or swear words? I think it all depends upon your week. 🙂
This past week, I used several colorful words to emphasize how life was going. I won’t bore you with all the details, but I definitely said a couple of incident specific words the day I heard, shingles, and I wasn’t in the roofing department at Home Depot.
On the positive side, we picked our first pint of sun gold cherry tomatoes. We also harvested almost five pints of raspberries in one day, which was definitely a record haul. The raspberry plants are done for the year, have been pruned, the ground raked clean of any debris, and they are on vacation until next year.
The flowers are big and boisterous right now. The butterfly bushes and the oak leaf hydrangeas smell wonderful and are like pollinator magnets. The day lilies are still producing, and the echinacea, brown eyed susans, and phlox are ramping up.
If you want a real chuckle, picture me trying to take these photos or visiting my very favorite quilt store trying to pick out fabric for a future project – glasses on, glasses off. 🙂
When about all you are doing is reading and you live close to the water, picking a nice spot for a picnic is high on the list. Hilton Park at Dover Point, which technically is the oldest continually occupied spot in the state, is only a few minutes from home. It has views of the old General Sullivan Bridge, picnic tables in the shade, and there are plenty of birds and a nearby marina with lots of boat traffic. What’s not to like.
Have I read any mysteries I’d recommend? Sure: Lee Child’s, Jack Reacher, No Middle Name, Michael Connelly’s, The Late Show, Alex Kava’s, Damaged, Archer Mayor’s, The Company She Kept, and James Patterson’s, Murder Games.
Here’s sincerely hoping you all have a medical free week and are out there doing whatever it is that floats your boat or puts money in the bank. Enjoy. 🙂
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
Oh, no, good luck with the shingles! I hope you get over those soon. Have you tried any of the Matthew Shardlake mysteries by C.J. Sansom? They’re terrific if you also like historical fiction: they are set in Tudor England.
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Thank you for that suggestion because I’m not familiar with that series, and I’m always on the lookout for new authors. 🙂
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I hope you have a wonderful week recuperating, Judy and I hope that comes fast and in an uncomplicated fashion. The photos are beautiful, I love the flowers. This is where all your hard work pays off!
I love the photo of the old bridge. What a great place to read and relax.
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Sorry about your shingles and love your flower pics. Thanks for the reading list. The Shardlake mysteries are brilliant as recommended above. 🙂
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Two positive reviews make it a winning suggestion for sure. 🙂
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Hate to hear about the shingles. I’m glad you were able to get out and enjoy a picnic. Your gardens is so beautiful! You and I enjoy some of the same authors! I love a good mystery and the Jack Reacher books are some of my favorites!
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Oh dear. Shingles. That’s not a word I’d like to be hearing on a doctor’s visit. I hope it is a very minor case. I’ve heard it can be extremely painful. Hope you get well soon!
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So sorry about the shingles!! I know that they can be so painful and miserable! Hope you only have a minor case of them and that they can be gone soon!!!
Looks like you picked a wonderful spot for a picnic!
Have fun reading, hoping that helps keep your mind off the pain of the shingles at least a little!
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Oh no, Judy! Not that after your eye surgery! I am so sorry, but if anybody has the spunk to fight it off and keep on gardening, quilting, reading, and blogging, it’s you!
I love reading this time of year when your hard work comes to fruition in the form of a bounty of good healthy food and a beautiful garden to sit in view of and read. Beautiful photos invite us right inside!
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So sorry about the singles. Your flower pictures were a treat and I would love to have a picnic in that spot. Hope everything improves medically very soon.
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Shingles? Ouch! Hope it goes away soon.
As long as we are recommending mystery novels, may I suggest John Sanford’s Virgil Flowers series? John Sanford (whose name is John Camp) is a heck of a writer, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his newspaper coverage of the Midwest Farm Crisis in the 1980’s. He knows the region and its people well and his writing reflects this. Virgil Flowers is a quintessential rural Minnesotan – and I must confess that I have a weakness for both him and Lucas Davenport (Sanford’s other main character) because they work for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension – an agency where I spent eighteen years of my career.
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Would it surprise you to know I’ve read every book John Sanford has ever written? I LOVE him and his cast of characters. It pains me to say this, but I do like the original cast versus the new marshal group. I love Virgil, his boat tagging along, and the gun he always forgets is in the truck. 🙂 I can only imagine how you can relate to those stories with such a large chunk of your professional career spent there.
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I just have to add that I am not a cop. Law enforcement staff are divided into two groups: sworn and sworn at. I was in later group, just a lowly IT guy down on the first floor.
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Shingles! Oh no! Pray they will be few and pass soon with no complications. Marian had them bad some years ago. Neurontin saved the day. Your flower garden is getting lovely!
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Isn’t it interesting how many commenting here have had them? They haven’t gotten any worse and the discomfort has lessened. 🙂
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Oh, no! Dratted things. I’ve had them, too. No fun at all. Hope you recover soon!
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It sounds like we could have a support group amongst bloggers. 🙂
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Your flowers look amazing and the cherry tomatoes do too!
That park looks like a perfect place to picnic. Beautiful bridge.
Hope this week puts all your health issues to rest once and for all.
I agree with Almost Iowa, Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are great reads.
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So we definitely need more details! Shingles? You or hubby? Either way I am sooooooooo sorry! I had them 2 years ago and while I had a “mild case” I was miserable and they lasted way too long! I am glad you have your amazing gardens to keep you distracted. HUG!
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Oh dear, Shingles! I do hope it’s a mild case and on your trunk and not your face or neck!! I had them a couple of years ago around my rib cage. One spot took months and months to go away. Hum…now it’s been so long since I had them I can’t remember if I got vaccinated for them after I was healed or not. Sigh better check with my Doctor. I don’t want them again!
Your garden is gorgeous, and that steel, rusty bridge is neat.
I love Lee Child’s Reacher series. I haven’t read No Middle Name. I’ll add that to my list.
Hope you feeling better soon!
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I guess I’d have to say I got lucky in that I have them on my lower left side. I felt terrible leading up to the rash but the day the rash broke out I had my doctor appointment so I got on the meds just in time for it not to spread. That bridge is so ugly it’s beautiful. 🙂
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Like the others, I am sorry to hear that you were stricken with the dreaded shingles (darn that chicken pox virus coming back when you’re older). My wife had a mild case and my neighbor had a worse case and both were miserable so I hope your affliction is a mild case that heals quickly. In spite of your health issue, you took some great photos and showed us your spirit was not impaired by having a positive attitude which may help in your healing. Get well soon!
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I add my regrets at your shingles diagnosis. You’ve had your share of medical worries. Flowers look gorgeous. Hope you’re finding much pleasure in them.
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Oh no, that’s not good news. I hope your medication kicks in fast and prevents it from spreading. Take care and get lots of rest. I’m so envious of your raspberry crop. I have a blueberry plant but it’s not a good producer which definitely says more about my gardening skills than the plant. It needs more TLC. Every time I read your posts I think I must plant more flowers.
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And speaking of good mystery series, have you read the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters? They set in medieval England and the main character is a monk with detective skills. Read them in order as they are set amongst historical events.
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Okay, another good reading suggestion. Thank you. 🙂
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My goodness, this summer will go down in history for you (and none too soon!) Your comments were funny – glad you still have your sense of humor! I love your big, boisterous flowers.
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At least you’ve maintained a sense of humor. Love all your flowers and hope you’re feeling better soon.
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I’m so sorry you got the shingles. 😦 I’m one of the 3% who had chicken pox twice, so I’m pretty sure I’ll be getting shingles at least once. 😦
The pictures are wonderful though, very pretty. Love the bridge!
I miss phlox. I had phlox in my previous garden and would like to have some here. I should get on that while they’re in bloom…
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Oh dear Judy, shingles too. Well, despite this you are still making me laugh…..I hope you make a quick recovery, and that your eye is improving every day. Your garden and flowers look wonderful, the day lilies are gorgeous.
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Oh Judy not the shingles on top of everything else and yet you made it seem humorous though I don’t think that it IS! 😦
Beautiful flowers and a bountiful harvest and lovely scenery….you are always looking at the positive side of life, dear friend.
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I love your flowers, and that bridge! I never thought I would see a steel structure that I just absolutely loved, but I do that bridge. It is a real beauty.
We had to go for Roger’s allergy shot, but as of right of right now, no other appts in the week. I told Roger after last week, I am ready for a week free of appts.
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Thanks for the book list. I’ve been wondering about Michael Connelly’s, The Late Show. I like some of his stuff, but other pieces are too dark for me.
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I’m sorry to hear about the shingles. I hope that you are feeling better soon.
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I get the feeling that your garden is reaching out to you, trying to help you through this. Those flowers seem so tuned in — and obviously the raspberries are trying to help! Here I am already cutting back the phlox, the dill is going to seed, the daylilies are in their second and somewhat anemic bloom, but the brown-eyed Susans are in their glory. I send my wishes with everyone above for your healing and return to health!
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Oh my! I hope you recover quickly. Hubby has had them. Ouch!
Lovely flowers! 😘
I read mostly textbooks… however a great one I just read (and will review in a post at some point), The Secret Life of Trees. An enlightening read!
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I hope that you feel better soon, Judy. What a summer you’ve been having. At least you can read!
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Oh, no! Not shingles, too! You sound very chipper, given your rough summer–I hope you can maintain that!
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Hope you recover soon Judy. Lovely pics of photos. Glad to see we share a love of Lee Child and Michael Connelly. If you don’t mind a bit more gore from time to time, you might like Jo Nesbo.
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I just went onto my library website and found several of his books. I’ve put him on my list to request one as soon as I’m caught up. Thank you very much for the recommendation. 🙂
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This new health development turned out less dangerous and painful since you caught it and were at the doctor’s. This was probably annoying and frustrating, Judy.
My grandma would say, “When it rains, it pours.”
I loved your flower design with the taller butterfly bush balanced by the others. It is almost like you are creating a quilt of your flower garden. Seems your eye is feeling better, hopefully. Crossing my fingers that peace reigns in your health and home. xo
I’m playing catch up as I feel bad, work is so busy in the summer (warehouse auto parts, cleaning products, etc) plus the grandies at home and out of school means drive by’s to see those precious grandchildren. 😊
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