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A Week in Photos: 2026, Part 32
August 14, 2026
Monday, August 3: The fruit trees in what used to be the turkey pen continue to provide. We didn’t end up eating any of the cherries that showed up in June as we didn’t think to do anything to keep the birds away and by the time we thought to check if they were ready to pick, they were all gone. But apparently birds aren’t as attracted to plums, as there is a tree just loaded with golden plums. They are so sweet and juicy. As of this writing, we’ve taken some to family a couple times (the second at their request), eaten a bunch ourselves, and there are still many many left.
Tuesday, August 4: Another visit to the Habitat stores to look for small furniture pieces to fill some needs. I’d passed on a cedar chest with an Art Deco look the week before as it was in rough shape and I wasn’t sure it would fit in the spaces I have in mind for more storage pieces, so when I saw this similar one in the other Habitat store I thought maybe it was a sign. But this one was in rough shape in a different way, with not just scratches but peeling veneer and missing one of the feet (which are decorative as well as functional so not easy to replace). Plus I realized that it wasn’t really practical for the spaces I was shopping for, since it would have to sit rather far from the wall to open, so either there’d be an awkward space all the time or I’d have to pull it away from the wall every time I wanted to take something out or put something in. So I passed on this one, too, though I do still very much like the look.
Wednesday, August 5: A smoky day outside due to wildfires upwind of us, but there’s cake inside so it’s not all bad.
Thursday, August 6: Picking more plums and noticed there are plenty of apples coming along too, some blush colored and some green/yellow. Wonder if I’ll be able to figure out what varieties these are (or when they’re ripe for picking).
Friday, August 7: Have been enjoying watching this lily (apparently called Stargazer if the internet is to be believed) bloom at the side of the house over the last week or so. Another pleasant surprise on the property.
Saturday, August 8: Made a small change that had an outsize positive impact on my mood: got a cover for the box spring. Chose a neutral so it would not call attention to itself, just be a clean look. (And yes, we did keep the footboard Mr. Karen made from discarded skis; not as fitting in this locale as it was on the mountain, but a nice reminder of that time in our lives.)
Sunday, August 9: Made my first blackberry pie. Used the same recipe that I’d dialed in for huckleberries and hoped for the best. It turned out pretty well. Only afterwards did I read advice on the internet that suggested more thickener for blackberries than huckleberries; in the case of these particular black berries, it didn’t seem to make a big difference that I used the huckleberry amount of thickener (cornstarch for my recipe).
And a bonus picture, because the sunsets continue to delight me here:
On this date in 2002 through 2025: No journal entries. (How can that be? 1800+ entries over the years and never on August 14. I wouldn’t have guessed that was the case, but it sure seems to be.)
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