Greetings from the middle,
the betwixt and between of spring and fall,
the center of summer gardening.
It's a busy time, is it not?
Watering, weeding, pruning and whoops! The soil is dry again.
The radishes are popping out of the ground,
apples are beginning to drop out of overladen branches,
the roses need dead-heading again
and the lilac has shoots springing up everywhere.
What a beautiful joy it is to nurture the garden!
If I'm not careful, however, it's possible to let all the work,
wonderful though it be, keep me from savoring each bloom,
each lacey bit of foliage.
And so, I pick a bouquet, bringing the scents and colors of summer inside.
This bouquet is my favorite so far.
The foliage base is carrot tops, brought home from the farmer's market.
I tucked in some feverfew and daisies, popped it in a mason jar,
and set it on my kitchen table.
Simple. Fresh. Lovely.
Summer in a jar.