Raindrops keep Falling

Here we are beginning the month of July, after the wettest June I can remember in recent years. For two weeks now it has rained almost every day - variations on heavy rain, thunder showers, drizzle and fog. Yesterday morning started with a spectacular crack of thunder, too close for comfort, and pouring rain that lasted about an hour. The phone began to jingle when lightning flashed, so I pulled out the connecting jack. Seemed like the whole house lit up with the wild flashes of lightning. Very relieved when it ended.

Despite the wet weather, we do get the odd few hours of sun here and there, and the container tomato plants are growing rapidly, as are the summer squash, scarlet runners and peas in the vegetable bed. I dare not touch the scarlet runners, as they are easily ruined if handled when wet. They're just beginning to latch on and vine around the bamboo poles. Unfortunately, the slugs love the wet and they are flourishing. Ants seem to be developing new hills all over the yard, very widespread this year.

The wildflowers are abundant, and swaths of daisies, red and gold Devil's Paintbrush, white blackberry blossoms and pink clover brighten the yard and the roadsides. My milkweed plant is growing gigantic, but so far have seen no Monarch caterpillars on it. Usually they turn up early in the season. The butterfly spotted most often has been the lovely Tiger Swallowtail, they've been around ever since lilac time. Autumn Joy sedum is huge, all green as yet and very striking. Right now the Sarah Bernhardt peony I've moved around with for years is in full bloom and though a bit bent by the rain it's still a beauty.

I noticed today while out walking that the foggy days have a beauty of their own, with delicate spiderwebs laced in dewdrops and birds singing, trilling and chirping all around. Great forests of ferns along the roadside ditches look prehistoric, like grazing ground for one of the vegetarian dinosaurs. Hedges of wild pink roses cascade along the rocky slopes above the ditch, fragrant in the damp air. The steady rain has resulted in jungle-like growth of grass, leaves, lush shades of green all around, overgrown of course, too wet to mow, so the yard blends with the trees and wild background shrubbery. It has a wild if somewhat unkempt beauty.

Wildlife spotted this last few weeks has included a mouse (trapped behind the bathroom door by the cat) and a very tiny ringneck snake, rescued from the cat (both were liberated outside). It's the second time I've had ringneck snakes turn up in the house, luckily they are quite harmless and don't even bite in self-defense like garter snakes will on occasion. Have also had a friendly stray cat visiting all week, obviously not a wild one, very affectionate, quite young, poor dear. I hope he's all right as I haven't seen him since yesterday and he's been pretty regular at suppertime. A few days ago I glanced out the window at dusk and a young buck was grazing in the thick grass that's grown up around my herb bed. He had two very small nubs of antlers showing, a handsome creature. Hope he stays away from my tomatoes.

Since gardening time is limited by rain, I've been reading more than usual. Recently finished The Sisters Mortland, a novel about three sisters made famous by a portrait artist. Told mostly in flashback, it was quite interesting, although the ending was not as conclusive as I would have liked. I'm not a fan of loose ends or unsolved mysteries, though I don't mind having some things left to the imagination. I also enjoyed The Other Queen, by Philippa Gregory. It's about Mary, Queen of Scots, and like all the royal series by Gregory is historically accurate and well written.

The long range forecast for this summer in southwest NB is for more rain than normal, so here's hoping we get enough sun to mature a few tomatoes and keep the spirits up. Lovely local strawberries, freshly cooked lobsters, tarragon & basil for salads - a few of the nice things that have come my way this week. Small pleasures much appreciated, of such things most of our days are made.

I am not bound for any public place,

but for ground of my own

where I have planted vines

and orchard trees.

And in the heat of the day climbed up

into the healing shadow

of the woods.

Better than any argument

is to rise at dawn and pick

dew-wet red berries in a cup.

"A Standing Ground"

by Wendell Berry

Earth Day 2008

Earth Day here on the island started with a visit from a ringnecked pheasant, strutting his stuff in the morning sun, screeching now and then as he strolled around checking out the territory. I wonder if it's the same one that often came by last year. He used to march around the periphery of the yard, with a screech at regular intervals. Brought to mind the image of a soldier on drill parade. He's a beauty, the rusty breast, glossy green and white neck ring, very handsome.

The bird feeder is busy every day now with chickadees, nuthatches, a red squirrel, song sparrows and a purple finch. Juncos and robins flock around feeding from the ground, and in the evening the spring peepers are starting to sing. In the past few days, I've seen a heron flying over at dusk and three eagles circling against the noontime sunlight.

In the garden, weedy grass sprigs are working their way past the mulch in my raised beds already. The chives are growing green and the thyme plants have survived another winter. A few small tulips are poking up through, so far not eaten by deer. I tried digging in a bit of hair from a recent trim in hopes it will discourage them. Read somewhere that human or dog hair would deter deer. Hope so, as last year the buds were devoured as soon as they appeared. Yesterday I saw two deer feeding at the baseball field just up the road, out in mid-afternoon and not at all bothered by passing cars.

I'm trying to get a few tomato plants started from seed. The first sprig emerged today, six days after I put the seeds in small pots and set them in the warmest spot in the house. Two are Mennonite Heirloom, one is Ivory Egg (a cherry tomato) and one is a Burbank.

A few days this past week have hinted at summer, with a warm southwest breeze and temperatures as high as 18 or 2o celsius, lovely days that make you want to spend every minute outside listening to the birdsong and squirrel chatter. At times like this I am grateful to be living away from the noise and smell of the city. Happy Earth Day one and all!!