Summer musings-  "To create a garden is to search 

  for a better world..."   

 

So far this summer, I have not spent as much time in the back yard as I usually do or would like to do.  But yesterday evening, Mark called out "Have you seen the garden lately?"  Putting down the dish towel and slipping on my sandals, I headed out the door and traversed the yard to the garden.  

I was amazed at what I saw.  Sweet corn already waist high.  A forest of basil plants with deep fleshy green leaves.  Stately tomato plants tied up tall.  Cucumbers filling in its patch of dirt with big blooms.  And there was Mark in the midst of it all, hoe in hand, sweaty and dirty but clearly delighted!  

When did all that growth happen?  When did seed turn into plant and how is it that those plants are already offering their bounty with such generosity?   

Before the mosquitoes drove him in, I asked if Mark would harvest a basket of basil leaves for me to turn into pesto.  As I washed them, I was filled with gratitude.  Not wanting to leave one leaf behind after so much effort to grow, I carefully picked out the strays from the strainer.  The pungent smell of basil wedded with garlic filled the kitchen.  It was heavenly. 

Our James Cooke and daughter Laura  (seen here with other participants) completed an amazing benefit run for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Tanglewood Relay Run is a 24-HOUR RELAY RUN !  from Symphony Hall in Boston, MA to Tanglewood in Lenox, MA. There are 30 "legs" of this relay.

The relay is the brainchild of BSO musicians Todd Seeber (bass) and James Cooke (violin) who are both active runners and wanted to show people how close Tanglewood is to Boston. "If we can run to Tanglewood in 24 hours, then anybody can drive 2 hours to enjoy a concert."

 

Runners on teams take turns running the relay over the 24-hour period. The purpose of the relay is twofold, to announce the beginning of the Tanglewood season, as well as to raise money to support education and youth activities held- and organized-by the BSO.