Glad Midsummer

 On the day of the summer solstice, Mom and I went out to pick flowers. It was blisteringly hot.

We found a place with amazing cow parsley and absolutely no shade.

We took only a very small amount, leaving plenty for the swallowtail caterpillars. We also saw an oriole while we were gathering the flowers.

We got all sorts of wildflowers: daisies, flea bane, bachelor's buttons, purple clover, yellow sweetclover. At the midsummer party, we set up a flower table where people could make flower wreaths.

 The midsummer party was so much fun this year!

We had frog dancing and a bonfire, but we didn't get any pictures of them.

But the best part was just sitting around talking to our friends.

Even Dharma seemed to have a good time.

This year, I made a sandwich cake with three layers: roasted red pepper cream cheese with cucumbers, herb and garlic cream cheese with tomatoes, and olive cream cheese.

And I made a vegan sandwich cake with three hummus-filled layers: roasted red pepper hummus with cucumbers, pesto hummus with tomatoes, and plain hummus with artichoke hearts.

We had lots of fresh vegetables and berries, which I think are the most summery of all foods.

Mom made a delicious dilled potato salad, and we had all sorts of cheeses, breads, and pickles.

For dessert there was a strawberry cake covered with whipped cream.

And vegan strawberry cupcakes with strawberry buttercream icing.