Knitting up the raveled sleeve of care...

As you have already noticed there has been a shortage of posts this last week or so. Yes, the soliloquy has been turned off like a tap and not a word of explanation. I picture many, many (well I hope so don't you?) people checking their email, blogger or whatever method of you choose for the daily - well, we'll call it by weekly - news from the front office. They sift through the documents and never find even a scrap from the ignorant gardener. Well, as you have discovered that has now changed. Sweetness and light can now come pouring in like a healing balm. Like Browning so aptly put it, "the lark's on the wing, and the snails on the thorn (ouch! I would have thought, but by the general tone of the poem I guess it is something snails like) God's in the Heaven, all is right in the world." Yes, we are on the air, live and kickin'. Well, not so much kicking, but definitely alive. 
The black plague or one of it's nasty friends has descended on our little nook and done it's ghastly deed. It didn't want to do things in small measure, so instead, it took care that each of us would be sick on a different day. I thought I had escaped, but no, it was just waiting 'round the corner. Now, thankfully, we are all on the mend and I am hoping for all of us to be in full force for the weekend. 
So for now, I bid you adieu, and will end with that favorite line from McBeth as we all sleep the sleep of the weary. And so that you don't have to end on a downer, there are a few pictures of the last few days - good ones from the last few days - we don't try to capture a soul in travail. 

"Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast."

4th of July fun...

I am hoping this post finds all of my reading public (that small crowd of incredibly patient, smart individuals who know a good thing to read when they spot it) safe, well, and unburned by fireworks. Instead of being the scorcher everyone expected, the fickle side of weather came out again here in washington. We had a pleasant cloudy day. If you've ever watched a movie (I only watched it because my wife wanted to, and I can't remember the actress or title - or maybe it is only what Freud would call self respect preserving memory blockage and under hypnosis there would be dark secrets revealed) where in one of the miss america thingy's when asked "describe your perfect date" the contestant replied "I'd have to say April [something or other (more blockage?)]. It's not to hot and not too cold, all you need is a light sweater." That was our 4th. Not too hot and not too cold, all you need is a light sweater until about 9:30, then you need pants because the mosquitos come out in force and look for all the blood they can suck. So, as you can tell, the Barbecue, family get together, and fireworks were a hit. It was a good 4th and even better is next year it will be on a friday. Three day weekend!
We also had an addition to the family. Well, about 100-200 additions. Our preying mantis egg hatched, well not ours exactly, but more ours by adoption, let forth its minions and we let them go. Isn't that a proverb or something? If you love something, let it go. If it doesn't come back, you know it's hunting down aphids in your garden. Well, some may think the anglo saxon or greek translated a little differently, but that's a rough translation.
On to gardening news. We are having a little get together of friends at the end of july, so this weekend will be planting, pruning, weeding etc in hopes that the tomatoes, radishes, beans, peas, beets, lettuce, spinach, and what not will all be ready for picking. Some of them, the guests, not vegetables, are vegetarians (would a vegetarian vegetable be a cannibal?) so I want to have the pick of the lot ready for them. Everything is on track, so we'll see how it goes.
I hope you all had a great 4th and an even better weekend. In the words of Shakespeare, "If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly" As much to say, "Cry havoc, and let loose the dogs of war!" Which we all know loosely translated means "Sally Forth into your garden and get dirty!