summer scenes

it's been a while since i've updated the readers on the garden, and suprisingly, we are in the middle of the summer somehow. not the part where the tomatoes have taken over and ridiculous summer storms have tested the strength of long stems, but the middle, where it's growing, but not overgrown, and everything (but the black-eyed susans (shrug)) is in bloom... painted tongue

and snapdragon

long line of potatoes... the reds are contemplating retirement...

oh yes, another flower that is not yet in bloom but awes us nonetheless as it is a dinosaur in the land of birds... the datura

our cilantro this year got a later start, providing us with realistic portions...

we bought marigold plants for our balcony a year or two ago, and this year grew them from seed. maybe it was all of that doting over the little plantlings, or maybe they simply like growing in the ground better than growing in pots, but rather than growing an inch or so and then dying, the plant continues to put all of its energy into these now monstrous flowers... so that i have forgotten all about dead-heading and think that when one of these finally does whither away, it will call for a rather elaborate goodbye...

front beatrice... really the only one worthy of some mention...

peppers....

cucumber plants...

a peek under the leaves reveals...

tomatoes of varying colors....

the red one had no chance of even making it into the kitchen.

a walk through the prairie...

a look at the farm where the remainder of our vegetable diet comes from...

to the adjacent property with a spacious green area for the mr. to learn all about the wonderful world of fetch.

on walks he tends to carry sticks in his mouth. if he drops one, he says, "no no, we must go back and get it," as in a wallet, left in the cart in the grocery store parking lot.

as i type, he is learning to dig holes and bury bones in our newly fenced-in back yard.

to the capitol building... where concert on the square, madison's ravinia, is well into its own season... and though working a mere two blocks from it, we have yet to dig out the picnic blanket and crossword puzzles and crackers and cheese and enjoy a nice summer evening listening to the orchestra with all of madison...

lastly, back home, to a courtyard of lights....