Quiet 4th of July

 It is a quiet July 4th for us. Too hot and humid to sit on the porch; next weekend should be better for that after a cold front moves through Wednesday night. Winona Lake had fireworks Saturday July 1st. We watched the higher ones that we could see through the bedroom window. I did notice blips of light in the yard so the fireflies are showing up. 

I have had a cold since last Thursday or I might have gone to the Patriotic Concert in Winona Lake on the 1st. Today, I finally feel better. Sneezing and runny nose came to an end; still have lots of phlegm and a cough though.

 I hope to stop at the post office tomorrow to buy stamps before the price goes up on July 9th. I have one stamp in the drawer at home. 

Talked with my sisters in California. They were gathering with other family members to celebrate my oldest sister's July 4th birthday. She picked out her own birthday cake, a chocolate mousse from Costco. Tonight, we ate Costco Tuxedo cake. I had frozen two pieces the last time we bought that cake. My twin sister is in California for a missions conference celebrating missionaries past and present. They had no problems traveling by air. 

Our skies are actually blue instead of hazy gray, but unfortunately that won't last very long. Once the wind comes out of the north again, we will get Canada's smoke. 

I have distracted myself from my pains, etc. by knitting a headband from a ball of yarn I bought at a garage sale. The pattern instructions came from the internet.

I thought maybe this would keep my ears warm without wearing a hat and getting "hat hair", but with my short hair, wisps stick up in the back and the bangs look weird. I did learn how to make a mattress seam to create the round circle. I looked at a book. Mostly I am self-taught from books and a few times from YouTube.

Some time ago at a Friends of the Library book sale, I bought a book about Charles Wysocki. Since we had many puzzles by him through the years, I thought I might enjoy browsing. There was a little bit of biographical information, but mostly the author Betty Ballantine uses his pictures to talk about Americana living. For example, how sugar maple syrup is made. I think the book was printed before Wysocki got into puzzles; mostly, I guess he started out with calendars. None of the places he paints are real places. They are bits and pieces of New England that he incorporated.

One of my sisters sent me an African Violet as a get-well wish. The plant that arrived was pathetic, but the company stood by their promise to make good unacceptable plants. I have a replacement.

I don't have a green thumb, but at least I have a fighting chance with a healthy plant rather than a wilted one. 

Hope your Independence Day was enjoyable.