Calm, Cool, Quiet

I can hear squirrels chirping and chattering.

I can hear continuous whirring of the overhead fan.

Occasionally, I hear a car go past our place.

Mostly, though, I hear the quiet.

It's the quiet of a morning after the heat and a morning before the storm.

We need the quiet, and we need a storm.

Plants are dying around here and things are getting dirty.

Nonetheless and happily, many flower buds are still waiting their turn to burst forth, adding some color to the August landscape.


A storm may do some revitalization. 

And, some cleaning. 

We're reaching that point where the summer abundance of color and beauty is gradually giving way to the bounty of all those plants and shrubs that have worked so hard to grow and produce their fruits. 

I picked plums for the first time last night.

That was right after I picked that tomato.  

It was hiding beneath the jungle of raspberry leaves and stems which threaten to take over my garden enclosure. 

I may have made a mistake transplanting those berry bushes a couple of years ago.

But they sure did grow, and they sure did produce. 

Last night, with sweat rolling down my brow and neck and with hyperactive juncos flitting to and fro around the garden, I picked some of the last of this year's crop.

There were just enough to top off a partially filled plastic baggie in the refrigerator freezer.

The back freezer in the shop is loaded with bags and bags of raspberries.

On the blueberry front, I announced to Bill yesterday that my blueberry bushes will be protected with netting next year. 

This year's resident deer was not in a sharing mood.  

Waiting in between rounds of ripening, she beat me to the punch, chomping down three quarters and leaving me about a quarter.

And, so raspberries will take up most of the berry supply in the freezers.  Luckily, I still have a good supply of blueberries from last year.

I also picked the first small bucket of plums last night.  

I could have picked more but did not want my sweaty body to "glow" any more while carrying a ladder to the tree.

Remember:  a horse sweats, a man perspires and a woman glows.  

I've glowed about enough for this year, so the cooler temperatures are more than welcome. 

And, I may be more inclined to lug the ladder across the yard and set it up at the dark purple plum tree.

The bright red plum tree is taking its time in allowing its fruit to ripen.  

But what a crop of plums there are!

I think the Food Bank is gonna get a nice supply this year. 

And, so today, the rain may come and wash everything off so it's sparkling clean for a few days. 

That will be nice.

And, for a change, it will be reassuring and calming to hear pitter patter on the metal roof, competing with the sound of squirrels.

Happy Friday.