Garden Update

Ah, harvest time. I've got lovely grape tomatoes, Slenderette green beans, and lots of basil (pesto tonight!). Below is my collection of basils. The purple one isn't really basil. It's shiso, used in Japanese cooking. 

Here's a close up. The purple leaves are beautifully glossy. 

And the garden isn't just about eating. Below are State Fair zinnias, Wave petunia, and some kind of marigold. What grew is not what the package said. But that's okay. They're pretty, and my garden is full of color! 

I didn't plan this...

I didn't plan this mushroom sprouting in my geranium, but maybe the garden gnomes did?

Monarch Munching

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a video worth? This monarch butterfly caterpillar happily munches on milkweed in my garden. 

Joyful Gardening

To pick a sun-warmed pea pod directly from the vine and crunch into it is a delight. What's not so fun is avoiding the clouds of mosquitoes that search for any bit of flesh to bite and the nasty flies that swarm my head. To get this bowl of vegetables, I've had to prepare the soil (sometimes in spring, sometimes in fall), plant the seeds, water the seeds and plants, weed as consistently as I can, and maintain the tricks that keep the critters away. Since I garden organically, I make homemade potions and I compost year round. This is a lot of work for some vegetables. And some pain (I have a fly bite on my hand). I'm not telling you this to discourage you from gardening. Despite all these difficulties, gardening is worth it--being outside, eating fresh veggies, getting my hands in the dirt, and, with nature's help, creating something good. It's joyful gardening.

Heat Wave

We're in another heat wave. I'm such a Minnesotan, so uncomfortable in these high dew points (77 from one source, 74 from another). Thank goodness for air conditioning! (I hope you have a cool place to hide from the heat as well.) The garden hasn't suffered. The cherries look good, as do the grape tomatoes.

The green beans should be ready soon.

I tried to re-take this morning's photo of pea pods. My camera lens fogged up. It's about 75 in the house (proof the dew point is up there!).

I found this fun guy (wink, wink) hanging out in the woods.

Juneberries

The juneberries grow so abundantly that they fall from the trees. I usually can't get to them quickly enough to get my yearly taste (those clever critters!). This year I made mini muffins. June berries are mild, similar to blueberries but with more seeds. Yum!

Happy First Day of Summer!

Good morning...and welcome to summer! 

My garden gnomes welcome you. My bellflowers welcome you. We Minnesotans endure harsh winters, so now I delight in the beauty around me.