212

The boss, who is not prone to flights-of-fancy nor indulgences generally, suggested we all pile into my car after lunch and go get ice cream. Which we did. She even paid on the company credit card.  Farewell, July!


A photo a day over at Chicken Blog, too.

211

Plans. Lots and lots of plans.

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210

Groundhog day.

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209

Sunset on a gift of a Friday. I get sprung from work at 1:00 on summer Fridays, and try to spend the afternoons outside to show my appreciation.


A photo a day over at Chicken Blog, too.

208

A photo a day over at Chicken Blog, too.

207

I realize that this has been the best summer yet for our garden, here at what we still call "the new house" although we've been here 5 years. Plants are not merely hanging in, but they are bursting out -- spreading, blooming, reaching. We haven't had long stretches of unbearable heat, we've gotten pretty regular rain, and Dean's helped so much with planting and checking on things and pulling weeds here and there. I've already got plans for next year, and even for quiet mornings this fall.

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206

Thirds

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205

This recipe, now officially Ken's favorite thing. And yes, I will admit that I was inspired to get my bake on by this.


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204

The kind of afternoon you wish could just last forever.


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203

At the airport, here to retrieve Dean from his Nicaraguan adventures, and a reprise of yesterday's artwork greets me! If you ever find yourself at Logan Airport in Boston with time to spare, it is worth it to explore the walkways that connect Terminal B to the other terminals -- all the most wonderful sea creatures in brilliant mosaics on the floors. If I ever win the lottery and can have custom floors in my home....

(All this and a happy, healthy Dean bubbling over with stories to tell, with sadness that his adventure has ended and with thorough delight to be home home home.)

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202

Summer camp art for me this morning. The interconnectedness of my universe is about to get crazy....

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201

And just like that, this birdie grew up and flew away, too.

A photo a day over at Chicken Blog, too.

200

Trying to find the grace, and breath in the beauty, on a morning where I've gotten myself up and out so early in order to work out -- and then discovering through no fault of my own when I get here that I cannot. Well, I'm sure my stuff will turn up eventually and I'm sure there's a reason to be grateful to be at work more than 2 hours early....

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199

I was hoping to have some great story to tell, all about Stumptown, to caption my photo of this tired work-morning's treat. But while the company's web site wants to tell me a LOT about their sourcing and roasting, they don't seem to want to say anything about their name (or else they've hidden in really well). In any case, to me, it brought to mind the process I am in -- grinding it out, stumping along, just trying to get through.

A photo a day over at Chicken Blog, too.

198

A photo a day over at Chicken Blog, too.