We had the big family reception at our house, and it was beautiful and crazy and overwhelming and perfect. I don’t know if I’m going to post pictures of so many people’s faces here because again, I don’t know if I can trust Google like that. But for now, here’s what June was like, slightly before and then after our post-elopement-bash.
Hydrangeas look like they came from another world. Or are messengers from the beyond. Especially the blue ones. I had a week off after our big party and I spent a lot of time chasing the blooms.
Through Laurel Hill East Cemetery:
Throughout Spring Lake, NJ:
While visiting a favorite cemetery in Swedesboro, NJ:
And in Wenonah, NJ (in town for the farmer’s market):
In my own gardens, I have had bad luck keeping hydrangeas alive. At first it was a sore spot, but I can’t help it, my Hydrangea Envy for others just fuels my fascination.
But I love what does bloom for me: zinnias, sunflowers, milkweed. The goal is to be a Pollinator Paradise.
Volunteer Goal: Horseshoe Crab Spawning
Years ago I did some reading about the annual beaching of horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay so they can spawn, which has been happening for 450 million years.
I was a Raritan Bay beach bum growing up, but now the Delaware is home. I wanted to witness this, so I hit up a few Delaware beaches.
Often, the crabs get flipped over trying to get back into the water, and get stuck upside-town. This leads to their deaths! There are human orgs to help flip the crabs back over (though dead crabs are never removed, as they feed the birds. This is a major event for the ecosystem).
I didn’t interfere, just witnessed this time (because volunteers use a calendar system to divide up flipper shifts). It’s a goal of mine to join the official volunteer squad, though. And actually, I love this concept of Goals for Volunteering. I’m going to get trained as an official crab-flipper next spring, and volunteer for real.
(Another Volunteer Goal I have is to be deployed with and assist in a feeding service trailer, which I trained for this spring, )
For now, I’m proud to say that after our party, when we realized we had about 80 untouched/still-in-plastic dinner rolls, I was able to turn them into sandwiches for a beloved local org.
Indoor Time
Two weeks before the party we were in PEAK outdoor sunbathing season, with my trusty Edvarf Cules blanket.
I had envisioned my week off post-party as a nonstop beach day, and was planning to make several trips. I stopped after one (though that day was lovely) due to more wildfire smoke and unseasonably high temps with high humidity.
Odd for me to stay I spent Fourth of July weekend/holiday indoors, but I can say, I looked at a beach for a while in honor of the holiday (the day before we got hit with smoke):
So I pivoted back indoors, to read and stitch.
To color on a phone app (it’s soothing!)
To experiment with concocting different iced beverages at home:
We’d made some major changes to our house setup to host, so slowly things got reset. I have to say I love our cloth lanterns. Those are staying.
I read and returned 5 library library books during that time off, and mixed some heavier nonfiction reading with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics.
I mean, I still went out for PLENTY of icecream on vacation, don’t you worry (and maybe a cocktail!):
When the party is over …
“Peepee Man” can come out of hiding.
You still find champagne glasses hiding, days after the toast.
Laura Eppinger 
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