Back in the groove

Well, I've had the two days of sunshine – although the gardens did not need the half inch of rain they got during the dark Saturday night/Sunday morning. And our thermometer hit 80 degrees – although it was in the sun. But we haven't had that in more than a month, so it counts.

We did pick a meal's worth of peas for four people. The vines are looking good, with a lot of flat pods, so if the constante rain is over we could have a good crop.

Our strawberries are totally gone by. But they are picking at Maxwell's down the road from us, so I can buy strawberries whenever I want for the next couple of weeks.

I did weed through the vegetable garden. Tomatoes, peppers, beans and cucumbers are going to be late. And the flower gardens are in a less than bountiful phase. Nancy had to cut what she considers marginal flowers for our weekly bouquets, but they all looked good to me.

Sunday's column was a minor holiday for me.  On June 7 I listed my half-dozen must-have perennials and asked people to send me their offerings. Patricia Harrington of Cumberland Foreside and Lynne Doyle of South Portland sent me some, and I used those as my column.