I have to say that we are enjoying summer very much around here. Other than one “heat wave”, which here in New England means three or more days of above 90 degree temperatures, and another one possibly on the way now, our weather has been beautiful. The days have been warm but comfortable, and mostly sunny. The excessive rain finally slowed down and things are drying up. At this point, we could use a little rain for the gardens, but that’s OK, we can set up the sprinkler while waiting!
We have finally reached the point of full integration of the newbie chickens and the rest of the flock. The newbies are still pretty shy, and the older girls and guineas intimidate them a bit, but overall things are going well. They are still not leaving the coop or run much, but we are fine with them taking their time. Caitlyn has officially become “Charlie” and that’s given us a whole list of possible names for what I am now calling our new rooster’s “angels”! We’ll share the new names once they are settled, and they are outside more for better photographs.
Summer is still a busy time here on the farm. The Dadz keeps busy cutting trees for our winter firewood.
Luke and I are happy to now be able to take longer walks on some of our different trails, since the hot, dry weather has reduced the tick population, and we’ll see very few again until fall.
I try to spend an hour every day that I can weeding the vegetable garden and getting my Vitamin D (sunshine). The weeds are still winning the battle, but that’s OK, I’ll just keep plugging away. The best news is that right now the garden is doing quite well. We are harvesting our first vegetables – a little lettuce (the early crops like that didn’t do very well), kale (now being added to Luke’s homemade food), and soon there will be summer squash – yellow and zucchini, and cucumbers to pick.
Best of all, we’re getting Luke’s favorites and he is quite excited about it:
So far I’ve been picking close to a pound every evening of green and yellow beans. When I bring the basket full in, Luke always has to get one.
Ah, yes, it’s the simple things – I enjoy the evenings when I sit on the deck enjoying a glass of wine while snapping the ends off the beans to prepare them for supper.
Of course, my farm assistant is right close by. I think he’d eat the whole colander full if I let him!
What’s your favorite simple pleasure of summer?
We are joining our friends at Comedy Plus for the Awww Mondays blog hop. Please visit them and other blogs through the links below!
As you can see, I’m playing “catch-up” today, trying to read everyone’s blog posts from this past week. I wish we lived closer so I could come buy some of your fresh veggies! I LOVE fresh green beans! The ones around here are pretty blah…no snap to them at all!
Give Luke ear and belly rubs for me and tell him Ducky sends puppy kisses. ❤️❤️
I am constantly playing catch-up, so totally get that! Wish you could have our veggies too!
Luke sends kisses back! ♥
Those are some awesome looking beans, enjoy hope Luke doesn’t eat them all.
Luckily he’s letting us share a few. 🙂
I’m very impressed with how Luke deals with the chickens. That sounds random, but I realized I hadn’t complimented him on it – and it’s well deserved!
Luke thanks you!! ♥
Fresh green beans are the BEST!! We are enjoying riding our bicycles on a nature trail near our home.
Biking is definitely a lot of fun! Maybe someday we’ll try it again.
Summer sure is zipping by! Glad you’ve been able to get out there and enjoy it.
It always goes too fast, doesn’t it? We can already feel the days getting shorter. 🙁
I’ll bet those green beans are really yummy!!!
We are certainly enjoying them!
What lovely summer memories you’re making!
This one is definitely turning out to be memorable!
Yum!! I’m with Luke! Nothing better than fresh green beans!!!
It makes it hard to eat canned or frozen ones during the winter! I’m going to try to freeze some of these though, and hope they keep well.
Fresh green beans? Yum! So jealous.
They are truly the best! 🙂
My summer pleasure? Longer days. Fresh veggies everywhere. Warm weather and taking a walk with Luke. He’s such an Awww.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday. Scritches to Luke. ♥
Those are definitely some perfect summer joys!!
Those beans look good. We didn’t plant any this year. We do have zucchini though, we grow several types including ones that look like spaceships 🙂
I’m going to have to try to branch out and try some new squashes. Spaceship ones sound fun! 🙂
I love beans to, Luke – actually I love lots of veges and you can’t get any fresher than picking them out of your own garden!
We are kindred spirits, Molly, I love all kinds of veggies too! Hope you get garden fresh ones as well, even if they are from someone else’s garden. 🙂
♥Luke
It does sound like you are really enjoying the farm life you have created. It took some time for everything to settle in, but now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Yes, you are right about all of that! This summer is the first time I’ve felt like things are finally really coming together.