I am on 'vacation' this week--taking time off before starting a new job next week. Mark took two weeks off during the first part of July and spent his time building a walk-in cooler as well as 'playing' in the greenhouses and gardens. Today was the day I proclaimed that I would go 'somewhere'--maybe Mt. Rainier or the ocean. But when it came to the decision, I really just wanted to stay here on the farm. it's a cloudy day--perfect for planting--just me and my dog Max and 120 lettuce and broccoli plants to go in the ground. The farm is like being on a hike and camping trip without the crowds and with great kitchen and bathroom amenities. I fixed one of my favorite meals--mixed greens stir fried with a little onion, bacon fat (yep--I use it occasionally!), red pepper and lemon juice. And, just like any good resort vacation, I'll spend time on the deck in a lounge chair reading a book. 
This past week, Mark picked the first cucumbers and zucchini--a 5-gallon bucket of each. He said it was the best time he has had in a long time. Thus begins the MASSIVE harvest of zucchini, cucumbers, and very other vegetable we have planted. Last year, I nearly went crazy trying to pick it all and use it or find someone who could use it. Thankfully, we have CSA boxes this year which provide a wonderful end point for many of these vegetables. That said, I will continue my path of learning to let go when some vegetables don't get eaten by somebody. 

One of the most interesting things about living here is the people who stop in because they are somehow connected or intrigued by the story of George and Isabella Bush. On Monday evening, we took our 21-year old daughter to the airport--she was flying to Kenya where she will live for a year. We returned to a beautiful, peaceful evening and immediately went to work for some de-stressing from an emotion-packed time in preparing for this day of separation. I picked the shell peas and thought it would be nice to sit on the deck, shell peas, and watch the sun go down with a glass of wine. We heard voices down at the end of the driveway, so Mark went to check and brought back an African American gentleman we had never met before. Come to find out, he is a history buff and was on his way back from Portland to Tacoma and decided to stop and see where George Bush had lived. He is Gary Boone and we invited him up for a glass of wine and he shared his story of researching the Quaker and native American pieces of Bush's life. Fascinating! He has done work with African American History Museum in Seattle where they have a George Bush display. We look forward to Gary stopping back by soon with his wife.

We have managed to put out vegetables for six weeks of CSA subscriptions--given the ultra-cold wet weather start, I am grateful for a partner (Mark) who continues to pull rabbits out of hats when it comes to vegetables being ready for the boxes. He is completely amazing with skills and wisdom from growing and working in the wholesale nursery industry during his formative and early career years. We reached a milestone here--the last one and done crops were planted when Mark planted the pumpkins and corn last weekend. Now it's the continuous succession plantings and more family and friends like my sister to help with scallions and mom with lettuce and beets. And, I can't leave this week without mentioning Tanner, our adorable great-nephew who has visited for the second time in the nine months he's been on Earth--nothing like a baby and farm animals.