What's Up Wednesday, July 2025 Edition

 

It's the end of July, which means one thing: Halloween decor has hit the store shelves. Now, we all know that I am a huge fan of Halloween, but, come on, folks! It's too soon! Let's enjoy the dog days of summer before we whip out the jack-o-lanterns and witch's cauldrons.

Jeeze.

Anyhoodle, welcome to this month's edition of What's Up Wednesday! Let's get to it.

What I've Been Eating

I've enjoyed several meals both at home and at restaurants, and here are some that stood out:

Homemade tomato and burrata salad with balsamic glaze...

...fettuccini with homemade bolognaise sauce... 

...grilled beef fajitas...

...a "grown-up" grilled ham and cheese panini from The Association, where Kristi and I met for lunch one Saturday...

...and a huge chicken burrito, also from The Association, when Mom and I attended this quarter's Boozy Book Fair.

What I'm Loving

I purchased a seasonal flower bouquet subscription from the local flower farm and have been loving the selection of flowers used in each bouquet.

What I'm Reminiscing About

Lately, I've been reminded of all the 4th of July weekends that we spent on the lake with friends and family. Memories pop up in my inbox, courtesy of OneDrive, and I am transported right back to sunny days, fireworks, the rocking of the boat against gently lapping waves, and the scents of sunscreen, toasted marshmallows, and Jell-O shots (for the adults, obviously).

What I've Been Up To

Mom and I enjoyed a morning at the farmer's market in Hooterville.

I managed to provide Proof of Life to Shanti and the Man-Cub while they were in California for a wedding and I was on cat duty. Princess Leia deemed me worthy of her presence exactly once in four days; the rest of the time, she hid. Our relationship is a work in progress.

My staff and I pulled off another successful golf tournament. Of note this year: Hugh was absent due to being called out to fight a fire, so, wouldn't you know it, the one year that we encounter an actual snake on the course, he is unavailable to terrorize. Missed opportunity, there.

I introduced Mom to the Boozy Book Fair, and while neither of us indulged in the booze portion of the program, we did each purchase new books.

What I'm Working On

I've been working on a trio of ribbon embroidery projects and I finally finished the last two. Now, I'm on the hunt for frames with convex glass to display them in, which is harder than it sounds. The frames I have found are ridiculously expensive and I'm not interested in going broke over a hobby.

I've also been working on my garden, and it is coming along. I am a little frustrated with the slow rate at which my tomatoes are ripening, but I can't complain about the number of fruits on each plant.

My herbs have been growing like crazy, so I decided to use them in new ways. I started with thyme-infused honey, which I'll use during the cold and flu season to help alleviate sore throats and coughs.

I also made two kinds of mint extract: mojito mint and chocolate mint. They'll take about six months to fully mature, but I am patient.

What I'm Excited About

I'm not really excited about anything at the moment. And that's ok.

What I'm Dreading

I'm not really dreading anything, unless you count the possibility of new wildfires in our state. Hugh spent the better part of two weeks fighting the fire on the south rim of Black Canyon National Park, which is just outside of Hooterville; I can only imagine what it will be like to have him in another state for weeks at a time.

What I'm Watching

I'm still not watching much television, but I made an exception for Hunting Wives on Netflix. I'd heard a lot of buzz about it and decided to check it out; it's... interesting. I'm almost all the way through the episodes and can't say that I know how it will turn out.

Otherwise, I'm watching the real-life nature channel, in the form of the hummingbirds visiting my feeders. It's just as entertaining, I assure you.

What I'm Reading

I have yet to break my reading streak, having added several more books to the Romantacy genre, which is a relatively new genre that blends romance and fantasy, often with a healthy dose of spice, making it both literature and cliterature, if you get my drift.

What I'm Listening To

At the moment, I am listening to the chirping of the hummingbirds flitting around the feeders on my porch; it's a favorite sound of summertime.

What I'm Wearing

I have nothing terribly interesting to report in the wardrobe realm, I'm simply wearing the most breathable fabrics in my closet, thanks to the heat. I am, however, wearing a new perfume that bears mentioning.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Hugh's sister is visiting from Chicago, so we are hosting a dinner for her, Hugh's parents, Mom, Shanti, and the Man-Cub. Hugh's sister's birthday is on Monday, so we will be sure to celebrate that as well.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

I'm looking forward to spending the last remaining days of summer rotting on the porch with a cool beverage and a good book. This has been the Summer of Porch Rotting, and I make no apologies for it.

Favorite Purchase This Month

Honestly, it has to be the flower subscription that I mentioned earlier. Picking up a new bouquet every Friday is such a treat. I hope they offer the subscription again next year