Summer is high upon us here at the Home, with all its abundant growth and revelry. We held celebrations for Juneteenth, July 4th, a few birthdays, and enjoyed strawberries and cream while watching Wimbledon.
Now we anxiously await the harvest of our Guest gardener DJ’s heirloom tomatoes. She reports (sadly) that her parsley has been eaten by someone or something, and her beans never materialized because the heat amped up quickly this summer, and she put them in a bit late. The basil, however, is beautiful to behold, and the lemon balm and lavender are lovely and fragrant. We are crossing our fingers for her cucumbers. Each morning while watering, we scrutinize them for signs of bother. So far, our Cucumis sativus, or melon vine as they say in the vernacular, are happily growing longer and fatter, whetting our appetites for the harvest. There is nothing more summery than fresh cucumbers with a pinch of sugar and vinegar or in a tasty green salad. We know we are not the only ones in town watching them grow. We admonish all creatures large and small visiting the Home’s backyard, in the words of Peter Rabbit’s mother, to stay away:
“You may go into the fields or down the lane, but don’t go into Mr. McGreggor’s garden. Your father had an accident there, he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGreggor.”
We did have one unexpected guest in the garden who we decided could stay—a spectacular white lily whose seed blew over from the neighbor’s yard. It planted itself alongside a plethora of flowers that were purchased by a generous donation from the Town and Country Garden Club, longtime and much-appreciated supporters of the Home’s garden.
While garden marauders large and small are most unwelcome, we do hope to see all our friends and supporters in the spring of 2023, when we plan to hold an Open House. Details will be forthcoming.