it's going to be a long, wonderful day

A rousing welcome to the first day of summer--the Summer Solstice--for those in the Northern Hemisphere!  We have had such a incredible spring this year, with cooler-than-average days, higher-than-average moisture, and outstanding displays of wild flowers.  It's sure to be a bumper crop of elderberries, gooseberries, and chokecherries in the mountains this summer!

Our planned celebration--

::  hot coffee, pancakes, raspberries, pure Vermont maple syrup

::  fresh greens from the garden topped with roasted beets, Boursin cheese, citrus-balsamic glaze, and almonds.

::  a bicycle ride along nature trails

::  spending time together (holding hands, laughing, sharing...a nap may be included)

a day for papas

To my husband:

::  My heart skips a beat with love and pride when I hear you converse with our daughter, who now lives her own life over 2000 miles away.  You treat her with such respect and care.

::  I admire how you can be a force, yet have such a gentle heart and hand.

::  happy Papa's day!

hello there from the great canyon of life

June finds us with worn-through-the-finger-tips leather gloves from stone work and yard work.  It's a good thing, and our terrace is coming along nicely.  There are silly things like accidentally cutting the electrical line that links to the drip irrigation system (oops), which have slowed us down a bit.  And don't even go there about the rain that seemed to never end this spring--not that I'm complaining because we quite needed the moisture and it has lead to some amazing wild flowers.  I have yet to find a fountain that calls to me in such a way that I have to have it, that it was destined to be in that spot on the terrace, allowing the water to dance along its edge and splash at its base.  The hunt continues.

Local farmer's markets are in full swing.  Sweet tree-ripened peaches (from up by the Feather River), bright red raspberries, mouth-watering strawberries, beets, green beans, and green bok choy are now added to the menu for our trip to the natural hot springs where early morning yoga, many soaks in the springs, and card playing into the wee hours with a sister and brother-in-law are on the schedule for this week.