Mea Culpa

Berm in June 2015

This blog has been sorely neglected. Every time I’d think about posting this summer, a long list of tasks and errands would pop into my head right behind it!

Garden Bench

A wet spring contributed to a bumper strawberry crop, which had to be harvested, cleaned and frozen. Of course, the weeds grew right alongside the beautiful crops and flowers.

Strawberries in Bloom

I did manage to take a few pics.

Sunshine Park Farmer's Market

Our Booth

We did two farmer’s markets for half the summer but cut it down to one in mid-July. That helped a little, but there was always soap to be made. New products developed over the winter constantly had to be replenished: body butter, (who would have thought it would be so popular in the summer?) and Stardust (dusting powder),

which everyone seemed to want to stay dry in the heat and humidity. The herbal mosquito repellent was a popular item also. The salves, especially the comfrey, have also necessitated making bigger and bigger batches. Before I knew it, I had ripe pumpkins.

Mr. Big Appetite

We had many visitors to the Garden of Nemesis, some of them four-legged critters who liked to eat from our abundance during a month-long drought in July. Skunks dug tunnels along the foundations of both houses and woodchucks staged attacks on the carrots.

Ground squirrels helped the skunks dig up the lawn.

Sammie the Guard Cat

Above is the “guard” cat who romped with the visitors.

Happiness is Sauce

 As the dog days of summer wind down, I know that this winter I will be grateful for every jar of grape juice, green beans and tomato sauce I retrieve from the pantry. Still, this is one senior citizen that will be glad to sit down on occasion and reflect.