Garden blessings and a reminder to enjoy them "in the now"--

Green beans! Last year, due to the incredibly wet summer, we didn't harvest beans until fall. Yesterday, I was out and about, poking through the garden boxes, and I was shocked to see a full picking-worth of beans! Literally just a few days ago, there were only blossoms. Clearly, the warm weather and soaking rain has made the beans happy. 

Tomatoes! I have a nice handful of cherry tomatoes, with promises of so many more; I planted several varieties, and as I walked by the garden box, I lost count of the fat, green fruits. The plants are already well over five feet tall, too, so it's a pleasant jungle. 

There are baby cukes on the vine, G's squash garden is burgeoning, and the fruit trees are laden with fruit. I have never seen so many pears. And those trees are over 40 feet tall, so likely we'll have to leave some fruit to the winds and the birds. The berries are popping, too-- I love going outside and coming in with handfuls of blueberries or raspberries. 

This is what summer harvesting is like, or at least, should be. I don't plant enough to "put by," so we gorge while and if it comes in. I think there will be enough tomatoes to make some sauce, though, so that will be a nice reminder in the colder months of the fruits of summer. And if the pear and apple harvest is as good as it looks like it will be, I will have apple and pear sauce in the freezer as well. I don't can; I don't have the space to store it. But the freezer holds plenty, and I don't mind putting away a little for later. 

Before summer ends, I have to make some strawberry jam. We have frozen berries that (I think) will be fine to simmer down, and I have jars. I just need to buy a bag of sugar and some pectin. Things have been too chaotic to even consider it, but I would like to get that done before the end of the summer. If nothing else, if it sets well, it could be a nice centerpiece for Christmas gifts. 

Here I am, thinking of Christmas, and it's still high summer. Why do I do that? My dad always told me not to "wish my life away," and I'm not, really. I just pre-plan well in advance. I like to have the way clear for me to travel on, as much as possible. It's not really pre-worrying (though I do plenty of that), it's more getting rid of obstacles before they show up. Usually, life throws a sinkhole in there, but I try. 

For today, though, I'm going to consider on the bounty I have on the kitchen counter: fresh beans, tomatoes, and fruits. They are, I think, a physical manifestation of the essential tenets of mindful living: enjoy the blessings of today in the present. 

Have a good day,

C