Flora and Fauna

This morning started out bright and early with a birthday celebration...at 6:30 am. The elderchild is now 14 and requested red velvet cupcakes. While it was still dark we breakfasted on a croquembouche of cupcakes:

After work I went to the farm to pick up the share. Hard to believe there are only 3 weeks left! Here's the flora part: 1/2 peck apples, 1 bunch flowers, 1 watermelon, 2 each acorn and carnival squashes, 1 head of lettuce, broccoli, arugula, beets, radishes, purple top turnips, Hakurei turnips, zucchini, garlic, hot peppers (I could only find 5, they're basically done for the season), lots of kale, tomatoes, parsley, 1/2 pint raspberries, green beans, and popcorn. I now have 3.5 gallons of tomatoes in the freezer and a bunch of projects for next week. For dinner we ate the green beans and had a salad along with our steak tips and pasta. And more cupcakes.

Now for the fauna:  while I was at the farm I saw several field mice and heard even more. I startled a little mouse in the green beans and it ran in 3 different directions, clearly flustered, until it finally picked a direction to get away from me! When I got home I went out to feed the bees. This is the last time I'll put in a jar of syrup; when they finish it I'll take the whole feeder out for the season. While I was out there I heard something rustle and looked over to see a fox about 50 feet away from me. A big one, too! Keep in mind, I live in a fairly urban environment. Others who have seen the fox lately theorized that all the construction has disrupted their habitat so they're more active and visible. Lastly, I saw a bunny in the middle of the road while I was driving (no worries, he got out of the way). Lots of critters!