summer

the second year bumper crop of strawberries. I made this tart for a party. Do not use frozen berries, but do use a food processor for the crust–it works!

gardens alive/early kale and mizuna is still flourishing in 90 degree heat, although the cabbage moths have found it. The radicchio and red lettuce is coming in now too;

I’ve stopped mowing most of the backyard. The neighbors are flummoxed – they obviously haven’t read the New Yorker article ‘Turf War’ by Elizabeth Kolbert.

They also missed seeing  SALT, or Smaller American Lawns Today site. 

 

Last year we had a problem with predatory wasps because E herbicided my hill where I had put down thick layers of newspapers & straw in an effort to reduce erosion and water running down into the basement. Bare ground is the wasps’ favorite habitat. This season he’s resisted spraying and I have some nice new ground cover. (behind the purple Echinacea)

 

Mama Bunny’s baby came out of its burrow to softly hop over and graze my ankle one morning while I was picking strawberries. No damage to the patch. They prefer clover.

 

wish I’d planted more than just 3 peony bushes. They are so lovely;