First Day of Summer 2013

 

 

Happy Summer!

The garden is looking good this year.
It may look sparse, but that is to
be blamed on the late start due
to chilly temperatures and all that rain.
The tomatoes are there, below the supports.
They are almost tall enough to begin tying them up.
And, as you can see, I have a bumper crop of plantain.
I am thrilled.
Such a beautiful plant, inside and out.

The cucumbers are just booming!
We had about an inch of rain last night
and I bet if I went out and looked I
'could' harvest a few. They would
be small, but edible!
The man-child has developed a dill pickle addiction
and is growing cukes this year so that he can
learn to make his own.
Pick what you love and go from there.
Also included in the pic above is a very healthy,
desperately needing to be trimmed and worked, yarrow
and a very happy catnip.
I do love the way catnip smells.
It is in my Top 10.

And these crazy mounds are lemon balm
and more catnip. Let 'em grow.
They chose that spot and just appeared there.
Who am I to tell them to move?
They seem to really like it.
Every year they get bigger and bigger.
There is a bed of bee balm in the back
against the bunny house and a
photobomb branch of my Mother wort.

Looookeeee!!!
After 4 years! 4 years!
I finally have apples!
Yay!
However... I purchased this tree as
a Granny Smith.
This is not a Granny Smith apple tree.
For these here apples are ripe.
The closest I can guess is they are Yellow Transparents.
Not very tasty, but apparently good for cooking.
I am eating them anyway.
The Gala is loaded too.
And even last year's replacement Arkansas Black has an apple!
The Wolf River is holding out on me.

And check this out!
In all of my years of growing my Great Grandfather's bee balm,
I have never seen this.
A blossom with a small stalk sticking out of the top
with another blossom.
There are several of these beauties this time.
Cool.

And I have loads of bee balm this year.
It seems to me that it is blooming early this year.
And tall!
This stuff is higher than my head.. as you can see.
I am collecting the blossoms for teas, and salves and distillates.
Maybe even some jelly.
Oooooh! Mmmmmm!
Popping the seal on Bee Balm Blossom jelly in the dead of winter
is like opening up a jar of summer.
And then smearing it across a hot scone.
And eating it.
Hell yeah.

And now a word of apology..
I have been remiss.
I truly don't know what has been my issue
in the past 11 months.
But...
I am going to try take what is in my mind
and translate it into something interesting.
And...
I think I will post loads more recipes.
Recipes are fun. No?