Summer Watch

Another trip around the sun and we're back and ready for summer! There is something very pleasing about the cyclical march of seasons through the year. Each season is unique across the four seasons, and decidedly unique from year to year.

Summer represents freedom to me, with its long days and warm, mild weather. Favorite past times include spending time outdoors, hiking (especially near the water), travelling, hanging out on the patio with my family, and exploring new things. It's also a great time to mix up the dinner menu, swapping out hearty meals for lighter fare with lots of fruits and vegetables and barbecue.

Birds are busy nesting this time of year, and stop for a quick bite

Join me in the garden to watch plants and critters go through their life cycles, and to count down to the summer solstice! 

Summer Watch

I'm back in the Bay Area after six weeks in beautiful Southeast Alaska! The contrast is remarkable. In Alaska, we were experiencing a very cool, slow spring, with summer a long way off. Now back in the Bay Area, spring has run its course and is ready to launch into summer. Perennials and annuals are in full bloom, the trees have leafed out, and the temperature highs range from the mid-60 to mid-70℉.

Beautiful morning light and flowers foretell summer is coming

We're on summer watch in anticipation of the summer solstice in several weeks. Some weeding and trimming are needed in the landscape, and I have a list of  seeds and starters to plant in containers and the raised bed. These activities are a pleasure when the weather is so beautiful and the days are so long. Summer is not all work though—expect a lot of lounging on the patio, firing up the grill, and goofing off!

Three Seasons of Sunsets in Juneau, Alaska

I've been in Juneau, Alaska for three seasons now (late spring, summer, and early fall), as my folks, siblings, and I navigate new seasons of life. My husband is holding down the fort in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with our son who is navigating his own transition to a new season of life and Dakota the Husky. It has been difficult to be apart, but I've enjoyed spending more time with my folks and siblings in Southeast Alaska. 

One pleasure has been experiencing the beautiful sunsets here in Juneau. My folks have a wonderful view of the Chilkat Mountains down channel, and the sunsets are spectacular. Here is a sampling of those experiences!

Spring Sunset in Juneau, Alaska

The front yard looked like a meadow for this late spring sunset. With plenty of rain and longer days, the grass and native flowers grow like lightening (until they are tamed with a good mowing). The puffy clouds and angle of the sun made for some lovely sunsets.

Summer Sunset in Juneau, Alaska

Sunsets in late summer are often tinged with fiery reds and oranges. This may be due to wildfires in the Interior of Canada and Alaska, dust in the air, or simply the angle of the sun, but it makes for some dramatic sunsets.

Fall Sunset in Juneau, Alaska

As we ease into early fall, the sunsets become more understated, but just as beautiful. The muted grays, blues, and greens are tinged with golden light. Needless to say, the sunsets appear earlier and earlier as the days shorten dramatically.

 

Summer in Alaska

There us nothing sweeter than summer in Alaska! The days are long - the sun starts to rise around 3:30 AM and sets around 10:30 PM, with long stretches of twilight during the process. When it is sunny, folks drop their ordinary plans and schedules and get outside to enjoy the long days. A week-long stretch of sunshine means non-stop gardening, hiking, boating, and exploring (sometimes a day or two of rain are welcome after that)!

View down channel from the front porch (Chilkat range in the distance)

I've been enjoying the big sky and grand view down Gastineau Channel, from the front porch and big windows in the house that Mom and Dad built. I've also been enjoying working in the yard to weed and clip the foliage. It's a great excuse to be out in nature and soak in a little Vitamin D.

The house that Mom and Dad built

The growing season for flowers is pretty short here in Southeast Alaska. Flowers come fast and furious, as they go through their reproductive cycles. Currently a drift of yellow Day Lilies and a swath of Alaska Daisies are putting on a show in the side yard.

A swath of Alaska Daisies in the side yard

There is nothing sweeter than summer in Alaska! Seeing the summer beauty reminds me Robert Service's description of summer in the Yukon, in The Spell of the Yukon:

The summer—no sweeter was ever;

   The sunshiny woods all athrill;

The grayling asleep in the river,

   The bighorn asleep on the hill.

The strong life that never knows harness;

   The wilds where the caribou call;

The freshness, the freedom, the farness—

   O God! how I’m stuck on it all.

Summer Watch

We're starting to get some heat spells here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our summers are typically cold, overcast, and damp, with the full force of summer hitting us from August through early October. Still, a stretch of warm sunny days during the traditional summer months is always a welcome change.  Roses start to bloom this time of year, announcing the change of seasons. Opinions may vary, but I think this rosy pink color is the perfect shade of rose. 

Roses are a proclamation of summer

While we're on summer watch and counting down the days until the summer solstice, check out these summer roses: Roses at Bishop Ranch and Summer Details at Filoli.

Summer Heat at Filoli

Over the last decade, my Aunt Char and I have visited Filoli in Woodside, California in all four seasons and at Christmas. The gardens, grounds, and home are always beautiful, stately and inspiring, and there is always something new to see. We recently visited Filoli in the midst of a summer heat spell to celebrate Aunt Char's birthday. As an added treat, my cousin Chris (of Glam Camper fame), and his wonderful wife, Nancy, were in town and joined us on the expedition. On the day we visited, staff and volunteers were preparing for an evening fundraising gala, so we caught glimpses of the preparation throughout our visit.

Grand entrance with begonia containers and party preparations

Ready for our house and garden tour

The temperature hovered in the low nineties, so we were in shade-seeking mode throughout our visit. We lingered within the house for our self-guided tour and enjoyed the decorating changes since our last visit to Filoli for the holidays in 2019, and the beautiful floral arrangements from the gardens. Chris and Nancy pointed out some interesting details about the unique woodwork that appears throughout the house. We also appreciated the cooler temperature and relief from the midday sun. 

A shady spot close to the house

Enjoying the architecture from a shady bench

The grounds were beautiful in layered shades and textures of green. Begonias, coneflowers, and hydrangeas were blooming in full force when we visited, and the dahlias were just ramping up.

Sunken Garden

Garden House

Shady terrace with begonias in containers

The Garden House is one of my favorite buildings. It would be the perfect space to savor my morning coffee and read the newspaper and periodically enjoy the landscape through the arched windows. For our visit, we enjoyed a break from the sun and the beautiful views of the garden.

Garden House is a favorite place

A shady respite in Garden House

By the time we  toured the Cutting, Vegetable, and Production Gardens, the sun was not as high in the sky and a marine breeze was stirring. Resting in the shade to survey the beauty was still part of our strategy.

View of the Wedding Terrace

Hydrangeas of all colors

The hydrangeas were so beautiful and colorful! The flower color is partially determined by the soil's pH (acidic soil yields blue or lavender, and alkaline soil yields pinks and reds). The gardeners must modify the soil to produce such a variety of color. (We had time to ponder this on the shady path). 

Black-eyed Susan flowers

View towards Crystal Springs Reservoir from the High Place

My husband, Rick, joined us at Fentons Creamery and Restaurant for dinner and ice cream creations, and conversation about our visit to the garden. The atmosphere at Fentons was very festive that night, with lots of birthday celebrations (we fit right in with Aunt Char's birthday). Later we regrouped at our home for conversation in the cool of the evening. What a great day, filled with beauty and wonderful people!

Summer Evenings

Summer evenings are fairly chilly here in the San Francisco Bay Area, but sometimes we get a short heat spell where the evenings are wonderfully balmy. Regardless of the temperature, the sunsets are fantastic this time of year (possibly due to brush fires burning nearby).

Summer Sunset at Jack London Square (photo by Rick Quisenberry)

We enjoyed this sunset recently at Jack London Square while celebrating a birthday with a large and daunting number. Hope you're enjoying some summer outings, summer evenings, and summer sunsets wherever you are!

Back to Work in San Ramon

For the last month, I've been working in the office two days a week, and working in my home office three days a week. The commute to San Ramon is still lighter than it was two and a half years ago, and only a handful of folks come to the office on my chosen days. This makes for a gentle "re-entry" into the more rigorous schedule of yore. I'm sure this will change over time, even with the new flexible schedules that many major corporations are offering.

Lunch by the lake

In the meantime, it's been fun to reconnect with friends and colleagues that I haven’t seen for a couple of years, and to see a few new faces. I have also visited some of my favorite places in the business complex, such as the library, cafeteria, and cat walk (with its 360 degree views), and resumed my afternoon walks around the lake and grounds. Everything is beautifully landscaped and maintained as always, and so far the temperature has been surprisingly comfortable, even though San Ramon is typically 10 degrees hotter than Oakland.

Lounge (and work?) by the lake

Despite losing work time for commute time, I'm enjoying getting out of the house and broadening my horizons again. And I'm enjoying the changes that expand the parameters of where and when you can work. Wi-fi has been extended at the office, so you can work anywhere it reaches. Hmm ... I wonder if it extends out to the lounge chairs in that shady spot under the willows by the lake!

Summer Time

It's summer time! Things are opening up here in the San Francisco Bay Area after a very long year (plus) of sheltering in place. Slowly we're emerging from under our rocks into the bright sun, and from our cocoons ready to spread our wings. Traffic is heavier, some offices have opened, the neighborhood resounds with home projects. Here is a mix of summer images to kick off the season.  

Containers

Instant Pot Lemonade

New Perspectives

Exploring

Puzzle Fun

Shadow Play

Summer Fruit

Summer Dyeing

Red Birds

Yellow Bird

It's time to resume our favorite activities and enjoy life away from home again (with some prudent caution). Let the summer begin!

Is it Summer Yet?

After months of sheltering in place, where the days seem to flow in a uninterrupted stream of sameness, it's hard to fathom that summer is finally here! Sure we've passed the usual milestones of Memorial Day weekend, Summer Solstice, and the end of (home) school for the summer. We've had some really hot weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area, interrupted by stretches of cool marine weather. But it's hard to feel that "summer vibe" without the usual parade of summer outings, vacation plans, and gatherings.

Still, we're ready for more lazy days of summer, and an opportunity to redefine what summer means  in new and creative ways.

Fireworks from afar	Old school transportation
Recalling family reunions	Savoring the view
The beauty of nature	Welcoming a new family member
Celebrating old friends	Summer refreshment
Outdoor projects	Container gardening

It may not be a "normal" summer this year, but it is still a good time to enjoy your yard or nature, try some new summer recipes, read some good books, and find ways to connect with family, friends, and neighbors!

Summer Containers

Container gardens thrive this time of year in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's hard to beat a container or group of containers of bright summer annuals in the dead heat of summer. With daily watering, a little deadheading, and fertilizing periodically, you can keep your containers fresh and blooming for weeks!

Containers in the early morning

I planted these petunias a month ago in preparation for my sister's visit to the Bay Area (see Two Sisters, 48 Hours). Supporting the white and pink petunias are purple salvias, white alyssum, and an unnamed purple "Annual" (the milky fluid it produces when deadheaded reminds me of milkweed).

Petunias, salvia and alyssum

The variety of pots provides extra interest, including several lovely terracotta pots with white patina, a blue glazed ceramic pot, and a deep green plastic pot.

The simplicity of white flowers in a terracotta pot

I enjoy the morning ritual of watering, deadheading, and looking for tiny green petunia budworms that love to eat their way through the petals. Nature!

More Lazy Daze of Summer

Welcome to the kick off to summer! We've passed all the usual milestones – Memorial Day in late May, the summer solstice a couple of weeks ago, and the kids out of school for summer break. We've had some hot days here in the San Francisco Bay Area, but relieved by our wonderful temperate weather. And everyone enjoys the extra daylight that extends into evening.

We're ready for the "lazy daze of summer"! Enjoy this gallery of favorite summer images.

Bishop Lake Marina	San Ramon Pool
Shadow Play	Patriotic Dreams
Salmon on the Grill	Pink Wine on the Patio
Borage Flower Ice Cubes	Car Wash Fun
Panicle Hydrangea	Gooseberry Blossom

Enjoy the extra hours of light doing something you love, whether working in the garden, gathering with friends and family, travelling to parts unknown, or exploring what is already around you with a fresh perspective. Happy summer daze!