A Bit on Yarrow and other June Day Busyness

It is a somewhat pretty day here in Rain Country. The clouds come and go and I expect a little more rain later on today but am hoping it will hold out until my laundry is dry so I do not have to move it all into the green house again. However, it is still nice to have that option of a dry place to hang them, safe from our frequent Rain Country showers.

In the above photo, I have started an early harvest on my yarrow, mostly just to encourage it to get bigger leaves and more flowers for a much bigger harvest later on. Yarrow is one of those often overlooked yet highly medicinal plants. The list of uses this has is very long, I find it difficult to remember all the many properties it has, but it is amazing and that is why I grow it. It is most known for its vulnerary properties, making it great for many skin problems from rashes to burns. I have even made a disinfectant eye wash from it in the past that cured a bad infection in my dog's eye. I will be making it a habit of throwing some into the chicken coop and yard as it also is a great pest repellent for fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and more.

Also shown in the photo are more pansies and lemon balm to dehydrate, my molasses plum water kefir fermenting along, and some organic hard white wheat berries soaking in my homemade vinegar and rain water mix. These I will be draining and drying tomorrow for grinding into flour.

Above is the current view from my deck. Our spring has been so cold and everything has been growing at a snail's pace up until the past few days. It is such a blessing to finally see my grapes taking off, even getting little grape buds all over them. My blueberries are forming nicely - though I am usually picking them by this time of the year, it is certainly better late than never and I still have a lot stored up from last year. The green house, main garden, playhouse and chicken coop can be seen in the background - along with a bit of my laundry. Soon, the grapes and blueberries will be so full, there will be very little of the back yard that can be viewed from this angle.

A new wild pansy I added to my garden this year is just now coming back after being desiccated by our mutant slugs. Just love the vibrant colors in this one:

Chicks are happily pecking around their yard and testing out the herbs, lettuces, and other garden greens I toss to them:

My main potato patch is looking great, though I would have liked to pile more grass clippings and other such on them, I have not been able to produce enough to do so as my yard keeps getting smaller. I should still get a decent harvest. About that time, one should be able to see the beans and squash growing on the arched cattle panel trellis that I truly hope will grow all the way to the top and give me not only plenty of food but more added beauty to my garden:

In this last photo is my biggest goji berry plant that I hope to see berries on this year but do not really expect it. At least the leaves are edible and can be added to salads. My largest catnip plant is off to the right and looking so lovely with its pretty flowers. I am constantly harvesting more each week to encourage bigger leaves and thicker growth. Want to have lots for tinctures and infusions throughout the year:

I do hope that you enjoyed my June day update! Thank you for your time! :D

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