night. A stiff SSE breeze, high 82, low 60.  Showers Monday, a WNW breeze, high 75, low 53.  Sunshine Tuesday, a west breeze, high 78, low 52.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 80, low 55.  Showers Thursday, rain Thursday night.  A strong south breeze, high 71, low 50.  Some morning showers Friday, a strong WSW breeze, high 74, low 56. Partly cloudy next Saturday through  Thursday the 25th. Strong WNW breezes on the weekend, highs in the low seventies, lows 54.  West and WSW breezes the week of the 22ed, highs in the upper seventies, lows about 55.  Possible showers Friday the 26th.  Partly cloudy Saturday the 27th, brisk WSW breezes, high 78, low 55.

      Yesterday was not only hot, it was very humid.  I didn't get much checked off the list,  the others complained too.  It was the last day of school.  The thunder and lightning passed to our north.  The kids were happy to play outside in the rain. And mud.  The washing machine is already running.  The flowers enjoyed the rain too.  Even with the fog they are beautiful this morning.  I took geraniums and mulch to the church box yesterday.  Another member of our church family already had the pansies and weeds out.  She planted the geraniums and I mulced. She  watered them.  I'm planting some of the pansies in the shade at the cemetery and in the kitchen garden.  She took some to plant too.  Pansies don't like hot  summer sun, especially in the middle of a hot parking lot.  We did the same thing last year, they perked up and bloomed again when the weather got cooler.

    Fog is gone, sun is coming out.  I'm going to a great granddaughter's high school graduation party this afternoon.  I want to plant the pansies and some other flowers this morning.   May your day be blessed, Sally.

 6/12/26   Those who bring snshine into the lives of others cannot help but bring it to themselves.

Some clouds this morning, scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.  A brisk south breeze, high 82.  We saw 94 yesterday.  Tonight's low 60.  Partly cloudy tomorrow. a WNW breeze, high 85. low 58.  Sun and clouds Sunday, a light SSW wind, high 83, low 60.  Showers early becoming an overnight rain Sunday night.  Showers Monday morning, some afternoon sun, a WNW breeze.  High 75, low 53,  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, WNW breezes, highs in the upper seventies, lows about 53. Showers early, becoming a steady rain on  Thursday, a strong west breeze, high 73, low 58.  Perhaps an early morning shower next Friday, partly cloudy, a strong west breeze, high 73, low 56. Partly cloudy next weekend, brisk WNW breezes, highs about 73, lows 54.  Showers Monday the 22ed, a NW breezes, high 70, low 54.  Partly cloudy Tuesday the 23rd and Wednesday the 24th.  WNW breezes, highs about 75, lows 53.  Perhaps some showers Thursday the 25th, a west breeze, high 73, low 53.  Partly cloudy Friday the 26th, a west breeze, high 75, low 54.

    I had breakfast at sister Lynne's yesterday with some other friends.  I don't covet my neighbor's wife, I just covet my sister's beautiful yard!  Maybe by July our yard will be where hers is in June.  We are making progress every day but I'm not sure we will ever match hers.

     The west side of the house was mostly bedstraw, about the only thing that will grow on the gravel..  Close to the house, where it is hard to mow we lined up tires on cardboard.  The tires have old chicken manure and used potting soil in them. Yesterday I planted colored corn in the tires.  This morning I'm planting miniature pumpkins in them.  Next week I'm planting pole beans.  In theory the pole beans climb up the corn stalks, which is why I planted the corn first, to give it a head start,  Legumes have nodules on their roots  that pull nitrogen out of the air into the soil.  Corn needs lots of nitrogen to grow well.  Since the soil I'm making in the tires is new soil I'm coating the beans with a nitrogen fixing bacteria inoculant. Any time beans or peas are planted in new soil the seeds should be inoculated.  Many gardeners always inoculate their beans and peas, they say it produces a better crop.  Originally we planted daylilies there to keep the bank from eroding .  The day lilies grew well enough to serve their purpose but we didn't do enough to maintain them on that gravel.  Weeds and bedstraw took over.

    May your day be blessed.  Sally

 6/11/26  Today is a good day to have a good day.

Quite a few clouds, more sun this afternoon. fog tonight.  A SSW breeze today, high 87.  Tonight's low 66.  Thunderstorms tomorrow, a SE breeze, high 79, low 59.  Partly cloudy Saturday, high 83, low 57, a NW breeze.  Cloudy Sunday, a strong SW breeze, high 83, low 57.  Rain Sunday night lasts into Monday morning.  Some sun Monday afternoon. a SW breeze, high 75, low 53.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, WSW breezes, highs 73, low 62.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, a SW breeze, high 77, low 56. Showers next Friday, a stiff west breeze, high 72, low 53. Partly cloudy Saturday the 20th through Thursday the 25th, brisk NW breezes, highs in the mid seventies, lows about 53.
    Yesterday I took a few things to the Community Closet at the Charleston Baptist Church.  I was very impressed.  They are holding their services upstairs so that the entire first floor can be the closet.  It is very nicely set up with lots to choose from.  Everything is free.  The people who run it are very nice.  They are hoping to have lots of school clothes and winter coats.  Can you help them?  Stop by and visit, you might find something you need.  We have too much stuff.  The girls have outgrown clothes that need going through. We have set a goal of donating something every week.
     Every fall I put the fuchsias hanging on the barn down cellar.  Some springs I just bring them up into the light about March 15th and hang them up on the barn when it warms up.  Some years they need to be repotted.  This was one of those years. Annabelle and   I just repotted them yesterday with new soil.    I used Coast of Maine potting soil and soaked them with our liquid fertilizer and Mycorrhizal Fungi powder.  I should have repotted them when they came out of the cellar.  They look pretty sad.  It will be a few weeks before they even begin to look like the beautiful hanging plants  I usually have.
     The greenhouse had a crop failure with begonias this year.  I usually line the back of the garage with window boxes of begonias.  Yesterday Maddie  planted geraniums in the boxes.  I'm hoping they do well with just afternoon sun. I'm planting dill between each box,  Dill is pretty, butterflies love it and we make lots of dilly beans and pickles. The greenhouse often sells out. Maddie and Annabelle are two of my Great Granddaughters.

     I'm going to my sister Lynne's for breakfast and running late.  May your day be blessed, Sally