Monday, July 29, 2013

Early summer morning in the garden


The cool 52-degree air wafted in the open windows this morning as I reached for a sweater to go over my tee shirt. The late July coolness is truly appreciated so after breakfast I loaded the washing machine with towels and sheets to hang out to dry, and then, donning SWAC Husband's wide-brimmed hat, headed to the garden before the summer sun became too uncomfortable. 


My tennis shoes quickly became wet from the dewy grass as I made my way across the yard to the garden gate. The sun was peeking over the ridge so half the garden was in shade while the other half was already in full sun.


We have what I would call a salad garden this year. Yukon Gold potatoes were the exception but they are always so good -- and this year they have grown so big -- that they are always a first choice for planting. Otherwise, it's several varieties of tomatoes, several varieties of peppers, cucumbers, and herbs. Colorful flowers add bright splashes of yellow, orange, red, blue, and purple while attracting pollen-collecting bees.
The necessary June bug aka Japanese beetle trap hangs in the corner of the garden although they have not been much of a problem this year. We didn't get the 17-year cicadas either ... only the usual summer variety.

 It's nice to have a shady spot to relax after getting sweaty in the garden. This is my own oasis of quiet under the shade trees.

By the time I finished in the garden and had hung the clothes out, the temperature had risen 20 degrees to a still-comfortable 72.


I've got to say there's something satisfying about growing your own food, and there's something comforting about consuming it and knowing where it came from. We know there are no pesticides on it and how it's been handled and exactly how fresh it is ... from garden to dinner table. Yum.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
July 29, 2013

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