Soup's on

I knew today was going to be a good one before I even got out of bed. An east-facing window bounced light off a prism, sending scores of dancing rainbows out into the room, a good sign, that.

Even little kids draw rainbows as one of their first acts of creation, one of life's little pleasures that seems to continue onward through the decades. Here in Wine Country, we see lots of rainbows, usually when storms are ending. They poise above the vineyards as soon as the sun pokes through the clouds and, by then, I'm running for a camera to memorialize the scene.

Before I saw the prism lights this morning, I saw the sun. I knew my schedule would keep me anchored in my home, no driving today. If I wanted to, I could make today a Productive Day. The chickens were already sprung from their coop - Steve has added that to his morning chores - and they were looking for bugs under a bush, productive girls that they are. The one task for the weekend has got to be to build the run for their big-girl coop.

Walking is another act of productivity in my little world. I need the exercise and so do the dogs. On days like today when I'm working from home, it's easy to spin around the little block of an island that faces our front door. It's a seven-minute trek, a great transition activity in between clients and household tasks. If I walk that circuit just three times I can rack up one more mile...

This year we will have enough string beans to make it worthwhile. Last year I was so excited about Square Foot Gardening that I planted far too many kinds of vegetables, but only a little bit of each. What can you do with five beans except toss them in the soup? This year.....

People keep asking me if the Topsy-Turvy tomato growing method actually works. I'm probably not the one to ask since this is my first season using that format. But the three plants that are hanging upside down on my back deck are all flourishing - see all the little yellow flowers? - and my intention is to buy even more for next summer.

On the subject of soup, mid-morning today I made a great pot of lentil bean soup with a ham bone I bought from the country ham shop in Santa Rosa. Oh, the soup was delicious - it was my lunch - and reminded me that even though Steve loves to cook and does most evenings, I can still enjoy a pot of freshly made anything, even in the summer.