Category: Uncategorized

Last April, Marty and I were supposed to go on our first real vacation together, just the two of us, since around 1994. That’s almost 27 years ago!

January 2020, we booked an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico with a premium liquor package. There were lots of gluten-free friendly restaurants in our hotel. The hotel’s executive chef would have met with us and discussed our dietary restrictions. 

We were both excited that we took the plunge and put down $3,400 bucks for the airline tickets and hotel. We had been saving up this for a long time. I was nervous about spending the money because what if something happened and we couldn’t go. Then COVID Hit. 

During the lockdown in March, I was in denial at first, thinking we would still be able to go on April 20. Slowly, I began to panic because we used Priceline…no refunds. Marty tried to call Priceline, but they would only talk to you 48 hours before your scheduled departure. I was pissed, sad, angry, and sick to my stomach that we wouldn’t get our money back.

I saw someone on a Facebook post that said vacation booking agents were giving refunds due to COVID. Holy shit, I almost did a backflip! We still had to wait a couple of weeks to talk to someone, but now there was some hope. 

All booking agents did the right thing and reimbursed everyone’s hotel money. United Airlines gave us a credit that had to be used by the end of January 2022. At least we had plenty of time to plan a new vacation; little did we know how long Covid restrictions would still be in place.

With half of 2021 over, we knew we needed to book something or lose our $1,000 airline credit. Going overseas was out because COVID was still bad in many other countries. I had my heart set on Paris for a long weekend, but it wasn’t worth the risk, and the Eiffel Tower is covered in scaffolding for repairs anyway.

We put together a checklist of must-haves for our vacation, Our checklist needed to include the following: guaranteed hot and sunny weather, a hotel with a beautiful pool, close enough to restaurants and bars that we could walk to, and different things to see and do. Las Vegas checked off all those items. 

Marty called Priceline, and we held our breath while we waited to see if we could use our airline credit; we could! Happy dance! We looked at prices and dates for both flights and hotel deals. Surprisingly, we found a great deal for $137 a night at the 5-star Venetian Hotel. We decided we would stay 4 nights in Vegas and one night in Albany the night before our early morning flight. Plus, we could keep our car at the hotel for $5 a night; the hotel is right across the street from the Albany Airport.

I wasn’t going to write about our trip because I didn’t want to jinx it. September weather in Vegas is ideal; there are tons of gluten-free friendly restaurants and bars everywhere. The pools and the hotel is gorgeous. We can walk over to the Paris Hotel, see the Eiffel Tower replica, and explore the Paris “streets.” Our hotel is modeled after Venice, complete with gondola rides.

Yes, Vegas can be kitschy and cheesy, but it can also be the perfect escape we need desperately. We want to lounge by the pool during the day and hit the town at night. We don’t gamble, but there are tons of shows and events going on. I think the Van Gogh Immersive Experience will be there when we are…I’ve been wanting to go so badly, hoping to see it in Paris or NYC. Hopefully, I can see it in Vegas.

We’ve planned our trip right before Oktoberfest season, but with a lot of hard work and planning ahead on our deliveries, we should have no problem pulling the trip off. We have never completely closed the business in the four years we have been in business. I have no problem having my phone on “Do not disturb,” but I will have to force us not to take business calls or reply to emails or social media messages; it will stress us out and ruin our trip.

So I am super excited, to say the least; it’s less than two months away! “We’re going to Vegas, baby!” Yay!

Sunday morning, it was pouring rain and chilly. We still sat outside and had our coffee; we just covered ourselves with the blankets we keep on the front porch. It’s a brilliant idea that we didn’t start doing until last summer. The porch is so comfortable that you can nap or even sleep, for that matter, out there.

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I covered the boys, Otto & Klausie, with their red blankets and they stayed nestled up for over an hour. When it got warm out, they shed the blankets and slept the rest of the morning on the porch—the good life indeed for these spoiled dogs of ours.

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Thank goodness we have the front porch with all the rainy weather we’ve had this year. Last summer, we had a campfire almost every night in our side yard, but it’s been too wet, too late, or raining every night. We haven’t had one fire yet this year.! Damn, we gotta get on that before we run out of summer nights.

It’s 9:05 pm and I just got home from bellydance class. I just finished putting away some groceries I picked up before class. It’s a drag to have to lug stuff inside when my legs feel like rubber after a day of production then dancing for 3 hours.

We have not eaten dinner before 9:30 pm for the last two weeks and tonight will be no exception. Lately, Marty and Sam have gone on rescue squad calls and don’t get home until close to 10 pm. I’m so busy catching up with things that before I know it they are home and we all eat together. As I recall eating late happens every summer when we are out straight with work.

Dance class was great tonite! Very hot and humid, but great. No matter how tired, stressed, or down any of us are, dance changes all of that and we leave happy. Dancing is the best therapy in the world!

I am sitting here waiting for the boys to get back and I made myself a double dirty vodka martini with a bleu cheese stuffed olive. I am craving salt probably because of how much we sweated tonight. I make my martinis with very little vermouth; I basically just wave the bottle over the ice to barely wet it. That’s the way my dad taught me when I was around 10 years old. He bartended for a caterer on weekends and taught me how to make drinks. That was the norm back then or at least in our house anyway.

I am so glad I made that pot of Bolognese sauce on Monday. I am reheating it and making some linguine. The funniest thing about being professional pasta makers is that we never have enough for ourselves to eat this time of the year!

So cheers my friends! This is all I have in me tonight as far as a blog post, but I wanted to just say, “Hi!” Good-nite…

***We ate at 10:20 pm 😝

It happens every summer; by July, Marty and I feel burnt out. We both feel like we are running on a hamster wheel and not getting anywhere. It also feels like the movie “Groundhogs Day” with Bill Murray. Every day is the same, done in the same order with the same results pretty much.

As I type this, sipping my coffee on this rainy Sunday morning, I’m thinking about how far we are behind already for next week. I’m also thinking about when the hell the rain is going to stop. The rain held off for our farmers market yesterday and for the Arlington Firemen’s Carnival on Friday and Saturday. I am glad for both because it’s the same amount of work if the weather is gorgeous and you know you will have lots of customers as it is fretting about bad weather and IF you will have any customers. You have to be ready in both cases and keep your fingers crossed.

Last week was a whirlwind of ups and downs. The ups were fantastic, and the downs were…well, not great. I know I am burned out when there are so many things I want to do and have to do that I end up biting off more than I can chew and get frazzled and stressed. Not being able to do the things I want to do puts me in a shitty ass mood.

We had a great time when my sister Jennifer came for a visit, but we had to work both days. It’s not that we don’t like to work, we love our business and making spätzle, but there aren’t enough hours in the day to work and have a life. I also know most business owners don’t have a life, but we love summer so much, and it’s so short here in Vermont that we both see it slipping away…quickly.

I don’t have enough time to write, which bums me out because I have so many things going through my head that I want to tell you about but can’t. I’m hardly on social media because I have to use that time to get things done; when I do go on, I see everyone’s vacation photos. I am envious that my friends are on beaches and at pools. They are eating lobster rolls and other amazing summertime foods. They are at live music concerts, traveling, and camping.

It seems everyone is enjoying their summer while I am over here running on the hamster wheel. When I say envious, I mean it; I don’t mean jealous; I am happy that my friends are living their lives again after a year of doing nothing. On the other hand, we are doing the same thing as we did last year; of our own doing. Don’t get me wrong; I am grateful we even still have a business after last year; we just need to come up for air for a minute.

Thursday, we were in Albany, NY, by 9 am, an hour from here, to make some deliveries. It would not be a production day, which set us back even further. We went into a big Shop-Rite while we were there already and planned our menu for later that night. We decided on a summery menu since it was probably the only hot & sunny day of the week.

We had other deliveries to make later in the afternoon, Marty went North, and I went South to get them all done. I was so hot, tired, and flustered that I lost my keys in the van; I knew they were there because I unlocked the doors. I spent the next 20 minutes cursing, praying to St. Anthony to help me find my keys. I know that St. Anthony is so sick of me losing shit all the time, but he always comes through. “St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come around; my keys are missing and can’t be found.” I am sure he makes me wait to pay for all the cursing I do.

At one point during the missing key situation, I really started getting mad. There was no way on fucking earth I would make that call to Marty and tell him I lost the keys in the van. No way that was going to happen! Just as I almost started to cry, I looked down and saw the key stuck between the front seat and the cargo area. I thanked St. Anthony the whole way to my next delivery.

At my next delivery, I somehow cut my pinky finger, and it bled like a mother. I didn’t know where or how I did it but realized it when I was covered with blood. I quickly went back into the place I made the delivery to see if I was bleeding in there, but thank goodness I wasn’t. I had to wrap my pinky in a dirty, crumpled-up tissue that I found under the seat where the key was hiding earlier. Thank God this was my last delivery stop. I got home so much later than I planned. This is how life on the hamster wheel goes, going nowhere fast.

At this point, I am also going to add that somehow, on the Fourth of July, while sitting down, my left quad leg muscle went into a painful spasm that has left me hobbling around, having to go up and down stairs like Gimpy. I’ve tried everything to get this muscle to heal, but it’s taking its sweet ass time. It’s so frustrating since I am on my feet constantly, and it hurts. I am a train wreck right now, aren’t I? LOL

Back to Thursday…when I got home, I still wanted to make the meal we planned on when we bought all the ingredients in Shop-Rite. Was I nuts? Yes! Did I pull it off? Barely. Did it taste good, and more importantly, was it worth it? You bet your ass it was.

Today we are relaxing. We tried to plan a quick getaway for a night or two but forgot we were finally getting the cracked windshield replaced in the van after months of waiting. Our particular windshield hasn’t been available during the pandemic, which means we haven’t been able to get the van inspected either. We have to be grown-ups and have it done and take the van for inspection. I hate being a grown-up! I wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to grow up if I knew it sucked sometimes.

So enough of my pissing and moaning. I’m not looking for sympathy or anything like that; it’s an authentic blog that can’t be all made-up bullshit and roses. I get cranky and whiny when I feel burned out. I’ll get over it. It’s funny that I chose the mug that says, “GET SHIT DONE” for my coffee this morning; probably a bad choice, but I didn’t even think when I poured my coffee.

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All in all, the weekend turned out well. We sat on our front porch Friday night and watched all the people going to and from the carnival. We lost track of how many times the firetruck and tractor rides went by our house. People waved to us while we were relaxing with a cocktail. I was indeed relaxed, especially since I made myself a Bloody Mary to go with my late lunch after production. 😉

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We had a successful farmers’ market selling out before the market was over. Last night we went to the Firemen’s carnival; Marty and Sam were on call with the rescue squad, so they brought the ambulance to the carnival in case they had a call, which they did at the end of the night. I had a good time; it was fun catching up with some friends were haven’t seen for a long time.

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Later on, I am looking forward to writing about the fantastic food I made on that frazzled Thursday. I am making a pot of Indian Butter Chicken for dinner tonight or tomorrow and some more doggie meatballs for Klaus. This type of cooking isn’t a chore; it’s my zen. Have a great Sunday, guys! Thanks for listening. ❤️

I’ve been missing in action for a couple of days; my sister Jennifer was visiting from NJ. Whenever I have company, I spend time with them and try not to use my phone or laptop. Jen arrived Monday evening driving up after work; she’s a pediatric dentist. She’s super smart, lol. 

We had a late dinner of french onion soup and a roasted carrot salad with maple, balsamic dressing. We ended up having dinner for two because Marty and Sam were out in a rescue squad call. Two back-to-back calls; these poor guys ate their dinner after midnite. What made me feel even worse was that they were both starving before their first call. 

Marty and I made a lot of spätzle on Monday with the hopes of not working in the production kitchen during Jen’s visit, but the wholesale orders were pouring in, which is a blessing, so we told Jennifer she would be working with us. She didn’t mind at all. 

Marty and I are the entire Vermont Spätzle Company, but it was easy to find something for Jen to help with. As a pediatric dentist, she was meticulous when weighing and measuring spätzle then packing the spätzle into our 12 oz retail-sized packages. 

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I told her to pack work clothes just in case we needed to work; she was so cute when she came down the stairs with her scrubs on. 

The three of us were able to bang out production with ease which left the rest of the day free. We ate, hung out, watched movies, laughed a lot, and had another late dinner. 

I made jerk pork tenderloin on the grill with candied curried sweet potatoes and grilled pineapple. Jen brought the pineapple and talked me through how she makes it. It is finished with chili-lime seasoning which gave it a kick, and the lime cut through the sweetness. The grilled pineapple was delicious; I will definitely be making this again! I didn’t take any photos since it was an unattractive tone on tone meal: Delicious, but nothing great to look at. 

It was a short visit since she left at noon yesterday. We made an early lunch before she left; we made Thai panang chicken curry with rice noodles. It was best she left when she did to avoid downstate traffic, and we had a severe thunderstorm around 3 pm. The storm was even worse in the Albany area, so I’m thankful she wasn’t driving through there then.

It feels natural for Jennifer to help me in the kitchen; I always insist that no one helps me. I had her prep the vegetables for the curry. When I looked at her, she was standing in my exact prepping spot with Klaus right at her feet, hoping for something to fall off the workbench. I saw myself when I looked at them. Standing the same way, she’s just a foot taller than me with a ponytail and glasses like mine. Lol! 

Her knife cuts were perfect and exact then I showed her how I make my Thai curries. I make mine very traditional; no fusion ingredients. A few simple ingredients are all it takes. I’ll have to post one of the Thai recipes that we made in my cooking class.

Marty and I had to head back into the production kitchen after she left to squeeze in a couple more batches of spätzle. Marty needed it to make 3 deliveries in the afternoon when I went to bellydance class. 

We had a great time. It’s hard to believe Jennifer, and I have only known each other for a little over two years. It feels like we’ve always known each other. She will be back in a couple of weeks for another very short visit with her kids Sofia & Julian; to make up for our botched Fourth of July celebration.

We want to try to fit in a bunch of things in only 24 hours, including tubing down the Battenkill River and a gondola ride up Stratton Mountain. Hopefully, Mother Nature will be kind to us and bless us with nice weather. 🙏🏼

Last night I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, and when I say scrolling, that’s what I do, but fast. I like to see what my friends are up to and look at recipes. I scroll quickly, avoiding controversial posts, animals that have been neglected or worse, and other nonsense. 

I saw this heartbreaking video that the actress Valerie Bertinelli made. It reminded me of myself, especially the day someone asked me when I was due. I think my exact words were, “That ship pulled out of the port a long time ago.” I left out the “go fuck yourself” because I was at work. 

People who hide behind computers and spew out hateful comments about someone else’s weight are the worst kind of body-shaming scumbag cowards. I wonder if Mrs. Moto, I think that was her name, would say it to Valerie’s face? 

Valerie Bertinelli was a kid when she was on the 70s tv show “One day at a time.” She was a spokesperson for a weight loss product and got very thin, but put it back on as I’ve done. I’ve been up and down ever since my 30s. 

The photos of my thin, in great shape days, were taken in 2011, a year before I went through and finished menopause. I haven’t been able to look like this again. It’s sad for me to look at those photos of myself. I’m like, “Damn Julz, you looked good!”

Currently, Ms. Bertinelli is on the Food Network, is an excellent cook, has a great palate, and a baker. She just wrote a cookbook, if I recall correctly. Her ex-husband Eddie Van Halen died not too long ago, which makes comments like this even meaner and harder to take.

Why on earth do people think they have the right to body same another person? It’s none of their damn business, and it is extremely damaging and hurtful. Body shaming goes for people who are too thin, short, or tall. People don’t think of those.

Below is the Facebook link to Ms. Bertinelli’s video. It made me cry, and I watched it several times. I actually commented on a famous person’s page, knowing she will never see it, but maybe someone else will going through the same thing. 

I told Valerie I was there with her and wrote a painful blog post last month about it. I added the link to the “This is me” post. I just saw that someone liked my comment. Out of 14,000 comments, one of my Bellydance friends, Cherish, loved it. ❤️ 

If you haven’t read the “This is me” blog post here is the link:

This is me!

Please think twice I just want to tell those busybody Budzinski’s. When we want your opinion, we will ask for it, simple as that. 

Link to video:

https://fb.watch/v/5QAnLJDdd/

Our Bellydance group has had an annual dinner for the last 12+ years. Even though we spend a couple of hours a week together, we dance, we never socialize during that time. 

Back in the day, we went to Williamstown, MA, for Thai food every year. For the last few years, we have tried to support local businesses and ate in Bennington. 

Last year during the pandemic, we didn’t see each other since March, but we met at the end of June in Kathleen’s backyard for a potluck annual dinner. We all sat with our lawn chairs socially distances apart. I always take annual dinner selfies, but last year, I didn’t even bother. I guess I didn’t want any reminders of how bad life sucked at that time.

This year we decided to continue with the potluck dinner idea. Emily offered to host this year’s annual dinner; she and her husband just purchased a beautiful new home with plenty of room for entertaining. Yay!

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It’s always nice to have the chance to sit and chat and not be rushing in or out like at dance class. We get to talk about lots of different topics and enjoy some delicious food as well. 

Last night’s potluck was an assortment of delicious food. Each person takes a dinner course, so we don’t end up with just salads or desserts. Marty and I have been at events where everyone brought pepperoni and cheese plates. How disappointing!

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Kat made a wonderful curried carrot salad; Maria made a gorgeous fruit salad, Trish put together an impressive cheese plate, Kathleen brought yummy and flavorful deviled eggs. Callie mixed up a summery cocktail with lots of fresh mint. I made my eggplant parm stackers, and Emily doubled up and made an incredible platter of sushi plus brownies with ice cream for dessert. Everything was yummy! 😋

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It was such a mix of different flavors, textures, and different nationalities. Even though they were all so different, they worked together for a perfect summer potluck dinner. 

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At the beginning of the night, I took photos of the table with everyone’s food but forgot to take one of Emily’s beautiful sushi and my eggplant parm. The sushi came out at the last minute before we ate to stay as cold as possible. We saved the eggplant parm as the hot entree, so I forgot to take a finished dish photo when I served it. I did take ones at home while I was assembling the stackers. I also forgot to pull the parmesan cheese that I brought out of my purse and finish it with freshly chiffonaded basil. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Our annual dinners have gotten quieter and tamer over the years. We used to be pretty loud when there were up to 12 or more of us at the Thai restaurant. Every year someone different would reveal something no one knew; Callie was the first one to start this tradition with the news of her first baby girl. No one had anything unknown or a secret to share last night; it was a shitty ass year, maybe that’s why…nothing happened.

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It was so wonderful to be able to sit close together at the table and eat together. It felt like it was a million years since we did, but in another way, it felt like no time passed. 

I count myself lucky to have danced or currently dance and share a big part of myself with these women…my dance sisters. Yip! ❤️

Last week, I wrote about being a private chef to Klaus, our bulldog with so many allergies that his diet is minimal. He takes medication twice a day for allergies and anti-itching. 

I’m finding Klaus likes the food topper I am making, but he knows I am sneaking the pills in his food. When I grew up, it was called being slipped a Mickey. My father always warned me never to put a drink down at a party or bar because someone could slip me a Mickey. He didn’t know how I drank; I never put my drink down! 🤣

This morning he was eating his kibbles topped with the beef stew I made last week, and he found the three carrots with the pills in the bowl and spit them out, setting them next to each other on the floor. 

“Klaus! You little bastard, what am I going to do with you!” He turned around and smirked at me. Then I laughed because he’s so smart and stubborn. I had to put my thinking cap on and decide what I could use to hide the pills now. 

We’ve used liverwurst, peanut butter, cheese, and sweet potatoes to disguise his pills. He figures it out, then won’t eat it anymore. It’s almost like he says to Otto, “They keep trying to poison me, I tell ya; I’ll outsmart them!” And he does. 

Today I saw a recipe for doggie meatballs. He loves meatballs…this could work. An article said never to let them see you put the pills in the food or even hear the pill bottle. Good to know. 

I defrosted some ground venison and made his meatballs with the venison, an egg, gluten-free oats, and doggie-approved herbs like basil and oregano. I am not a fan of venison, so this was perfect meat to use for him and how low in fat it is. 

I made his sauce with some crushed tomatoes, which have no added salt or sugar. Then I added some carrots cut smaller to fool him and some black eye peas that I had in the pantry. The peas are in the bean family, which is high in protein and fiber. They also help regulate dogs’ blood sugar levels. I added some fresh basil and parsley and a dash of oregano. Mangia Mangia! 🇮🇹 

After I baked the meatballs, I added them to the sauce, which I cooked down until it coated the meatballs. It smells good, but I didn’t try it since I turned off venison when I was a kid. I just can’t do it. I know everyone in VT loves it, but this gal from Jersey had a yucky experience. That all she wrote. 

I hope he likes these meatballs because it’s easier to make than the stew. I will make it a Swedish meatball style with a gravy yogurt sauce next week if he does like it. We will see if he eats them or not—that little bastard. 🐶

We’re back! Last night I made my first post on our dance organization, Bennington Beledi Tribal Bellydance or BBTB Facebook page. I haven’t posted anything on our page since the pandemic shut us down. Our dance classes will be open to the public after more than 16 months. Thank goodness!

My first Facebook post gave the new time, date, and location. The second one explained to potential new students about our classes:

“Level 1 A & B classes begin immediately following Tribal Warm-up & Workout at 5:45 pm. Tribal Workout is 20 minutes of stretching, moving, and strength training. Perfect to get you ready for class! No experience necessary for our classes…it’s about learning to move your body, dancing, meeting new people & having fun! Our dance space is a judgment-free zone that supports and encourages each other. Plus…It’s the most fun you’ll have all week!“

Our classes begin on Wednesday, July 14 at 5:45 pm, located on the second floor of the old mill building in the “Time for Yourself” personal training space. 160 Benmont Avenue in Bennington, VT.

My next post will remind people of the new classes, what to wear, and what to expect. We don’t expect anyone to show up to their first-class or classes in bellydance wear. We do recommend loose or easy to move in clothing. We do not require you to show your belly. We dance barefoot, but you can bring soft shoes that are easy to dance in.

Kathleen and I have been teaching our dance style, Classic American Tribal Style dance, for 17 years. Our new classes will divide the students into two groups, level 1a, and level 1b. We used to teach this way a few years ago, but after a teacher training, we lumped everyone together. Our core group of students who danced with us through the pandemic used videos, zoom, or in-person; they need to stay on track and not lose momentum.

I love teaching the newbie level 1a students. I try to make my lessons fun, not intimating at all. I’ve learned how to break each dance move down, including grounding, where your weight is distributed, posture, arm placement, how to walk, turn, zill, and eventually spin.

As the students advance, we teach about musicality, dancing with your heart, not your head, becoming the vessel, tempo, and attitude. Plus many more things.

Our dance style is improv, so our students don’t have to remember or memorize any choreography. That’s the best part for Kathleen and me. Each time we dance to a song, it is different and organic. Each person takes a turn leading while everyone else is following. Our improv is so tight; people can’t believe it isn’t choreographed.

Students don’t need any dance experience, and everyone learns moves at their own pace. Advanced dancers always encourage newer students and try never to make them feel self-conscious while dancing.

As a teacher, I do it my way, of course. Lol. I talk the way I do, explain moves differently based on how a student learns, choose music to compliment certain dance moves. I encourage students during class, and when they leave, I want them to have had fun.

Our dance style takes years of practice to learn all the moves, but a lifetime turning those moves into something special. Gals that just want to move up and perform don’t get the improv part of our dance. When you are leading, you are taking care of your followers. You want to make everyone look beautiful. It’s not a one-woman show, which is why we typically don’t do solos. We do group improv…divas don’t like this and don’t last long.

Our dance is more than dance. It’s a sisterhood. It’s about dedication and trusting your dance sisters in class and on stage. We are there for each other through thick and through thin. I don’t know other hobbies or classes that are like this. It’s hard to explain, but it is extraordinary. From the moment you step into our dance space, you can feel how happy everyone is to be there and truly welcome new dancers.

I hope to get at least 3 new students for this 6-week session. When students are comfortable with level 1a classes and are ready, they move to level 1b. When they are ready they stay for our level 2, then eventually level 3 classes. I say when they are ready because we never push anyone to move up faster than they should.

At the end of the night, we’ve danced for 2 hours straight, and everyone leaves hot, sweaty, and exhausted…but a good exhausted. Having new students changes the energy and excitement levels of our classes. I can’t wait! Yip!

A three weeks ago, my magnificent hanging petunias took a beating during a thunderstorm. One faired ok; the other one was in sad shape. 

I read to leave it be and continue to do what I’ve been doing. The article said it would take a couple of weeks, but it would come back. Yay! They were right! 

The reiki master/shaman in me couldn’t help but do reiki on “Tuni” every time I watered her. I also whispered, “You can do this, kid.” When I applied reiki, I witnessed the leaves moving. I shit you not! For real! 

As Tuni started getting stronger, her brother Pete looked a little thin. I laugh because I am referring to them like they are pets, but in a way, they are. I think Pete started getting jealous of all the attention I was paying to the other petunia. Just like Otto & Klaus!

Last night when I watered them, I gave him a pep talk too. As luck would have it, he looked more lively this morning. 🙂

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A couple of weeks ago, at the start of the heatwave and intense sun, I noticed that the other variety of petunias I have in pots on the back deck all turned yellow. All their flowers dried up, and they, too, looked sad. I moved them to the front porch, which is East facing and only gets morning sun, unlike the back deck that gets full afternoon and early evening sun. I was bummed because not only were my hanging petunias in distress, but these were too. They, too, have bounced back nicely.

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Our growing season is so short up here in VT that I cherish the short time I have watching my flowers and herbs grow. Yes, it’s no surprise that I thank them in the fall when they begin to die. I know all of this sounds crazy, but we all know by now that I may be or do nutty things. It’s just who I am…

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