I'm in charge, for this week at least.

For a CSA whose membership crests around 260 members (approximately 1,000 mouths), the distribution area is a marketplace-without-money, a bustling community center full of the farm's major outputs. For me, those outputs necessarily include our floral friends, and so when it's finally my turn to manage distribution for the week, I make sure to tuck some bouquets into various corners of the barn amongst the squash and greens.

The above vase was left behind by a member last week: It's a gorgeous cone-shape made of thick glass, with a small spout on one side, and is molded to include the words "URINE SPECIMEN BOTTLE" on one side and liquid measurement lines on the other. If it isn't claimed in the next few days, you're likely to see much more of what is now officially my new favorite flower-holder.

Late September Wilds

Today was a gorgeous, classic fall day. The nights are as long as the days now, and we wake long before the sun. But the limited light-time focuses my attention, and I made time today to walk a bit (to the raspberry patch, for some face-stuffing) and collect wildflowers along the way.

Some of the flowers included in this bouquet are nemeses when in the fields. After these photos were taken, I even slipped in a few stems of Galinsoga, a plant I've spent more time pulling out of the ground this summer than I care to remember. Despite their voracious appetite for our good farm soil, most of these plants will grow just about anywhere, and when they aren't in competition with beets or spinach, I find myself noticing how incredibly beautiful, complex, and delicate they are. 

Not to mention tenacious.

For Love of Bud

This weekend, my brother will renew his vows after two years of marriage to my strong, beautiful, and brave sister-in-law. In the garden today, thinking of them, I found myself drawn to certain shapes.

It wasn't the flowers that were blooming, or their foliage, but the texture and variation of the about-to-open that seemed most beautiful to me tonight.

These stalwart little oncomers, getting ready to burst even as the nighttime temperatures dip into the thirties, demonstrate the readiness of all things to blossom and change.

As for Bud (whose nickname never struck me as floral until now) and Pam, they're just as tough, and just as lovely. Here's to a beautiful weekend!

The Promised Cosmos

I couldn't resist adding some greens and bean flowers before calling this cosmo-rich bouquet finished.

Simple but long-lasting; tall but somehow compact, cosmos are hanging tough through these late summer days, and their yellow centers seem to carry the intense light of the past few months, even as it fades from the fields. 

We're set to pull up some of the flower beds this week. Though I'm looking forward to fall's colors, its pies, and the death of all ragweed, I'm a little nervous about losing this medium I've come to love.