Ah, Summer

Somehow time always gets away from me in summer.  One minute it is the first weekend in August and the next thing I know it is somehow nearing the end of August.  It is at times like this that I am ever so grateful the boys have never gone to school and that the end of August doesn't feel like the end of summertime for us. 

We've had all sorts of things to enjoy lately.
A trip (for all of us except one of use who went on a fishing trip to Haida Gwaii) to visit with lots of family where there was creek time, beach time, good food, garden time, Rummoli night, games and, of course, visits from Russel the Crow (he much prefers when we're not visiting and our dog isn't there).

A crazy rain storm with lightning, thunder and hail.  We watched as the lightning made its way across the lake towards us and then were amazed by the amount of rain that came down in only half an hour or so (at least 3 inches possibly 4) - we felt like we were immersed in the rain clouds.  We also had hail and some of my veg here are showing a little damage but nothing major at all and my garden in town is fine.  E was quite happy that this time we were able to just watch the lightning and not have it strike a tree right outside the house.  This sunroom looking over the lake makes this house spectacular for storm watching.

(Mother Nature washing the windows for us)

(you can see my solar fruit dryer just at the bottom of this photo - not a lot of solar drying going on just then)

We've been eating cucumber everything.  Cucumber sandwiches, cucumber salad, Greek salad, cucumbers straight up while standing in the garden...

The cukes are so plentiful that I've been drinking cucumber juice each day in an attempt to use up the ones that grow to enormous sizes when we are away.

And I was excited to pick my first-that-I've-ever-grown cauliflower.  I've always avoided the Brassica family because I didn't want to worry about the bugs but the cauliflower were absolutely pest free, easy to grow and delicious.

I've also managed to get another batch of comfrey oil made and a small batch of calendula oil.  I think even when the kids are grown and we don't have as much use for calendula salve I'll still make at least one batch each year just because I think it is the prettiest oil to make.

And now as we realize the summer days are winding down we're making plans for how we want to spend the rest of it and...canning like mad.