This magical time of year

 

 Saturday's riches

Watercolour and black marker on watercolour paper

10.5 x 13.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2011

Yes it's hot and I'm not a fan of heat,
but it's hard not to love a day filled with cicadas
singing their high heat song.  The grape tomato
plants in Steven's tiny garden by the basement door are
thriving.  I go out each day and pick tomatoes for my
lunch.  It's paradise.  Up the fence and over the
tomatoes climbs a glorious morning glory -- the
Japanese anemones are ready to send their beautiful,
waxy white flowers up to meet the clouds.  Night
blooming Nicotiana already seem five feet tall and are
stretching -- up, up, up to that sweet summer light.

We went to the farmer's market today -- it was like a
popular summer fair, crowds of people, parking very hard
to find, vibrant music, art events for children, food everywhere,
and some of my old market friends on hand.  The tomato fellow
from Picton sold me a box and then kept putting more tomatoes
in the bag.  So kind.  I bought small garden carrots, a huge sweet
onion, and a jar of plum jam.  At the market the small open
sample jar of plum goodies was hosting a great sampling party to
 a dozen neighbourhood bees.  And they loved it.

So that was the day -- quintessential August.  Here is a little
painting I did of the kitchen table with the beautiful big tomatoes
sitting on an antique glass cake stand, on top of the Joy of
Cooking.  Our own nasturtiums and pansies and a scattering
of our own grape tomatoes finish off the story.  Some of the colours
have been changed I confess.

Have a loving-the-end-of-summer day.