Route 22

I drove up to Shelburne and back today. I had forgotten how terrible the road construction on Route 7 is these days. On the way back, I decided to take Route 22. I had forgotten what a beautiful drive that is. I wish I had asked Erin and Andy to consider taking that drive when they were here and driving in that direction. I will be gone for a week.

Joe Pye Weed

Some of the names of local wildflowers are beautiful: Queen Anne's Lace, Indian Paintbrush. Some are terrible: Cow Vetch, Bastard Toadflax. Joe Pye Weed is now appearing. I've always loved that name for some reason. Sounds like something out of Tom Sawyer.

bluebirds

Another beautiful day. The activities of the bluebirds in the back is one of the summer highlights. We've been fortunate enough to have bluebirds raising their young in the birdhouses along the fence line for many years. Often they have two hatches over the course of the summer. That has been the case this year. Eventually the young birds fledge. This is fairly easy to ascertain as there is more and more activity in the birdhouse as parents hurry to feed they brood. And then there is nothing, no activity at all as the young birds have left the nest. That was the case last night as the bluebirds weren't around per usual. I checked the house, and it was empty. They are not gone for good. I will see the young birds along the fence line for weeks as they are taught to fend for themselves. When Ellen lived here, she said she saw the bluebird family all winter long periodically, huddled around the old family home on the back fence

honey bees

As I've been outside mowing the lawn, and looking at Allyn's gardens, I've noticed the return of honey bees this summer (see it!). This is wonderful news. Honestly I haven't seen honeybees around here for a number of years. They are stressed and struggling in Vermont and around the country. They are certainly an important part of the ecology, and I welcome their return.
On the other side of the coin, after a few years of absence, I happily noted the return of the bat population last summer. For some reason, however, I haven't seen any this summer. I hope they're doing OK.

seeds

Asparagus seeds appearing along with the red conical seed pods of the sumac trees. Thistles appearing in the fields. The goldfinches love them. Pumpkin blossoms flowering in a field in Proctor.

Be silly, be honest, be kind.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Zen page-a-day calendar

Norwegian wood

This bird has flown.

growing season

The growing season is in earnest in the Green Mountain state at this time. Corn is shooting up rapidly. Allyn planted lettuce, parsley and basil some weeks ago. For awhile, it looked like they wouldn't even survive. They are all thriving now. Looks like we'll have some pesto in the fall.