It seems summer is making an appearance in Seattle: finally. My squash and tomatoes are soaking up each ray (ahem: and so am I). Will my tomatoes turn red? It remains to be seen... at least the bite- size Sungolds offer a seasonal amuse bouche. I eat a few each day, while smiling and watering herbs, just-sprouting spinach and tomatoes---and plucking struggling leaves and tiny weeds.

I have climbing squash that I hope have enough summer left to go 'hog-wild'; and hopefully my  corn will ripen. My Italian plum tree has just a few barely-purple plums. See? Growing now: white and green pumpkins, token parsley, tarragon and beets (who knew beets took so long to ripen?). And well, too many tomatoes. If they do all ripen (and I am holding out for the Tuscan Black Tomato), I will be in my kitchen in full-fruited frenzy making Tomato Jam and Basic Tomato Sauce, jar upon jar. Upon jar.

But food aside: we are actually surrounded by dirt. Our whole yard---front, side and back---is all dirt. The gardens are a few simple beds... and our chickens are in a temporary coop in the backyard. Why all the dirt? You know I adore dirt, but this THIS is a lot of dirt and tracking of dirt and dust. But for a great cause: we are putting in sprinklers and perhaps electricity so someday we can light up parts of our yard. And we must plan for the downspouts: we are going to put in rain barrels to capture rain water for watering our garden. How fun is that? We are hoping to use wine barrels. If I am very lucky: we will put crushed rock into pathways and start outlining garden beds towards the end of September.