Ah, Summer!

   ...So, what did you do on the first day of summer?  I celebrated the day by hanging my wind chime.  I thought it would be the perfect act to kick off the summer, but that plan flopped miserably.  Who would have guessed it was going to turn cold with high winds strong enough to take down my ancient wind chime.  It is the last week in June and I am donning sweaters and jeans in order to stay comfortable in the 60 degree weather we are experiencing in Ohio.  In spite of that setback, I still prefer the cooler temperatures.  Le Petit Jardin must prefer it as well from the huge plants it seems to be producing this year.  I  need more larger-sized pot.  Everything is virtually crawling out of their pots in this cooler summer. No doubt it is due to the copious rains we have 
experienced. There is nothing like rain water to make a garden grow... 
    Art season is upon us much faster than I can imagine this year.  Everything is whizzing by so fast these days.  Already the Boston Mills Artfest has had both weekends of fine art.  That has always been a mile marker in my summer activities.  Realizing how fast the summer has has been upon us, I am slowly kicking into gear to create a bit art myself.  This is a good time for photography. Many of the artists I have known over the years are still at it in the open air shows.  My having not done those shows for many years, I admire their tenacity.  The last few years have seen some changes in the type of art I create.  Most is cathartic in nature.  Whenever I look over my work I still am wondering what I want to be when I grow up as I chuckle at that thought.  Will I ever grow up?  I wonder...                
      Thoughts of herb wreaths are beginning to creep into my mind.  I seem to have a bumper crop of chocolate mint this year.  So far I have harvested twice with the thought of creating my own dried herb tea.  But now that I see there is so much chocolate mint, I am aiming toward harvesting enough for a wreath or two.  Mint at the doorway is a sign of friendship. Another goal is to create some sun tea.  The anise hyssop is cranking out much more than I had expected, too.  There will be plenty for medicinal purposes and for wreaths this summer.  My chive pot is exploding with the summery hot days and cool nights.  I am about to whip up some of my chicken salad with lots of chive mixed into it. Chive also makes my morning scramble a breakfast feast that makes getting up in the morning a joy.  Also begging to be harvested is my lemon verbena since being repotted into a larger container.  Making the most of it during the summer is far less of a challenge than trying to get it to survive in my all too dry apartment during the winter months. Rosemary doesn't much like it either. Maybe I will try a humidifier this winter to manage some survival success when I take take in those two for the winter. We will see how that goes...     
       So far this has been a non-descript summer.  Finally the lawn is mowed and the Mad Whacker hasn't destroyed anything. I haven't put anything out where he can get to it.  He seems to have figured out that due to their largeness certain plants are keepers not weeds.  So far that the only challenge aside from the groundhog eating my sunflower seedlings.  So far I only have two mammoth sunflowers.  It will be awhile before they produce their happy flowers.  That will be a fun day for sure.  So, as I wait on that, I will sit and enjoy Le Petit Jardin for what it is, and continue to contemplate my life of herbs and art. Ah, summer...   

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