Summer thoughts

The glorious days of summer are upon us. What a delight to have long days for all our favorite outdoor activities. Even as the day length wanes, ever so subtly, we still feel that we are getting a full measure of light sent as a gracious complement to our interests. There is plenty of time to get things done and to entertain in the warmth of lingering sunsets or in the cool of the midday shade. If ever there were a season for entertaining, this is it, if you ask me. Certainly the other seasons offer their own virtues but nothing beats the languorous summer season for bright and breezy opportunities at every time of day. Let's not forget the chance for warm summer night dancing on the terrace when colorful paper lanterns may illuminate a sociable crowd. I'll have a chilled Rosé with that!

Summer means the advent of so many things to everyone, not the least of which are (in no particular order of importance): boats in the water flying colorful pennants, delivery men in shorts, hay-scented country drives, home gardens of bright flowers and sincere vegetables, outdoor concerts, impromptu bicycle lunches in the park, desserts that take advantage of fresh fruits such as cherry clafouti, the call of mourning doves (not those screechy recent tropical arrivals), the sound of a screen door closing, summer dresses, the supremacy of the gin and tonic cocktail or the ice cream from Tastee Freez. Many of these elements touch a fond chord in some of us.

I love being in my little garden where I can observe and cultivate and learn. Most of this practice (if doctors practice medicine, why can't gardeners practice gardening?) allows me quiet time and physical exertion at the same moment. Grubbing away at the dahlias to incorporate compost into the soil is a highly recommended activity for the serenity it provides; likewise with spider lilies and amaryllis. It's the time for dividing and sharing those early spring bloomers so that you don't wait too long and let the fall season get ahead of you. Share them with your fellow practitioners sooner than later. It's better to disturb them now and allow them to recover than to dig and transplant with the shocking onset of cooling weather. They may survive such a transplant but not flourish as they ought to.

It's funny how some people approach garden tools. Take trowels. They're simple. They're utilitarian and they have a singular purpose. Who would guess that there are so many ridiculous variations on this theme at the stores? The handles, the blades, the angle of attack and the heft are all up for grabs in the world of designer tools and consumer appeal. Even I can be accused of prejudice. I used to think a garden trowel was a straightforward implement. Not so! My all-time favorite is more of a scooper than anything and it has a serrated edge. It was a gift that I received with some suspicion and it sat on the shelf for a long time because it didn't conform to my idea of a proper trowel. Now the sight of it evokes summer to me and I wouldn't garden without it.

Warm summer kisses,

Celeste

On family guests

   Guests are one thing but family guests are another. They require special consideration and rules mainly due to the delicacy of the familial bonds that dare not be broken, except in cases of distant incarceration, in which instance the best policy would be to send holiday cards only without any personal notes, thereby maintaining the thinnest connectivity. When there is a disturbance in the family fabric it has a tendency to propel vibrations far and wide and to engender tremors in faraway and unexpected places. One of the consequences of which is that the original actors in the drama are misunderstood, misquoted and generally maligned by persons who hardly know them and can’t be bothered to find out the facts. In order to preserve the status quo of cherished family values and character, some precepts ought to be observed by the host and hostess when sheltering family:

1. Never loan them money as a house guest. Its corollary: never ask for repayment by a guest, lest it be misunderstood as “rent”. 

2. Do not encourage the family guest to give up a cherished vice, such as drinking, smoking or gambling while in your home as this is likely to exacerbate violent mood swings. 

3. Limit sharp objects around the house, especially within easy reach on kitchen counters. 

4. If a family guest makes an inane and offensive remark at table such as, “Not all slave owners were really bad people,” ask them to help in the kitchen with some menial task in order to defuse any ill-will, especially if it happens to be Martin Luther King Day. 

5. Placate dietary requirements as best you can but do not be vexed by unanticipated and unexpressed needs. Meet them with casual nonchalance such as, “I don’t believe you mentioned that to me” or “Help me find a substitute in your food pyramid.” 

6. Provide ample brochures for local activity in rooms and meet requests for things to do with a slightly bewildered deflection to them. 

7. Plainly express your day’s plan ahead of time and let the family guests work around your schedule. Leave explanatory notes with diagrams on the kitchen counter when you must be away. 

8. Inform the family that your pet has a delicate nature and that territorial displays are to be expected, the consequences for which you will not be responsible, no matter the provocation. Stock in stain remover. 

9. The second phrase after welcome must be, “Remind me how long you said you will be with us?” A direct declaration is important for clarity. Much sorrow and ill-will has arisen from over-staying, Benjamin Franklin’s quotation notwithstanding. Remind your guest how thin your walls are. Blame the builder. 

 10. Your goal is to make it all look easy. Even those who exploit your kindness with unexpressed appreciation can sense the effort you have made. Somewhere in the deepest recesses of self the rewards of kinship will be felt. Offer to reciprocate with a visit of your own in the near future.

Kisses,

Celeste