Harvest time has begun in the garden... well... we've been enjoying things all summer long out of the garden of course, but the real, in earnest season of harvest is upon us now.  Even though it is still August, Fall is dancing around the door with whispers of cool air in late evenings and early mornings that speak of the days coming when summer will have said its goodbyes. 

In my last post, I mentioned that there was a fire that started just over the ridge from our home.  I wanted to share a few more pictures and stories about the fire that thankfully has been just about completely contained, but in the beginning, we did not know how it would go. 

With the heat that we've been having here in the northwest, it makes you understand why the heat of summer is often referred to the "dog days of summer".  Because really, the heat just makes you tired! I love the cool mornings and evenings, and tend to seek out the cooler air in my home during the heat of the day.  But despite the hot days we've continually had for months now, we are finding ways to get out and enjoy the beautiful world around us.  Finally too, my garden has adjusted to the heat and abundant sunshine, and now things that love heat and sun are growing in abundance... come along with me and see what's happening in my world these days... :) 

Sunset in the garden with a beautiful moonrise.

Petunias hanging out with my plate glass flower

Drying lavender... what an incredibly delightful smell!

Harvesting my turnip

Our favorite way to eat turnip is roasted with other veggies in some olive oil.

Guess who loved the turnip greens?

Early morning walks when it is a bit cooler.

One morning the clouds worked really hard, and we got some rain! It wasn't much, but it appreciated so much!

Smoky skies create really amazing photo opportunities with the sun!

We went camping for a couple of nights close by home. No fires allowed!

We enjoyed sitting outside and listening to the creek.  The stars were hidden under the smoky layers.

Percolated coffee is the best!

We missed having a campfire, but having the propane cook stove was a great substitute.

The little creek we camped beside.

Exploring all around our campsite, and crossing nature's bridge :)

We took the dogs down to where the creek had a bit of a dam, and enjoyed wading in the cold waters.

Huckleberries!

We found a great huckleberry patch, and Annie decided it was a good place to take a nap!

Our huckleberry treasures! I'd say we picked about a gallon of them.

Both Annie and Riley decided they liked huckleberries, and we taught them how to pick them for themselves!

We found some wild elderberries that were ripe too. I left those for the birds.

It's always fun to drive on the old logging trails.

Cooked steaks, fried potatoes, corn on the cob and fresh avocado for dinner. Campfire meals are the best, but the propane stove did a great job too.

When we got home... fresh huckleberries with vanilla ice cream... what a treat!

In my garden at sunset... the loveliest time of the day!

My knockout rosebush is loving the heat!

My sunflowers are growing wildly too... and seem quite happy with the heat as well.

Front row seats to the best sunset show in town... via my garden :)

The sunset was so enrapturing to watch... but this sweet sunflower standing head and shoulders above the rest, seems to give the sunset a bit of a challenge, don't you think?

As sunsets do... this one gave its best and brightest at the very end... oh it was truly magnificent to see! It was as if the skies were on fire!

The garden is growing by leaps and bounds. Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, squash, corn, potatoes and beans are getting closer to harvesttime.  Usually, we don't begin to see much of a harvest until late August, but things are quite early this year, thanks to the heat we are having, and so the next few weeks will be exciting as we begin to harvest goodies from the garden.  There is no rain in our forecast at all, and the world around us is quite crispy brown and dried up. I am thankful that we still have no fires nearby, and for the amazing work the firefighters are doing to keep the fires contained. Most of the smoke we get is from other places. I've heard that smoke has been reaching clear across to the east side of the United States, and I am sorry that other people are having to deal with the smoke also. For the last few days, the smoke has lifted, and we have had clearer skies, for which I'm very thankful. 

Update: I was about to publish this post last Thursday afternoon, when my husband called and said he had seen a plume of smoke in the mountains, not far from us.  Soon after, we began hearing planes flying overhead, and it turned into everyone's worst nightmare. The fire began in a steep ridge not easy to gain access to, and early responders were unable to get a handle on the fire, and air support was immediately called in.  Soon, evacuations were being sent out, but thankfully, the fire began to move north and east of us.  We are going to be okay, and will not have to evacuate, but so many of our friends were in evacuation zones. Thankfully the amazing air support we received for this fire was astounding, and homes and structures are not in danger, at the present time, from this fire. Of course, we know all that can change with any weather incidents, so we remain with our bags packed and ready to go, if need be, but for now, we are just so very thankful that we have some of the best firefighting teams in the world here protecting us. I appreciate your prayers for this area, and that we would get some much needed rain! Blessings to all :)