Actually, I thought the “dog days” referred to all of August. Wrong! It’s actually from July 3rd to August 11th. Who Knew? The Dog Star, Sirius, is the brightest star in the night sky, sitting in the constellation Canis Major. Those ancient Greeks and Romans had some amazing ideas, huh?
Our July was first spent in healing and convalescing and then the passing of one of our Navy buddies. The good news is that the second trip to the hospital was the charm for the CE. Now the process involves healing on the inside as well as the outside and the wait for release to resume the activities we were formerly enjoying.
The bad news is the loss of Ted. The CE served with him in the Navy in Taiwan back in the late 60s when we met he and his wife and their two babies. We enjoyed a number of great get-togethers through the years, and it was nice to see their “babies” all grown up with kids and grandkids of their own.
The water garden with fairly new Rosy Red Minnows was cared for during our time away in Texas for the memorial service by a neighbor. Fortunately, the week was forecast for pleasant 70o temps, but we arrived back home in the middle of one of the Northwest’s famous severe T-storms. While our neighborhood was spared, many were not.
The veggie garden got a good soaking, so both the water garden and the veggie plants were happy at least. Texas was predictably very warm.
We continued to read and listen to audiobooks (albeit sparingly with traveling and visiting in Texas). The links on the titles are to our reviews that also include purchase information. I expect to review the titles we managed to finish beginning in August.
EBooks
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick (bookclub book)
Captain Hope and the Battle of Attu by Neil Perry (CE review)
The Rector’s Daughter by Jean Grainger
Favorite for July – Captain Hope and the Battle of Attu
My Reading Challenges page…I’ve been lucky to turn on the computer. My Goodreads count won’t be accurate anyway, but the opening page shows 79 books (twenty-two behind schedule). I think it’s obvious I’ll have to edit the goal. Also, I have several audiobooks finished but not posted and soon coming.
UpComing Audiobook Mini-Reviews
The Final Target by Nora Roberts
The Keeper by Tana French
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
To my readers and fellow bloggers, I appreciate every view and like and appreciate so much your taking the time to check out my posts and leave your comments.
©2026 V Williams
One hundred gallons is a LOT of water and quickly overwhelmed the overflow at the top. So I reconfigured the base and siphoned the water out in anticipation of another gully washer. It’s going a long way to watering the veggie and flower bed as well as the potted plants on the deck and the deck plants are looking very happy. 
We used to have dry periods, not this year though. This year, we’ve not just had rain, we’ve had some serious major storms, and looking ahead, August is promising some douzies. We are still cleaning up a couple trees that came down in the fairy garden.
Update on Punkin the Pom: that little stinker is still a challenge now at almost ten months with us. Looks like progress with housetraining, then we regress. She continues to bond with the CE but must still equate me with the dragon that forced her to have another litter. Now she’ll occasionally initiate a walk, running outside then plopping butt down to have the leash attached. (That doesn’t mean a successful potty walk, however.) I have found a new treat she’ll accept (that’s two!) and she is beginning to spend some “social” time near the CE (play time, however, was apparently something she never had nor a clue how to jump up on a couch).
I managed to bake a successful loaf of bread from my third sourdough starter—long story there that includes an attack by a demon squirrel on the starter left on the deck to slow rising—and the separation of 20 grams I’d saved in the fridge for use later. Turned out, later was the next day, but it turned out wonderful, great texture, light and airy, flavorful. Thrilled but now wonder if I could have siphoned off ten grams to save and ten to use.
Now the new thing in July is “fermenting.” Got a couple lids and started on sauerkraut, but blew it by not exercising more patience. Then I got a gallon size glass bottle with a special fermenting lid (see that lid? It will exhaust but not allow oxygen back in) and trying that with carrots and cucumbers. Gotta be patient with this one and let it go at least thirty days. It’s been a week today…You can see why I might do more reading in the winter.
Rosepoint Publishing 