emerging from the heat wave

It was 20 degrees above normal for 4 days starting on Saturday.

Mosaic Woman grew up in Edmonton where the average high in July is 72 degrees and humidity is no big deal. I grew up north of here on a tree covered hilltop, not quite Edmonton, but cooler.

So we melted. and I did not blog.

Monday and Tuesday we were told to keep the students inside... I may have grumbled about the weather, but then a mighty wind blew, our power went out, neighbors and candles filled porches, winds shifted to being from the north, and temps fell 10 degrees. I was gifted with two days to garden.

As I climbed the hill away from the garden with a student who helped weed and mulch a bed of leeks this afternoon, I stopped and turned around. "We did well." A wet cool May put us behind but beds of zucchini, sweet peppers, golden beets, purple carrots, leeks, red onions sweet onions, garlic, new zealand spinach, patty pan squash, basil, dill, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatillos, green beans (2 types in two beds).... await our return in July as do the flowers we planted. Tomorrow is graduation.

Tuesday night I awoke wondering what time it was... then the power came back on a bit after midnight. Thoughts consumed my head so I came down to the computer and wrote my speech which I would read to honor a horticulture student at an awards assembly. My practice of examen came to mind.

My speech started joking about how the student points out my gray hair, and ended something like this...

"As I sat writing this speech my mind drifted to the last thing I do each night. I sit and do an examen of my day. Part of that is remembering things to be grateful for in my life. I can truly say that I am grateful that ........ is in my horticulture class."

Sadly the speech was directed to one student as the rest sat in the audience. That night as I did my examen, I regretted disappointing some in the midst of honoring one.