Friday marked the 12-year anniversary of our residence in this lakeside woodland Lodge of our dreams.
The first to congratulate us was this friendly toad, lurking in one of the gardens.
Coincidentally but appropriately, we were hosting a potluck dinner that evening. As usual when the Porters host a major event, the weather was scorching! Summer has definitely arrived in New England. When we have parties in winter, a blizzard is guaranteed. In summer, a heat wave. But it doesn't stop us having fun.
We added a few leaves to the dining table and arranged all the chairs around it. Late in the afternoon, our guests arrived bearing food. We provided the main dish (turkey breast, sage & onion stuffing, gravy) and the others brought appetisers, salad, vegetable, bread and dessert. We were 8 in all, plus the 2 dogs, who were very friendly and reasonably well behaved. It was Ruth's first time among company, and she clearly loves people.
Our guests are the type of friends who feel like family (and in fact, we discovered a mid-19th century marital hook-up between our down-the-road neighbours' 19th century relative and an ancestor of my husband's.) Ostensibly this is a political group, but we talked about lots of other stuff too, late into the night, as we sat on the screen porch.
Saturday brought an additional celebration: Ruth has lived with us for exactly one month. She was happy to receive new toys--a pair of these wild pink furry-balls-with-3-squeaky-tails-attached. That's 6 squeaky tails in all, should keep her busy. She can entertain herself endlessly, with the right equipment. Balls and things that squeak are her delight.
It was a fairly quiet day. We tried to keep cool as we caught up on our reading. Ruth played with her many toys. Lola dislikes hot weather, and wasn't very energetic. Plus shedding season makes her cranky, especially our constant attempts to groom her. That Alaskan husky undercoat is coming out in messy chunks. Ruth loves being combed and brushed, so I worked on her while my husband dealt with Lola--until she lost patience.
In the evening, we had another social event, an Open House for the new town library. The Friends of the Library and the Capital Campaign Committee invited our generous donors and the public to check out the progress of the building (and maybe contribute something towards its completion if they haven't already done so!) Lots of people came--young families with their children in tow were well represented--and they seemed impressed with all that they saw. The community presence was very gratifying, and two of our state legislators were there.
Our circulation desk is now in place, as is the fireplace in one of the reading rooms. The walls and trim are painting, all the lighting is installed and the ceiling tiles. And the air conditioning was turned on for the very first time! More finishing touches to come: carpeting has already been ordered, and the stacks also. Before long, we should be able to hone in on an official opening date.
This bump-out on the front of the building has our name (and donation) attached to it: the (Porter) Adult Reading Area. It's adjacent to the adult fiction and nonfiction sections.
Here I am in the PARA.
These are "placeholder" chairs. Eventually this area will include bench-type window seats, comfy upholstered armchairs, sofa, reading table, and other stuff.
We returned to the Lodge, stuffed with yummy cookies and cakes, and settled down with the girls to watch our new favourite tv series, Meerkat Manor, which we'd recorded Friday night for later viewing. We're avidly following the adventures of the Whiskers family.
We awoke to a Father's Day surprise. No, not a meerkat, but just as exciting for us: a big giant bunny rabbit was nibbling wildflowers at the edge of one driveway. He stayed for quite a while, eating his breakfast, and didn't mind my snapping his picture from the deck.
We've spotted all sorts of interesting wild creatures in that general area over the past dozen years--weasels, black bears, deer, chipmunks, squirrels, a snapping turtle. But never a rabbit!
After the wabbit wandered off, I stepped outdoors to gather roses for a Father's Day bouquet. I forgot to take a basket or trug, so I had to improvise. I'm carrying the bounty in my white nightgown.
I harvested enough flowers for an arrangement and for decorating Ruth!
After opening his pressies and the card from the dogs, the paterfamilias headed for church, where he had various important duties. I opted out of a formal church service today--like my druid ancestors, I'm worshiping in the midst of the natural beauties all around me. Trees and roses and birds and other wild things.
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