Nature Notes

• Red Moon arises in early evening in the East-South-East. It appears full, but the calendar says the Full Moon is tomorrow.
• Summer is shifting into harvest mode. The Cool Season Plants are at peak or spent. The Warm Season Plants are growing what seems like leaps and bounds every day. Melanie placed at stick by the Orange Glow Watermelon Vine to check its daily growth.
• Tomatoes are beginning to get ripe. We won't need Cucumbers at the Farmer's Market on Saturday because we can see them beginning to come on. Potatoes are coming on. We will likely freeze Peas tomorrow.
• The Peaches on the Peach Tree are hard, but "blushing". I check them almost every time I go by.
• We heard our 1st Cicadas (Locusts).
• The Goldenrod is growing tall but no buds are in sight.
• Some parts of the Meadow look brown with the maturing seeds of the Grasses.
• Black Raspberries are done, Dewberries are in mid-harvest, Blackberry harvest is near.
• We are having our last package of frozen Blackberries 2007 tonight all baked into a Pie. That's in preparation for expected harvest 2008.
• A few Spider Webs have begun to appear on the deck and across the path through the Meadow.
• The 1st nests of birds are probably long past. Richard thinks some may be on 2nd or 3rd nests, and the Goldfinches, who are always late nesters, may have started. Summer is moving on.