Ranger Makes It Official

Even though we have over a week to go until the official solstice on June 21, it's beginning to look a lot like summer around here.

Oh sure, so maybe it was cloudy, wet and barely 60 degrees F/ 16 degrees C today. But trust me, signs of the sunny season are everywhere.

What's that you say...you want some proof? Fine. Look at this sweet, juicy watermelon I carved up for dinner tonight. It was just as crisp and delicious as it looks, and what could be more summery than fresh melon?

What's that? You want to know if this watermelon was actually grown here in Washington? Oh, hmm, well, no. Probably it's from California, the land of eternal summer. 

Alright, I see your point. You want some evidence that summer has actually come here, to the cool and cloudy Pacific Northwest. Not a problem. Check out these pink peonies that have burst into bloom in the past few days, right in my own front yard.

Mmm, trust me, they are fragrant and ruffled and teeming with summer's extravagance. 

But if you're still skeptical, let me remove all doubt. Here is inarguable testimony from none other than my very own Ranger.

Only during the during the summertime does Ranger bury his face in the lush stands of buttercups, such as this one, and munch on the tender grasses that grow up between the yellow blooms. And today, as you can see, on his walk today, Ranger was all about the buttercups.

So. Case closed. It's summer!