Raspberry Rhubarb Jam

This afternoon I finished sealing the wood table and steamer chairs in the backyard. I may have to move the steamer chairs into the garage for winter, but they needed sealing anyway. I finished the chairs and was half done with the table when I lost control of the can of sealer, because it was too hot from sitting in the sun, and spilled 1/4 of the can on my legs, arm, and the grass in the yard. (Shelly, move that can into the shade, it will get too hot.) Fortunately, I had turpentine, so I cleaned myself off with turpentine and then soap, finished sealing, and took a bath. Now I don't know if I'm red from sunburn or skin exposure to sealer or scrubbing. The smell of turpentine has changed, it smells really bad.

This morning I went out to the fruit and vegetable stand and bought some raspberry rhubarb jam. Actually, they call it a spread. What is the difference between jam and fruit spread? I love rhubarb and have never had it with raspberry. It is excellent, tart from rhubarb and sweet from raspberry. I'm going to get another and send it to Lani for analysis, so she can tell me how to make it myself.

Otherwise, I ran my errands yesterday morning and started two studies. I finished one and am half done with the other. I got some information on being part of emerging artists at the Capital City Public Market and I need sales tax number. Which means I need to file for a fictitious business name. I don't need to file for a fictitious business name if I use my legal name, but my legal name is Sheldon and I don't want to use Sheldon. I don't sign my work Sheldon. I need to send the name form with a payment, like a check, and I don't have checks with my new address yet, who uses checks anymore? And when did checks get so expensive? So, I ordered checks. This is a tedious process.

Although I live in a small city, it's still a city, and sometimes it is really noisy around here. Someone is always tree trimming or lawn mowing. My neighbor, Kurt, spent this week chain sawing his entire backyard. One tree is now well pruned, but I swear there is no other vegetation left. There is some loud engine running noise late at night. I don't know what it is, but it may be near-by road work. There are too many dogs in Boise. Sometimes the barking goes on and on, but I have experienced much worse. I figure with winter all of this will end. That's the upside of a cold winter.

At the same time, I sit in my studio and work at night and I can hear croaking from the loudest frog. I don't know if it is the world's loudest frog, or if it is really several. When the frog is done, the crickets start. Mr. Squirrel was in my neighbors tree a week ago, the tree is full of acorns, and making an incredible racket. He's high up in the tree and whipping through those acorns and raining down shells. At first you can't tell what is raining down through the leaves so fast because you can't see the squirrel. Either he was in a big hurry to store up for winter, or those acorns are small, maybe when he gets the shell off there isn't much left. He has not been around for a week and I figure he's enjoying the late summer, winter can wait.

Country and city was what I had in mind, and I seem to have found it.