Monday Garden Update - June 22

What a difference two weeks makes; especially two weeks of warm weather.  There are tomato blooms aplenty and on a few plants, actual tomatoes!

It was hard to make a picture but there are jalapeños just set on.  The basil is starting to look happy, and the zinnia seedlings are strong.

An afternoon of weeding is clearly in order but things are looking most splendid here in my garden.

That’s happy!

End of the School Year

No matter how much I try, the end of the school year always feels like a whirlwind.  This year, the whirlwind was magnified by my duty as a chaperone for the our school’s annual 8th grade trip.  We went north, to Salem, Boston, and Plymouth, Massachusetts.  I was exhausted, because it was June, but the weather was splendid, none of the kids got into trouble, and I did have the chance to make some beautiful pictures.

In Salem, we saw some of the sights related to the Puritan Witch Trials of the late 1600s.

Once in Boston, we took a walking tour and saw an old graveyard next to the Boston Commons.

All over the city, colonial buildings tuck in next to more modern structures, as is the case for the old Boston State House.

Throughout the city that day, I enjoyed the blue sky.

At Plimouth Plantation, a reenactment site on Plymouth Bay, I admired the flowers.

The colonial village was packed with field trip visitors like my group, but I did catch a quiet moment in the fields behind the village, as the Atlantic shone in the foreground.

In the end-of-the-year hubbub, I look for any quiet moment that I can find.  I use them to reflect on the year and grasp for just enough energy to recharge my spirit for the final push.  By next week, I’ll be on the other side of the school year, grateful for blessings received (and earned!) and ready for some time off.

June Front Porch

It’s June, and in a few more days, school will be out for the Summer.  That kind of happy news calls for the popsicle flag.

The warm weather means that many of the same cast of characters are set out on the front porch.  Even so, a fresh tablecloth is a nice addition.

The houseplants and flowers are enjoying the sunshine and warmth.

They aren’t the only ones; the arrival of consistently warm weather means I am out here quite often.  It’s my spot for morning coffee and afternoon iced tea.  In the evenings, I linger in the twilight and watch the lights come on.  

Summer spells relaxation in my world and it's so very welcome!

Front Porch in June

With the arrival of June, the flowers and plants are all safely outside soaking up the sunlight.  June is front-porch weather at its very best and nearly every morning I pop outside to read and enjoy a few cups of coffee before the day really begins.  I sit in the rocking chair and the birds and flowers keep me company.  I find these blowzy double begonias utterly lovely.

T and JT gave me a new flag for the summer.  It’s quite cheery waving in the sunlight next to the baskets of New Guinea impatiens. 

I was lucky enough to find a bargain-priced striped tablecloth that perfectly matches the flag, which makes my matchy-matchy heart sing.  On the table, violets and impatiens bring beauty to my days.

The fuchsia is doing its best to recover from a Winter spent indoors.  The shefflura is looking to need a new pot by the end of the summer.

My June wreath is in place and ready to welcome visitors.

The porch has been especially welcoming as the inside of the house is in upheaval as we prepare for the floors to be refinished.  It’s nice to step out the door to find all the charms of Summer, ordered and ready for some much-appreciated relaxation.

Status Update

The sun is shining.

Flip flops and toe rings are the order of the day.

The clematis provides me a splendid new flower every few days.

My book reading pace has rapidly accelerated.

My garden hostas are lush and lovely.

Summer Break, I am charmed.