A warm day in the backyard farm!

 Today, we were in the warm eighties, practically a heat wave for us lily-livered Pacific Northwesterners. We spent most of the day out in the garden.

 We were visited by a bevy of beautiful Swallowtail butterflies.

Peas on the vine

Canterbury Bells on the stalk.

Blooming zucchini

Spanish lavender

Blackberry blossoms

 A hidden strawberry

   Anni looking for that strawberry!

We added organic compost to all the fruits and veggies and harvested lots of lemon balm, mint, and sage. Alex, David, and Ari tied the herbs into bundles to dry and later be used for seasonings and tea making. The garden is loving the warm weather. Tomatoes and zucchini are coming on in droves. We have lots of blueberries, and the blackberries are just turning. We are also enjoying plenty of beans and a few ears of corn.

Yesterday, Alex and I made a big pot of tamales to go with the corn. They were delish! We've also been enjoying all the peaches, plums, nectarines, and pluots available at our local farmers' markets.

To escape the heat of the later afternoon, we loaded up the Prius with books to take to our local book exchange. We came back with even more! Such is the curse of a family full of bibliophiles!