It is always a little amazing how quickly the summer months change around here; I think it is because so much is trying to grow so fast.  Still, this year has been flying past at a ridiculous rate.

The trees this year are all still a mid summer green, probably because despite the heat, we have had enough water.  But there are the first shades of olive, and on over-stressed plants, yellow-red. The roadside, where it wasn’t mown, is in its full glory: dusk blue and pink chicory, ivory Queen Anne’s lace, the old gold of the black-eyed susans and goldenrod, the bright gold of the Jerusalem artichoke, the dusk purple Joe-Pye weed.  The wood aster now has visible flower buds clustered and waiting.  The old standard hydrangea has slowly, almost reluctantly, been unfolding its ivory blossoms.  The hayfield is rapidly regrowing, they probably will get a second cut, for it has gone from a baked brown to a lush green.

Now if only my tomatoes would get their act together and actually do something….