Local patch 44

Midsummer's day has passed and, meteorologically speaking, it's all downhill now! These are peaceful days of plenty. Hedgerows are buzzing and thrumming. Soft evenings are spiked with the scent of Dog rose and Honeysuckle. In the fruit garden we gather a quick harvest of early berries and  currants, but there is plenty to share with the birds. The last rhubarb goes into a cheesecake with ginger biscuit base and the house is sweet with jam making.  I love the rows of jewel bright jars, stacked and labelled: summer bottled for another year. On a short, dark day later in the year, we will crack open a jar and let the sunshine spill out, full of lazy promise.