Having just passed summer solstice, we are now in the heart of our northern summer! Rounds of hot, blustery weather with storms that roar through and take down trees, root ball and all, seem to be the pattern these days. Between clearing trees and working on my many trails, I have had the chance to fight off the tsunami of bugs this year …. well, I have seen it worse, but it is definitely a buggy one! The river has remained high, and it is hard to imagine it will sink to August lows, but it always does. It is a season of urgency with gardens that demand attention for all they will provide later. Birds sing their hearts out. The wild plants pop up, flower, and go to seed faster than I can keep up. I was shocked when I came upon the flowering wild clematis and then a day later bunchberries, lady slippers and twinflowers blooming - tip of the iceberg so to speak! Blueberry bushes are full of green berries – may they make it to full blue! After the drought of last summer, I am reluctant to complain about the rain. I am happy enough to get days off from hauling water from the river with my ATV/bucket wagon to keep gardens and flowers going. It’s a short season so no surprise we are in continual high gear …. Work, fun, whatever … hope you are enjoying the season of light and life!