The summers first salad

What could be more beautiful than the years first salad? Fresh picked from the garden, the variety of lettuces can be picked and laid out in the most wonderful arrangement.

The purple romaine has a bit of a spicy bite to it and is said to be an excellent cancer fighting food. The top layer are baby spinach leaves. Sandwiched in between the two are a variety of other lettuces.

I choose lettuces that look interesting from the seed packets or at the garden store. I often don't even remember their names. I sprinkle them in the lettuce plot together and let them do what they will. I have never been disappointed in the end result. And planting much close than the packets recommend, I prefer my 'don't follow the planting rules' result. The lettuce grows tight, like a little edible lawn. Because it's grown tight it rarely gets dirty even when it rains.

Most would recommend you wash your lettuce first, but we usually just eat it. I know what's in my garden, and anyway, a little dirt is good for you :-) Keeps the swine flu away.

Speaking of Dandelions...

Our neighbors lawnmower broke, so his yard looks like this. All those yellow dandelions have gone to seed, and I assume will be blowing right into my garden (ugh). Yet, I still find the seed filled field beautiful, like a marshmallow field. And I couldn't help but think, if I dug all of those plants up and roasted the roots, that I'd have dandelion coffee for a year. But I doubt I'll get that energetic.

Back on the Water

After several days of steady rain, it was finally nice enough to get back on the water. I don't mind kayaking in a light drizzle, but in steady downpours? Not so much fun.

This am, besides ducks and geese of various sorts (those ducks I could not identify, by the way, are mixed breed escapee farm ducks, that explains that), anyway... I saw 2 Mink!

The first mink was strolling up the road this morning, apparently he knows little about traffic and could care less anyway, but no cars came by and he made it around the bend safely, and hopefully, to where ever his final destination was. Hubby says this is the time of year parents boot out the young males and send them packing, so I assume, this little dude was off to find his own pad and a chick to breed with.

The second mink was hanging about the creek bank when I paddled by. Like the one I saw this morning, neither scurried, both just went about their business and paid no attention to me.

In picture 2, you'll see our resident alligator. Of course we don't have alligators in PA, but every time I round the bend toward home, this log in the water looks to me like an alligator in waiting.