Both my granddaughters have summer birthdays. Charlotte turned 3 in July and Emma 15 this month. The latter will be entering high school next week. This morning she tried out for the field hockey team.
While all us adults are scratching our heads trying to figure out how to maintain our relationships with the 15 year old, Charlotte is breezing along in her special love of life that is inspiring us all. She has become a big light in my life. While on the topic I’ll add another Charlotte photo taken during low tide at the beach.
Seems like last summer it was all about going to the beach in a kind of California sense, people surfing and playing in the waves. This summer I’ve seen more of the other side of possibilities when it’s low tide. Seems I feel friendlier with this face of the Atlantic. It’s more approachable for me. Who knew? Charlotte can go either way with equal gusto.
My daughter and her family moved recently up the coast several miles from where they were living. The house is just across the road from the ocean, but in an area where there’s lots of marsh land. So the drive from my house to hers has some great views of this type of landscape.
If you’re driving along the coast highway there are places to stop and try the local seafood and such. I forget the name of this restaurant but took this photo out back with a view of the marsh. These nautical objects are a common sight here.
As an artist photographer I couldn’t resist taking this shot of the gradations of color in this rhubarb.Nature can do it but it’s not that easy to go from red to green when you’re painting.
And not to be forgotten, there are the beautiful flowers in the back yard of the house here (411 Middle St.– has it’s own website). This summer there are lots of different colors of large day lilies. Everything growing in the back yard pretty much acclimates to the weather here, which includes enough rain that watering is never needed (as long as I’ve been here, anyway). For someone like me coming from the western side of the US this is amazing. I do water in the small vegetable garden I maintain in a back corner of the yard. It doesn’t get ideal sun exposure so I try to focus on plants that will be OK with that. The kale and the broccoli are thriving and the sweet basil doesn’t seem to mind. I just finished my second batch of pesto!
Nasturtiums also like my little garden so I’m growing lots of those. Tried planting some zinnias from seed when I took down the pea supports. They seem to be growing well but have a ways to go before blooming. I try to encourage them when it their turn for some water from the watering can.
This photo of Chance and me was taken at a spring I learned about online that’s located in a woodsy spot on the outskirts of the nearby town of Exeter. People who know about it line up for their turn to bottle their water and they swear by its great taste and purity. We were told mid afternoon is a good time to go to avoid the potential wait. So far we’ve followed that advice and have had short waits. Katrina and her family is enjoying the water.
Hope your summer has been a pleasure.
Sending love, Kate