Hi again, and welcome back!
It's been the most incredible spring in my memory. Maybe it's enhanced because I'm so grateful-
or maybe it has fed into my being so grateful.
I call it spring because we're having a cool, somewhat overcast day, a blessing after some terribly hot weather. A few lovely days of rain has cleared that up and the plants and birds are thriving.
In fact, it's SUMMER! As of today!
Last night I made a zucchini lasagna.
I was surprised when I went into this Spanish garlic to find that this was one clove!
As the lasagna baked, I stepped out onto the deck to refresh myself from all the chopping and layering of zucchini, ricotta cheese, new leaves of kale and chard, tomato sauce and garlic of course.
This shot doesn't do credit to the enormity of our hydrangea stand.
Stepping off the deck, the purple sage blossoms are out-purpling the chive blossoms.
We don't eat enough of anything to worry about it going to seed, and the beauty is so worth letting the herbs go to flower.
the sage with the white thyme flowers
Honeysuckle
The Hayfield
looking south
Pink Lupins
a zillion wild rose buds on the giant bush out back of the cabin
new leaves on the scrub tree behind the cabin
a pink wild rose bud about to bloom in the side hedge
purple lupins at the corner of Wally's trellis filled vegetable garden
the poppies in different stages of bloom
with seed heads past bloom and buds about to open
poppy petals after the rain
oregano in the bottom left corner, dill that seeded itself amidst the tomato cages in the middle
21 baby peaches in this picture alone!
neither yarrow nor Queen Anne's Lace, I have yet to figure out what the flowers that bloom from this ground cover are called. They run along the fence line between us and our neighbours.
Up close they appear to have a pink centre, not unlike the purple centre of a Queen Anne's Lace
Along the composter, Creeping Charlie makes a charming appearance.
Inside the composter, more charm from the purple clematis that have worked their way in towards the sunlight.
The fungus on the Ninebark has been outshone by its beautiful blooms this year.
I don't remember them from last year.
Maybe it's that gratitude that is making me see things.
exquisite!
Across the pathway from the Ninebark we have a bevy of Pinks blooming.
On the weekend, Wally planted a new shade garden along the far side of our little front lawn to compliment the hostas he planted along the front porch almost 2 months ago.
Reluctant to return to my duties, I wander along the back of the garage to take this shot of the little Harelson apple tree that is doing tremendously well on the hill overlooking the yard,
Forget-Me-Not Cabin as a backdrop.
Behind me, Wally replanted the sprawling Goji Berry Bush last fall (which he pruned back severely)
and made a little homemade trellis for it til we find something nicer (though it has its charm)
Suddenly a most spectacular copper and black butterfly went fluttering by and try as I might, my camera could not catch an exposure of it in this low light.
Instead I got this chance photo of some grass budding. Well, why not? Almost ethereal in its beauty no matter its ubiquitous invisibility, this is what I mean about "something from nothing" and the eyes to see it with. Gratitude incarnate. If we were that much more aware of the inherent beauty in everyday life, what a different world it would be.
Happy Summer Solstice dear World
