(131) Its Independence Day!

Having risen early this morning, Beeks and I cooked up a coffee cake for later in the morning, then went off in search of a newspaper. Not that our area has a stunning, award winning newspaper, in fact we no longer take delivery of our local paper because of its lack of news, but on a Sunday holiday it seems like a necessity. It’s one of those summer Sundays where the humidity is just high enough to foreshadow an even higher level to come. I remember as a child, waking up in summer with the sound of the birds and locusts in my ear, the windows having been kept open to allow any breeze to creep through a still house. I love this part of summer. The fourth of July always gave me a sense of freedom as a child. I felt I still had summer left to enjoy, without the dread of approaching school. A holiday to celebrate that meant more summer to come. It was the full package to me. Ice cream, sparklers, friends and softball games to watch, late night firefly chases. Kool Aid and Kick the Can. Our family dog would be right there with us, running around the neighborhood with other family dogs, all of us hot, sweaty and happy. We were indeed independent, free for two more months.
Today we will enjoy the newspaper, and coffee out in the screened in porch. The dogs by our feet, cooling on the concrete floor. A coworker of brad’s brought him some ice cream from a local favorite shop where we use to live. The coworker also use to live near our old home town and so just before the long weekend, brought Brad some of this great Whitey’s Ice Cream. We have been savoring it slowly, enjoying the memories along with the cool fresh taste. Unfortunately, I don’t have any cones to have with it so Beek’s is out of luck. He watches me as I savor each bite and looks at me longingly knowing he will get some if only he is patient. When I finish and start to clean up, he is dejected. I waiver, contemplating allowing him a lick of the bowl, then think better of the idea and continue on to the kitchen.
I also was able to encourage Brad to go with Beeker and me to poach some Black Eyed Susans. Well, not exactly poached but that is what Brad claimed it was when Beeks and I took him down our lane to the pump station to where the trail leads across the railroad tracks. Blackeyed Susans love sun and dry soil and the trail has a lovely display of wild BES. I read on line that it is possible to propagate them with seeds but it suggests that it is easier to divide them if possible, so I’m taking my chances. We don’t have much direct sun but up by the circle, where the woods meets the lawn, is the best chance they will have. Brad was willing enough to make it seem like a clandestine operation so it was something exciting anyway.
We have been watching a lot of movies, this weekend. Dispersing them between outside activities, including taking the dogs to the Farmer’s Market.
Since it was my birthday yesterday, I got to pick which movies we watched. We started with Iris, a movie about Iris Merdock’s decent into Alzheimer’s and her husband’s faithful care of her until her death. It was one of the best movies I have ever seen dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. When I worked for a hospice group, I worked with clients who were caretakers or had the disease themselves. Judy Dench played Iris and she had the vacant look down to a T! If you have any inclination to this subject, rent this movie. By the way, Iris Merdock is also known to be one of Britain’s famous writers, having penned more than 25 novels until she succumbed to Alzheimer’s.
Next we watched King of Masks, a Chinese movie with subtitles. It was an endearing movie that showed the strength of human relationships in the face of tragedy. Again, it was a story that allowed us to see another culture and we really enjoyed each character.
The third movie was Burden of Dreams. This was the documentary of the making of the Werner Herzog movie, Fitzcarraldo. All I can say is that if you haven’t seen Fitzcarraldo, you wouldn’t understand. All of the Herzog movies are strange and enticing and pull you in. Rent them all and enjoy a really good filmmaker who is a perfectionist to say the least. You may have heard of one of his movies,Grizzly Man.
Today we will watch more patriotic movies like Patton and The Searchers.
From the J&J report… A good time is being had by all. Both dogs are enjoying playing with their new toys (provided by Juli) and the adults are making their way around Seattle during the holiday celebrations (read seafood and wine).
Hope you enjoy your day,inside or out, it’s you're summer choice. Happy Freedom!