Another sign it’s Summer #phenology

Today we made our last pickup of our CSA’s spring greens season. Included in the box were:

• ASIAN GREENS MIX
• ASPARAGUS
• KALE BUNCHES
• MIRLO LETTUCE LEAVES
• RHUBARB and
• TATSOI

Midsummer shares begin July 8, so until then we’ll depend on local grocers for fresh veggies. As we were leaving the farm, we spotted a whitetail doe and her fawn crossing the gravel road. Few things in life are cuter than puppies or young fawns. This fawn was the second one we’ve seen in the last two days. Yesterday evening, at the wet spot behind the house, we noticed a whitetail doe standing there while her fawn was nursing. It is reassuring to see youngsters in the wild providing a promise there may be future generations.

whitetail doe nursing fawn

Photo by J. Harrington

We noticed during this morning’s dog walk that the penstemon flower buds are shaping up. Pink blossoms should appear any day now. A few of the goat’s beard flowers have begun to open. Vetch is growing and beginning to produce purple flowers. All in all it looks so much like a normal June that it’s hard to believe what else is going on in the world.

The Fawn

By Mary Oliver

Sunday morning and mellow as precious metal
The church bells rang, but I went
To the woods instead.

A fawn, too new
For fear, rose from the grass
And stood with its spots blazing,
And knowing no way but words,
No trick but music,
I sang to him.

He listened.
His small hooves struck the grass.
Oh what is holiness?

The fawn came closer,
Walked to my hands, to my knees.

I did not touch him.
I only sang, and when the doe came back
Calling out to him dolefully
And he turned and followed her into the trees,
Still I sang,
Not knowing how to end such a joyful text,

Until far off the bells once more tipped and tumbled
And rang through the morning, announcing
The going forth of the blessed.

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