Red Letter Day

We could mark today with a red letter; it is a special day in the yard.  It's not the weather; that's the same as it has been for the last several days and as it will be for several days to come--sunny and gorgeous for a few minutes followed by a cloud, a mist and even periodically a downpour.  And then it starts over again.  It's not the flowers, most everything was passed its prime although one rose bush has blossoms and the peonia continue with a few buds turning into blossoms.  The trees are about the same except for the top of the weeping birch near the front driveway which I topped a couple days along because it was getting too tall for its environment.

It's the fruit.  It's neither the quantity or the quality.  During my early walk around to move the watering hose I picked a couple pie cherries (still a bit tart, first of the season), a couple raspberries (again the season's first, maybe more later today or tomorrow, the first two blueberries and that was stretching their ripeness and a strawberry (we've been enjoying them off the vine for several days now).  The marionberries haven't matured in size or color yet.  Maybe another week.  Fresh berries on the cereal for the next couple weeks and maybe even some for the freezer.

Gail brought in some radishes yesterday, really tasty but really sharp.  The volunteer lettuce plant is about five feet tall; we've nipped the leading buds several times so by now it has a half dozen tops.  The leaves are still fresh, crisp and delicious.  I pick about four or five for the evening meals.

Well, the corn has never sprouted, nor have the potatoes from Rick Ernst but maybe later for them.  The squash, pumpkin and watermelon have sprouted but seem a little slow this week.  I'll up their watering schedule.  Peas are to the top of the three-foot fence and putting out blossoms.  Beans are healthy and other random veggies are coming along.  It's an average year, some things doing great, others OK and others still not at all.

The clouds are covering the sun and the shadows have vanished.  It's time to work the yard before the shower hits.