Summer Reading Suggestions

     Before I get to the reading suggestions, let me explain about these photos.  Today was hot, hot, hot, but I was determined to do some gardening. After Mass and a quick stop at the market, I made a stop at the gardening center to pick up a "few" things. My easily broken rule is to purchase only what I can plant that same day. Well . . . I got more than a bit carried away. Fortunately, a friend stopped by and while she sat in the shade and kept me company, I planted, weeded, and planted some more. I kept taking breaks as the heat was getting to me. At one point, I just stretched out flat on the grass on my back waiting for a cool breeze to revive me. When I glanced to my left the top image caught my eye. I thought that the angle was pretty cool, so I went for my camera. Next I moved to take a close-up of the back corner of the garden from the same flat on my back angle.  I love this image! I think you will be seeing more photos taken from this angle from now on. Click on the photo to see it in a larger format if you would like. (Photography note: I was using my new 70-300 lens at probably somewhere between 250 and 300 to compress the background.)

So, in case you are wondering, how much I accomplished this afternoon here is the rundown. I added more impatients around the light post in the front yard, put together two more hanging pots (I have them all around my yard), planted a red blanket flower, two day lilies, another blue salvia, a foxglove, potted up three sweet 100s cherry tomatoes for the patio, cleaned the solar water fountain, and moved some other plants around to different spots in the garden. Whew!!! Did I finish planting all that I bought today? No, I still have three tomato plants left. After a little over five hours in the garden, I yelled, "Uncle!" I just couldn't do even three little plants more. I threw in the trowel so to speak!!!

     So back to the summer reading suggestions . . . if you didn't know it, I was an eighth grade English teacher for thirty-four wonderful years, so making summer reading suggestions is in my blood. First, if you haven't met Patrick Taylor's Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, please read An Irish County Doctor. I guarantee the good people of the village of Ballybucklebo and the antics of Dr. O'Reilly will make you smile and perhaps even laugh out loud. 

     

     Another terrific read is Empty Mansions, The Mysterious Life of Hugette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune. It is a compelling story and even more so because it is true. It may appear to start slow, but stay with it as this amazing story unfolds. It's not light, beach reading, but I promise you will not be disappointed.