Well, okay, it’s not technically summer yet but this weekend we made our preparations as best we could. It was a beautiful weekend weather-wise for doing things in the yard.

We put the screens and curtains up on the poolside cabana, brought out the umbrella and the deck lounges and chairs. (Pool not open yet, but hopefully this week!)

I planted some pots.

I did a lot of weeding of the back flower beds. In doing so I discovered two very different columbines. At least I think they are a variety of columbine since the leaf is the same. They are both in different flower beds and very far apart. Here is the double one.

And this one doesn’t open any more than this but has many layers. Anyone have any ideas? They were not there last year and I certainly didn’t plant them. ? Maybe I pulled them up last year in a fit of zealous weeding but they had dropped seeds the year before?

We planted marigolds in the front flower bed. We planted our kitchen herbs in the old dry sink which join the already planted and potted tomatoes on the deck. I am hoping for a great harvest of patio and cherry tomatoes this year.

Last year we didn’t plant tomatoes because we got such a late start with our trip back to Colorado in mid June. This year we decided to stay home for June since it’s such a lovely time of year here and the pool really suffered while we were gone. Plus, we missed some quality pool time, not to mention firefly season! So, this year we’ll do our cabin trip in September instead.

Water dog Bella had fun with her wading pool this weekend too. She is always sticking her feet and head in the water bucket, so we thought she’d enjoy having a bigger water feature.

...testing, testing ....

hey, this is fun ...

i think there’s a bone in here somewhere ...

I have no idea what’s going to happen once the pool is open. I know she’s going to end up in it at least once. Oh boy.

We went to the Warwick farmer’s market and bought fresh baby lettuces, scallions, radishes, bread, cheese, and a mini quiche for our Sunday lunch. Yum. I’m glad the market has started back up again. It’s a summer tradition for us and one that we love.

So, we had a busy weekend but it felt good to get things done. We ended the weekend with one of our favorite meals last night: grilled artichokes and lamb chops “scotta dita” (or burned fingers because they sell them on the streets of Italy and you just hold them by the bone and eat them quick while they are hot!) while listening to the cool vibe of Bossa ‘n Stones, (the Rolling Stones hits done with a bossa nova beat) which we discovered while eating in a restaurant in San Miguel.

I hope you all had a great kick-off weekend to the beginning of summer!

Tomorrow I’m taking you back to San Miguel again. I certainly hope you’re not getting bored with your armchair vacation ...

Some photos just need to stand on their own. This is one.

No trip to San Miguel could ever be complete without a visit to its famous Jardin (pronounced hardeen). I don’t think a day went by that didn’t find us either in the Jardin or somewhere close by. It truly is the heart of this city, and has been since 1737. The centerpiece of this lovely square is without a doubt the Parroquia, a pink stone confection fit to top someone’s wedding cake.

The ancient laurel trees provide shade from the strong sun. They are manicured into hedge-like shapes and are constantly being clipped and cared for by a small army of gardeners. When I touched their mighty trunks their bark felt like smooth stone underneath my hand. Powerful.

People come to just sit and watch the world go by, meet friends, eat ice cream, and tap into the free WiFi that is provided for the entire square. What better place to sit and get your email?

Surrounding the square are many restaurants and small shops selling locally crafted wares. Vendors abound selling balloons, sombreros, and dried flower arrangements.

I never tired of looking at the Parroquia ...

The doorways of San Miguel are so interesting. Not only are they architecturally pleasing, but there is a certain mystique of what lies behind them. Even the plainest of doors can be hiding a lush courtyard, a swimming pool, a gorgeous home. You have to use your imagination unless you happen by when the door is open and you’re able to sneak a quick peek.

There are whole books with page after glossy page dedicated to just the fascinating doorways of San Miguel. I don’t claim to be in their league, but here are a few that I passed by that captivated me.

After a few days you can feel the bold colors of Mexico seeping into your soul, filling you with its warmth.
Red, ochre, orange, blue.