For the Love of Summer

This morning we enjoyed smoothies made with plain yogurt and a jar of rhubarb I processed a few days ago. It was amazingly wonderful. After our weekly home blessing, I encouraged Loren to take the kids swimming. After they left, I wandered around outside. The tansy smells like honey today, and the bees are loving it. The meat chicks are growing like meat chicks, unaware of the fate that awaits them next month. The broody hen is sitting on about a dozen eggs which should be ready to hatch in a few days, if I remember correctly. Another of the laying hens and I discussed the importance of eggs. We were in complete agreement on the subject. I sampled the raspberries on my way to the garden. Yum! We may have enough ripe ones for picking by the end of the week. I offered additional guidance and encouragement to the tomato plants, which are preparing to take over the north end of the garden. The two measly peppers growing from my six measly pepper plants won't put up much of a fight, I'm afraid. The nasturtiums, on the other hand, are prepared to join the takeover. It seems the cauliflower is just being silly. I'm almost ready to show it who's boss and replant that entire plot in a fall crop of I-don't-care-what. The spaghetti squash is quietly working its magic in with the sweet corn. The cucumbers are trying to do the same, but I snatched up the entire harvest and gobbled it up -- two delightful little cukes.