7/6/26  “May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the oppprtunity to do what is right.” ~Peter Marshall

Sunshine, 60 degrees.  Partly cloudy today, an ESE breeze, high 83, low 56.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a south breeze, high 83, low 56.  Partly cloudy Thursday and Friday, WSW breezes highs about 88, lows in the mid sixties.  Scattered thunderstorms Friday, a NW breeze, high 83, low 61. Sunshine Saturday, a NNW breeze, high 84, low 59.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a NW breeze, high 85, low 60. Possible afternoon and overnight showers next Monday, a brisk SSW breeze, high 83, low 62. Scattered thunderstorms next Tuesday, stiff WNW breeze, high 80, low 61. Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 80, low 60.  Fog next Thursday, a NW breeze, high 80, low 60. Partly cloudy Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th, west breezes, highs 82, lows 60.  Perhaps a shower Sunday the 19th, a west breeze, high 83, low 63.

    It was a hard weekend.  Gilbert loved celebrating the Fourth of July.  His absence meant the day was celebrated quietly, finding  different things to do. This bunch went to the beach and baked.  The strong winds cooled them off when they got home.  I went to the boat parade.  "Santa" Gilbert always had his boat leading the parade.  Not only was Santa missing but not as many other  boats turned out.

   Twenty some years ago brain cancer took a grandson.  Yesterday was his birthday.  Mike, his father, and I spent some time at the family cemetery.  Doug and Nicole keep it mowed, Mike did some trimming. He watered the flowers on Mitch's and Violet's graves.  I pulled creeping charlie. Sally Jo had just weeded it out a few weeks ago! Gilbert's headstone is there now.  Barbie chose a beautiful stone. Saturday close family will gather to lay Gilbert's ashes to rest.  The greenhouse will be closed.
   Square bale hay weather is here..  They started filling our barns yesterday.  Many farmers are making hay, please be patient if you get behind a wagon load of hay.  Be thankful there was rain to grow the grass and now there is sun to dry it. 

   This weather is when we are thankful for soaker hoses in the gardens.  Saturday was the cucumbers' day for water.   Lots of water makes sweet cucumbers. Jay is picking some every day.  Yesterday was the mums turn to get watered.  Today  the potatoes' soaker hoses get turned on.  Have you planted shrubs, trees or some perennials? They need a good weekly soaking.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

    

 7/4/26  250 years strong, Because Freedom is worth fighting for.  And voting for.

 Partly cloudy today, a WNW wind, high85, low 58.  Sunshine tomorrow, north breeze, high 82, low 58. Cloudy Monday, an ESE breeze, high 83, low 58.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, highs about 75, lows 56 and 61.  Possible showers Thursday and Friday.   Pleasant next weekend, highs in the eighties. Country Junction is closed today as the family celebrates the Fourth of July. As usual milk, eggs and  hamburger are self service from the refrigerator and freezer in the house entryway.

       The freedom to gather around the table.
The freedom to worship in peace.
The freedom to live simply, love deeply, and walk humbly with our God.
Today we remember:
True freedom doesn’t come from governments or headlines… it comes from above.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” —John 8:36
Wishing you a peaceful, faith-filled Independence Day…wherever you are.

 7/3/26   Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant? Henry David Thoreau

 Clear, calm, 75 degrees,  A heat advisory today,  sunshine, a high of 94 with a stiff WNW breeze  Tonight's low 70.  Tomorrow's showers have dried up. The forecast is for partly cloudy, a trong WNW breeze, high of 85, low of 59.  Sunshine Sunday, A WNW breeze, high 83, low 58.  Cloudy Monday , an east breeze, high84, low  58.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, possibly a shower in the evening, high 76, low 57.  South breeze.  Partly cloudy Wednesday through Sunday the 12th with highs in the eighties, lows in the low to mid sixties.  Partly cloudy on the 13th, possible PM showers.  High 92, low 61.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday the 14th, partly cloudy the next few days, highs in the eighties, lows in the low sixties.
   Yesterday everyone else went swimming,  I helped a few customers who braved the heat.  Not quite everyone else. Kaden worked on Darel's truck, Sally Jo and baby Matthew stayed in the house.  It was eighty instead of 94.  Kaden is here early this morning.  It is cooler and the truck is in the shade.  They may go swimming again today.  After they check for cucumbers and summer squash.  Eighteen cucumbers went on the stand yesterday. The stand is self service.  The nursery is closed for the Fourth.  They are closed Sundays and Mondays for the rest of the season.  We will also be closed next Saturday, the 11th, for a family event.
    This morning there were some birds at the feeders.  A few purple finches and a few goldfinches.  There were three rose-breasted grosbeak fledglings.  Each year the fledglings come for a week or so when they first leave the nest, then we don't see them again until the next May.  Azalea made my Saint Francis of Assisi  bird bath into a butterfly puddler.  No butterflies yet.

    There was a problem with the power in the old greenhouse.  It is fixed.  Today I'm putting in the garden pond pump,  I was about to run extension cords from the quonset hut.  The pump runs water down an old cedar log.  The bees can land on the lily pads to drink but they prefer the log.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

7 /2/26"That work which is of most importance to society is the bringing-up and instruction of

the children"

Mostly clear, sunshine 75 degrees.  A heat advisory from eleven today to tomorrow evening at eight.  Today's high 94, tonight's low 72.  A west breeze.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a strong west breeze, high 94, low 69.  50% chance of morning showers on the Fourth, partly cloudy in the afternoon.  Perhaps a stray thunderstorm in the evening.  High 85, a strong WNW breeze, low 61.  Mostly sunny Sunday, a NNW breeze, hgh 83, low 58.  Partly cloudy the week of the 6th with highs in the eighties, low 58 to 63.  There is a slight chance of a late day shower Saturday the 11th and Monday the 13th.  Partly cloudy the 14th.  Scattered thunderstorms Wednesday the 15th, possible showers the 16th.

   A few things were accomplished in the heat.  Mostly keeping animals and plants comfortable. The kids got more screen time than usually is allowed.  Margin made a blueberry cheese cake and cookies.  I don't expect today to be much different.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 July 1st "No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden." -- Thomas Jefferson

On a bad day, go pull some weeds. Stressed, go water something. Can't think straight, go stand in the garden and stare at a tomato for a while. It's not a cure for everything, but it's a cure for a lot more than you'd expect. Rural Sprout

    

    Fog and clouds this morning, some sun this afternoon with  a high of 90 degrees and a heat advisory from noon to eight this evening. A nice west breeze.  Tonight's low 72.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, an afternoon heat advisory with a high of 95, a nice west breeze.  Night time low 72.  Friday will be the same.  Partly cloudy this weekend.  A strong WNW breeze Saturday, high 87, low 63.  A stiff WNW breeze Sunday, high 84, low 58.  Partly cloudy Monday through next Saturday, highs in the low to mid eighties, lows about 60.  Possible showers Sunday the 12th, high 81, low 62.  Partly cloudy the 13th and 14th, possible showers Wednesday the 15th.  Highs in the low eighties, lows in the low sixties. 

   I'm headed to the garden as soon as possible, this afternoon I'll be inside.  Our summer hot water heater cools the house as it heats the water.

   As Maegin says, "Yesterday was a productive day." In the morning plants were moved, setting them up for easier watering.  Surprisingly there were quite a few customers, fewer plants to water. Lots of hay went in the barn in the afternoon.  I was happy with the number of plants I got planted.  A hydrangea was planted, soaked and mulched by the front corner of the house. 

    In the process of planting I did some weeding, including some sneaky bamboo.  The weeds are packed in a barrel.  I'm hoping the barrel heats up enough over the next few days to kill the bamboo and creeping Charlie.  Maegin is cutting bamboo too.  She is making a pile that we'll cover with plastic, letting the sun and heat sterilize it so the pieces won't sprout.

   The first thing I'm doing this morning is finish mulching what I planted.  Between unloading hay wagons Kaden carried some mulch to the flowers but I was too tired to go spread it.  What I'm planting this morning is already mulched, I'll just plant through the mulch.  Sometimes when I clean out a flowerbed I'm smart enough to put down newspapers or cardboard and mulch so it doesn't get a chance to regrow before I get it planted.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 6/30/26  A contented life is not found in having more,  but in appreciating enough

  Our high yesterday was 89,   Mostly clear, calm, 60 degrees.  Sun and some clouds today,  a WSW breeze, high 87, low 63.  Sunshine tomorrow, a SW breeze, high 90. low 71.
More clouds tomorrow, a west breeze, high 95, low 72.  Partly cloudy Friday, a stiff WNW breeze, high 93, low 69..  Partly cloudy Saturday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 86, low 63.
Sunshine Sunday, a NNW breeze, high 85, low 60.  Partly cloudy the week of the 6th, highs in the mid eighties, lows about 60.  Variable breezes.  Cloudy Saturday the 11th, a west breeze, high 81, low 62.  Thunderstorms Sunday the 12th, a WSW breeze, high 82, low 61.  Partly cloudy on the 13th and 14th, SW breezes, highs 81, lows 61.
    Yesterday was a day of weed whacking and lawn mowing.  And cleaning haymows.  The dump truck just got backed in so they can push out the pile of loose hay they swept up yesterday..  The weather forecast says square bale time.  Today will start the watering rotation.
     We still have flowers we'd like to plant.  I'll work at that, soaking the planting hole and  mulching as I go.  The kids will bring me mulch.  I won't get as many planted as I'd like but some planted are better than none.  

     The sunflower seed feeders are only seeing a few visitors each day.   Last week everytime we looked out the window there were at least a couple birds feeding on each feeder,  yesterday maybe one on one feeder.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 6/29/26   Savor an ordinary blessing. Fresh laundry on the line, birdsong in the morning, or the scent of blooming flowers can turn an ordinary day into a memorable one.

    Calm, sunshine, 58 degrees.  Sunshine today, a light NNW breeze, high 85, low 59.  Partly cloudy all week, highs in the eighties Tuesday and Wednesday, with WSW breezes.   Low nineties Thursday and Friday, brisk WNW breezes.   Lows around 70. PM showers Saturday, a WNW breeze, high 86, low 64.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a NW breeze, high 83, low 62.  Partly cloudy Monday, a NE breeze, high 79, low 60. Possible PM showers next Monday night and next Tuesday morning.  A NE breeze Tuesday, high 77, low 59. Cloudy Wednesday, a NNW breeze, high 81, low 59.  Partly cloudy next Thursday and Friday. WSW breezes, highs 82, lows 62.  Cloudy Saturday the 11th, Sunday the 12th and Monday the 13th, with WSW breezes,  highs in the low eighties. lows 61.

    A busy weekend.  They got a lot done in the vegetable gardens Saturday.  Bekah got more done on making  the milkhouse  a milkhouse again.  I did a little weeding and sprayed more vinegar.

    The weather says square baling will be possible so Bekah won't be doing much on the milkhouse.  Today the haymows will get cleaned out.  Some time today everyone is going out back and pick, pull, or cut  the bamboo that has found a way to grow through the cardboard and hay that is  supposed to smother it.  The bamboo roots send out long runners looking for weak spots.  None of the picked bamboo can be dropped on the ground, it will send out roots and grow.  I'm going to work on the area around the septic tank.

    I washed a hummingbird feeder this morning, ants had found it.  I hung it back up with an ant moat.  This week the feeders won't have much food in them because I'll have to dump and rinse them every other day, the heat causes mold to grow and the food will ferment if I don't.  The heat also means lots of watering flowers.

    May your day be blessed, Sally