A Midsummer Day's Dream

I'm currently reading Annie Dillard's "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek", a meditation on the majesty of nature. Only problem is, after a few pages of reading how magnificent the natural world is, I find myself running outside to observe it first hand! Look what I found in my own backyard (ok, my parents' actually....)

The pumpkins are taking over the garden! They're sweet varieties for pie-making, so come October there will be fresh pumpkin pie, oh yes! And look below, we've already got a big one!

Fennel! Finally came through. We thought these were carrots for quite a while.

First Brandywine tomato - I'm salivating already just watching it turn red!

Italian San Marzano tomatoes - Pasta, you are calling my name!

Pickling cucumbers! Woo hoo! Finally!

Apples - let's hope they're edible this year. They're sometimes very dry. Strange, huh?

Asian pears on the tree - we have a TON this year!!!

Dill - so pretty when it blooms

Plums

First harvest of wild blackberries. Totally worth the thorns!

Life is truly beautiful when you're outside!