Summer

Here in Arkansas summer is in full swing, the hedge roses are done and the ditch daylilys are in full bloom. I'm getting a bit wilty already.   Summer isn't my favorite season but it has its joys.  One is that we usually get to see more of the Best Loved kiddlets and plans are in full swing for coming visits.  As a child I was allowed to be pretty feral as soon as some chores were done.  One of my favorite activities when I ran out of books to read and no friends were around was to make hollyhock dolls.  I confess I will pick a flower or two and make some whenever I find hollyhocks. 

If you search the web you can find lots of pictures and directions on how to make these fleeting beauties but I think there is only one true construction method - forget the toothpicks.

For each dolly, pick one full opened flower and one bud that shows a lot of color.  The open flower should have a bit of stem left on it.  Pick the green leaflets off the bud and remove all of the stem.  You now have a white end on the bud with six holes spaces  around the stem end.  Push the stem of the opened flower into one of the holes and Wooot.  You have a little lady.  Magically, two of the holes are now positioned above the stem end on the bud to look like a little face.  You can poke little twigs or leaves in between the green leafy part of the blossom for arms (as shown above) but I never did.  I was sure these were medieval ladies and their hands were tucked into their gowns.  Toys and entertainment all provided by nature.  What's your best summer memory?