Foggy mornings and stunning sunsets. Hot humid days, broken by thunderstorms that remind us of why sweatshirts still hang on the Shaker pegs by the front door.
Birdsong, insect thrums, hay wagons rumbling along the road.
Baskets of veggies and fresh bread (see below) and samosas for lunch…gathered while chatting with the farmers and vendors about the weather, garden pests, and local news. The Montpelier’s Farmers Market is full of fun. Leashed dogs are welcome and on Saturday I met a very sweet bulldog named “Potato”. :-)
We recently re-opened the kitchen in the playhouse and it’s ready for a string of visitors to our “bit of earth” . Built with recycled wood and stocked with treasures from the thrift store, this kitchen specializes in local “potions” made from whatever can be foraged from the meadow and woods. There was some concern from a recent visitor that there was no oven, so we’ll have to get to work on that…
Little Freya (above) has upended our routine in a most delightful way. She and her mama and papa were with us for nearly a week. Her cousins, Flora and Matilda will join us this Saturday. There will be waves of visitors to our bit of earth this summer, providing opportunities to enjoy each family as they come and go.
That wee rocking chair in the background? It was mine when I was a kid, and then my two brothers rocked in it too. Then each of our four kids took their turn. The puzzles? Our kids did them over and over again when they were little. Ah, generations…
One of my favorite poems here.
I’ve been waking up, making a cup of tea and tuning into the Tour De France for a few minutes. Each morning I watch the gorgeous landscapes and Medieval villages and the terribly fit men create a blur of beauty. When the coverage switches to the view from the helicopters overhead I cannot help but think that the peloton looks like a murmuration along the roads, weaving and swooping as the race goes on.
Other times I take my tea out to the yard and deadhead the daylillies as they droop, thanking them for their short dash of brilliance.
There has been berry picking. Blueberries at a local pick-your-own and raspberries at our friends down the road, with the added bonus of visiting the goats. Batman made galettes two nights in a row. #summertime
As we watch our own gardens grow, I said goodbye to the very last onion from our 2024 garden. It had weathered our root cellar, but did not make it into the chili. I thanked it for its tenacity and then added it to the compost to bring it full circle to next summer’s garden.
I have paused work on Flora’s quilt, but I did take an adventure to find fabric for the border, binding and backing. I will fold that into another blog post. To get your sewing/knitting fix, I recommend a visit to Tiny Happy, Melissa’s blog from New Zealand. I’ve followed her for years and find her spot to be an oasis on the internet. Do you know Not a Primary Color? Sienna is an amazing creator, and she “documents her makes and her process” on the blog. Such an inspiration!
Our book group just wrapped up Vermont writer Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Spent. I enjoyed the antics of the cats and goats more than those of the characters. Alison included many clever Vermont inside jokes that made me chuckle. Enough said.
Our book for August has been on my “want to read list” since it was published. Raising Hare, by Chloe Dalton is a beauty of a book.
And I share a sadness here today, too. I will miss a shining light that has left this world in the essence of poet Andrea Gibson. Two of my favorite pieces of their work are here and here. A lovely NYT piece can be found here. (I’m not sure the link will work, I do not subscribe to the NYT, I just happened upon the opinion piece somewhere on the internet, sorry)
And a wee bit of happiness…our sweet and wacky Corazón celebrated her “Gotcha Day” yesterday, marking seven years since we found her at the Central Vermont Humane Society. Ever the sweetheart, she is a beloved part of our family. Mouser, snuggler, inCORAgible…we cannot imagine life without her.
Much like the rest of us, she is working on maintaining equilibrium. Finding an even keel in choppy waters is our task at hand, friends. I love knowing that you are out there, all across the internet, holding hands, taking deep breaths, and not backing down! Wherever you find your strength, fuel it! You are not alone! There is still light in this world! Reflect it, be it!
Much love, KLR