It's been hot...and humid....typical for summer in Virginia, I suppose. The garden keeps evolving. Some plants bloom out and need to be cut back. Some plants get attacked by...well, you name it...and need to be removed. New plants take up empty spaces. Seeds struggle to germinate in the heat but once conditions shift will be little surprises popping up here and there.
Black eyed Susans and zinnias seem to love this weather. The cucumbers have really taken off and it's hard to keep up with them (one jar of brined pickles made and I keep thinking I need to find a recipe for bread and butter pickles). As it turns out, Avery enjoys cooked yellow squash, so that's been an addition to her kibble and a place for some of that abundance to be used. Oh, and apparently deer like to munch on fig leaves!
If nothing else, the garden is a perfect example of impermanence. Flora and fauna come and go. The cycle goes on, never remaining static for very long. It's taken me a while to develop an attitude of acceptance with the fluctuations of gardening. I used to get very upset when something died or was eaten...or was taken out by a crazy hailstorm. Now, I just move on and open to something new. This isn't a perfected skill, but continues to build on experience. There is a daily opportunity for gratitude and I've learned to not take any of this beauty and abundance for granted.
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