Back Home, to Nature

After several wonderful weeks in northern Europe, we have come home. I have had some time to get back in touch, as it were, with my garden, and with nature in general.

There was a lot to catch up on. We actually had rain while we were away, and most of the plants just took off. Daylilies, daisies, dahlias are in bloom. My blueberries are ripening. Figs are growing. My husband’s vegetables are starting to appear.

My corn had grown enough that I could plant pole beans (part of my Three Sisters experiment). The milkweed has shot up and is close to flowering.

We have seen some very small (baby?) hummingbirds; the songbirds are in good form; the butterflies are showing up. A box turtle meandered down the road toward my driveway. And most exciting of all, I saw my first lightning bugs this week. So fun.

A bit further from home, I attended a native plant symposium this week. There were speakers, lots to learn, plus a fun group outdoor excursion at a nature trail. Amongst the native flowers and trees were pond sliders (above) and, of course, lots of birds.

Right now, the heat of summer has not yet hit in full force. For the next few weeks, temperatures are expected to reach only the mid-eighties. While this is quite warm, it does mean that the mornings should be perfect for gardening tasks. And I have my work cut out for me.

While I love to travel, it is so good to be home.