In The Midst of Early Summer

Mosquito bites have covered us since Sunday. Hours of weeding, tilling, planting tomato seedling after tomato seedling. Is their any prettier site than freshly tilled dirt?

Tuesday it is me and the boys at the library and then the farmer’s market for asparagus and strawberries. I ran into my midwife and then the asparagus man gave me some pointers on planting peppers and tomatoes. We returned home to share strawberries with a happy, dirty papa.

Pepper rows have been prepared.

When papa came home from work last night I knew I should take the boys to the farm by myself. It isn’t that he doesn’t want to go, simply that he has other things to tend to and doesn’t have the luxury of paying a visit to the chickens.

So I packed up the boys, my trusty tote bag and the ergo and we headed out.

A big box full of greens, radishes, turnips, onions, asparagus, strawberries, mint and garlic scapes. My tote bag is full of extra spinach, turnips and radishes leftover from the market along with three dozen guinea eggs.

We admired the chickens, the rows of vegetables and berries, and had a chat with Deb, the farmer. With the baby sporting a onesie that says “I heart raw milk”, we chat about the possibility of buying a share in their cow herd.

A perfect evening.

We returned home to a dirty, tired and happy papa. Peppers have been planted. Cucumber plants next to the nearly 50 tomato plants. More winter squash over in the corner.

After checking my kefir, lentil sprouts and radish sprouts it was time to put the boys to bed. There are hugs and kisses goodnight, then papa heads back to return only after dark. A shower, a bowl of strawberries with cream and it’s time for bed.

I wake up to lots of dirty dishes, laundry waiting to be put away and overcast skies.

Somehow rain brings relief. No watering of herb pots today. Maybe we’ll take a day off from planting. Maybe the dishes will actually get done.

My fingernails are in a constant state of dirty. It’s beautiful.

Maybe someday we’ll live in a yurt. A girl can dream.

This post is a contribution to Fight Back Friday and Frugal Friday.