The Summer so far (part 6)

[side note] This post is a very roundabout way to talk about something completely unrelated to the first little paragraph.

Soon after the Spring Semester ended I started a writers' group. Every Friday at 10:00 a group of friends and I meet at a park right outside of downtown to share our writing. I wish I had some photos to show you of the park, but they all must be on Meg's camera. Please take my word for it that the place is beautiful.

The park is close enough to home that I can walk, and on the way back I take a roundabout hike along the Monocacy Creek trails. Today on the walk home I was struck by a very pleasant and familiar aroma.

Garlic! Here, take a closer look.

There were big swaths of the stuff everywhere along various portions of the trail. I couldn't believe that I've never noticed it before. None of it looked orderly, but I cannot fathom how so much of it got there. Maybe several years ago someone planted a few cloves and it eventually spread; I don't know.

My guess is that it may have been this lady. Meg and I have seen her around Bethlehem quite a few times and always her walker is loaded down with food or flowers. She lives in a retirement community on Main Street, but she gardens everywhere there is unclaimed earth. If you're ever in the area, take Union Boulevard towards the 378 on-ramp. As you drive onto the ramp, go slowly, and peek over the guardrail to your right. What you'll see is her onion patch. It's about 2,000 square feet of tightly packed rows and the smell on a hot day is amazing.