Queen Ann has surely been out and about. Queen Ann’s Lace flowers that is. They seem to be popping up everywhere the grass has not been cut along road sides and fields. The flowers are white and a single stem is made up with smaller florets close together. You can keep your eye on these types of places and you will see different flowers throughout the season. It’s a garden you don’t need to take care of to enjoy.

I have and will experience a few very different experiences this hot summer. I did not even realize that I was in the running for these events and I did not really notice any problems. Last week I had cataract surgery on my left eye in Hastings. This week I will go to Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis because my right eye has a “wrinkle” and will need a specialist to work on that in addition to a regular cataract surgeon dong his thing. A “bubble” will be inserted in the back of the eye to help things heal and correct itself but I will not be able to do mountains or fly because of the pressure changes. I do not know at this time how long that will last before the “bubble” is dissolved by the body.

It was so different to “see” out of my left eye. I do not remember ever seeing the world without glasses or contacts since I was the first kid in the whole school to have glasses at age 6. Of course the kids figured out “4-eyes” really quick and applied that often. I still can clearly remember leaving the doctor’s office and seeing that leaves were attached to the tree just outside the doctor’s office. I had seen tree leaves on the ground but did not know where they came from, being very near sighted. My dream after graduating high school was to work and be able to get contacts. That happened and I wore contacts for 30 plus years. My extensive gardening and the dust and heat forced me to consider going back to glasses. It was an okay situation for a few years but then I discovered that glasses were not the same old boring almost all alike styles anymore. I fell in love with the variety that was offered if you looked in the right places. No more did I have to worry if I broke my one pair of glasses I would be a blind bat not able to go places. Right now I have about 10 pair that I can pick and decide on what to wear each day. I was over the moon to hear that yes, I can get the lenses replaced in my present glasses if I sign a waiver saying they will not be responsible if they break while the change is being done. I am for sure moving along with “added replacement parts” being added to me. I should be in good standing with that club. The left eye was routine but the right eye will be a whole new ballgame so time will tell how that all works out. Thankfully we are close at hand to specialists who can take care of things like this.

This week it is “the sweet corn is coming, the sweet corn is coming”. Just like the “real tomatoes” that will be here soon, the fresh local sweet corn is extra special. Neighbors Rose and Tony are making use of our garden plot this year and they have been really working hard to stay watered and weeded. They brought over some of their favorite sweet corn and Tony said he prepares it by taking off the husk and silk, wrapping it in a wet paper towel and microwaving for 3 minutes on high. I did one ear at a time (huge ears) and it was very hot and delicious. My trade for the corn was a mini triple chocolate Bundt cake, dark chocolate sea salt caramels and mushroom popcorn. Tony and I love to exchange food ideas and uses. One of his hot recommendations was truffle salt on french fries. I would bet that it would also be outstanding on the sweet corn. There is almost an unlimited amount of things that you can top off the sweet corn with, so explore to find a few that could become your favorites.

Leave your sweet corn in the husk and refrigerated until you are ready to prepare to eat it. It will slow down the sugar changing to starch. Grilling in the husk also keep the moisture in. Enjoy!