July Blossoms

Most of the flowers in the woods have faded by now, the bluebells are a distant memory and the elderflower only a shadow on the hedgerows. In their place new wildflowers had blossomed along the waysides; fragrant meadowsweet, towering willowherb, and delicate wild orchids. I feel as it merely by learning the names of the different plants and flowers around me I have become better at recognizing them and finding them in the wild. As if by putting a name to a flower somehow puts that flower in my path. I'm sure my frequent walks with Solomon also help me notice the subtle changes in the countryside and spy new things blooming along the path as he pulls me in new directions through our local haunts. P.S. I shared my recipe for small batch fireweed jelly on my Patreon. You can become a patron for as little as $2 to access this and other exclusive posts. Last month I shared a recipe for elderflower cordial on Patreon; I'm trying to share a new foraged recipe once a month.
How sweet is this ruffled and embroidered apron? I was talking to my mother-in-law not too long ago that no one really wears aprons anymore and she said, "if they wore nice dresses they'd wear more aprons!" Because so often we forget that aprons, like other more traditional garments that aren't worn these days serve a very functional and practical purpose. They helped keep your dresses clean. I have a handful of aprons now and I mostly wear them for style, but they are sensible when I am nosing about the farm or making jellies. Some like this one are so pretty I'd hate to get them terribly dirty, but they also protect and preserve some of my favorite dresses. I used to worry about that balance between form and function with fashion but in terms of warmth, these days I tend to also think about all the ways I get my clothes dirty and the materials that breathe and clean more easily. Older fashions might not be as popular, but so many traditional clothes served practical purposes and my style seems to inch in that direction more every day...