In the Midwest we are blessed with fairly distinct seasons. The ones I love are autumn and spring. They are colorful and cool, optimal "sweater" weather. It's a thing! Honest! 

Luckily none of the seasons last too long, but the extreme weather situations feel interminable. I know, you know. For those of you in the NE or NW I'm thinking you have it pretty good most of the year. But nowhere has perfect weather, right? Between wildfires and drought, flash floods, and all manner of weather extremes it's just not going to be "perfect" every day. BUT, finding the perfect parts of the day and enjoying them is the way to go. 

I've been spending my afternoons and evenings inside, but have rediscovered the joy of the morning outside. Watching my dog play and chase bugs, listening to the birds sing, neighbor kids playing and laughing. Thanks go to my son, who reminded me, and spots me on the steps. (They are challenging.) 

My surgery went well, I'm more than halfway through the "no weight bearing" timeframe required for soft tissue to heal. The PA showed me a photo of the stitches they put in to close the muscle tear and reinforce the tendons connected to the bone. I have a photo, but I am not sure if I should share it. You all will have to ask before I share. Not everyone enjoys looking at those types of things. It reminds me of the mark of Zorro.

It's been an interesting several weeks and not at all how I planned. That's okay, we just pivot and find a better solution. Having my son here helping has been wonderful. He's good at finding solutions and has motivated me to continue modifying our home environment once I'm on my feet. We have way to much stuff and a lot of it is out of reach. 

Many of my trinkets are gifts and invoke good memories. Much of the detritus can be enjoyed by others and not gather dust like it does here. Let's see how well I do when I get my feet back under me. 

Looking out the window I see scads of weeds wreaking havoc in my front yard. The heat has scorched my grass. (Sniff) Most of the flowers are holding their own, but not all. The weeds will have fun this year, but next spring, watch out! A little dirt therapy will be in my plan for spring. 

Ideas about the Grace character are percolating. I've done some research on the many changes that occurred in the Oklahoma territory after the homesteading in the 1890's. There were some amazing innovations done by the adventurers who settled there. If you get a chance, look up the Miller 101 Ranch in Oklahoma. It was the biggest, most diversified, and self-sustaining ranch of that period. Sadly it didn't last, but a lot of good things came out of it - The Wild West Shows, Tom Mix, film making, orchards and farm crops, cattle and pigs, and they generated their own energy. There are even a couple of old black and white films about them from the 50's.

Hearing stories from our grandparents about some of the inventions they made on the farm, were precursors to things like the washing machine. A system of ropes and pulleys agitated the clothes, then they were fed through rollers that you cranked to get the excess water out. I remember the smell of clothes dried on a clothesline, versus the current dryers we use now. They smelled fresh. They were crisp unless a gentle wind kept them moving. Crisp towels are okay, but crisp underthings, not so much. 

I don't hang clothes now, partly because the tumbling dryers keep most of the wrinkles out. When we hung things on the line the iron was required to smooth the wrinkles. Personally, I hate ironing. I doubt I've ironed more than once in the last year. Hang dry or tumble dry works for me. But back then it was the process they had. Frankly, people looked spiffy in their pressed clothing. 

Anyway, back to Grace. There are stories and events in Great Grandma Minnie's life that will no doubt appear in Grace's story. Great Grandma was a teacher, as well as a store owner/clerk, she painted and became quite adept at photography (like double exposures that she orchestrated). She did eventually marry, but not before she paved her way. Now, will Grace marry a man of convenience or will she marry one that excites her heart. I think we know what Great Grandma did, but will Grace be similar or do it her own way? That is a good question. We will just have to see how the story unfolds.