We have returned from Japan, one iPad keyboard lighter. Axel, left it in the pocket of his seat. The friendly Delta people told us that having lost something in Japan means it will be returned. Now, three weeks later, it hasn’t shown up. So much for that assumption.
I resumed my life with a total concentration on getting ready for my first (academic) teaching job. It is a steep learning curve, accompanied by some nervousness, more about the mechanics of teaching online and the grading than the content.
The rain has been with us all month of September. Two years ago, when Tessa and Steve got married, we had the most glorious month of September (and as far as I remember, we usually have such September). But not this year. The rain stayed with us in Japan and then back in Manchester it wouldn’t let up, until now, nearly midway October. The leaves are still mostly green – and this is leafpeeper weekend in New England. This morning during our walk around the point we were wondering about the high level systemic impact all the wetness will have.
On a local level, the wetness has produced lost of mushrooms. They have carpeted the shadiest parts of people’s yards. The weeds also like the rain because I left them alone. I love to sit between the weeds and pull them up one by one, but not in the rain.
The fresh new greens on the kale have attracted small caterpillars who eat up to 8 times their body weight in a day. The kale is full of holes. Last night I, as I washed the kale, I had to pluck of as many as 10 on just one leaf. Despite the holes we had a nice ground pork/rice and kale stir fry.
Axel took close up pictures of one of the creatures, even one where it looks straight at him. They are good for a horror movie. 
Despite his efforts to get rid of them, they have now reduced our tall kale plants to stalks with nothing on them. Ughhh, no home grown boerenkool (a Dutch potato/kale stew) this winter.
Some of the leeks and potatoes have been turned into a thyme/potato/leek soup, all from our garden. We have to think of more leek dishes as Axel planted about 40 and we still have many left.
Sylvia's Journal 
0 Responses to “Wet”