Susan Says . . .

In the Garden of Eden it was said, “See my works, how beautiful and praiseworthy they are.” Now, in the full bloom of summer, things beautiful and praiseworthy seem to take over the earth.

Honeysuckle, hydrangeas and rose of Sharon are blooming. Lush green grass grows in the yard and field. Tiny darting hummingbirds visit our feeder and we’re serenaded by a chorus of songbirds. We’re harvesting an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers and squash and a few green beans, okra pods and eggplant. Truly it is a wonderful world.

The week began on a pleasant note when I received a nice long letter Monday from my pen pal in Washington telling of her recent move. I fried a zucchini for supper that evening and sliced some of our tomatoes and cucumbers.

Tuesday afternoon was our monthly library commission meeting and we had a visit from a prospective member and a sales rep eager to sell us a new security system. My brother Richard arrived in early afternoon and stayed to eat supper and spend the night with us. I fried okra and sliced tomatoes, two of his favorites from the garden.

I took Mama for her checkup at the clinic Wednesday afternoon and she got a good report.

Richard stayed most of the day, cleaning items out of the old stucco building in the back yard. He went home in time to drive his church bus route that evening and we sent several tomatoes with him.

Jim and I were on the road early Thursday morning since we had appointments in Fayetteville to get our eyes tested. We both ordered new glasses, then explored a nearby homeimprovement store and ate lunch at Dixie Cafe while we waited for them to be prepared. When we returned to Gravette we went to a home where Jim had been working. A good rainshower fell while we worked to solve a flooring problem there.

Jim mowed the yard while I worked at the office on Friday. After work I visited the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for Mama and went by to order some Angel Food steaks for the grill. We had another little shower when I went to the grocery store which made sweeping the grass off the sidewalk a little more difficult. I cooked two small heads of cabbage with smoked sausage for supper.

I took items to the recycling pickup point Saturday morning and visited the farmers’ market to purchase some blackberries, new potatoes and banana peppers. I delivered some vegetables to my neighbor, then we picked up grandson A. J. and went over to mow Aunt Leta’s yard.

We did a load of laundry when we returned and I cooked green beans and new potatoes for supper.

The mail carrier brought a card from Aunt Mary with pictures from Leta’s birthday celebration.

We made a trip to Southwest City Sunday morning and enjoyed a late breakfast when we returned.

We had an abundance of cucumbers so I went to the store for sugar and celery seeds. I sliced cucumbers, diced green peppers and onions and made a bowlful of refrigerator pickles.

It was a hot, humid afternoon so we appreciated the fans as we went about our activities.

-Susan Holland

Susan Holland, who works for The News Herald, is a lifelong Benton County resident.