Dear Neighbor . . .

 

FRIDAY, August 15th, 2025
Estate Lane, Nova Scotia
17*C/63*F
There is an air advisory in place
Mostly sunny, no rain expected

in the foreseeable future

Dear Neighbor,

Its fairly warm this morning, but I can't smell any smoke. That is a bonus.  Yesterday morning the air was full of smoke from the fires all day. We did get the most minute amount of rain. It lasted all of five minutes, and then here in town a light drizzle for about the same in the evening. But it's not enough and will not make a difference. We need a slow sustained rain that lasts for hours, maybe even days.

As you can see from the photo above the Guinea Fowl were back last night. We have not seen them in a while.

All around where I live we seem to have entered into a strange state, a fake autumn that has leaves changing colour much sooner than they ought to be. Brought on by the deepest drought in over 50 years here in Nova Scotia, a lot of growing things are surrendering their foliage in a desperate bid for survival. There are no brilliant oranges and russets, just yellows and golds, browns . . . the dryness falling from the canopy adds to the already dry grass and becomes even more tinder for the tinderbox that my beautiful valley has become. Early autumn  . . . but combined with the hot temperatures of the Dog Days of August.

They evacuated an area Southwest of us yesterday.  Google said about 14 miles away.  Looking at the fire map this morning, that fire seems to be under control at the moment, but there are two more raging out of control about 23 miles away. 

We badly need rain and for people to stop being stupid. A discarded pop can or bottle can easily start a fire in these conditions.  Cigarette butts thrown from a car window, etc.

They are looking for a man who set a spool of wire on fire on purpose yesterday with a blow torch and then left. Why?  The mind boggles at the stupidity and rash behavior of others.

 

(source)

A few areas got some much-needed rain yesterday, but it was not near enough. We had a brief heavy sprinkle for about 5 minutes on our way home from the mall, and then last night about 20 minutes of drizzle. We need a long, slow, sustained rain all over the province, and that is what I am praying for. 

We went out yesterday afternoon to pick up a few bits.  Cindy has an appointment this afternoon so we knew we would not be able to pick up dad's friend today to take them to the mall, so we picked her up yesterday and took them a day early.

I wanted to get another cat carrier so that I would have two to transport my cats in if need be.  I also wanted to get some large jugs of water just in case.

I managed to get a carrier, but it was not cheap. All the cheap ones were gone.  There was a run on animal carriers yesterday. I did get one collar and one lead also. It is my prayer that I don't have to use them, at least not because of an evacuation order.

Hope springs eternal.

 

(source)

The hummingbirds have gotten quite fun to watch.  The arial battle season has now begun where they start arguing over who has control of the feeder.  I have counted about 4 or 5 different ones coming to my feeder.  Maryann said yesterday that they have 10 different ones coming to theirs. I don't know how many my sister is getting at hers. 

They each have multiple feeders placed. I have just the one, and it brings me plenty of joy. I may get a second one for next year at the end of the season when they are practically giving them away. I will see.

 

(source)

Today I need to really get working on the church talk that I have to give for the 24th. I had had one particular topic in mind, but it has come to me in bed the other night that there is actually a different topic that I should speak on.

Inspiration. It comes to you.

I don't really mind giving talks as much as I used to.  My mother loved giving speeches and oral competitions.  She actually won a silver cup when she was in her last year of high school in a Provincial speech competition. I think she would probably have been a great lawyer had her family the money to put her through law school. Somewhere there is a newspaper clipping of her receiving her silver cup.

When I was in grade six, my mother had me entering speech competitions. I confess, I did not like the process one little bit.  I did them, and I did them well, but overall, they were a horrible experience for me that I absolutely hated.

It was not until I took a course over in the U.K. on giving speeches and talks that I came to feel comfortable with the idea. I don't think I will ever really "like" giving talks, but at least now I am not totally uncomfortable giving them either.  I would never volunteer to do one, but if asked, I will do one and give it my best shot.

 

(source)

I have had a list of chores as long as my arm that I have wanted to get to all week.  Stuff keeps getting in the way.  Top of the list is to clean my refrigerator. I find that job very difficult. I can't really get down on my knees to pull things out and the way the refrigerator is positioned in the kitchen, you really cannot open the door wide enough to make it easy to pull out drawers and things. If I could afford it, I would buy my own refrigerator to use in here. My own stove as well, but I can't and so I have to make do with what I've been given.  The fridge is very old and the drawers on the bottom are broken. They are very difficult to pull out. I tend not to use them unless I have to.

I hope that I will be able to get to that chore at least today.

 

This is the week of the Lawrencetown Exhibition. It is an exhibition/country fair that has been going on for years and year and years. My grandmother used to rent rooms out to the carnival workers when my mother was a child.  Eileen and Tim have plans to go down to it today with their CSS workers and a few friends. I always like to go to these things and take in the exhibits. The garden produce, flowers, crafts, quilts, baking, etc.  I am not a carnival ride person. 

I do love the smells.  The smells of cotton candy, candy apples, hotdogs, frying onions, and French fries. They always make your mouth water. My cousin always has a pizza shack there each year and does very well.

I don't think I have been down to it since my children were small. It is always really expensive to get into, and you have to park miles away from it.  (A slight exaggeration, but really far anyways.) There are many people who open their lawns up for parking and make a bit of dosh doing so.

I think if my mobility was better, I would love to go down and look at all of the exhibits.  I always really enjoyed that so much. I can't walk very far any longer so it's pretty much a no-go for me.

I am actually surprised that it went ahead this year, what with the province closing all of the hiking trails and the fire risk, etc.

 

(source)

I don't really have much else to write about this morning. My life seems to have been getting narrower and narrower as time passes. I don't really go very far from my place or do much, except to shop.  My mobility issues have really hampered that aspect of my life. I need to work at that I think.

In any case, here is a thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*"We must be willing

to let go of the life we planned

so as to have the life

that is waiting for us.

~Joseph Campbell° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Tuna and Dill Pasta Salad.  This is actually something I made a few weeks back and am only getting around to sharing with you now.  It was really delicious actually. It is still salad weather.

I do hope that you have an amazing day.  Stay safe, be happy, be blessed.  Please pray for rain. Don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!