Turn, Turn, Turn

The Byrds version of To everything there is a season - please link to this YouTube recording while you are reading this blog.

My brother Joe always manages to tie his blog up with some philosophical theme.  He would have been a good homily writer.  Here is his website for those who don’t have it already:  Joe's latest blog

Trouble is that saying “to everything, there is a season” just isn’t true for me this month.  Everything happens at once!  The planting and reaping part—all happening this month.  I’ve been picking strawberries like crazy, shelling peas, too.  At the same time, we’ve been planting squash, corn, beans, and more.

Roger with bok choi and scapes
 

 We’ve been coming—and going all month.  I just got back from the ANWG Conference in Bellingham.  That’s Association of NW Weavers Guilds.  I stayed in Higginson dorm.  That was a leap back in time!  Plenty of eye candy for the fiber artist.  And the campus was lovely this time of year.

 

WWU must not have suffered from the caterpillar plague that overwhelmed us this Spring.  Roses and Alders and apple trees completely denuded of leaves.  But, the leaves have almost all grown back.  I’ve heard these pests come for four years and I believe this is year #3.  Each one has been worse than the year before.  Friends, you may not want to visit us next May and early June.  I cannot guarantee what it may look like around here.

 Now I’m back and Roger has gone to Ocean Shores for the State Grange Convention.  You’d think a farm organization would know better than to put their yearly convention in June.  So it’s just me and the chickens—and Suzie, of course.

 While I was in Bellingham, Roger constructed a staircase from the mudroom porch down to the new loading dock at the back of the house.  How convenient!  Do you think if I left more often perhaps more major projects would get done around here?

 

There’s been a couple weddings, and sadly, a funeral.  Roger’s brother Leif died this month.  He’s been in late stage Alzheimer’s so it came as no surprise.  But still, very sad.  He would have turned 59 on June 30^th.  And a time to be born—two more granddaughters for members of my book club.

 

two month old James in the CUTEST tee shirt
 

The service group that I belong to is winding up its year while at the same time, the Textile Guild action is heating up as I try to line up a new Board for next year when I take up the Presidency.  I need a Vice-President!  Anyone?

And now it is time to post.

 

Happy Solstice!

Attended the Fremont Solstice parade with a bunch of my best buddies.  This was one of those packed Seattle weekends which included a spa day (including facial and pedicure) for me and a plant-run for Roger.  The evening finished up with a Greek meal in Wallingford and a concert by our friend Jay Hamilton at the Good Shepherd Center: Honor.  We also visited Dad for Father's Day.  And managed to squeeze in a trip to Costco, of course.

Progress on the Carport!  See these three beautifully tapered columns?  Notice the very attractive cement bases?  Can you picture the size and shape of the carport to come?  Setting these poles up was a big milestone.  The next step, placing the rafters, will involve not just milling the lumber, we will actually have to go out and cut down two or more trees to harvest logs long enough to span the roof. 

Before we do that, we are going to take out the lower branches from the nearby doug firs to get some more light coming through on the west side of our house.  It is amazing how much vegetation is closing in on us and its time to hack it all back!

Here's a picture of Suzie teaching a five month old pup, Millie, how to drink out of the fountain.  One of my many projects planned for this summer includes a mosaic bowl addition to the fountain.  I've also got some waterlilies coming up.  I've had to place a net around them to protect them from predator poodles.

Sorry for the flash at the bottom of the photo.  This is my new art piece.  I bought it from Mary McCulluch Art Walk Studio Tour.  The colors match my kitchen cabinets perfectly.  



approx 2 lbs of strawberries

And finally, strawberries!  Here's a picture of one day's harvest.  With about 50 plants in the main garden and another 25 or more in the kitchen garden we should have plenty of shortcake this summer.