Back out on The Urban Porch this morning with Rudi, there is a mild breeze with a tinge of humidity in the air, a lovely place to be until either the sun moves and heats up this side of the house, or when the driller killer mosquitos appear.

In the meantime, I sit here typing, enjoying the view and drinking iced tea with splash of oat milk. The tea was sun-brewed the other afternoon right here on the porch. Usually I make an herbal iced tea, but the last two times it has been regular black tea. This is the second time using this particular brand of tea and the second time it is giving me a weird kind of a buzzy feeling in my face. It’s very odd…… I’m wondering if there is a high caffeine content or what?

The air has been filled with the sound of Northern Cardinal calls. There are a number of bonded pairs throughout the neighborhood. But the primary action lately has really been between two avian gangs, the House Sparrows and The Starlings – almost a West Side Story scenario going on here, The Sharks and the Jets, each claiming their turf with pushy displays of bravado and chutzpah.

The House Sparrows are so emboldened at this point that they barely move out of your way as you are walking. Yesterday the dog almost peed on the head of one of them, a sparrow so busily pecking at something in the grass that it only hopped a mere few inches aside and ignored the stream. They continue to swoop back and forth among the hanging plants, between a second nest they have built on the other side of the porch. There is a give and take, a pushing forward and back on the ground space they occupy with the starlings, the sparrows seriously bossy.

The Starlings are a bit more wary. In vocal groups of five or six, they will hunt for grubs in the yard or on the grass near the sidewalks, but they will keep moving a few yards ahead of you, never letting you get too close. While walking Rudi yesterday, I observed two of them in the crosswalk playing bird soccer, batting a dead Grapevine Beetle back and forth between them.

This must be the season for Grapevine Beetles, as there was also one on the porch this morning, flipped on its back and madly twirling around. Just as I was about it help it out, it turned itself over and took off. It was quite a bit smaller than the gargantuan one that hitched a ride on my head last year (see Things That Land in Your Hair).

Speaking of porch insects, this Multi-colored Asian Ladybeetle (aka Harlequin Ladybird) was hanging out on the Rose of Sharon. Apparently they come in a multitude of patterns. I’ve only seen the one so far. It was a shimmery copper, with those wild looking feathery mouth feelers.

Speaking of the insects, so far it has still been just a few random fireflies blinking around here. I’m hoping they will come out in full force soon. Maybe tonight they will decide to do a Solstice dance.

Surrounding the porch, the next set of blooms is up at bat. Bursts of purplish magenta emerge from the soft sage-colored leaves of The Wooly Lambs Ears (Stachys byzantina)).

Bees are drawn to the Spirea, which is now flush with flower.

And a few Corn Flowers planted by the tiny new maple are lending some blues.

Tiny yellow stars on the Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) have opened.

Mint is coming up with the promise of watermelon/feta salad and Moroccan mint tea.

In celebration of the Summer Solstice I had a sudden burst of inspiration and decided to try a few of the recipes I have been saving. Last night for dinner it was Chilled Avocado Soup with Crunchy Garlic Oil to start off, and Smoked Salmon Salad with Farro and Goat Cheese as the main course. Both had a “summery dish” sound about them. There is enough soup left over for lunch today, which will be a nice treat. If I get super ambitious tonight, I might try Chile Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo With Spinach.

This morning I celebrated Solstice by making a Lemon-Blueberry Dutch Baby for breakfast. As an afterthought, substituting some of the mulberries from down the street in place of the blueberries might have made it super seasonal, perhaps a Mulberry-Vanilla Dutch Baby instead. Maybe I’ll take a walk and pick a cup to make another one tomorrow. The mulberries are not as stable as blueberries and don’t keep for very long. In the meantime, there are now a couple of naked lemons sans zest sitting in the refrigerator from two of those recipes that probably should get used up somewhere.

Today must be graduation day for some of the elementary school kids. Dressed up more than usual, they are walking past the house with their parents, who are also dressed up. They are all smiling, some carrying flowers. When they get to part of the sidewalk a few houses down, they can jump over chalk drawn lily pads.

Happy Summer, live from The Urban Porch ™, where at this moment Cardinals call to each other, the Earth Flag blows around on a warm breeze under sunny skies, people wave as they ride by on bicycles, and a fluffy old dog provides sweet company.

~*~