Plodding ahead

Isn't this felt pennant nice? I've been feeling down lately. The summer is more than half gone and we haven't done much of anything at all.

We haven't been camping, or to the zoo or Lake Erie or anything else we would normally do. 

We did finally pull the camper out and set it up in the yard. The oldest and I slept out one night. Elyse stood outside meowing and peeping until I coaxed her in and she slept with us too.

The oldest is being registered for kindergarten while around us friends and family are trying to decide on sending their children back to schools, in masks and face shields, or to teach from home. My husband is trying to prepare for going back to teaching on campus. It's all so unpredictable. 

People around our area are starting to test positive and my dad is currently quarantining himself while waiting on results. He feels fine. I missed my cousins baby shower this weekend. We also passed on a camping trip to a place I've always wanted to go. I miss seeing people and hugging friends. 

I keep waiting for things to go back to "normal" but am starting to feel the unease of understanding that this is going to be our new normal for a long time.  It's depressing. 

So, life. Not much has happened this week. I got my hand "fixed". A cortisone injection means I now have a functional right hand.  

Friday a friend came over and I gave her the 9 chicks that were in the basement.  Then she told me that they lost their flock to a raccoon this spring. I had her come back yesterday for three pullets that are just about ready to lay. We have so many eggs in the refrigerator that I finally ordered  a new dough hook to turn it all into pasta for the freezer.  We need a chest freezer but are not able to get one locally.  The stores are sold out and we will need to order one. 

The group of grown quail were sold to a nice lady yesterday who met me at TSC and was very happy to get a breeding group.  We have 14 eggs due to hatch soon.

This monster is growing in the chicken yard. I didn't plant it and think it's probably a decorative gourd of some kind.

Here they are.

The garden is doing well. We are still eating asparagus although they are growing a foot overnight and sprouting they are still tender. The larger wild blackberries are starting to ripen and we have a lot of blueberries. 

It is storming out. Here is something interesting in the kitchen,  a venus fly trap blooming.

The youngest and I are out on the porch in the rain. His vocabulary is wonderful and he's able to articulate just about whatever he needs ("Mommy. No more water!" While waving an empty watering can)

Tomorrow morning I will sit at the hospital for over three hours for testing, having apparently failed my pregnancy glucose screening.  I will have to pick a new book to take, preferably an upbeat one.