Last Friday of June

Can you believe that today is the last Friday of June? What a month! I’m here today to share my Queen of Denmark rose and a few other things that have kept me going this week. Fridays are for sharing joy here at The Cozy Burrow, so I’ll hope you’ll include a thing or two of your own in the comments.

What a difference a day makes! My Queen of Denmark rose went from a tight fist of pink petals to a full-blown rose in one day. I must admit that my favorite part of its life is the Tuesday version – so many delicate layers. We have lots of roses in bloom right now – yellows, hot pinks, and deep reds are tucked away into all of the corners. My snapdragons are close to blooming and I hope to be able to show you some of those next week as long as they survive. A few tops were cut clean off during an intense game of frisbee.

It has been warmer this week, but still completely manageable. We’ve spread out the quilt under the maple tree almost every day and spent several hours outside each afternoon. I might have fallen asleep a time or two. Rain has been scarce so we’ve been tapping into the rain barrel to water the flowers and using the hose for the garden. I’m having a hard time keeping everything weeded, which is not a surprise.

Other joys from the week:

• The Women’s Prize for Fiction shared Ruth Ozeki’s reading list this week. After some Discord discussions, I’ve decided to start with The Housekeeper and the Professor. I put in a request at my library and they’re ordering a copy. Ozeki’s list is packed with Japanese authors and I’m excited to dive in.
• I found another South Korean vlogger who I adore: Nyongsoop. She lives alone in the country and mostly shares cooking videos. I am so inspired and encouraged by these beautiful snapshots into people’s lives.
• The videos have encouraged me to use all of my pretty pots and pans. Several years ago I found a Cathrineholm snowflake pot (pictured above, far left) at an antique store and I’ve only used it during the holidays. I don’t mean to save it for special occasions, I just forget about it because it’s tucked away. But I’ve been making an effort to use it and my Pyrex dishes every day and it’s been so much fun. (The Amish Butterprint is my favorite Pyrex design.)
• My copy of Tomb of Sand arrived yesterday from Blackwell’s. I’m excited to start this International Booker winner on July 1st with a few other Fiction Matters members.
• One more week until our two week school vacation! I am salivating for a break.

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This weekend is supposed to be a bit warmer, so I’m not sure what’s on our agenda. We might end up taking a long ride around the big lake or up to the mountains despite the gas prices. I plan to be back on Monday with my One Little Word update for June. I hope you all have a quiet and relaxing weekend – take good care!