Summer Movies: Garage Sale Mysteries

In the summer, I like to watch movies where plants are the movie stars. Over the years we've seen some silly, educational, fun, and serious movies that fit the criteria. This summer I'm watching Hallmark's Garage Sale Mysteries with Mom and Dad. There aren't a lot of movie star plants, but there are fleeting glimpses of beautiful landscaping in the background. And in this year of sabbatical and season of change, the goal is family fun and entertainment.

The protagonist, Jen Shannon, and her business partner, Dani, own an antique store called Rags to Riches. In the course of visiting estate sales, bidding on storage lockers, and combing through junk shops, they find treasures and dead bodies. Jen uses her analytical mind and the help of her detective and coroner friends to solve the crimes. Woven throughout the stories are situations from domestic life with Jen's husband and two almost-grown children. The Hallmark series is based on a book series by Suzi Weinert that includes Garage Sale Stalker, Garage Sale Diamonds, Garage Sale Riddle, and Woman at the Garage Sale. 

Each episode is a complete movie that stands on its own, and includes fascinating treasures, a perplexing murder, family relationships, and Jen's winning approach to solving crimes. Some of my favorite episodes include "The Wedding Dress", "The Novel Murders", and "The Pandora's Box Murder". I especially enjoyed the transition vignettes that show snapshots of antiques or other objects that are related to the storyline. I also love that the author published Garage Sale Stalker when she was 75 and Woman at the Garage Sale when she was 85 (we are never too old to follow our dreams)!

Field Notes for July

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

July 1, 2024

A bear is in the neighborhood! We saw the bear sign first - a pile appeared near the back porch one morning. Later we saw the bear, ambling across my parent's yard and sniffing the ground closely. He looks like a young bear, possibly recently launched from the family group to make room for a new litter, and now required to fend for himself. It's a thrill to see the wildlife, especially from the safety of the house! 

Young black bear ambles through the yard

July 4, 2024

Happy Fourth of July to all! Our nation is 248 years old - a bit weary and beleaguered, but still standing. No fireworks here, but some beautiful peonies have emerged in my folk's garden!

The pleasure of peonies in Alaska

July 7, 2024

The weather has turned from beautiful sunshine to overcast skies. I don't mind though, because the misty weather also has its beauty. The muted shades of green, blue, and gray are punctuated with almost metallic silver shades from the water. The feel of moist air on your skin is wonderful!

Moody view of the larger Twin Lake looking toward town

July 10, 2024

Moving week! A new season of life has started - Dad is moving to the Juneau Pioneer's Home. The home is filled with adventurous and hardy Alaskan pioneers, and all their stories. Dad will fit right in! The grounds and environment are welcoming and comfortable, and the home is just up the street for frequent visits. It's a tough transition for everyone, but the kind people, comfortable surroundings, interesting events, and homey feeling helps with the transition.

A new season of life!

July 14, 2024

We're having an unseasonal weather event here in Southeast Alaska, with lots of rain, some wind, and the potential for flooding. It feels more like October weather, but in the midst of summer! From inside the house, we're dry and comfortable, with fabulous views of the lush vegetation.

Inside looking out at the rain

July 19, 2024

The growing season is short here in Southeast Alaska. Native and exotic flowers are moving through their bloom cycles in rapid succession. I've been enjoying seeing flowers on my walks in the neighborhood, in my parent's yard, and in containers and gardens throughout Juneau. The bright colors bring a lot of joy, especially on rainy days!

Fireweed - a prominent nitrogen-fixer

July 24, 2024

One of my activities during my visit here in Southeast Alaska this summer is pressing a few flowers. My equipment is very rudimentary - two pieces of cardboard from a blow-dryer box, blotting paper from a brown paper shopping bag, and a heavy pile of interesting books for weight.  The results are lovely and fragile!

Clockwise from upper left: Forget-Me-Nots, Thistle, Shasta Daisies, Orange Hawkweed, Buttercup

July 28, 2024 🎂

Happy Birthday, Dad (the Big 96)! Here are some shots of local birds for you to enjoy (taken in our Bird Buddy feeder in Oakland, California).

Blue Ice

During a stretch of beautiful weather here in Southeastern Alaska, Mom and I took a quick visit to Mendenhall Glacier. It was late afternoon and not too crowded, so we walked out to the Photo Point. My Aunt Char and I visited back in May, when the vegetation was just starting to green up (see Mendenhall Glacier and More). 

Blue ice at Mendenhall Glacier

For this visit, the glacier had recently calved, leaving a beautiful face of blue ice down by Mendenhall Lake. Glacial ice reflects the blue colors of the light spectrum, so the blue color reaches our eyes (see Why is Glacier Ice Blue?). 

Enjoying Mendenhall Glacier with Mom

The area around the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center has greened up considerably since the visit in May. It is fascinating to see the land, waterways, and vegetation of the area morph over the years, as the glacier recedes!

Summer in Alaska

There us nothing sweeter than summer in Alaska! The days are long - the sun starts to rise around 3:30 AM and sets around 10:30 PM, with long stretches of twilight during the process. When it is sunny, folks drop their ordinary plans and schedules and get outside to enjoy the long days. A week-long stretch of sunshine means non-stop gardening, hiking, boating, and exploring (sometimes a day or two of rain are welcome after that)!

View down channel from the front porch (Chilkat range in the distance)

I've been enjoying the big sky and grand view down Gastineau Channel, from the front porch and big windows in the house that Mom and Dad built. I've also been enjoying working in the yard to weed and clip the foliage. It's a great excuse to be out in nature and soak in a little Vitamin D.

The house that Mom and Dad built

The growing season for flowers is pretty short here in Southeast Alaska. Flowers come fast and furious, as they go through their reproductive cycles. Currently a drift of yellow Day Lilies and a swath of Alaska Daisies are putting on a show in the side yard.

A swath of Alaska Daisies in the side yard

There is nothing sweeter than summer in Alaska! Seeing the summer beauty reminds me Robert Service's description of summer in the Yukon, in The Spell of the Yukon:

The summer—no sweeter was ever;

   The sunshiny woods all athrill;

The grayling asleep in the river,

   The bighorn asleep on the hill.

The strong life that never knows harness;

   The wilds where the caribou call;

The freshness, the freedom, the farness—

   O God! how I’m stuck on it all.

Shadow Play

Back with another gallery of shadow and light. I'm always on the lookout for interesting shadow play, whether on an outside garden wall, an inside wall with a garden projection, or an interesting architectural pattern almost anywhere. This taps into what we learned in Elements of the Chinese Garden, where walls are an important element of Chinese gardens for capturing shadows and displaying poetry. Enjoy this latest gallery of shadow play from everyday life.

Deck chair shadow

Wind chime shadow

Leaf and mini-blind shadow

Bouquet of shadow flowers

Light and shade with mini-blinds

Light and shade with sun shades

Holey hat shadow

Tunnel of light and shadows

Lacey leaf shadows

Mini-blind shrub shadows