Happy Summer from Green Genies!
We've made it, friends, we've made it! It is officially summertime! YES!
It's been a cold and rainy slog to get here, but the sun and warmth of summertime has finally won the day. And we are so glad - and we bet that we're not the only ones, either - the honeybees were in a pollen frenzy on the rose bushes this morning, and the dragonflies are flitting about. Plus we are blessed with magical evenings of fireflies. Really, what a stunning season. Make sure you are giving yourself ample chance to enjoy our amazing world in this luscious time of vivacious life.
And yes, we know - sometimes the humidity is overbearing and gross, sometimes the mosquitoes and black flies are a plague, and ticks are terrifying. We don't always live with rose-colored glasses on. But to miss out on the incredible beauty is as close to a sin as we can figure, so put on some bug juice before you head out and be tick smart - brush yourself off after being out in the woods, and do a thorough tick check before bed! As for the humidity, well, not too much you can do about that one... be super grateful when it passes, though!
Is your garden starting to do amazing things? We have been harvesting SO much lettuce - picking a salad every day! (A great tip we found was to harvest by cutting single leaves, one or two per plant - the plants rebound faster than the standard cut-and-come-again method!) The super rainy spring made it a pretty rough year for slugs...but picking off slugs and bugs is a big part of keeping an organic, pesticide free garden, and still totally worth it!
Seriously, though, there is just nothing better than eating fresh from your garden. It's still not too late to grow some green goodness for yourself if you haven't gotten anything going - pop a few basil or mint plants in some pots! You'll thank yourself as you make your Caprese salad or Mint Juleps later in the season. (And don't think you can't Caprese if you're not doing cheese - a quick search will yield all sorts of tasty vegan suggestions for this hot weather favorite - use avocado, or just get some Miyoko's fresh mozz!)
Another great thing about it being summer is that it's the perfect time for sun tea! Check out this post from our sister company Tidy Thyme for some tips on how to make this super easy and delicious beverage using the power of the sun! We'll have a post coming up soon that has some of our favorite summertime drinks, so stay tuned for that.
So go get out and enjoy the green, glowing exuberance of summer! Feel yourself full of life, dear birds, and take a moment every now and then to breathe in the joy of being alive.