solstice

We celebrated the arrival of summer with a meal of fresh-caught fish (courtesy of hubby), some BBQ potatoes, healthy (and largely organic) salad and some blueberry pie made from the berries my mother picked for me last year. Save for the fish, the items were imported or stored things, since it's been too cold here for anything much to grow. Can you believe a frost warning for lower lying areas tonight?

My poor struggling lettuce:

Oh well, during the day I remember it's summer, and while the veggies are struggling the wild flowers are doing OK. I picked this bouquet out of items growing in our ditch (columbine, iris and unknown white flower):

This year, with the veggie patch under control, I've set my sights on planting berries and perennials that will continue to provide us with treats and pretty flowers for years to come. So far, 30 raspberry canes, 80+ strawberry plants and one lone blueberry have made their way to our patch of paradise.

These are the raspberries along the picket fence near the barn, and there may be more arriving soon:

Eighty tiny strawberry plants live here between the rows of sticks, surrounded by a net to keep the chickens out:

The fruit we plant this year will join the few things we managed to get into the ground last year. Of course the fruit trees in the orchard...there were a few close calls but I think all the trees made it this spring. A couple of grape plants growing along the fence among the unkempt grasses:

The garlic patch and chamomile plants:

The front porch perennial beds, which replaced a few very sad looking cedar bushes last summer:

Although I promised to do away with annuals entirely, I couldn't help buying a couple hanging baskets of deep purple petunias to hang on the lovely hooks my husband installed last year. They look great growing next to the pale purple lilac tree and make my entrance much more jubilant.