KATHIE CASE

508-627-5349

(kathleencase@comcast.net)

The week did not start out the best, but Wednesday was the perfect weather. It is dry and cool with a beautiful sky. I think this is the weather most people are happy with.

I did the most bizarre thing the other day: clean around my computer stand. Then when I went to get the birthday list, it was not there. So in my minutes of throwing away old paperwork it must have been in the out pile. That is what I get for trying to be organized.

Special birthday wishes go out to Lisa (BenDavid) Scannell, who celebrated her day August 17. Lisa is recovering from a horseback riding accident and has a long road of therapy in front of her. But knowing Lisa, she will be ahead of everything and will amaze the doctors and physical therapists. Happy birthday, Lisa, and here is to many more.

Also celebrating his day on August 17 was Richard Kraus. He is now getting both daughters ready to go to college. Melanie is in her second year and Haley starts her first year of college this year. So here is to many more birthdays and getting used to a quiet house.

Eve Carlson reports that a mini reunion of the traditional Seventh Street Picnic of Ocean Heights was held on Monday evening, August 8. The neighbors met at the home of Shirley Craig for a potluck dinner and an evening of good food, conversation and fellowship. Shirley, who with her late husband, author Philip Craig, had authored the cookbook Delish, prepared a wonderful chicken/spinach/noodle casserole which was accompanied by a special sweet potato dish. Michael and Diane Kraus brought starters which included grilled shrimp, Charles and Eva Carlson made a garden salad garnished with gorgonzola and walnuts, Dr. Olga Church served a dessert of angel food cake topped with limoncello soaked strawberries and cream, and Neil Patt contributed the always welcome wine. All of the offerings fell under the title of Delish! There was a lively and important after dinner discussion about the merits of reviving the Ocean Heights Association (OHA) which could, again, work constructively with the town on addressing neighborhood issues.

When I started working at Donaroma’s I couldn’t wait to play with plants. It is not an easy job as there is a lot of watering, weeding, picking and cleaning plants which is why now you will never see two plants in my yard. I will refrain from saying which, as they are beautiful on a one-on-one basis, but when there are a gazillion of them you don’t care if you see another one. The thing is once they are picked and cleaned they respond by putting out new shoots and new buds so the reward is great.

The other thing I wasn’t prepared for was all the wildlife you get to see. Each of us has our own thing we like to watch. Taylar Kuehne loves the slugs. She lets them creep on her hands and up her fingers. I think it is gross but she loves them. Kellyn Conklin and Megan Rose have a pet praying mantis, named Manty, which they keep in the window box so they can check on him everyday. Ben loves the caterpillars that are looking for a place to put their chrysalis and turn into the swallowtail butterfly, which we did last year and it was fun and very rewarding. Jimmy collects the worms for the fish in the pond, and Renata and I love to watch the birds.

I have been enjoying the humming-birds that come around in the early morning and then late afternoon. They swoop in and out of the flowers but especially love the blue salvia, and all around the trees. They are so much fun to watch. Renata loves the cardinals as they chirp their songs for us during the day and show their brilliant colors in the evergreens. The goldfinches are having so much fun and don’t know where to go first. First there are the sunflowers, then the millet grass; the last of the bachelor’s buttons have been the favorite this week and I counted eight on the four plants at the end of one table. The catbirds have their time in the birdbaths and they have no fear of our being around them. We have seen at least three families of sparrows go through the birdhouses on the shed. It is never-ending — and I hope it never does.

For those of you who are traveling back to your homes from the Island, I wish you safe traveling and no backups.

Have a great week, and keep the home candles burning.