No. 1 summer visitor
The Cove Journal by JoDee Samuelson
Our first summer visitor has arrived. She has been here before and may I say she is the perfect guest? Self-contained. Needs no entertainment. Helps out in the kitchen. Likes to weed and mow. Brought her own bike and violin.
She has turned us on to the Tour de France, the 112th version of this cycling spectacle being underway right now. Also, Netflix has a new series highlighting the past three seasons, and for superior bedtime entertainment I recommend lying on the couch cheering on Jonas and Tadej as they race 3500 km in the heat, up 10% grades through the snow-capped Pyrenees, around hairpin turns, through villages with red tiled roofs and cobblestone streets.
It’s exhausting. I get tired biking on our almost-level Rail Trail … where I can stop and snack on saskatoons if I want to. Or answer the call of nature.
Enough sports. Must take time for seasonal crafts. Our visitor has introduced us to the glory of Flower Pounding. Here’s how: wash and dry a white cotton shirt. Assemble equipment: a smooth wide board (e.g. cutting board), rubber mallet, parchment paper, a multitude of fresh juice-filled flowers and leaves.
Place board inside shirt. Lay one flower artistically on top, cover with parchment paper and pound lustily. When things get flat and splatty, remove paper and flower and admire. Repeat. Here are flowers that really worked: St. John’s wort, cosmos, cranesbills, pansies, violets and rose petals. Leaves: parsley (the best), vetch, timothy grass, fern tips. We found this out by experimenting on old pillowcases.
When you think you’re done, stop. We ironed our shirts and have no idea if the colors are set or not. Probably not, as we by-passed mordants and other vital steps. Check out Flower Pounding for yourself and become an expert. I plan to pound more parsley leaves on my shirt as needed.
On the subject of plants, we’ve been waiting for flower petals to appear on our chamomile. Now it has become apparent that we are tending a lusty patch of pineapple weed. Oh well. Pineapple weed makes a mild relaxing tea so all is not lost.
We’ve had several garden failures, including carrots, beans, corn and basil. Replanting has been in vain and we blame the voracious almost-invisible flea beetles. Grr.
Fortunately, negative gardening thoughts can be banished by a trip to the Cove. Yesterday was spectacular—spectacular in a different way from the Pyrenees but just as compelling. The tide was out, sandbars had been turned into tent cities, and the warm sparkling water held enough hermit crabs to satisfy every child with a bucket. Contentment reigned.
We swam out till we couldn’t touch bottom, then floated around admiring the sky blue sky, thinking about nothing. What had I been worried about? Couldn’t remember.
On our way back in, my swimming companion said, “Shall we go to the Strawberry Social tonight?” Great idea. Our summer visitor would like that too.
“I think I’ll wear my new flower t-shirt. Shall we bike there? It’s only five kilometres down the road.” Perfect.
