Hosta blooms have appeared, signaling the midsection of summer. Actually, the first flush has already gone to hefty and full seed, which I need to remove since we have more than enough hostas through self-seeding. A rather unappreciated aspect of the hosta plant – which is more renowned for its fabulous foliage – the flowers are lovely and lily-like in form and fragrance. Softer and smaller than lilies of course, less showy, but just as enchanting. Summer sometimes offers simpler joys.
During yesterday’s brilliant late morning moments, I assembled a simple salad of cucumbers, fresh tomatoes grown on our patio, fresh basil from the garden, garbanzo beans, and mozzarella – doused with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper. I threw in a few slivers of red onion that I’d soaked in water and vinegar to remove their edge, and it was the perfect summer salad to eat by the pool as I read lazily from my current book.
There was nowhere else I’d have rather been at that moment – the brilliance of a summer morning in July makes up for all sorts of January awfulness if you know how to store it in your heart. I paused to imprint the memory, to take in the flavors and the feeling of this summer day. Mindfulness makes for happiness.
Summer does too.
