A Pollinator Favorite

The Verbena Bonariensis in the front flowerbed is in full bloom. It is a favorite each Summer of both the Hummingbirds and the Swallowtail Butterflies. This evening, our three big plants had three Swallowtails all working the blooms at the same time.

Summer's End & Fall Beginnings

Today we welcome September. This is always a funny time of the year. Everywhere you look, there are signs of Fall. The leaves on the ash trees have are now a soft yellow, the nights are much cooler and damp, and the oak trees are dropping acorns. But one look at the calender and you know we still have 3 more weeks of Summer to enjoy. The days are still hot and there is much yet to ripen in the garden. Maybe that's the magic of this transitional month. We get to enjoy the best of both seasons.

The First 80 Degree Day of the Year

And just like clock-work...Summer arrives in the Willamette Valley on July 5th! For the second year in a row, our warm weather arrived right after the 4th. Looking at the ten day forecast we have nothing but sunshine and warm weather ahead. Finally! Today's high of 80 degrees felt so good for both the gardener and the plants. My poor cucumbers and Winter Squash are looking a little sad so I am hoping the arrival of some heat will be just the tonic that they need. Welcome Summer!



The Last Day of Summer

Marigold "Lemon Gem"

Today is officially the last day of Summer. It certainly doesn't feel like it here. We are in the middle of a 6 day stretch of mid-eighty degree weather. Each day has been just perfect. Beautiful blue skies and sunshine. I am sad to see Summer go but also ready for the beauty and slower days of Autumn.

A Perfect Summer Night

Tonight after work I went right down to the garden and began planting dahlias. I got 12 planted and watered everything down there well too. We got back to the house and decided to have our dinner of 4th of July leftovers outside on the front porch. It was such a perfect Summer night. Warm, no wind, and no flies or yellow jackets. We even let Padma, our indoor-only cat out on the front porch which he found very exciting. It was a perfect kind of night that you need to bottle up in your memory to relive on those dark and depressing January nights.

Almost like Summer again

After a nice Labor Day weekend, the clouds and rain started rolling in on Tuesday. Wednesday morning a quick read of the rain-gauge showed 1.1" had fallen. Yikes. This is way too early for this much rain.Today the sun finally returned in full and everyone has been enjoying it. After work Parvati, Tom, and I sat on the bench in the sun.

Being a short-hair, Tom can stand to sleep in the full sun and not get too hot. I told him to remember this day when it's cold and nasty in January. I don't think that he was listening! While he was sleeping on top of the bench..

his tummy and tail were slipping through the slats. Too funny!

Staying cool during the heat-wave

Yesterday the temperature was suppose to reach 93 degrees. Instead, we tied a record at 100 degrees. Today is suppose to be cooler, somewhere in the 80's I believe, and then tomorrow it is predicted to crank right back up near 100. While out on a walk this morning I discovered Tom-Cat in his favorite "secret" napping place of this Summer. He has made a nest underneath this two foot Douglas fir tree. It keeps him out of the sun most of the day and is strategically located 5 feet from a bird feeder! I hope you too are finding a comfortable place to stay cool.

Saturday at the Farmer's Market

Today Beth & I made it down to the Farmer's Market. We tried to get there a bit earlier because it is suppose to hit the mid-nineties today. We started with Breakfast. Beth opted for a breakfast burrito and I got a Pain au Chocolat. Once we were well fortified, we hit the stalls. We pulled together a wonderful, all-local dinner. Fresh albacore, new red potatoes and sweet corn.

It really felt like Summer today at the market. Both the hot weather and the arrival of all the warm weather crops. This was a beautiful  display of basil.

And lovely slicing tomatoes. This stand had two huge piles of them, that were being quickly snapped up.

I was most excited to see the sweet corn! That means Summer to me. This was a white corn and 3 ears went home for dinner. It didn't have a variety name. The two other farms that had corn were both selling "Bodacious", the commonly grown sweet corn in this area.

Berries continue to be abundant at all the stands.

Green Beans have arrived as the Peas fade out for the season.

These bundled "Chipollini" Onion were so pretty and a rare variety to see for sale.

These "Early Laxton" Plums were almost gone. This stand also was sold out of the first peaches and apricots.

These were the first peppers that I have seen for sale this year. Another sign of Summer.

Locally grown cantaloupe. No small feat there. Very impressive, especially this year!

Flowers at the market have transitioned to mid-summer varieties as well. There were lots and lots of beautiful lilies in bloom, both oriental and day-lilies.

And you can't talk about Summer and plants without having lavender in the discussion.

The Last Day of Summer 2009

Today is the offical last day of Summer for 2009,  even though the weather forcast calls for very warm temperatures all week. If you need any help understanding how to get the most pleasure from these last, treasured days, look no further than the cats. They were born knowing how to enjoy Summertime. To the left, Padma and his sister Parvati soak in the sun. Below, Tom-Cat enjoys the dappled sunlight underneath the hammock. So much for the dog-days of Summer. Not in this house!

Someone to Watch Over Me

Tonight I went looking for Parvati and found her up on the bank on a stump. The cats just love all the stumps on the property for stealth surveying platforms. But all that observing does make a girl sleepy!

Happy Birthday America!

I hope that you all had a wonderful 4th of July. Mine was quite busy. Started the morning with a 4.2 mile road race. Then hit the farmer's market. New this week were berries ( boysenberries & raspberries), heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers. After all of that, I went home and had a nap! Later in the afternoon we went to Art & the Vineyard. Saw lots of great jewelry. Then we had dinner and grabbed a place on the lawn. We heard two different groups from the Bach Festival perform and then ended the night with fireworks.

The Dog (Cat) Days of Summer

Today is the hottest day of the year, so far. The temperature is 90 degrees and our wind of the last week has disappeared. As always, the creatures that know how to handle the heat the best are the cats. Cleo has found a beautiful spot of shade underneath the petunia basket.