32 days in and doing great

Summer turned one month old this week. I'm pleased with myself for making a list of goals in my last post, because now I get to go back and check them off the list. And I've done a damn good job thus far.

--made delicious things.

I don't find this picture particularly appetizing;
but chicken-fried venison cube-steak is still making my mouth water.
And sweet-baby broccoli was cool too.

--planted a porch garden. And found some "wild" tomato plants in my yard, courtesy of the chiggins. They are already blooming. I am beyond excited. I stand by my statement that it may be the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.

In a very short time, porch garden went from looking like this...

...to like this. Score.

--went to the best restaurant ever. It's called Grits and Groceries and I want it to be mine. Its own website can't even do it justice. It's tiny, delicious, and in the middle of nowhere (all the things I look for in a career). I ate praline bacon, fried chicken with eggs and a biscuit on grits, plus fresh lemonade; Dan ate sausage-cornbread stuffed quail with gravy on grits. And they just gave us a tomato pie on account of its broken crust. But the real kicker for me was the goat-food cups they sold to feed the neighbors.

Goats. My business model.  

Speaking of business models. Went to a wedding at the Chattooga Belle farm. I'd take one of them instead of the restaurant. Just in case you have one to give away.

--this guy rules. And you can even listen to his whole concert from SXSW. I have several times. Honestly, I didn't know people still made music quite like this. If I ever have trouble booking Stevie Wonder for a gig, I'll make sure to call Chuck.

--so many animals. Both wild and domesticated. One looking especially noble.

Sid, the office turtle for an afternoon.
Setting him free was definitely the best part of having him. 

Neighbor's dog.
Doesn't like men. 

Froggies who came from the million tadpoles....

...shown here eating a dead minnow.

Horned caterpillar.
Which I tried to spell capatiller.

Queen of the castle.

--I was particularly excited about being coastal this summer, but I haven't been to the beach here yet, and it turns out I don't really mind much. Rivers are doing just fine by me.

Waterfalls are the only proper way to spend an afternoon.
And the way I've spent three of the past four.

Ahhhhhhh... Summer....