Summer lovin'

Posted by: Sal, with Nic looking over her shoulder.

So it is summer time. Things are kind of sleepy here in the Bull City during the summer. There are consolations. Outdoor bluegrass concerts (although all the ones we've tried to get to this year have been rained out so far). Fireflies. Veggie gardens. Warm evenings.

So we've been doing domestic, summery sorts of things. Like picking blackberries and making jam. Unlike home, blackberry plants here typically aren't sprayed with poison, so any wild bank is fair game. We picked a bunch between a main road and the railway, and made jam which, for the first time in my adult life, has actually set. Its a miracle!

Picking blackberries and making jam. If my pants are looking a bit high-waisted, I had everything tucked in tightly to prevent chiggers - nasty small mites with a very itchy bite - from getting to me. They're rumoured to be regular inhabitants of blackberry patches.

Nic has been up to lots of useful domestic activities too. Lots of gardening, lots of building. He made three desks for us, a new bbq (which we need to try out... but it looks impressive). He's been startled by zucchinis, rigged up an Aussie flag for the pole outside the house, and, in one of his less well known habits, has been caging babies.

Nic marvels at the sheer size of it, raises a flag which says "we love our country... a bit", and lets Ishan try out the dog's crate. Ishan couldn't have been less concerned about his accomodations.

Another common summer time activity in Durham is sitting anxiously in your house as thunder and lightning crash around you, wondering if a pine tree is going to fall on your head. The 4th of July was supposed to be celebrated in Durham with the 20th anniversary of the Minor League Baseball cult classic movie "Bull Durham". Kevin Costner was in this movie, and he was invited back to Durham to play in his band at the baseball park before a firework extravaganza. Instead, we got gale force winds, massive tree damage across the city and especially in our neighbourhood, power outs and chaos. Perhaps this is what the Gods to do any town where Kevin comes? C'mon people, you've all seen Waterworld, you know I'm right.

Storm damage after "Hurricane Costner". The house on the right copped two fallen oaks - a huge one split on top of a little blue car, which miraculously seems to still be in one, albiet dented, piece; and a smaller one which took out the eaves on one side, but thankfully not the chicken coop which it fell directly over.

A blog post wouldn't be complete without some Emma pictures, and I know you've all been anxious to see how she's growing (of course you have... go along with me on this). We'll she's doing GREAT. Calming down a bit, better behaved, cuddly and cute still. Loves playing with other dogs - she had a great run with three others that were out on a walk a few evenings ago. And still enjoys a cuddle with her Dad.

Still getting bigger... still stripey... calmer now... super cute... ok, enough guff. I'm a bit enraptured with the dog at the moment. That'll last until the next time she eats a bottle of shampoo, and blows bubbles out of both ends...

And we also made a phalenopsis flower. I know you can buy them at the shop, but this is a home grown flower. I'm proud, dammit. Also, a home grown puppy (Emma), frolicking with a Wiemerrana and two new friends.

The final, and most important thing that happens in summer here, is Nic has a birthday. And his lovely Mum sent over Tim Tams, and, importantly vegemite. But this was vegemite with a difference! Vegemite in a tube...

Nic wasn't 100% sure what to do with it... but he was game to try the same thing he normally does with stuff that comes in tubes...

Comic genius.