Everything but the Dandelions

Here are some shots from this evening, cleverly trying to avoid the untidy lawn full of dandelions. It's very embarassing, but the lawn shall have a haircut tomorrow. RLM has promised.

The rose bush is just starting to grow some foliage. I'd call that a bit tardy!

Otherwise, the air is a bit smoky here, though not enough to smoke out the bugs. I flew over northeast Saskatchewan today, noticing at least three fires. Back at the airport, I also noticed that several water bombers were missing from their regular parking spots. There was a moderate sized fire with a large grey mushroom cloud rising from it northwest of La Ronge. It's the season of fire again.

Tulips in the large raised bed:

The summer of 2006 brought fires that forced evacuation of people with respiratory disease. Rather non-reassuringly, we were told that as critical health care workers, we wouldn't be allowed to leave until the hospital was burning down (or something to that effect). I envisioned us paddling away from the ashes of town in a canoe. While I don't think it would ever come to that, I have the feeling that I'd be taking the family dog and leaving town far before that point.

Seed heads of Pulsatilla vulgaris (pasque flower):

At least the fires can kill off the plague of spruce beetles. Yeah, those BC people used to think that their pine beetles would be killed off by cold winters. Our winters are brutal, yet the forest-destroying spruce beetle marches on.

Seedlings of something growing around my potted tomato.

I threw some compost in here, so it could be anything we ate in the past six months. I'll tempted to grow one and find out what mystery plant we have here. I'm guessing a cucumber.

"Tumbling Tom" cherry tomato looking fabulous and sporting some nice little tomatoes: