Abundance

I went out to the garden tonight to collect some stuff for a last-minute omelet and found... abundance. This morning I had gone to the farmer's market for carrots and a few other yummies that didn't propagate for some reason this year. Beets. And we are in the inbetweens with lettuce - some more coming up, and more to follow that, but right now, pickings (literally) are slim. At the farmer's market, there was a buzz. Each stand was stocked to the gills with all sorts of things - potatoes, carrots, salad greens, celery - it is the height of the Alaska growing season. So I don't know why I was surprised to find my own gardens overflowing tonight, but I was.

The bush beans are heavy with beans, the squash has finally started to produce with some degree of enthusiasm, there is cauliflower and broccoli and the tomatoes are ripening. Even the basil looked somewhat enthusiastic today. In the outside garden, those cabbages that haven't been ravaged by slugs are forming wonderfully. The turnips should be thinned, the broccoli and cauliflower are growing well, and even a little chard and spinach is coming in. A little, but what can you do. For the first time this year, it looks like time to start putting some things up! YES! Pickles. Blanching. Bring it on. The hoop houses themselves have all but disappeared in a sea of pink - the fireweed is in full bloom and very tall this year - over six feet in many places. I couldn't help shooting some images.

It's been busy here - we are starting to work on the great siding project. Gack. First board goes on tomorrow, come hell or high water. And there have been chicken butchering days - using a borrowed chicken plucker - wowweee - that thing was fantastic. We butchered 13 chickens in 2.5 hours, from pen to fridge. Yowza.

Wwoofers Olive and Isa have become part of the family - Isa leaves on Tuesday and I don't know what to do about that - I'll be so sad to see her go. The two of them have been wonderful with the kids - Théa is in heaven at being let into their "clubhouse" where they have body paint - her very favorite thing. For Liam, the girls play piano and sing constantly and listen to his long, long stories, so patiently. Olive is planning to stay on - she just got a job at Fritz Creek baking bread in the early morning hours, and I'm thrilled to have her here as long as possible. Elsewhere in the world, Mike's daughter Ella finally returned after a summer in Colorado, and that makes everything seem a little brighter.

It's time to pick blueberries and soon raspberries, and make jam, and fill the $20 garage sale freezer I picked up yesterday with the final round of chickens. There is so much to do, but it's a good busy. There were a couple of cold days last week where I lit the wood stove and started to think about winter's fast approach. Then it got hot and sunny and all that was pushed back into the corner again - but not really. It's dark as I type this - I saw stars the other night. Change is in the air. On one hand, I wish I could hang on to the long days, warm weather and fullness of summer. On the other hand, it will be good to nestle down to a softer paced life soon. An abundance of a different sort.