If you have never eaten lemon cucumbers, poor you. They are delicious! They are called that because when you let them (over)ripen, they appear the size and shape of lemons, but still taste like regular cucumbers. As a public service announcement I offer the correct stage to pick them. They should have just a tiny hint of yellow starting. Select ones in the store at this color; do not buy if dark yellow. The inner seeds are hardly developed at all. So tender, sweet and crunchy! Rub off the little prickly things and you can even eat the skin at this stage, but I do peel them. Let’s hear it for backyard gardening!

Harvest of lemon cucumbers picked at the perfect time, the first Sungold cherry tomatoes, and some Blue Lake stringbeans

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Our local Trader Joe’s has had magnificent peaches this year. I noticed that they are even MORE beautiful than the illustration on the packaging, which is saying something! Hope you are enjoying your summer fruit in this unusual, to say the least, year.

Heavenly yellow peaches, the best part of summer

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Stringbeans were my mom’s favorite vegetable. Ever grow something because it reminds you of someone?

Blue Lake stringbeans from my garden

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I know this is similar to a recent post, but I love this photo, too! We had a few days of sun in Seattle, and with a lot of cloudy and cool weather this year, the sunshine is so glorious. My flowers think so, too.

Various day lilies and sweet peas bloom in Seattle in July

Also on Through My Lens Monday1, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

A box of dead-ripe peaches from Trader Joe inspired me to adapt a very easy raspberry clafouti dessert recipe.

Peach clafouti (or clafoutis) easy custard and fruit dessert

Here is my version:

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 ozs) sugar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 ozs) whole milk
• 3 cups ripe peach wedges (about 3 peaches or so), peeled and cut into wedges
• dash vanilla
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. Generously butter a 9-inch gratin dish or pie plate. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, butter and lemon zest until smooth. Whisk in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the milk and whisk until light and very smooth, a couple of minutes. Add a dash of vanilla. Whisk in the flour until no lumps. Pour the batter into the gratin dish and top with the peach wedges in a pattern from the center, or just any which way (rustic!).
Step 2
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the clafoutis is just set and golden. If using a glass pie plate, raise temp. slightly, might take extra 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges and serve.

Even though I forgot to do the sugar dusting, it was FABULOUS.

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The good rain we’ve had this spring has been great for the garden. The back flowerbed hasn’t had much attention from me but the daylilies and rose campion are doing so well. Enjoy the glorious summer sunshine!

Perennial border in July

and a bonus image!

Close up of orange and red daylily

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Seattle certainly has been having a cool and rainy spring and summer, so far. The way roses look after a light rain, however, is priceless.

Rosebud after a light rain

Also posting this on Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Shadows from a trip to Lake Cushman, WA, one beautiful July day.

Tree shadows at the shore of Lake Cushman, Washington

Posted on Through My Lens Monday1, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Oh, photo archives are a treasure. So many photos, and after a few years, some are completely new to me. I took that? Apparently I did, on a garden tour ten years ago. Here’s to July, and kitties, and sunshine!

A very relaxed orange kitty named Tully, basking in sun and summertime shadows

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Let’s peek back into the bright part of the year, shall we?

Frilly pink petals of fragrant peony bouquet, with bud

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.