Tick Tock
The summer is ticking away. (Now I sound like my mother.) Every year about this time, the columbine in the berm in the front yard look spectacular. This year, however, all of my columbine — both front and back yard — have been meh. Instead, the flowers that have really looked pretty are my lilies. Unfortunately, they don’t last that long. But I planted some Black-eyed Susans that I’m hoping will bloom this year into the fall…..

There’s No Place Like Home (Not) 
Dagny and Maggie Faith continue to stay with their Aunt Julie in Bozeman. They call it Camp Julie, and for good reason. She’s a lot of fun, but also keeps them on the straight narrow. Their mother told me they are in no hurry to come back to Denver. Well, Dagny admitted she missed her bees…..

She didn’t say anything, however, about missing her Nana.

Front Porch 
Last evening after we finished our dinner, we took a walk. We ended up at Dave and Jll’s house. Addie was off somewhere with her boyfriend. Alastair was cooking dinner for his new girlfriend (young love, first love) who seems very nice. Dave was playing poker with some buddies for the first time in months. So Bill, Jll, and I sat on the front porch with a glass of white wine, and solved the problems of the world. Soon we were joined by Jll’s mother, who lives across the street, and her dog Piper. We yakked, and Piper kept all the dogs walking by at bay. Well, at least until he started shaking so much from fear that he had to go home. It was a lovely evening and was nice and cool as we made our way home.

Get Off My Property 
Bec rented a VRBO last year in Fort Collins, and since then has been getting fed Larimer County news. She’s more aware of whose running for mayor than Jen, who has lived there for 30 or more years. Yesterday she sent me a copy of a news article she received that told of someone in Estes Park placing nasty notes on the windshields of cars with out-of-state license plates. GO HOME is basically what they said. In the meantime, the businesspeople are apologizing their butts off and assuring people they are welcome to come and spend their money in this town that depends on summer businesses. Since we will be going to Estes Park this weekend to celebrate our anniversary, I will have to check things out and let Bec know if she has to cover up her license plate when she enters Larimer County.

Ciao.