Predictably, in my absence, a jungle emerged. My immaculately weeded flower fields had grown grasses, weeds, saplings -- everything imaginable. Yesterday evening, I couldn't help myself. I went out and pulled random fistfuls of the stuff. Just around the field edges, or when I saw something completely obliterating what was supposedly growing there, For an hour, it was just me and the mosquitoes. Because of course, these pests have arrived. It was a typical summer evening -- swatting, pulling, and cleaning up, despite my utter tiredness. Because after all, it was, by Icelandic time, way past midnight.
This morning, I surveyed the foods in the fridge. Lots of peaches. Not much else.
I did not eat breakfast with Ed because my friend is in town and she is dealing with a lot of family tragedies and inevitable losses. So we met up for a breakfast on the Square. Very early. By 7:30 a.m. we were getting our coffees. And we talked.
The day is at first rainy and humid. You could say that it is terrible weather for garden clean up work, but actually I'm not complaining. Were it not for the periods of rain, I'd overdo it. Because two weeks of neglect and heavy rains, created work enough for ten gardeners.
What's blooming out there? Well, the lilies are slowly emerging. Their moment will come in a week or two. For now, they're mostly sprouting pudgy buds.
(big bed)
The clematis at the porch corner, on the other hand, is in full swing. Lovely in its second year!
I remove many bucketfuls of weeds. Really, a mountain load. Even so, I hardly make a dent. It's going to be a busy set of days.
In the evening, Ed bikes and I return to Kopke's Greenhouse.
(along the way: some cloud!)
Their shelves are almost bare and no one is shopping there tonight. Still, there are a few baskets and pots of annuals and they're at a high discount. I need to replace plants in two tubs because Ed missed them in the watering of flowers in my absence and so they dried up. I have rarely (ever?) bought flowers this late in the season and one could argue that annuals in tubs are less important now that the perennials are approaching their high water mark. But I know what happens in the fall. Perennials are ready to snooze until next spring. The annuals, on the other hand, keep on going until the first big frost. I am investing in fall colors!
I realize that I have completely flipped: from writing about far away places and destinations, about a grandchild's view of the world out there, or at least my perception of her view, to one big report on the garden. Ocean has a seasonal shift: in July it is all about encouraging the flowers to do their best. My writing reflects this utter preoccupation with what's growing out there. Patience, my friends! By August I'll be traveling again. Kids will come into focus once more soon enough. But for now, my fingernails are full of dirt. And I'm pulling out weeds. All day long I'm pulling out weeds.
with love...
