What is it about music that so draws us in and can take us back over the years? Any genre will instantly evoke memory: the 1970s song "California Dreaming" takes me back to high school, hymns such as "Great is Thy Faithfulness" take me back to being a child sitting on a hard pew, Spanish hymns remind me of Ecuador days, "Moonlight Sonata" has me subconsciously measuring the tempo as I once did when learning to play it on the piano, and so on.
Last Saturday Tim and I drove up to Chemainus Theatre for "Rock Legends" featuring the music from 1955 to 1975. I was surprised that I knew, if not all the words, certainly the tunes to all but one of the songs. Oh, it was fun!
One of the songs was from the group Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Randy Bachman currently lives on Saltspring Island, not far from us. Tim leaned over during the song and said to me, "Randy Bachman uses the same hearing aid clinic I do." And we giggled like teenagers.
In the garden, green beans are producing. This is the third picking, now tucked away into the freezer. Tonight's dinner will be a Salade Niçoise with more green beans. The zucchini is beginning to bear, as well.
Concord grapes are fattening nicely. This is just the second year for the vines and we're pleased about the number of grape clusters.
Tomatoes are slow this year. These are not ours. Summer calls for sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a sprinkling of basil leaves.
We're in the midst of a heat wave and meal preparation is kept to a minimum. Lots of fresh salads and grilled meat.
New blooms continue to form on the hydrangeas, even as other blooms fade.
Wildfires have been burning in the province for quite some time now. This week, the winds changed to an outflow from the interior and our skies are layered with smoke. The hazy sunset last night was almost invisible because of the smoke. Visibility is greatly reduced.
As the sun drifted down it became less and less visible. You can see the line of smoke at the bottom of the sun in the photo above. Within a few moments the smoke obliterated it.
We thankful for crews from other parts of Canada, and Mexico and Australia who are helping fight the fires. My cousin was able to return to her home, and it's intact.
In family news, one little grandchild has chicken pox (in spite of a vaccination), and is recovering nicely. We're hoping her brother escapes the virus. We're getting ready for a boating trip this weekend with our youngest daughter and husband. And finally, it's August. That came quickly. I'm not ready for summer to end, but I was in the store today and saw autumn decor. Horrors! I love autumn, but let's enjoy summer for it's all too short.
How do things look in your world at the beginning of August?
Prayers for no chicken pox and no wildfires
ReplyDeleteHearing aid...I giggled as well reading that.
Lovely photos
Such beauty in your images today. It does seem like people rush the seasons. Christmas is in our stores. I love how music takes us to places and times from our past. And with my husband and I friends since we were teens, we can just look at each other when we hear a song and know what we are thinking!
ReplyDeleteLorrie, I hope the grandchildren are on the mend. Too cute about the hearing aid clinic! And your vegetables/fruits/flowers are gorgeous! I'd love to grow grapes!
ReplyDeleteWe are experiencing the same with the smoke here, too. It's so tragic. It's amazing how far it has traveled and how thick it is. I can't even see the mountains through the haze. I am so happy to hear that your cousin was able to return home! The sunset photo is so beautiful and eerie. You must be enjoying your fresh veggies so much. The grapes look so pretty. The concert sounds fun and it is so true how music can make you think of special times and places. I hope you have a lovely boating trip with your loved ones. x K
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos. Yikes chicken pox, oh no. Hope it doesn't spread. Sure hope the smoke clears out soon. Have a wonderful boating trip!
ReplyDeleteMusic is so powerful in its ability to stir the memory! I also find it fascinating that people who have lost verbal ability are often able to sing the words of familiar songs.
ReplyDeleteAs always, your beautiful photographs and poetic narratives make reading here a pleasure.
Isn't it funny how we remember the songs from our youth? I love your husbands comment about the hearing aid clinic!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Southern California, and I remember the days when smoke or ash from fires fell.
Enjoy your weekend with your daughter and son in law.
Oh dear the chicken pox!!!
ReplyDeleteA good friend has shingles and is in a LOT of discomfort.
Many of our friends have seen that production and all came away with rave reviews.
Take care and enjoy the rest of your summer holidays.
Our shops are filled with back to school stuff at present and we are still waiting for summer here! Hope the chicken pox and wild fires pass quickly and without too many problems.
ReplyDeleteThe fires are such a worry, and I'm sad that they are having an effect on the city now. Yes, August is here and going to go as fast as all the other months I think. This year has moved too quickly.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how music can conjure up memories for us isn't it. Glad you enjoyed the concert! Hope that all will be well with everything else.
ReplyDeleteI remember the summer fires were burning in Quebec and the air quality here was so poor...most unpleasant...so I hope that gentle rains will put those fires out, So glad to know that family has found their home intact.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about the grand with chicken pox even after a vaccine. That doesn't seem fair at all.
Still waiting for the first tomatoes to be ready here...how I will savor them...it's been such a long time.
I just read Vee's comment about the forest fires in Quebec affecting them and it did us as well. It was very bad for only 2 or 3 days and so eerie in the city as the street lights came on in the day time. I feel badly for all affected in BC and Alberta. Our growing season is slow this year due to lack of rain. I think produce will be small, especially apples. That is strange about your vaccinated grandchild getting chicken pox. Hopefully it hasn't spread in the family. Fall decor and fall clothes. Yikes! I'm not ready at all for that. Have a great August Lorrie!
ReplyDeleteThat concert sounds like great fun. I wonder if it will makes it way to the states? The hearing aid story made me smile.
ReplyDeleteWonderful things are coming from your garden. Wish I could say the same. My zucchini plant seems to only be producing male flowers and the tomatoes are being pilfered before they fully ripen. Grrr...
Glad to hear that your grandchild is recovering nicely from chicken pox. How strange to get them despite being vaccinated. I wonder if that happens very often?
The wildfires are so scary. I hope they are able to bring them under control soon.
Just the first few notes of a song cam cast us back to a certain time in our lives. Love the tomatoes with oil and basil just right for summer heat. Hope those wild fires can be kept under control. It's wet and windy where we are and garden produce needs some more sun:)
ReplyDeleteYour post was so much fun, remembering things from the past, pretty pictures... oh, how I love that rose!! and the green beans... wish I had some right this minute.
ReplyDeleteMy comment disappeared--as I was saying, your post made hungry for the Beach Boys and Beatles and those delicious beans and tomatoes. August is the month of abundant harvest when our hard work all summer begins to pay off.
ReplyDeleteMy earlier comment disappeared as I was typing it. I just got back from Chemainus and Ladysmith. I loved the Rock Legends show. Vancouver Island is such a great place to visit. I met a woman who used to go to my church in the Ladysmith bookstore and I had breakfast with visitors from France. It was fun to speak French with them. I love salade niçoise and green beans. There's music tonight at Gulf of Georgia Cannery so we'll be enjoying more musical nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteLorrie- You have been a busy girl. Love the hearing aid comment! lol I would love to see that show and would probably know most of the tunes, too. Hope you have a great weekend. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteVery nice fruit and veggie shots! I read online that this is BC's worst wildfire since the 1950s.
ReplyDeleteVery nice garden! I'm glad your family was safe with the fires. the pink moon, so interesting
ReplyDeleteYes, August usually means the start of waning summer days and thoughts of kids returning to school - they go back early here - but with lack of rain the fires are frightening in many areas.
ReplyDeleteHere we just have unbearable heat, humidity and dry conditions, but not many fires thankfully.
Your photos of summer harvested veggies are lovely. We stopped at a farm stand on the way home from the coast yesterday - tomatoes, corn, peppers and South Carolina peaches were loaded into the car - I'll be busy in the kitchen this weekend!
Mary x
Two tomatoes here in PA and my concords look like yours right now :) I hope that you get some cooler temperatures and rain to put out those fires.
ReplyDeleteBy now you have had a wonderful time on your trip. Hope the little one with chicken pox is okay. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteLorrie - I love Salad Nicoise - I'll bet it was so tasty and light. I miss having fresh zucchini - as a young child, we were always having zucchini in EVERYTHING because we had so many! I am impressed that you have grapes after 2 years - they look very healthy. We have also been affected by the Canada wildfires since we live about an hour south of the border - we will be headed to Banff in a week, so I am hoping things will have cleared out a little by then. But most importantly, that the people and the firefighters are safe.
ReplyDeleteOur skies are pretty smokey. Seems like we are surrounded by fires and we are hoping for some rain soon (none in the forecast for the future)so our Borade planes keep flying overhead and trying their hardest to put the fires out. :) But even so, I am enjoying the cool mornings in my gardens. :) Kit
ReplyDeleteOur very hot summer has now become quite autumnal and wet. Hope your forest fires abate quickly. Loved the sound of that concert, I expect I'd be singing along too. Zucchini doing well too. I like them to grow quite large and then stuff them with lamb mince , tomatoes and cinnamon. Enjoy your August and your grand child is better soon. B x
ReplyDeleteGood morning Lorrie. Hot and hazy here in Eugene area as well (from fires near Crater Lake...not close, but smoke is drifting to our Willamette Valley) .... I am glad your family is safe and back home .. those fires up there have been horrible.... I love hydrangeas ... they just keep on giving and are pretty in all their stages. And your garden looks amazing...we're enjoying the fruits of other's labors (well, vegetables actually). I agree with you about not rushing Autumn.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for coming by...I thank you for prayers and your sweet friendship. I am so lost without Mr. Sweet, I can barely breath...family and friends have been such a strong support...but I still miss him.
ReplyDeleteMmmmmmm all your produce looks so good - isn't summer grand? We have had the smoke too - and there are a few small local fires - one on Chuckanut Drive - most days we have to stay indoors and yesterday down in Seattle they said the air quality was worse than in China and have cancelled children's outdoor activities until this clears. They say maybe Thursday - I sure would like to see some blue sky again. And your hydrangea is wonderful!!! I'm in no hurry for autumn - we've not had enough summer around here yet, have we?
ReplyDeleteIsn't the year flying by ... August already!
ReplyDeleteLovely selection of photographs, I so enjoy seeing them, thank you.
Hope your grandchild is better soon.
All the best Jan
That sunset picture looks just like the sunsets we've had here lately. It's strange to have this hot weather but no blue skies! I hope you are enjoying your boating trip!
ReplyDeleteOur skies have also been quite smoky from forest fires and heat; but today I do believe it is suppose to begin dissipating and cool.
ReplyDeleteYour rose and produce is so beautiful. I am with you, let's just enjoy the season of growth. We have many large, green tomatoes and have had about 3 ripe ones so far. Looking forward to a good crop soon. Yes, soon we will have grapes, figs, and plums in the garden. Happy summertime!