One Saturday, Two Different Mornings

As soon as my friendly local bank teller caught sight of me this morning, she asked if I'd already been out to the Fly-In, with accompanying pancake breakfast and Promise barn sale. I had to confess: I gave myself the pre-bookshop part of the morning off from events. After a busy Friday in town that begin with the farm market and didn't end until Music in the Park was over--at which time I went home to cook some things to have cold for supper tonight, because one must plan ahead at this time of year--I needed a little R&R. Laundry and garden needed me, too, not to mention that Sarah wanted time outdoors before her bookshop day.





But never fear! The Grath pack was represented out at Woolsey "International" Airport! David drove out in his baby blue Lincoln Continental to add to the ambience of the event.

Late July Colors and Shades

Meadow, Part I

Now that the meadow has been cleared of autumn olive, its main botanical residents are grasses, milkweed and beautiful, persistent clumps of alfalfa from back when it was a hayfield--which was before it was a cornfield! That's what I mean by 'persistent.' I seeded one corner of the meadow with wildflowers and native grasses, and there the daisies are floating on the surface like fallen leaves on a pond, and the coneflowers are coming on, but I'll save that corner for another day.

Foretaste of Fall

These leaves on the beach tell the story to come.

Basswood in July

These images are already out of date, though taken not that many days ago. This morning the linden flowers (basswood is a linden) were open and the trees were humming with bees.

Hot Day, Cool Dog

This Is What I Call Scenery

Sorry you can't smell the sweet hay and fresh manure. Perfume!

Let Evening Come

When I saw this barn in the late afternoon July light, the title of the Jane Kenyon poem (one of my favorites) came immediately to mind.

It's Friday, and Everyone Is Hurrying in the Same Direction

Beauty Comes in Different Forms

Reflection of My World

It's a Jungle Out There

All over the Up North countryside, nature provides riotous color in July.




There are many creatures busy in the jungle, too. Here's just one.


And lest you think the riots are limited to the countryside, here's one jungly urban pocket in Northport, the site of the original Dog Ears Books in 1993. What next for this spot? All will be revealed in time.

Vertical and Horizontal

Peaceful Evening Followed by Another Hungry Morning