Mid-July

It has been hot and humid here - almost August-like but not quite. And not for long - today the high might not even reach 70. At this rate, my tomatoes will never turn red/black/whatever color they are supposed to be. My cucumbers have not been producing, either, leaving me at the mercy of the farmers markets for my salad fixings. The corn is starting to tassel, though, and there is plenty of zucchini. And pumpkins.

I plan to harvest the garlic this week. The onions are falling down on their own, signaling their willingness to be rousted from their bed.

A few volunteer sunflowers are showing their sunny faces, while the ones I planted on purpose are lagging far behind.

And let's not forget the zinnias, so pretty and so easy to grow.

I have not spent very much time observing the comings and goings of the avian neighbors, but I did spot a couple of unusual ones recently. This, I believe, is a catbird.

And I think this is a female oriole of some kind, Baltimore or orchard.

This "critter" is actually a pea tendril wrapped around a pea vine.

On the less pretty side of the yard is the former meadow/incipient orchard. Yesterday I mowed most of the area while contemplating just what to plant there next year. I have room for seven dwarf fruit trees, eight if I sacrifice the stunted serviceberry. It's easy to get carried away when perusing catalogs - I'll have one (or more) of each - but I'm trying to pay attention to what makes sense for me, a fruit lover who lives alone and whose boyfriend does not like fruit much but whose family members are willing recipients of the surplus. And there is the "dirty dozen" and their cousins to consider. I'm thinking a peach (Red Haven, of course), a sour cherry, some apples. And then what? I have until next spring to mull it over.