Susan Says . . .

— Warm, muggy weather has lingered this week and the heat of summer seems to have moved in. Flickering fireflies hover over the field at nightfall and a full moon this week has provided even more illumination. We enjoy the soothing sound of the fountain in our fish pond and the resident frogs seem to appreciate it too as they gather around in the evening and join their voices in chorus. Mockingbirds and a little wren serenade us by day so we can hear Mother Nature’s music almost any time.

A Garden & Deck Design magazine from a decade ago reminds us, “As spring gives way to summer, days grow longer and nights balmier. Being out of doors becomes pure pleasure. For those who revel in gardening and improving their home grounds, the delight can even greater!” We have found this to be true as we’ve worked in the vegetable garden and added ornaments around our water garden this week.

The week began with a call Monday evening from a friend in Tulsa. She inquired about Mama and Aunt Leta and filled me in on news of her family. Brother Richard called Tuesday morning to tell me of the death of a family friend at Highfill. Friends from Missouri visited Mama that afternoon and she especially enjoyed chatting with one whose husband had worked with Daddy at Empire Electric. Jim prepared the rows and I took my salad and picked up a neighbor to accompany me to the Senior Center Wednesday morning for our monthly J.G.T. Club meeting. We had a good meeting withan inspiring program, enjoyable fellowship and a delicious meal, then I went home and helped Jim replant some okra that afternoon.

the HOSA hamburger fry for our lunch Friday and Him and his helper mowed the yard in early afternoon.

We had an early breakfast Saturday morning, then Jim went to install the windows he’d ordered. I baked two dozen oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and a dozen ones with peanut butter cup flavor. I went to check out the season’s first farmers’ market and bought some radishes, green onions and mixed greens. I went to quilt class in the afternoon where we received instructions for a Young Man’s Fancy pattern block. Jim was waiting when I got home and we went out and purchased anew flower pot and some new cushions for our patio chairs. Later he assembled our new firepit and I went over to Aunt Leta’s to visit with former neighbors who now live in the Chicago area.

We took a friend with us for breakfast at Southwest City Sunday morning and made a trip to Siloam after we returned. We purchased paving stones and sand for a new walkway Jim’s planned, a new gas grill, a hand sprayer and a hummingbird feeder. When we returned we filled and hung the feeder and Jim dug out some of the soil for his path while I cleaned and filled the birdbath, watered some flowers and sat on the patio writing mycolumn.

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

News, Pages 4 on 06/02/2010