For the past few years our vegetable garden bed has included garlic. So very easy to grow, but the highlight to me is at this time of year, about a month prior to harvest. Certain varieties of garlic develop scapes – a bulb or flower near the top of a characteristic curled stem. They appear graceful as they twist and curve on the long stems high above the ground. Even better is that they are delicious and provide a “preview of coming attractions” prior to the actual bulb harvest. We particularly enjoy them sauteed, lending a subtle garlic flavor to whatever they are served with.
Cars and dads
I spent this morning wandering the Minnesota State Fairgrounds at the Minnesota Street Rod Association’s Back to the Fifties celebration – 12,000+ vehicles dating from 1964 and before. For a photographer, it’s a treat to the eyes with all the colors and details, reflections, and car enthusiasts. Even though the temperatures were hovering near 90 degrees, there was a plethora of people and families, with many Father’s Day celebrations taking place. As I was getting ready to leave, I saw these two Volkswagen Beetles, and was instantly taken back to my childhood and memories of my father. I remember the small light green Beetle he bought when I was about five or six years old. This was way before children’s car seats, and I would sit on my large stuffed red dog that was wedged over the parking brake between the driver’s and passenger’s seats and watch the world go by. There was also a small cargo area behind the back seat, perfect for one small suitcase, but it would hold me quite nicely. My memories of this little car are all good, and it was a welcome delight to reminisce of my father on this Father’s Day.
Peonies in full bloom
With a burst of color, the peonies have come into bloom. Their fragrance is brought to full fruition by the breeze that blows through the bushes, carrying the scent across the yard. And when I’ve brought the bouquets into the house, I can catch the fragrance as I walk from room to room. Perhaps it’s because they are short-lived that I look forward to their bloom each year. Or perhaps it’s because they remind me of my childhood – my parents’ love of peonies and the tradition of taking them to my relatives’ grave sites on Memorial Day. I’m especially thankful that these pink peonies are from the plants that were my parents’.
Clematis in bloom
Like the anticipation of spring, the same is true of the clematis bloom. They grow in spurts as the weather warms, the buds form, and they burst into bloom almost over night. The anticipation is part of the joy, because their bloom doesn’t last long. The heat, the wind, the rain – any of those will take the delicate petals off the vine. This Lemon Chiffon clematis bloomed this past week with a plethora of blossoms and a light scent that filled the air. Within the week, the rain and wind took the blossoms, scattering them on the ground. Like so many things, their beauty is short but is meant to be appreciated even more because of that.
Kansas Flint Hills
There is a section of central Kansas known as the Flint Hills. This area is the last large expanse of tallgrass prairie in the country. During the westward expansion in the 1800’s, the settlers found the land was not good for their traditional crops because of the outcroppings of limestone and flint. Cattle ranching became the main agricultural activity, so the land was not ploughed over and remained intact. Due to the abundant rainfall the past few months, everything is wonderfully green. The hills undulate and roll slowly across the countryside, and at sunset they take on a golden hue. It is an area where the horizon is a long way off, and one can revel in the beauty of the expanse in an almost 360 degree vista.
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