Word(less) Wednesday — Island Life with a Visiting Granddaughter and Too Much Smoke…

She’s on a mission: collecting seaweed for the garden compost. Those “clouds” are actually all smoke, so we’re rationing outdoor time.

 I’d hoped to do a bit better with posting this week, but I’d probably have been wiser to give myself a Blogging Break. So much delightful family company here, and even though I can find some pockets of free time, I’ve found it’s not quite enough for the processing and reflection that writing requires. I have a few photos for you, though, and it is Wednesday. . . so one more Word(less) Wednesday.

Love the combo of lavender flowers against arbutus’s strikingly orange bark
Not so much admiring my toenails here as loving the worn, sunbleached look of the deck. Took 20 years to get that “fnish” and I dread having to replace it in a few years and start again. . . 
This hosta’s flowers are stunning this year — and I hadn’t realized they’re actually fragrant! Now I’m going to have to go back through my nursery labels and invoices and see if I can remember/find out which Hosta it is. (Edited to add: Hosta Guacamole, apparently)

So very odd to have the daytime sun reflected in the water this way — yet another result of the forest fires not too far away. Like the ash that continues to fall lightly on the deck. . . 

Tea parties were organized. Teddy bear guests sipped from  55-year old tiny Blue Willow china cups and saucers, some of them chipped, some with decades-stained glue holding their cracked pieces together. Rounding out the table service was another set of “china” made by my younger sister for 6-year-old Granddaughter’s mother 30+ years ago.  
The smoke cleared away enough to get outside again, and Little Girl heads off with her Granddad to try out a new spot for kayaking (Note island transportation — surprising what can be carried on a bike). She paddles her new sit-a-board while Granddad wades/swims nearby.
I’ve seen Crocosmia flowering in many nearby gardens and wondered why mine was taking so long (Mine’s an older variety, having been well established in the yard when we bought it, 23 years ago). But the first blooms here are still weeks ahead of most years. Sadly, their foliage is limp and yellowing below them, suffering badly in this drought.

 It might be Wordless Wednesday, but you know I’m always happy to read your words. If you have a minute, please leave a comment below. . .

10 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    8 July 2015 / 5:01 pm

    You live in such a wonderful nature! Sea,forest,beautiful garden,and all seems peaceful! And a full house to enjoy it 🙂
    Such a pity that there are those fires,even we had heard about it at the news yesterday!
    Here is very hot ,maybe with storm and much needed rain tonight. Let's hope!
    Dottoressa

    • materfamilias
      9 July 2015 / 3:10 pm

      Hope you got your rain, D. Looks as if there's a chance we may get a little this weekend. Crossing my fingers. . .

  2. Mardel
    8 July 2015 / 5:46 pm

    Stunning pictures, and such joy in that bit of brighter light and bicycles. I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to do, and sometimes be, too much. Enjoy. We can all benefit from a bit of randomness.

    • materfamilias
      9 July 2015 / 3:10 pm

      Thanks, Mardel. I know I push myself too much and having the g'daughter here is a very good excuse to slow down and give into the random.

  3. Patricia
    8 July 2015 / 7:23 pm

    I love that photo of the sun reflected in the water. I've never been anywhere where smoke was such an issue, I hope that you get lasting relief very soon.

    • materfamilias
      9 July 2015 / 3:11 pm

      Me too, Patricia, me too! 😉

  4. Unknown
    9 July 2015 / 12:18 am

    I sure hope it rains soon. This is the worst I've heard of on the island!!

    • materfamilias
      9 July 2015 / 3:12 pm

      It's broken all kinds of records. Pretty scary. . . It would not be easy to evacuate from here, so we're all a bit concerned.

  5. Marie
    9 July 2015 / 3:34 am

    I love your photos, love the one of Nola gathering seaweed! All the photos are beautiful, but I hate it that there is smoke in the air and ash falling.

    • materfamilias
      9 July 2015 / 3:12 pm

      Thanks, Marie. We have another Air Quality Advisory this morning warning against the smoke levels. Really hoping for some rain!

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