Chelsea woke me up at 5:38AM. I know because I looked. Dick was sleeping, which is rather unusual, so I got up and we went for our walk. It was very pleasant. Kind of cool but pleasant. Today we saw one other walker, a man we had not seen before. Chelsea barked. I did not let her take the shortcut today. Then we went ALL the way around the park and my feet were like wearing buckets of water when we finally got home.

Today was bible study. We had a nice crowd again. The gospel is the one about not going up to the head of the table when you get to a party but wait for the host to move you up further. WE wonder if one really did this would the host would notice these days. It was all involving humility. And we DID determine that humility is honesty.

I stopped to visit Mother on the way home as always. She is just fine. She had her hair done last week and it really looked cute. She told me that Randy's Erin made Special Honors in the Sheboygan Press for her last semester at college. She is my goddaughter so that makes me proud too.

I took Mom a bowl of the Zuppa Tuscana for her lunch. We had it for lunch today too. She would like the recipe, perhaps you would too. It is a knock off of the Olive Garden sausage soup and is really good. I used my own homemade venison brats with a few other spices to make them more hot and Italiany. I will put it WAY at the end because it copied funny.

I wrote a poem for writer's club last week about the waning days of summer. I took the thoughts from my early morning walks with my furry friend, Chelsea. It is a pantoum, you will notice the repeating lines. Maybe you could help with a title.

• The sweet smell of ripening grasses
• Mixes with eager bird songs.
• They fill the air together
• During this fruitful time of the year.
• 
  
• Mixing with eager bird songs
• They happily feed on the plenty
• During this fruitful time of year
• Just before the harvest
• 
  
• They happily feed on the plenty.
• Seeding plants burst forth
• Just before the harvest.
• No one goes hungry now.
• 
  
• Seeding plants burst forth.
• They fill the air together
• No one goes hungry now.
• The sweet smell of ripening grasses.

THEN - here is the RECIPE. Enjoy.

Zuppa Toscana Soup like Olive Garden's® Spicy sausage and bacon, russet potatoes and greens in a creamy broth. A low-carbohydrate alternative is also suggested. Submitted By: Jessica Dudley Serves: 10 Prep. Time: 0:35 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled 1/2 lb. smoked bacon - chopped 1 qt. water (2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth 2 lg. russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed 2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed 1 med. onion - peeled, chopped 2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard 1 cup heavy whipping cream salt and pepper - to taste

-In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside. -In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside. -Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. -Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. -Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through. Love Mary