We’ve been enjoying wonderful weather here in my corner of the Upper Midwest. After having some early oppressive heat in late May, with high temperatures in the 90s, things have cooled off into the 80s, with nights in the 50s or 60s. Early summer is a wonderful time.

Our small garden has already passed through the blooming of tulips and bleeding heart. Now some flowers that I can’t name are out - a tall fragrant white flower and a ground-hugging plant with bright red flowers. They were planted by an earlier resident of our home. The clematis has started to show its beautiful red flowers. The hostas are doing well and haven’t yet been attacked by slugs.

The native plants that I put in last fall survived the winter and are gaining strength: the little bluestem grass looks healthy; the maidenhair fern is doing passably well, though it doesn’t seem to like the recent dry weather; and the Lindley’s asters, which bloom in the fall, are slowly getting bigger. A Worden grape vine that we planted at the same time is also finally thriving after some early damage from rabbits. It replaces a morning glory that I decided was too agressive for our little townhouse garden.

Biking around town has been more pleasurable than ever with the nice weather. I’ve especially enjoyed riding in the mild mornings when taking our daughter to daycare or going to church. Picking up our daughter in the afternoon has its own attractions. I swoop down a hill and go right past the busy playground, a notable event in a small person’s day. It’s a nice little boost for me, proof of the accuracy of these lines of the poet W.H. Auden: “it’s easy to secure / The hero worship of the immature.” It’s nice to be a hero, even if it’s only for a moment.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 5th, 2006 at 12:32 pm and is filed under Biking/Walking, Gardening, Minnesota, Weather.