TOP 10 SIGNS OF SUMMER AROUND STONEGABLE

Summer is just around the corner! What a special time of year! Although I am not wild about the high heat and humidity... there is so much about summer to LOVE!!!! 

Here are 10 wonderful signs that summer has come to StoneGable...

10. Shells

You know it's summer when shells appear at StoneGable. Even though we live 1 hours from the nearest beach and 3 to the nearest ocean, decorating with shells is part of summer at StoneGable!

Don't you love starfish?

9. Corn

 It abounds in my area... a big field of corn is a sight to see... and hear. When the wind blows through it it sounds like the rustling of a taffeta ball gown! 

 Corn is a Lancaster County staple for people and for animals.

These pictures were taken from our back porch. Sometimes our home is surrounded on all sides by tall fields of corn. It's really very special!

8. Summer Food

Lancaster County is very agrarian and farm stands pop up everywhere in the summer! That makes seasonal summer cooking a delight!

Not only do I love to cook from garden to table, but I am an avid canner! A couple of my favorites are zucchini relish, all jams and garlic dill pickles!

Last year we had a bumper crop of sour cherries. YUMMY!  Sour cherry jam is Bobby's favorite!

7. Cut Flowers

You can find me most early mornings in my pajamas with a cup of coffee in one hand and a gathering basket in the other... pinching spent flowers and picking others to bring into the house and arrange.

I don't have big formal gardens, but I have enough to always have cut flowers in the house from spring until late fall.

6. Parades

I wish everyone could come to the Strasburg Memorial Day Parade just once! It is the ultimate slice of Americana! 

It is so honoring to all our American servicemen and women and our precious fallen soldiers.

It is a time honored tradition in our family... breakfast at my mother's (she lives in Strasburg), a short walk to the parade route with flags in hand , wearing poppies and cheering on our neighbors and military as they go past in the parade!

5. Potting Bench

Bobby got me the potting bench for Mother's day several years ago. It is very simple, yet one of my favorite things.

Here's where I have raised "puttering" to an art form! 

4. Porch Sitting

Since we have a wrap around porch at StoneGable we do a whole lot of porch sitting... and so does everyone else who comes to visit. 

There is something wonderful about rocking and swinging on a porch. I think it's good for the soul!

3. Garden Flowers

I'm always amazed at how the flowers take their turn and come up year after year! It's like greeting an old friend! I am a garden flower girl.... give me a bouquet of flowers plucked from a garden over a big bouquet of hot house roses any day!

My favorites are zinnias... I think they are the happiest flowers of the summer!

2. VEGGIE GARDEN

This is where I am happiest in the summer! My favorite time to be in the garden is in the evening. Bobby and I work together, coaxing our little garden to produce beautiful organic veggies for our table and for others too!

 My favorite summer gift to give is a basket of garden veggies!

1. FLAGS

We are a very patriotic lot here! We are crazy about this country! So we are so proud to fly the red, white and blue!!!

And we fly Old Glory and our state flag in front of our home all summer long.

Summer begins by flying our Flag!

I have shared my TOP 10 with you... now what are 10 signs of summer where you live?