This post originally appeared on the blog Stepping Away From the Edge July 29, 2022.

WHOOOOOOSH!

Did you see it?

July? Just flying by???

Today is my last July blogging day, so even though it seems July only just arrived, here I am, already recounting the . . . Best of My July.

This has been One Of Those Summers where scheduling concerns continue to keep me from being up north. Tom has gone up quite a lot. But me? Not so much! In all of July, I spent one chunk of days up there. With Brian and Lauren and their pup, Ferda. It was great fun — and Ferda is finally getting the hang of swimming!

two dogs romping and swimming in a lake

One of the best things of my July . . . is that the exterior work on our house has finally begun. (That’s the main reason I haven’t been able to head up north this month.) Of course, it looks like work will continue on into August at this point. But, hey. It’s going to look great when it’s finished. (The story I’ve been telling myself for three years now. . . ) I’m patient. But I’ve gone from a comfortable patio (on the left) . . . to a mess of ladders (on the right).

summer residential patio with container plants mess of ladders on a patio

I’m really ready to have my patio back. Y’know? (I imagine that will be on my best of August list. Stay tuned.)

I got a haircut in July; my first since winter! It’s so different now that I have long hair. I can go months between visits to the salon . . . AND my stylist can cut 3 inches off my hair and I barely notice.

Woman with long white hair

My favorite plant spot has a spring “incentive” program . . . Bonus Bucks. When you buy plants in the spring, you get Bonus Bucks for every dollar you spend. And then – in July – you can come back and cash them in. I love Bonus Bucks! I cashed mine in last week . . .

long view of perennial plants at a nursery

And, as I’ve already mentioned, I set my “studio” back up in July. I’ve started painting again. (This is an underpainting I’m working on in my sketch book . . .  eventually, it will be a rusty hinge on an old wooden door. If I remember, I’ll show you the finished painting someday.)

beginnings of a watercolor sketch

Mostly, my July has been . . . very ordinary. Filled with hot-but-pleasant summer days and all those things I love about summer. Time in my garden. Ice cream cones. Beer on the patio. Lovely sunsets.

sunset featuring streaks of peachy orange

July . . . heck, the whole summer . . . is so very fleeting. It just flies by, doesn’t it?

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How about you? What was the best thing about your July?