New-ness

It's amazing how quickly things change around here.  I've been gone for almost 2 weeks, and there is so much new-ness at SLI.  The day I left was the first day Hopland (and the greater bay area) started to heat up.  If you recall from the June-uary post (the title says it all), things were pretty dreary.  We were afraid that instead of moving towards summer were going back and reliving the seasons in reverse!  Thankfully, spring finally sprung and not a moment too soon as tomorrow marks the first day of summer.  (Speaking of ... [shameless plug], are YOU attending Summer Solstice tomorrow??)  Anyway ... It's been nothing short of gorgeous up here, and the results of the heat are everywhere.

The garden has officially exploded.  The corn alone doubled in size - as the old saying goes, you want your corn "knee high by the 4th of July."  Umm ... CHECK.  The snap and sugar peas are abundant and our almost-ready-to-eat-but-still-a-little-sour-and-I'll-eat-them-anyway cherries are finally super sweet!  I even spotted a few mulberries working hard to transition from green to purple.

Knee high?  Neck high.

On my way to the office this morning, I walked through the Oaisis and saw that Cassie completed the garden cart.  She fixed up an old, broken fruit cart so that we could sell some of our vegetable starts.  And it looks fabulous.  Shabby chic, if you will.  We hope to sell a number of other homegrown/homemade items as well including fresh organic produce from our garden, all natural lotions and  herbal salves, tea blends, and bouquets of wildflowers.

The Garden Cart

My personal favorite ... or should I say addition ... =  3 goats to the property! We've got a mama and 2 kids.  They're fenced up near the intern village in the shade below a solar array, so we're keeping them nice and cool in the heat.  Not sure what the plans are yet for these guys (pets?  goat milk?  goat cheese?  Mmm all of the above please.)  No, we haven't named them yet, but if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment.  Priority will be given to those who suggest names that rhyme with Kathryn.

Mama on the right.  I think they're smiling for the camera.  

The runt of the group trying to give me a kiss