Garden firsts for the season are celebrated. Here, the first of the ‘Royal Burgundy’ bush beans. I grew them last season in a late summer planting. They produced well even as the weather cooled which confirmed what I had read. So I planted them a little earlier than usual for the summer garden with good results.

In a moment of serendipity, these flowers and beans were on the kitchen island and it seemed they needed to be side by side. Some things just go together.

The burgeoning rhubarb plants beg for harvest, but before I begin making sauce or jam I endeavor to finish planting the summer garden.

Last week I did harvest a few stalks to make a small mixed berry rhubarb crisp. It became three nights of luscious dessert. Berries and rhubarb work well for me in jam too with rhubarb being an extender.

Only two red cabbages survived the early season critter destruction. Then when I thought it was safe to pull back the bird netting some critter damaged the larger of the two. It was the size the of a bowling ball so I was again disappointed. I did salvage some and decided pickling was a worthy end.

The color is enchanting and I’m looking for ways to use the pickled cabbage.

I seem to have a magenta-purple thing going with this post so here’s one of my lunches last week.

Just as my red onion were beginning to develop bulbs an overwhelming assault of black aphids defied daily hosing down and any beneficials. When they showed up on nearby tomatoes it was time to pull the onions. I like having the spring onions at the ready in the fridge.

A few weeks ago I made chive flower and rosemary vinegars. I strained them recently and especially like the delicate color and flavor of the chive flower vinegar.

I think the chive flower vinegar and some EVOO will be perfect over the last harvest of ‘Dark Red Lollo Rosa’ lettuce.

‘Hot Cocoa’ rose cheers me in the waning daylight—certain beauty and fragrance in these uncertain times.

You may enjoy seeing what other garden bloggers harvested last week at Harvest Monday hosted by Dave at Our Happy Acres.

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