Returned to base, AWOL no longer--trying to pick up again

I didn't really mean to take the whole summer off.  This is what happened...

My last Institute lesson, finishing Jeremiah, was done.  I had been reading a book, trying to find the William Monk novels by Anne Perry in sequence, and I knew it would become too intense to put down.  I resolutely set it aside for two days to finish preparing my lesson.  Six lessons on Isaiah, two on minor prophets and finishing I Kings, then three on Jeremiah, had been intensive.  I learned so much and was so blessed, and they had swallowed my life whole.  My garden was going in at the same time.

I went to water aerobics after class, then home.  I had a quick lunch and then sat down with the book.  I made dinner on time, then back to the book.  When I finished it before bedtime, I picked up another book.  That one took me through the next day.  I was clearly sucked into the reading I had not had time for.

Summer-- it's been quite a busy break.  Busy in an entirely different fashion than the school year.  Next week I start up again with Ezekiel, and we will finish the Old Testament before Thanksgiving. Our next proposed course is one I wasn't familiar with, titled "Doctrines of the Gospel."  It takes, by topic, lessons that draw from all the standard works of scripture, rather than being primarily focused on one, and adds the modern prophets.  We've done the courses for the Doctrine and Covenants, the Book of Mormon (where I came in as a teacher near the end), the New Testament, the Pearl of Great Price, the Doctrine and Covenants again, and now the Old Testament.  "Doctrines of the Gospel" seems the fitting capstone for these past seven years.  I've been the teacher for the last 5 1/2.

I've been immersed in creating the garden.  I've gone to the 11:15water yoga class on Wednesdays as well as Mondays and Fridays for the first time; it conflicts with Institute and I've always been too tired not to let Wednesday continue to be a bit of a break during the summer when I could go.  I have water aerobics M-W-F always, at noon.  Two classes in succession, whew, but it's been very good.

I've just been a whole lot more busy outdoors, and it broke my habit pattern.  We've had a hot summer, too, and this room gets no air, so it's been less appealing to spend the time in the chair.  Writing my Nauvoo Times columns has been demanding, and between one thing and another, the blog went by the wayside.

We inherited a newer, better computer over the weekend, and we're having the usual challenges figuring it out.  If I can find a picture, I'll share.  Success!  this one was still in my camera, so it's in this computer now.

The fabulous pear tree from last year didn't even blossom this year, we thought.  Since there are a few scattered pears on it, obviously it did produce a few individual blossoms hidden in the leaves, but compared to last year's uber-load, it's nothing.  The transparent tree, though, was loaded this year.  I enlisted a family in the ward to pick it, with teenagers who loved an excuse to climb trees.  I sent the best apples home with them, a very full grocery bag, but I got 30 pints of applesauce and tried actually canning it with stevia for the first time.  Before, I've just skipped the sugar and stirred in the equivalent when we opened the individual jar.   I made some with stevia, some with sugar, some with nothing, and we'll see how they compare.

Since I can't get this dang thing to pick up the next picture from Dropbox, here is the story .  More tomorrow, the adventures of gardens and other pursuits.  TTFN!