Jul 17, 2012

Sailing Through Summer



Summer drifts by in a haze of garden work and hot afternoons hiding in my office or in the shade of the cedars.  My laptop is currently waiting for a new cord (the sparking was getting a bit much, even for a procrastinator like me,) so I'm borrowing time here on another's computer to post a quick update.

I feel like I've made wonderful progress in my goal to dry, tincture, infuse, jam and can my way through the gardens and hills this year.  Fortunately I have the extra hands of family and friends who are also happy to gift and trade their bounty.  For all the projects completed though, there are many more to get to.  I want to tincture some of the wild yarrow for a first-aid spray.  The culinary herbs should be dried (and some processed and frozen.)  And with the apricots coming in to season, I have my favourite jam to make.

My long hair is permanently tied up on my head, the ends bleaching out to blonde in the sun.  My arms and legs are browning, even through the SPF 50 I wear every day and the rest of me is still pale, so I'm sporting a rather sexy farmer's tan at the moment.  I'm faring rather well this summer,  in spite of July being my least comfortable month.  I find that time in the garden or the hills, heals a host of ills.

Here is a taste of what summer has been like for me:

~ Endless rhubarb harvests end up in these yummy muffins.

~ Perusing the already-being-stocked school supplies aisles for my fave eco-friendly "Sasquatch" notebooks.

~ Buying local honey to sweeten my coffee, to use in creating syrups and for making coarse incense.

~ Taking my herbal goodies to a local artisan market every other week.

~  Reading (and re-reading) a stack of herbal books, Evolutionary Witchcraft by T. Thorn Coyle, and The Dome by Stephen King (which will take me forever because the book weighs 20lbs and I can't drag it around with me.)

~ Attempting to spend some time in the water.  I'm notorious for letting an entire summer go by without getting into a lake or pool - and I'm surrounded by them!

There is plently of fun to come as well.  I have a few excursions planned while the summer lasts and there are a few festivals on the horizon.  I hope your summer is sailing smoothly along.  May you find much fruitfulness in the season - the playing in it and the resting!

5 comments:

mxtodis123 said...

I absolutely loved Stephen King, but haven't read him in ages. Thanks for the info on Evolutionary Witchcraft. I see they have it for Kindle so I downloaded the first chapter. I like that one is able to sample before they buy.
Mary

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Nothin' sexier than a farmer's tan, ROWRRR! Except for trucker's arm, of course.

the wild magnolia said...

How exciting this summer, a creation of your very own. So fun and fruitful too.

Thank you for sharing.

jill said...

Oh Rue your summer sounds just lovely,we have not had much summer at all up to now plenty of rain,its raining now as I type this to you.My little garden is very green and what flowers have come out are beautiful but its so wet,I have not sat out in the sunshine at all but its only july so august maybe better.Love Jill xx

Alexis Kennedy said...

What a lovely summer!! Thank you for sharing!