longest day

fist day of summer

just keep planting

I keep thinking that I need to get my garden completely weeded before I can plant more things, but now I know that I just need to plant something every day or summer will soon be over.  Ruby and I planted basil and dill, and it is so hot that the basil should be "pesto sized" very soon.  Dill tastes like summer to me, and everyone loves Grandmarie's potato salad. I need one big thunderstorm.

june

 I did an unintentional experiment with the chickens this week by running out of the organic feed I usually buy. I picked up a bag of feed at Tractor Supply, the kind they would consider to be their premium brand, but the ladies would not eat it. Egg production went way down, and we even had an egg without a solid shell. They made it through on fruit and veggie scraps, purslane that I pulled from teh garden, and whatever they could forage. They were very happy to get their regular food back yesterday.

One of the Wyandottes is broody and quite mean, so that has added to their angst. She hasn't wanted the other hens in "her" henhouse.

the cherry harvest

Yes, one cherry.

Today is Ruby's sixth birthday, and her brother was up to watch her wake up and give her a gift.

greens

My raised beds are crowded with greens now. Tonight we ate all the broccoli rabe, but there are three kinds of kale, collards, spinach, arugula, lettuce, onions, and cilantro in here. My big garden is weedy, but I have little green tomatoes. Today I'm planting basil and sunflowers.