Moving into summer
The Cove Journal by JoDee Samuelson
The election is over and we can finally pay attention to our own lives. Pack away winter clothes, put screens on windows, start the lawnmower. Dig up plants for the Perennial Sale down at the Cove.
The hummingbird feeder is up. What a delightful spring. No dramatic storms or flooding—oh maybe a few power outages and that sort of thing, but fields are being seeded, ducklings are paddling in the brook, and we feel the distant thrum of lobster boats. It’s clear that we’re moving into summer.
In our yard white and purple crocus blooms have been supplanted by tall handsome striped leaves. Along the garden path irrepressible Johnny-jump-ups nod cheerfully, while under the honeysuckle bush blue-rosy pulmonaria nudge up against a carpet of symmetrical bee balm leaves.
We eagerly await flowers, but often the leaves and buds are equally amazing. How can I describe the foliage of the fringed bleeding heart by the side door? Soft green, lacy, fern-like…a feast for the eyes, no blossoms needed.
Beside the bleeding heart chives are shooting up, ready to add to omelettes, salads, anything. They go all summer and you can even eat the flowers. A forsythia bush in golden glory gazes down tolerantly on these earth-bound specimens, proud of its status as the first bush to flower—why, it flowers before it has leaves!
In the garden the new garlic is already halfway to maturity. It was planted in November and bedded for the winter under eelgrass and chestnut leaves… oh dear, I suddenly remember that last year’s stored garlic is starting to sprout. The green shoots are bitter: no time to lose! I pause my reverie and fetch the basket of garlic bulbs, then spend the next hour breaking them apart, cutting off root tips and dropping cloves into a bowl of warm water to soften the skins. Half the peeled garlic cloves are frozen and half made into paste (chopped cloves blended with olive oil and lemon juice). Whew, that was close.
My motto these days is: “Do it when you think of it.”
I notice that the elderflower buds are about to burst into glorious white blossoms. Should I make Elderflower Champagne this year? Catherine Clough, a true naturalist, gave us this very basic recipe:
4 elderflower sprays,
1½ lb sugar,
2 T white wine vinegar,
8 pints cold water,
2 lemons quartered and squeezed
Place all in bowl. Cover. Stand 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain and bottle in screw top pop bottles or Grolsch bottles. Drink in 2 weeks. That’s it. Non-alcoholic, bubbly and refreshing. Warning: Pressure builds up. Store in cool place and open carefully.
I haven’t mentioned the spectacular tulipfest in our yard. The forget-me-nots are something else too. We should have a lawn party or something, … no, can’t do it, too many projects. It’s garden garden garden full time. Lettuce, spinach and peas are planted and up but many seeds must wait until after the last frost (June 10) .
Don’t you love this time of year?
