This is the time of year that the backyard sings to me. I spend as much time as I can out among the trees and flowers and birds. My tiny vegetable garden has grown into a lush, tangled jungle. The cucumbers climb up their trellis like magical beanstalks; my two tomato plants (which I feared in the spring wouldn't make it) are taller than I am;  and the zucchini leaves are as big as umbrellas. Some gardeners complain that zucchinis take up too much space. But, really, one or two plants is all anyone needs. My two plants produce so much fruit my family of seven can hardly keep up. I make stuffed zucchini at least once a week for supper with plenty of leftovers for lunches, and zucchini bread has become a regular breakfast item. As far as problems go, having too much zucchini is a pretty nice one.

 

I love to watch the hummingbirds visit the feeder and flit around the garden. They look like little fairies, they are so tiny and so fast. Sometimes I pause to ponder the creatures and plants. Each one has its own unique life and story.

Our new rabbit Lucky has lived an exciting life. Last November, an elderly gentleman found him hopping in his yard and believed that the rabbit was a gift to him. He immediately took him into his home. The man built Lucky an outdoor pen, and every day when he went out to work in his garden, he brought Lucky outside with him. Every evening, the man brought Lucky back into the house, where the rabbit would visit with the man's cats and tell them about his day in the garden. When spring came, the man had to move to a new place. His new home allowed cats, but there was not enough room to keep a large rabbit like Lucky. The man brought him to the animal shelter with tears in his eyes. He told the shelter workers to please find Lucky a home where he would have plenty of space to roam. "He doesn't like being cooped up all day". We met Lucky on a sunny day in early July when we stopped by the shelter to buy hay for the guinea pigs. As soon as Seth and Amy saw him they knew he was special. Lucky's eyes shone with intelligence. "He looks like a magic rabbit." The next day we brought him home. In the mornings, he likes to hop up on the couch and look out the window and watch the birds. 

We have a lot of kids and a lot of pets. As far as problems go, too many kids and pets is a pretty nice one to have. ☺

This summer the sky was always blue and the sun was always shining. There were picnics by the seaside. (If you look closely at the right side of this photograph, you can see a woman with an easel painting the view.)

There were lovely meanders through coastal villages full of old-fashioned charm and beautiful flowers.

Our own garden flowers were magnificent this season, as were the many rose-hued sunsets.

The view inside from our backdoor: Indiana Jones loves sitting next to my 1960's Swiss-made, seafoam-green Hermes typewriter.

We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to adopt a big white rabbit named Lucky. He and Indiana Jones became fast friends.

Does this scene look familiar? It is the replica of an old fishing shack in Rockport, Massachusetts known as 'Motif #1' and is the most often-painted building in America.

This summer there were birds and butterflies to watch and identify, marshmallows to roast, novels to read, socks to knit (I started three different pairs and didn't finish any of them!), ice cream to eat, and flea markets to explore. Our swimming pool was in constant use, and it was a banner year for our vegetable and flower gardens. We entertained out-of-town guests for a few nights and went out-of-town ourselves for a few days.

Amid the bright summertime, there was some darkness, too. The winds of change and uncertainty continue to blow briskly here, and I continue to pray and hope in Christ. Only He knows what tomorrow will bring. Through Him I have learned to treasure every small bit of loveliness and peace, and to nurture within myself and others a grateful spirit.

I haven't been able to blog all summer, and considering my present circumstances I almost decided to give it up entirely, especially since so many of my favorite bloggers have moved on to Instagram. But, my family really enjoys my blog, and it is the only form of social media in which I participate. So, here I am at a new place.☺ My old blog is still up for the moment, but I will likely remove it in the coming weeks. I plan to post here as frequently as I can; only I have no idea how often that will be.