Our hot and dry August 2026 has the one UPSIDE of attracting a wide menagerie of our local critters each night. While the leftovers are surely a draw, I wager the watering hole is more important to everyone’s wellbeing.
The recent rains and high winds finally spelled the imminent demise of the lattice patio cover outside the Chauffeur’s Quarters patio doors. We quickly determined that a complete demo and different construction would serve us better.
Did you even know that TSH offers a Rec Center & Lounge for Helpers Only? Well, we don’t really but that is the sign we put on the garden garage before we knew it was going to be the Capt.’s new digs. No real reason to remove it as I escape there sometimes for my 1-hour vacation when he is absent.
Of the nearly incalculable blessings, magic, and FUN we enjoy at The Surgeon’s House, serving duck eggs, homemade goat cheese and goat yoghurt rank pretty stinking high. They take a second only to knowing the two couples who are responsible for these fine creatures and the delicious fruits of their husbandry.
Just a couple of days ago I was lamenting to Joshua that we had not seen any raccoon families this year then lo and behold, the camera was ‘incorrectly aimed’ so that we enjoyed the following happy surprise!
Here at TSH, it is time for fun, relaxation, and whatever feeling nurtured and ‘just being’ means to you.
This week after nearly a month of disheartening donations, we finally caught a bit of a break. Our dear friend Ann at the local Jerome Food Pantry requested Cheezy Potatoe Soup so armed with maybe 35-40 lbs. of potatoes, at least 5 lbs. both of celery and onions – KW pulled the short stick with onion duty, we set to chopping.
We haven’t experienced a real monsoon season in more than a few years but recently we were breaking records and always surprising oopsies are revealed.
Even in our normal gardening routine, we occasionally meet with a “what’s that?” moment but none has surpassed this swiss chard root passing itself off as a multi-headed mutant of some kind. Look at the size of this beast. It was a veggie root so we investigated the possibility of cooking it but we couldn’t even cut it!
With summer in full swing, we have all sorts of outside happenings and visitors. The Capt. came across a rather UNinvited visitor who joined recently for coffee on his porch – even loving mostly ALL aspects of the Earth Mother, these guys give me the creeps. He departed into lake Ludwig for an eternal swim.
