Summer's on its Way!

The food forest is flourishing!

The ducks used to enjoy foraging in it.

...until their mean ol' ma decided they were too grown-up and destructive. But they certainly don't seem to mind foraging in the fields of long-growing weeds. (I think one of them tried to eat a snake this week!)

They have so much personality! I love to watch them.

Our most vibrantly coloured Welsh Harlequin drake.

They also explored the canoe for awhile.

Making their way home at the end of a foraging adventure.

Two tubs of water was all they needed to stay cool (and happy) on a hot day.

The goslings had a similar idea as the ducks for keeping cool.

I'm still not sure how they get as wet as they do with only their waterers, but they absolutely make a mess. The flock of little ones (ducklings and goslings) get along well.

We can't believe they are already coming up on two weeks old!

Roscoe's strategy for keeping cool doesn't generally involve splashing - he just lays low and lazy.

He doesn't like the long weeds so much. Prairie Dog!

Here's a different strategy for dealing with long weeds and hot weather.

Moving over to the plant kingdom... I was thrilled yesterday to see our first hill of corn (and squash, with beans to be added later) sprout to life! Green before Memorial Day!

The transplanted tomatoes finally decided to continue growing (with a fava bean or two in the background).

The lemon balm grows like crazy! (with its sentinel column of fava beans)

The fava beans planted at the trailer are already flowering. They have such unusual flowers (which, incidentally, color coordinate perfectly with our trailer). :)

Speaking of flowers, I didn't remember seeing a Mayapple flower before.

The Goldrush apple has blossomed as well.

I don't know what this flower is called, but it is beautiful! There is much growing in the food forest.

The comfrey is also flowering (especially since I have been able to keep the ducks from eating it!)

Many of the blueberries are flowering too.

Moving from flowers to fruit.... gooseberries!

Bush cherries...

Even grapes!

Summer is indeed on its way!