Making Big Deposits With No Penalty For Early Withdrawal

We, here in the Northeast, have the pleasure (and sometimes the pain) of living with four distinct seasons.  Personally, I love the change of seasons... each one bringing new and wondrous facets to life on earth.

  For a certain part of the year, though, we live in a rather austere, colorless world.  Cloudy days, bare trees, misty rain, and blustery snowstorms punctuate that particular time of year. 

 And although I miss and long for the brilliant colors of the other three seasons, I take the opportunity to rest during this homogenous winter season.  Now, granted, my "resting" may not look like most people's because it is rare that I am ever sitting still unless my hands are occupied with something creative.  But still, there is a rest that comes with shorter days... without the sensory stimulation and outdoor work that spring, summer, and autumn bring.

The sounds, smells, and colorful sights lie dormant as the earth, itself, rests during the winter.

Perhaps it is the realization that monochromatic life looms around the corner that I am so intent upon enjoying the heterogeneous palette of summer. 

 Summer is nothing short of a colorful explosion.  

Almost every day I am met with a new, vibrant blossom,

 or fruit, or creature.  

It's the time of year that leaves me feeling child-like - full of wonder and awe at all that surrounds me.  

I spend so many hours out-of-doors just soaking in this sensory smorgasboard... making deposits into my memory bank so that I can make frequent and necessary withdrawals in the leaner months ahead.

I love sharing the lovely sights of each day with you, here.  My camera is the portal through which you, too, can travel into my world for a moment or two.

Years ago, when we began farm life - there were barely any flowers here.... except for those planted by Mother Nature herself. 

 Each year after that I have added and added. 

 Now, there is color everywhere you look. 

 And, each year our land grows more and more beautiful.

And with that... a deep satisfaction. 

 Gardening is a passion - one that I hope to continue until the day I draw my final breath. 

 I love working hand in hand with Mother Nature.  She has revealed secrets to me not found in books.

Ps,,,, I noticed a comment yesterday that worried me.  Purselane is the edible weed that I mentioned.  Morning glories are generally not edible.

******************************

One of our daily morning chores is that of feeding our pond fish. 

 We have a myriad of different fish that inhabit our pond, but none quite as obvious or a showy as our koi.  They have lived in this pond for longer than we have lived in our log home here on the farm.  

***********************

I spent a good portion of yesterday morning walking miles along the farm's woodlands in search of wild blackberries.  

The rains of the past month have been the perfect encouragement for  fungi.  All through the woods, lovely mushrooms have emerged...

and some I have never before seen.

I picked and froze another quart of blackberries.  Brambleberry jam (aptly named as I spend much time pulling briars out of my skin!)
is Hubb's favorite, so I take extra care in picking as many berries each summer as I can find.  It's one of the little things that say "I love you."  And it truly is a labor of love - as I always come back with chigger bites.  Chiggers are tiny insects, almost invisible to the naked eye, who leave the biggest welts in the most uncomfortable of places!

In the end, though, it's worth it!

At the present time, we have way more cherry tomatoes than we can possibly eat.  Yesterday I slow roasted a pan of them (sprinkled with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper ) (250 degrees for a several hours).  

I packed them tightly in small canning jars, topped them off with olive oil, and will freeze the jars for use this winter.  How delicious will roasted summer tomatoes taste on a piece of freshly baked crusty bread!

Here we are... and so quickly we arrived here... at another weekend.  I will be watching Tyler's last swim meet on Saturday... a league championship meet.  After the meet, I will pick up Mackenzie and Easton and keep them for a farm over-night visit.  It should be a perfect weekend!

I hope your weekend is perfect as well!

We'll be back Monday with Tales to tell.

*****************************

Addendum : Written after blog was finished......

We lost our precious Griz yesterday afternoon.  After months of trying to cure his abscess and other ailments - with surgery, wound care, and antibiotics - he succumbed to his health problems.  He had quit eating these past couple of days and seemed to lose his zest for life.   I spent his last half hour of life cuddling him… and he passed peacefully.  I am so very disheartened, losing this friend.  I only hope that his months here with us were as happy as possible.  It is with great love and great loss that we say goodbye for now... see you on the other side.  Dearest Griz, you'll be in good company when you reach your destination... for we have many beloved friends beyond the veil.

❤️