Sand and Sunshine

We had some stunningly hot days last week…hazy and humid, too.

The kids and I were outside as early as possible.

The overnight storms left puddles in the sandbox…

Irresistible to Small Boys.

What is she going to do with him?

Ah…an idea…

Nope. Too small…you stay. Right. Here.

That’s better.

But it may take more than just a leaf-washcloth:

That’ll do the trick!

NOTE TO EVERYONE:

My Yahoo email was compromised yesterday. I sincerely apologize to any of you who received links from “me”. I think we’re fixed now, but if you get any more, please let me know…

FIRST!

Knock me over with a feather…Not one, not two, but THREE of the tomato plants in the kitchen garden have buds.

Mark the day…the earliest I’ve ever had bloom on my home-grown seedlings. We could be eating our own by the 4th of July!

(Don’t ask me what I did differently this year – I have no idea!)

Wildlife Wednesday: Things With Wings

Two of Angel’s Favorite Things in the same picture – ladybugs and lamb’s ears.

Hard to believe that just a little more than a year ago, she was terrified of bugs. Any of them. ALL of them… Now, I have to pry them out of her hands…

Not unlike her Grandmom at that age, from what I’ve heard.

In other flight-related things, the swallows seem to have finished building, and the nest is slowly drying. They hang around close by to keep other, less-industrious pairs from swiping it.

There have been some noisy confrontations!

And, my favorite Winged Creature of all for this week:

She’s a Wood Fairy. He’s a dragon…Grandad found a wonderful toy shop on his trip!

Spring’s Harvest, Summer’s Promise

And so it begins…

Despite the insanity of Last Week, I did get a few things accomplished. The arugula and the lettuce got their first haircuts of the season, and fresh plots of each were sown nearby, to take-over when this first batch bolts.

Which, if this weird heat keeps up, will be tomorrow…

The radishes – crisp, spicy, and perfect for munching with a bit of butter and salt alongside a chilled glass of Rose…

The asparagus is nearly finished – it’s still a young bed, and I don’t want to over-pick and deprive the roots of energy. The peas, alas, did not germinate well…looks like we’ll be buying them from the farmer’s market this spring. The few plants that did sprout look good, and they’ll provide plenty of snacking for a couple of Munchkins…

Over in the Permanent Collection, we have the promise of a very fruitful summer…

The red and black currants are loaded with fruit – more than ever before. I’m dreaming of sauces and jams…

The blueberries are full, too…Some of the later varieties are just finishing their bloom. I have been promised by a certain Small Girl that she will leave some for the kitchen this year, rather than gobbling down each and every berry she picks.

We’ll see…

There was even time to plant-out the tomatoes.

No time to weed this year, so every bed (except the greens, which are direct-seeded) got the newspaper-and-straw treatment. Hoses first, then wet paper, then straw. Poke holes, plant seedlings. Pour a glass of wine, and admire…

The pole beans have been planted, and all the cukes and squash, the watermelons and pumpkins are tucked into little pots of soil on a shelf nearby…Summer is looking good.

Peering just a bit further down the road:

It’s looking like a Fruitful Fall, too…

Out the Back Door

I know, I know…it’s supposed to be Wildlife Wednesday. Not today.

It’s another Insane Week around the Ol’ Corner…Grandad’s out-of-town again (back tomorrow) and the weather’s been ridiculous…cold and rainy all weekend, sick kiddoes on Monday when the sun finally did come back…Getting dinner on the table at a Reasonable Hour has been the limit of my creativity this week…

If Celi hadn’t posted this challenge, there might not be a post, but she wanted to see What’s the View From YOUR Back Door (for those of you that didn’t click the link). Folks from all around the world sent links and photos of what they see when they step outside…You’ve all seen mine, but we’ll do it again.

The top photo is the Old View, straight out the kitchen door. It faces west, and the empty lot between us and Neighbor Dorothy and her horses. The little cemetery is just the other side of the rhododendrons, behind the old stone boundary wall…

Turn right, and face north, and you have the second photo. Apple tree in the foreground, kitchen garden right behind. Looking waaaay up into the back, you can just about make-out the garlic and asparagus beds, and beyond them, the entrance to the back field…

Don’t ask me about that project…it’s keeping me awake at night….

Turn to your left, and you’re facing south. Sidewalk, driveway, front lawn…greening up nicely, now that the weather has shifted from Cold and Wet to Warm and Wet (mostly).

Funny thing about our Back Door…Once upon a time, long before I ever laid eyes on this house, it was the Front Door. Hubby always has to stop and think when I say “back” as to which door I’m talking about…to avoid confusion, I try to remember to call it the Kitchen Door. I don’t always remember, but I do try…

I’m nice like that. Mostly…

Hope you all enjoyed it…I’m missing getting around and reading all of your blogs. Hope to see you SOON!