This morning I walked to the neighborhood recreation center with the boys to play with their stomp rocket. We had a lot of fun, until suddenly the grass was itchy and they were hot and/or tired. We headed home to have a cold juice and play in the basement for a while.
After that we made paper fans, played War with a deck of cards, put 
together a puzzle of the world, played with trains, and made some progress on a large Lego project that is a bit too hard for their ages. Two Lego workers had only one tiny walkie-talkie between them, which didn’t bother the toys, but caused the boys to fight over it. I slipped it into my pocket to make peace.
In the afternoon Tom went out back to tend the little garden, and we all joined him. I identified a few plants with my Seek app — Scarlet Bee Balm is a favorite with the bees, who taste its value deep inside the narrow tubes that are its petals, even though the flowers generally look a little worse for wear. I put my nose down close and found that flower to be the sweetest of the collection. I’ve never grown it in my own garden, but I would like to.
One prickly looking plant was the Carolina Horsenettle, Solanum carolinense, not a true nettle but a member of the nightshade family, which has set fruit that looks like tomatoes. Horsenettles are evidently all toxic.
The whole back garden seems to have been planted with bees in mind: anise hyssop and echinacea were attracting three sorts of bees as well, and in the heat, the bees were moving fast. But I managed to take a few pictures!
Gladsome Lights 
Bless you and your time away
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Dear Gretchen, your time there sounds lovely. The echinacea are beautiful!
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Lovely! What a blessing to be so welcome! I can understand why because. . . Well, YOU! 😍
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They have very harsh winters in Washington so I hope they make the best of the summer there.
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Enjoy the trip! It sounds like fun! 🙂
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Oh, I love that description of summer tranquility. You make me want to grow echinacea. And eat under a tent while rain falls.
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Have a wonderful, relaxing time with Kate and her family.
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This sounds like a wonderful holiday for you and a great getaway — yes, far away from your daily life and we need that now and then. Their home sounds lovely with those beautiful flowers and a nice sitting porch. I hope you’ll share more with us!
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It sounds very pleasant, Gretchen. You didn’t mention any wilting humidity, so I guess it’s not as bad there as it is here – although everybody must have AC. Still, you always describe your trips and visits so delightfully.
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I did use the word “damp,” 🙂 and the humidity is a big part of what I like — that is, unless the temperature is over 80 and I have work to do. This week it’s hotter, so we went out in the morning and stayed indoors with the AC otherwise. (That’s when I need a sweater!) At the playground it was lovely at least until 10:00.
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How weird is this…….that these comments would end up here.
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What a serious little gardener. I would not grow Horsenettle anywhere that children could pick those green tomato-looking fruits.
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At least, the plant is off-putting, and the fruits are unripe and not appealing. The family is moving away next week, and leaving the place to renters for three years, so the children won’t have access. Not to mention, these boys have never learned to be adventurous about eating things outdoors… Come to think of it, even my adventurous grandchildren always ask before eating something from field or garden. That is, children older than three or so.
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