Thanks for the rain wishes--we got a half-inch last night, delivered via one of the shower bands that trailed Dolly as she moved across South Texas. San Antonio got a good drenching, Austin got well over an inch, and we got wet. But I'm not complaining. A little wet is better than a lot dry. Looks like the tropics have dried out for a while--nothing cooking from the Gulf to Africa, so it will be a dry couple of weeks ahead.
Dumpster diving. Yes, it's true. Both Bill and I are dumpster divers from way back. Favorite dumpster finds over the years: a wonderful washer-dryer combination discovered in an alley the year my first son was born, back in the Cloth Diaper Era; a cane-seated rocker like the one Jinni T tells us about in her comment, which I used when I was nursing my daughter Robin; a solid cherry fireplace mantle that weighs about 120 pounds, found on a curb, which Bill and I carried some six blocks home; and a useful bamboo wall cabinet snatched from certain oblivion on I-35 (Bill was certain that I would be obliviated). We never throw anything out that's useful; in fact, we rarely throw anything out at all, which presents certain other problems, as you can guess. I think we could live quite comfortably out of our stash, at least for a few years.
Garden report. Fall beans are up, and southern peas. More manure collection going on, and compost building. I'll plant some fall squash in the next few days--maybe it'll do better than the April planting, which didn't yield diddly. Big crop this year: our mesquite trees, which are loaded with beans. I don't have the time to make jelly this year, and I've never tried making wine or flour but it's nice to know how it's done.
Book report. Getting down to the end, with 83,000 words. Yet to be done, the wrap-up chapter, historical note, another historical recipe or two (I love that feature of the Cottage Tales), and a map. Today I'll draft the wrap-up chapter. Oh, and for all you Beatrix fans: Willie Heelis (called Will, in this series) proposes in this book (Book 6)! I hadn't intended this to happen until the next book (7), but he just got impetuous and popped the question. She says no, of course. She said no, right up to the last minute (Book 8). Which is the way it happened in real life, as nearly as we can tell. July 28 is Beatrix's birthday. Please plan a big celebration!
Reading note. Con tuna solo se puede vivir, pero con tunas y mesquites los dos se engorda mucho. Loosely translated: You can live on prickly pear fruit alone, but with pears and mesquite beans, you can get fat.--Mexican saying, reported by J. Frank Dobie