Outside From Dawn Til Dusk

That's how my life is this time of year.  Which is why I haven't hardly blogged at all this month (or much in May either).  I love the longer days of sunlight, but they definitely prohibit me from blogging or reading or much of anything that is normally done inside a house and for leisure.

Truthfully, the housework doesn't much get done either.  Last summer DD2 told me I needed to hire a housekeeper in the summer because I have too much outdoor work to do to be able to keep up with the indoor chores too.  Looking around, she's right.  If the floor gets swept once a week, that's good enough (well, DH doesn't think so, but I don't see him getting out the broom either).  Laundry gets washed regularly, and dried on the line, but it doesn't often make it back into dresser drawers or in closets before getting worn again.  Mail is piling up on the counters rather than being sorted on a daily basis.  Let's not talk about the dishes that need hand washing (those items that either don't fit or I don't allow in the dishwasher because I don't want the dishwasher to shorten their lifespan); who wants to wash dishes at ten p.m. when finally coming in the house after working in the garden until dark.

So, don't come in my house in the summer.  Let's just sit and visit outside instead, where there is a nice breeze.  Speaking of which, since we don't have air conditioning in our house, a lot of cooking and eating is done outside (in the breeze) also.  I try not to use the oven much, switching over to the grill for our preferred method of cooking meat.  Plates, forks, and all other dinner time needs are brought down to the patio.  I keep napkins in a small basket on the dining room counter, and it's real handy to pop the salt and pepper shakers into the basket, along with whatever silverware is needed for the night's meal, and carry it all out to the table on our patio (located under the deck, where it's always cool and shady).  Plus, the basket helps keep the napkins from blowing away in the (often strong) breeze!

Or, we could sit on the front porch while we chit chat.  I recently purchased a small metal table and a Boston fern to put on the porch with my two old wooden chairs acquired from Goodwill ages ago.  It's really amazing how that little table and bushy plant create a cozy seating area.

But really, chances of finding me sitting down at all are slim.  It's more realistic to say "here, you sit on the rock wall and talk while I pull weeds in the garden".   That's where most of my day is spent this time of year.