Summer tour of the Yard

You got the look at the spring foliage... now just for a short look at what summer might look like around our yard. Don't get your hopes up too much, these are still only cell phone camera shots, but they give you the idea. Also, remember that we're only pretending to garden around here, as true gardening requires a long-term plan, sunlight, and a variety of intentional plants. We're working more with the perennials that were already here when we moved to MA, and a few potted (or raised bed) garden vegetables. Gives us a few years, and we might do a better job to impress.

First for the fauna (which happens to be one of my very favorite specimens):

Here we have the solo day lily that presented itself at the back of the backyard (right next to the bleeding hearts and the lilacs which are just seedlings for now). You might recognize some of the Yellow Archangel from before. How do you like that evening sun back-lighting the petals?


Here's a bigger cluster of Common Day Lilies which line the driveway. I also like that ground cover which fills in the low spot down the hill from the drive. No clue what it is.

Then we get some hosta fortunei, of course, which seems to be a staple around here. Sorry our buds aren't all flowered out. You see them as I come, I guess. :)

Then here's our huge spread of ferns which started as oh-so-lovely fiddleheads. I just can't get over how beautiful and unspoiled this view just south of our backyard remains. (I guess I've cleaned up garbage from a previous tenant, but that could be a different story altogether.)

Then there are the fungi that creep into the yard. Do they count as flora? Probably not, but they grow pretty well in the damp shade along with the other weeds.



Here we have some--- well, I don't know what they are, but we have them also filling in down off the driveway.

Now for some of my babies. Have a look at these, and imagine something red and juicy these flowers will morph into:


And then consider the peas that we have climbing a cage over next to the more sunny rock wall. We count each pod one by one as we pick them. I think we're up to 45 off the 5 plants in the pot. The portable pea pot. Perhaps we'll get a second harvest before all of the plants yellow and decide the summer isn't for them.

I had a look this afternoon, and the green beans are just starting to flower also, but I didn't get any pictures. Their climbing a bean tent Ian and I put together.

Give me a couple of months, and perhaps we'll get lucky and get the look around from a "Boston in the Fall" vantage point. Later!

So, lately I've been getting my craft on.

Craft therapy is real and it is powerful.

I'm just sayin'.

Shortly after we moved to Massachusetts, I made this for Ian, and it's hung by his bed ever since:

....Annnnnnnnnnnd I finally finished Blake's.

It probably would have been done long ago had we decided on his name sooner than we did. It was a bit harder than I'd anticipated, but I like how it turned out. It hangs above his crib, and Ian thinks it's fantastic! (Bonus.)

Stay tuned...

Because we need to continue to exercise Blake's eyes, I'm working on a mobile for above his bed and some brightly-colored fabric blocks. Will post soon. =)

Today is the first day of our CSA (crop share association).

We bought a half-share from a local farm, and today was our first pick-up.

Can I just say that the giddy happiness I experienced was effusive?? My friend and I nearly did a happy dance in her kitchen. Though, now that I think of it, there might have been a tiny little bit of dancing. Tiny.

I'm also glad that we only got a half-share.

Check out the size of a half-share:

In this week's crate:

Cherries

Kohlrabi

Radishes

Long Radishes

Golden Beets

Beets

Swiss Chard

Misc. Baby Lettuces

Scallions

Romaine Lettuce

Swiss Chard

And there never can be too much polo:

World Cup, Schmorld Cup.

Ha Ha. Just kidding! We love us some World Cup!

But we also love us some USA Polo.

Last Saturday we made our yearly jaunt to Portsmouth, Rhode Island to watch the U.S. Polo team play at Glen Farm.

We had lots of company from great friends and had a fantastic time! This was the second time we saw U.S. v. Scotland--and won't be the last.

Enough kilts and clan flags to last you a while.

Love, love, loved it.

Ian and buddy Makenna had a fun time running around with Joe during the halftime divot tread.

Polo brings out the best in all of us, don't you think?

...And it doesn't matter whether or not you're a "horse person." These animals were gorgeous. I mentioned to Ian that I liked the horses' "socks," (shin guards), and he replied, "Mom, they have socks....and shoes!" Smart boy.

His great-uncle is a farrier. We like that about him.

Father and son #2 at son #2's first polo match. We brought a hat and sunglasses for Blake.

He wasn't terribly interested.

See? I told you there were kilts.

And here is Sidney (one of the YW from our ward) with her favorite player of the day. I'm pretty sure she liked him for his incredible ability to play polo. Right?

Will you join us next year??

p.s. photo credits to Nima. Thanks for sharing, Nima!

FYI:

I've edited the BabyPhotoComparingPost to include newly-acquired pictures of Joe.

Eeeeeeeee!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.

What?

You didn't know that I gave birth to a pirate?

Well,

not really.

The real story is this: Blake's right eye is a bit weaker than his left, and he's exhibiting a wee bit of vertical nystagmus. His ophthalmologist thinks (and is hoping) that it's something he'll outgrow with time and eye exercises--including wearing an eye patch for 30 minutes per day. This 30 minutes is rather important, she said--he's depending too much on his left eye when both are uncovered. But dontcha just think those little eye patches are cute? The box came with airplane eye patches, soccer ball eye patches and even (get this) camoflauge eye patches.

He seems to like 'em....

Here are pictures of my two children at approximately the same weight:

17 pounds

Ian

Eight Months Old

Blake

11 weeks old (he's 25.5 inches!)

WARNING: Long Post ahead
contains many pictures

=)


More Baby Blessing

Museum of Science and Duck Tour of Boston

Exhausted

Cuddles with Gramma PJ
(More like Neighbor PJ, but since she's my parents' next-door neighbor,
AND my 16th cousin, I'm going to claim her! My kids do, too!)

Getting ready for a fun day exploring Maine with Ben & Shara

Spring Point with Uncle Kevin & Aunt Donna
&
Exploring their new boat!

Portland Head Light

Nubble Light at Cape Neddick