These Early Summer Days

While I know that summer does not officially start for a few more days, it feels like early summer here.  Not heat wise as our high for today is 57*, but just in what I see outside.

This morning I took a short walk.  (It's funny to me that this particular walk is "short" in my mind.  It was a long walk when I started walking in March!)  There were the most beautiful clouds, tinged with layers of color as the morning awakened.  I figure some days I sleep walk through the first mile, but not today.  It was so beautiful I didn't want to miss a single drop of color.

It's cool out (34*) this morning.  My hands are a bit numb still as I try to type and my cheeks are cold.  I put on a pot of coffee to help me warm up before I go out and pull weeds for awhile before everyone else is up.

Though today is a colder day, my walk was filled with the smell of new-mown hay.  All around us are fields of grasses.  Some are already mowed and drying out waiting for baling.  Each day more and more bales appear dotting the hillsides and pastures.  It is so beautiful.

Last year haying didn't start until July, so it feels early to me.  In fact, we are almost a month ahead of last year.  If you read that post you'll see.

As I was walking along I noticed a mess in the road.  I looked down and saw pits and poop.  I looked up and saw cherries!  A lone cherry tree beside the road is just about ripe.  I didn't even know that one was there.  I have been scouting out the cherry trees and am excited about what I see.  We might even get some off of our tree this year since Sweetheart chopped down the thicket surrounding it on our side of fence when he starting setting up our garden.

Somehow, cherries just herald summer!  That and ice-cold watermelon, but we're not see those ripe for a long while.  (Maybe they'll be ready when you get here, Dad.)  I planted quite a variety of melons, most for a short growing season so I am excited to see what we get.

So much has been happening here that I don't know where to start!  All good and a lot fun and a good lot of work as well.

* I do have all the seeds in the main garden area.  Just finished that up.  Yes, it's a big area.
*  The corn is about 4" tall, the pumpkins, squash and melons are all up, the potatoes look great, and all sorts of other seedlings pop up everyday.  And weeds.  Lots of weeds.
* We love our hammocks and one or more of us can usually be found swinging in one a random times throughout the day.  I came home the other day to Sweetheart and all three kids in one.  :)  Just swinging and laughing away.
* We found an absolutely perfect place to play up in the mountains behind us.  It's maybe ten miles up from the house, but was just wonderful and felt a world away.  We discovered it on Fathers Day and picniced there.  There was a gentle part of the river  with a big flat area of rocks to play on and throw in the water, one of the boys' favorite activities. 
*  We are so proud of my BIL who became in Air Force Colonel last week.  Wish we could have been there to celebrate with everyone!
*  We are excited that it looks like Grandma Gail will be back up here for a few months soon.  There's so much to show her!
* I went up to the Farmers' Market we hope to join up with on Saturday.  It was the first week for it.  Not a lot of produce is ready yet, but some of the farms with greenhouses, or from southern Idaho are up and going.  It was a fun time and everyone was so friendly.  I hope to be selling by the end of July, but it will just depend on how fast stuff grows.
*  We are looking forward to a visit from my Dad later in the summer, too!  And I hope my sister will be able to join him!!!!  It is hard being so far from everyone I love so much.
* I've been dong some end of the year assessments for the boys' for homeschooling.  It is so fun to see all they have learned.  We'll continue through summer a few days a week.  It's pretty kick back here.  We just can't keep to the same exact schedule as our lives are just so different here.  Planning for year round just has sort of happened as we find so many times during the traditional school year are filled with work that must be done according to weather and growing seasons.  It's all good.
* We found a...creative...solution to planting with kids.  Most of the work has been done during Cupcake's nap, but we also had to use The Drive-In a few times.  It was Sweetheart's idea.  We laughed and decided, "Why not?!"  The Drive-In is the minivan parked in the pasture next to the field we planted.  The kids have snacks and a movie in their seats.  The neighbors' laughed, but it worked great.  We could all see and hear one another, but it kept everyone (CUPCAKE) in one safe place.  She would totally wander off otherwise and I'd be chasing more than planting. I should have taken a picture.
* Sweetheart has my tub out in the grove and it will be ready to go soon.  I am more than excited.  I'll take pictures of the set up when it's complete.  Mine won't have a platform at this time, but here is a picture of the general idea.
* I am one-third of the way through my first Whole Thirty.  And we are all surviving it. 
*  It's Robin Sues's fault.  I was inspired by all her gorgeous Mason Jar Meals and it just kinda grew.  I'm teasing.  I love it!  It's not the easiest thing, but it feels good.  And I've never eaten so many veggies everyday in my life. 
* I'd better stop writing and get weeding!


What signals summer for you?  What are you excited to see ripen?

Joining Homestead Revival's Barn Hop.