spireaThe sun rose at 3:09 this morning and will set 21 hours and 21 minutes later, at 12:32 tomorrow morning. The gain in daylight has slowed down a little; we’re now gaining about 5 minutes a day. The sun at noon is fairly high in the sky, over 48°. The weather is cloudy but generally pleasant – the spirea was photographed in natural light with cloud-covered sky at 10 pm.

OrchidNormally, I would have my garden planted by now. Between my east coast trip and a sprained wrist I finally got the zucchini in yesterday, and am going to try to get the herb plants in the ground today. No beans or peas this year, though I may try a late planting of lettuce. That, however, will depend very much on how I feel after the surgery scheduled for next Friday.

It’s starting to look like summer. The wild roses are budding, the spirea is in full bloom, and the dwarf columbine is showing color. Indoors, I have three orchids in bloom, all reblooming from last fall. Unfortunately the summer mosquitoes, the small ones that come in clouds, are as numerous as ever. I was wearing shorts when I went out to take the pictures, and the mosquitoes drove me in almost at once.