The clouds were beautiful this morning,
perhaps mainly in their strangeness for midsummer,
but in themselves, too.
I saw a bird flying in the light shining through, and then it “flew away” and was gone. A few raindrops fell on my head, but soon all cleared and it was sunny and warm, the kind of summer day that brought a blanket of sleepiness to lay over me, and pretty much forced me to lie on my bed, to fall asleep after reading Wendell Berry.
But before that, I was in the garden pushing around among the leaves of the pole beans to discover that the Spanish Musica are getting big! They are flattish green beans. A friend and I ate raw the only two that seemed too big to leave hanging… but afterward I thought that perhaps I should have let them go a little longer, to see just how big they might get.
My bean project has become an international event, what with Oregon Blue Lakes, Spanish Musica, and now Japanese beetles arriving on the scene. 😦
I find it the hardest thing to be in the garden and not try to take more pictures of bees! I never think about the time it will take to sort and crop and organize all those shots… I will never be known for my clean floors, but maybe someone will appreciate my legacy of bee photos.
I kneeled on the walkway in front to get close to the humming action, and marveled at the number of bees working close together. They are camouflaged among the blooms that have faded, so in the photo below I zoomed in and circled the ones I could make out.
And here is a wider view of where I sat, between the hedges of germander that is the species Teucrium chamaedrys. If total strangers weren’t walking by to see me, I would be tempted to stretch out on the warm pavers to revel at leisure and more intimately in all the sweet and flowery humming!
In the back garden, they are at the lavender, yarrow, lambs ears…
And on the oregano!
When the bees are happy in my garden, I feel that at least something is right in the world, and I’m humbled to be a participant.
The day is done now, it’s actually cold, and dark. The honeymakers have stopped working for a few hours. I will sleep, too, and be glad to see you again tomorrow, my little bee friends.
Gladsome Lights 
Your garden is looking absolutely beautiful! I love the contrast between the purple and the grey out the front. Oh, the happy and contented buzzing of bees…..
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I especially like the last photo. Now, I’m pondering your comment about the “cold.” I think I remember cold — but I’m not sure!
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Linda, I had a strange feeling as I sat with the marine and chilly air pouring on me through the door screen, that it was barely possible to finish writing about the exquisitely summery day from that sensual distance!
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I am in love with your germander! You have some wonderful blooms happening front and back at your lovely home. Thanks for sharing. I know the bees are happy and pollen laden after visiting your place.
Have a great weekend ~ FlowerLady
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Enjoying your blog!
M. Seraphima
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Sounds like a very pleasant summer day! 🙂 Oh, go ahead and lay down on the sidewalk, lol..
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Yesterday I gently touched an artichoke flower that was falling across a sidewalk up the hill from us and several bees promptly flew out and introduced themselves before going back deep into the purple filaments. I thought of you.
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How lovely your garden looks! The bees must be overwhelmed with all the blooms to choose from. Unfortunately we have few bees this year and I’ve taken to using a Q-tip to try to pollinate the tomatoes.
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I have to limit myself because I could do nothing but take pictures of bees. I love taking pictures of them, and I love the idea of you just laying on the sidewalk so you could listen to them. I think I would have. Cold really? How nice, it so hot here, you know how hot it gets here in the summer. Huge thunderheads over the mountains. Your flowers are just breath taking. You have such an awesome garden. Well time to go out and take care of chickens. Poor things. Have a lovely Sunday.
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Striking pictures. I wanted to keep on looking. But when I turned away, it was certain word images that stayed with me,
so, I collected a few and arranged them, the way some do with flowers:
THIS MORNING
The clouds were beautiful this morning,
in their strangeness for midsummer,
but in themselves, too.
I saw a bird flying in the light
shining through.
Between the hedges of germander
I marveled at the number of bees working
close together, camouflaged
among the blooms that have faded,
On the warm pavers
I reveled at leisure and more
intimately in all the sweet
and flowery humming.
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Well – !
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Beautiful! So different from what grows here. Similarly I have been picking the first okra. Incredibly hot here but the zinneas are over three feet tall. I love summer.
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Everything is absolutely stunning, Gretchen. Those bees! Those beans! All of those lovely flowers! And you should lie down and take it all in. Thanks for sharing.
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