Brussel Sprouts, Anyone?

Perhaps I should have planted only one bush of brussel sprouts, instead of four. One or two squash vines, instead of six.

This summer is so drastically different from last year, I couldn't help myself. With almost two months of little rainfall and near-constant sunshine, Alaskan gardens (and their gardeners) are singing and dancing in their rows.

I think today is the first day in a long time where it is chilly (only 65 degrees) and cloudy. Bear and I spent the morning playing with friends at a local elementary school and then took care of the errands we have neglected while the sun shone, much like other Alaskans who fear any time lost by mundane tasks during sunny days.

For those who wonder what vegetables are sprouting in the Kirkland garden, we have those brussel sprouts, purple potatoes, squash, beets, a few raspberry canes, four or five kale plants, and tons of strawberries. I have taken a lesson from my father and planted vegetables in the flower beds; interesting and productive.

We're headed to Homer, our home away from home, in a few days, where we'll relax at a cabin near the beach.