Friday, July 5, 2024

A good fourth after all, with new sightings

Yesterday when I went out to greet our praying mantis,I didn't see it, but I did spot this little gold feller 

And indoors new growth 

See the leaf unfurling? This is a division from a parent plant which I just stuck in the pot and left alone. Clearly he didn't mind.

Yesterday was still a Misfits day, despite the holiday. 



I'm trying a new to me fruit, angelcots, some variation on apricots, which I like. And there in the front is a free sample of one of my least favorite fruit, a kiwi. 

Loads of fish and fruit. I cook fish simply, easy prep, stovetop for the hot weather that's come surging back.

I didn't do the Bad Food tradition for holidays, figuring that my small appetite needs nutritious food in current stressful times 

Turkey burger, broccoli, strawberries and homemade yogurt. 

Handsome Son came over after his long shift and was very happy to be greeted with suntea, lemon flavored and chilled, plum and apple crumble with custard, and chocolate covered almonds. His trad Mom had hot tea.


He went back and polished off the rest of the custard. No leftovers. I advertised it as international food -- British Custard, and American fruit crumble. Anyway it was well received.

And he brought the ponytail palm downstairs for me, so here's the new living room setup. 

I'm so happy I moved the ficus on, because this feels right now. It's enough for the space.

After Handsome Son left, when we'd had our say about a lot of current concerns and his vacation plans, I spent a lovely evening with 

To accompany a great TV series, Love in a Cold Climate,produced by Gerald Savory who produced the Miss Mapp and Lucia series, 

Wonderful sets and costumes and acting, just spot on.

So it was a very good day after all, just the interlude I needed.

Happy day everyone, and I hope you have the ingredients for a good day. One note of good news from the UK, amid the Tory wipeout -- Rees-Mogg lost his seat, along with other bigs.






38 comments:

  1. We're watching the Tour de France - a series of races within a race and always exciting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes. It looks like the perfect way to just celebrate...life.
    I love the new plant set-up. Perfect.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It occurs to me that this kind of day is what we're fighting for!

      Delete
  3. I do like kiwi, but this fruit doesn't like me , for some reason (too much acidity perhaps? ) It's the only fruit I know that fails me. I've stopped buying it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't enjoy the texture, so I don't buy it, despite being great in vitamin c.

      Delete
  4. Thanks for your tip on 'Love In A Cold Climate'. Don't know how I came to miss it before on BritBox. Gotta say though, the closed captions have tons of transcription errors! I guess proofreaders are a thing of the past. (sigh)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I cut off the captioning. Too many place names were mangled. And the clipped speech defeated it.

      Delete
  5. One of my colleagues referred to that UK politician as 'Greased Frog' - good riddance. I love Kiwifruit but they have to be ripe. My Mum on the other hand simply couldn't eat them - some people have taste receptors that get only bitterness off them. They do have a peculiar enzyme in them - something they share with pineapple and papaya apparently - sort of strips your mouth. Sounds like you had a great day - there is never any left over custard in our house either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Other happy departures, too, truss and others. But louella and priti hung in, also Sunak, sigh.

      Delete
  6. Great Britain is going against the trend to the right. Very good news. I'm so glad you had a happy day with HS. He approved of your English custard.I haven't eaten kiwi in decades, so I don't remember taste or texture. I have the ingredients for chicken stock, so that makes a good day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The decisive swing is heartening. But the new government has a huge repair job.
      It was a surprisingly nice day, a respite.

      Delete
  7. I aimed for attitude adjustment yesterday but had to write about it today. It was a better day than I thought. I'm glad yours was good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe going in with low expectations is a good policy.

      Delete
  8. You did have a healthy 4th. Your plants look good I haven't seen a praying mantis in a long time.
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We get a mantis most years, and I wonder if they're territorial. The new baby must have been hatched nearby

      Delete
  9. The plants look so happy and sun tea, crumble and custard sound perfect. I love kiwis (the fruit, too).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The food was totally unplanned, so it worked out very well considering! I was glad I had the carafe of suntea, because he arrived from a long busy shift, hot day, really ready for it. On his feet for six hours, shoes off instantly he arrived.
      It's funny to have a free sample of something I don't like. It's not going to move me to buy more, though it's a nice idea.

      Delete
  10. You have strawberries. There's something wrong here. I see no strawberries anywhere. I guess the weather didn't suit them this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our local strawberry season was here and gone this year. Cold spring then heatwaves, they couldn't cope.

      Delete
  11. Angelcots are new to me. We celebrated the fourth with lasagna that had zucchini slices instead of noodles. It was very good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's an interesting variation on lasagna. I'll let you know how the angelcots go. They need a bit of ripening.

      Delete
  12. A simple day spent with someone you love. Who could ask for any more.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm going to look up angelcots as they are new to me too. I'm glad you had a good visit with Handsome Son. Mercy is now scared of any loud noise from outside.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll report on them next time I post. Poor little mercy, a bit traumatized.

      Delete
  14. That ponytail palm certainly has pride of place there in the light. I first saw that Riden with Biden poster the other day. I like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a nice plant that was upstairs and only I saw it. I like it better here.

      Delete
  15. Healthy food is always a great choice. The strawberries have been exceptional this year, and the cherries good too. Soon it will be time for Niagara peaches.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fruit has been wonderful this year. No local cherries. Yet again a late frost nipped the blossoms.

      Delete
  16. Mogg going is an absolute highlight! Sounds like you and HS had a good time and very good food.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm personally thrilled he was dumped. And we had an unexpectedly good day. My mood improved a lot.

      Delete
  17. the Fourth passed quieter than usual this year. some fireworks in the neighborhood but none of the usual big displays from neighbors. the little dog not nearly as panicked.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a nightmare for animals, and their humans trying to keep them calm.

      Delete
  18. Time with your son sounds perfect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was. One of the nicest fourths. Usually if it's a day off for him, he'd be at the shore. But he was working, so I got the benefit.

      Delete
  19. mmm - tasty things to nosh on whilst you celebrated with HS. I have never heard of angelcots although they could be available here in the more specialty grocery stores.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think they're only grown in California, but maybe there are Canadian growers in BC? It's a short season, already over!

      Delete

Please read the comments before yours and see if your question is already answered! I've reluctantly deleted the anonymous option, because it was being abused.