A Simple Day; Living in the Season

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."

– Henry David Thoreau

I'm just loving the fresh raspberries that are in season right now, and making fresh raspberry pie is one of my favorite milestones that marks the beginning of summer. Each season brings with it a list of my favorite things, and each day, no matter how trying, has beauty in it (although the tears of stormy thoughts can blur its brilliance). Today's summer day caught me lying on our lounge chair, trying to read, but immensely engrossed by the industrious humming of a great number of bumble bees in my blue ceanothus flowers. The bee's back-leg-pollen-baskets were full and they seemed to try to finish up and fly off to empty their load, but the lure of just one more flower kept them anchored until the bees could hardly move from the weight of their golden treasures.

The hum of the bees was so intense, each time I tried to read, I found myself yet again watching their progress. As I watched, another sound entered the back yard.  This one was a loud scratching sound, like something chewing through wood. I got up and walked to the back fence, turning my ear towards the sound and after several minutes of listening I realized the sound was above my head in our birdhouse.  We had tired of wasps building nests inside and even found a dead squirrel once, so we had stapled black netting to the four entrances to this 4-plex.  I looked up and found that one of  the mesh guards over a door had been chewed clear through and by the sound of it, something big was going down inside.  The sound of wood being chewed continued and I watched and waited to find out just who our bold new homesteader was.

Finally, my patience was rewarded and out popped a head from the other side of the 4-plex.  This ambitious little guy had turned the house into a single family dwelling, complete with a newly opened back door.

Our newest resident.

Now, several weeks ago I noticed a sweet little brown rabbit hopping around our backyard.  He would dart into our rock wall or under the deck if I came too close, visiting several times over a couple of weeks. Well, today must have been our day for visitors because look who my husband found around my rose bed.....

Hmmm...I wonder if this cute little brown bunny could be the answer to my rose bush debacle last year? (For those who would like a reminder, please read: "Mystery Dinner Guest" June 2010, for the full story) I have now employed the help of my nine year old grandson to come up with a bunny trap that wouldn't harm the bunny, but give us the opportunity for relocation.

I love all the sights, sounds, flavors, scents and textures of summer!  As my flowers bloom out they feel like old friends saying 'hello' again.  My counter and fridge are filling with summer fruits and my husband (who is part fruit-bat), seems to leave the kitchen every hour with at least three varieties. 

Being mindful of the blessings of each day of each season, helps keep my eyes, heart, and soul in a more positive place, a practice that will give glory to God and helps me be someone He might want to hang around inside. Recently, the ache of my arthritic knees and neck have brought the dreaded word, "surgery" to two of my doctor's lips, and as I work through physical therapy and cortisone shots, days like today make all that cranky stuff, just kind of fade into the background. God is good.

Tulips, Spring's Celebration!

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."

- L. M. Montgomery

It has to be said, I have had the most glorious collection of tulips this year than any that have ever been under my care!  To my handful of readers in the Netherlands, I hope my photos will honor your wonderful contribution to the flower kingdom, and I thank you with all my heart!

Last fall, I planted a couple hundred or so of promising tulip bulbs with the thought that they would be like trumpets of color shouting "Spring is here!" to all that drove up our street. I was thrilled to see that the tulips exceeded my expectations in every way.  I can't say there were throngs of people lined up to see their triumphant entry or even comment much on them, but I felt in my heart the tulips had brightened my neighbor's world as much as they have mine. How couldn't they, I mean really?

I love the feathery margins on the red tulips and the spirited striations on the yellow/red. And just to make sure they weren't missed they grew to a towering 32 inches tall! Oh, the glory of it all!

These sweet little pink tulips were blooming on Easter and were small and dainty. As they matured their petals filled out until they almost resembled a peony and deepened in color to a warm coral.

And just in case you were wondering, I have had tulips for over two months! In fact, they are just now on their way out,  just in time for my other trustworthy flowers to take their turn in the sun (and rain).  Each colorful tulip has given me so much joy and I found myself shamelessly hovered over their blossoms and beautiful thick green leaves (some of which were striped decadently in white), noticing every nuance of change through out their growing season .  I will not even apologize for my tulip groupie-ness, they are my newest favorite flower and I unabashedly love them and put them right up there with my long-standing favorite, the bearded iris. Then of course there are the dazzlingly show-stopping colors, textures and variety of dahlias.. don't even get me started on roses...my new relationship with 'Ladies Mantle', and oh,my burgeoning love for the peony...