August 1st. Wow. I'm amazed at how quickly the summer is coming along. I hope it lasts well into September, esepecially considering how late a start to our summer we had. I am looking forward so much to seeing what this month will bring!

July brought us Yarrow's birth and baptism; a huge heat wave, with mosquitos, deer-flies, and humid, rainless days; an abundance of visitors (many still here!); fresh lettuce, chard, peas, beans, and beets in the garden; and some fantastic discussions to think over.

I'm completely impressed by Luba's "mothering" abilities. She's sweet, gentle, and attentive to Yarrow. I get looks of concern from Luba whenever the baby cries, and intrest, but no intrusion while she's eating, babbling, or being changed. I never expected our enthusiastic puppy to be so responsible! The chicken's though, are still a challenge for Luba's new-found maturity.

After this week, my mom is heading home and I will be working on returning to my daily life with the addition of  Parayushka. It's been wonderful, and incredibly helpful, having her here, but I'm excited to fall fully into daily life again.