Summer's upon us

We've opened three out of four transoms and part of the sleeping porch, and there are some fans in some windows. We're quite well acclimated, since we've recently been to two tent circuses (Zoppe Italian Family Circus and Circo Hermanos Vazquez), one conjunto fest, and one outdoor concert in the Capitol grounds (Ramon Ayala). Last night there were enough yellow wax beans from the garden for a feast and what's probably the last of the English peas. There are still many, many sweet peas. Yellow summer squashes are forming. So are figs. There continue to be yellow cherry tomatoes. We see the occasional monarch butterfly. Other yards have lots of rain lilies; we've had just one, but, then, we don't have an irrigation system and don't do that much hose-end watering, either. Self-sown Bright Lights cosmos are very showy and so are trailing nasturtiums. Not every flower has been mentioned, but we're lucky that it has stayed so cool so long this year and that showers have occurred when most needed.