It was a fiddly, accordion-y, hornpipe and reel kind of week at the North American Irish Dance Championships. The sparkles, the tans, the wigs were in abundance, along with Moms and Dads, Grandmas and Grandpas, Aunts and Uncles, and Super friend/fans. This isn’t exactly a sport, though it requires intense physical training, but perhaps the Olympics should add it. Every kid there — and there were around 3,000 competitors — had worked their heart out. My girls danced beautifully. Emma placed 7th (that’s in all of North America). Eliza was headed for the top 10 when she “bobbled” – almost fell – and the judges don’t allow that. Funnily, if she had actually fallen, she could have gone again, which seems wrong, but hey, I don’t make the rules. We had left to come home before she danced that set and I’m glad I wasn’t there. I was already feeling emotional, and my heart is broken to just hear about it.
I have avoided competitive activities because 1.) I get too nervous, like throwing up nervous before a performance; 2.) I hate to lose. 3.) Did I mention sick anxiety? I have the greatest admiration for anybody with enough gumption to get out there, work real hard, and try their best. To me, that place was full of winners.
My garden continues to be plagued with blossom end-rot, now involving the bell peppers. I didn’t have time to find some calcium before we left for Nashville, so we put some wood ashes around them, but it was a token effort. I’ve got some stuff coming from Amazon on Tuesday and I want to believe it’s going to fix everything. The thought of no homegrown tomatoes this year panics me.
The Peace/Bird Garden got some visits from deer – a Momma and two fawns – several weeks back, feasting on my garden phlox, and the birds have chewed the leaves of my sedum. I dug up a couple of phlox to put them into intensive care, replacing them with a couple of pots of lantana. The bird bath continues to be popular, the hummingbirds are buzzing around, the songbirds flock to the suet and sunflower feeders, keeping the garden in motion.
It’s comforting to see the bees…
In just a little over two weeks, the New Yorkers will be here! Since we had just a taste of the Joy that is All of our Family Being Together, I am thirsty for Camp Activities, Donut Bank, and simply Being Together. In the meantime, I’ve got some projects going, hopefully including a trip over to Carmi to see my friends’ garden and on to Grayville to spruce up Grandma and Grandpa Eaton’s grave. Stay cool, my friends!
Peace
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My tomatoes have blossom end rot. It’s the changing climate. At least that’s what I think. I look back at photos of our garden from 2019 and compare it to now, and there is no comparison. I wonder if we’ll be able to produce vegetables in another year or two. Congrats to your competitors. And I’m with you at throwing up before performances.
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You may be right, but I hope not…Did you ever see “Soylent Green”? I remember the old man (E.G. Robinson?) sharing a tomato with his wide-eyed grandchild, explaining how they used to grow these wonderful fruits in the backyard… That movie was so prescient.
Several of the dancers threw up, usually after the performance. I heard one mum wiping her child’s tears, saying “Now go out there and have fun! That’s why we’re here!” I just shake my head…
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I remember Soylent Green. Several people have brought up that movie lately. Pretty scary stuff. As for throwing up before performing–I remember doing a state competition for speech, and my mom saying afterwards that she’d NEVER sit through a performance of mine again. Guess she was the one throwing up. It’s in the genes?
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