Where has Mitt Romney been in recent months ? Nary a public appearance in many moons. Some say he is held up on Gilligans Island:  

Its June. The finest month of the year in my humble opinion. Maximum daylight, optimum temperature and the world in bloom. The days are filled with misty morns, warm afternoons, picnics under shade trees, walks through the tall grass of a meadow or beneath a shady canopy of trees. How about the scent of fresh mown grass, or awakening to the sound of birds singing in the trees ? A fine June day is just about as good as it gets.

What about June nights ? Perhaps this is how they made you feel once upon a time….

They're usually called cover tunes… a well known song by a particular artist "covered" by other musicians who attempt to hit the same highs and lows in tribute, or put their own twist on a particular piece of work. Have a listen to Hayseed Dixie's twist on "Walk This Way" by Aerosmith. It's a hoot.  

Its time to grow Tomatoes. In fact they should be well on their way by now. My plants are about 2 and a half feet high, already tied to stakes. I have 6 plants in several different varieties which should produce more produce than I can eat. I have A Jet Star seed strain, a couple of Big Boys, Big Girl, Sweet Millions (salad tomatoes) and a Roma (paste tomato). The plant professor in this video clip (below) gives us some ideas and insight on how to grow prizewinners for the advanced gardener, but if you just want a decent sized, good tasting tomato, try this:

 Make sure your soil is well amended. That is to say, buy a bag of composted cow manure or two and till it into the earth. Fresh manure as long as its not still steaming is even better. Temper it with a bag of humble topsoil. You want your soil somewhere between the color of chocolate cake and coffee grounds. Rich. If you really want to impress your friends and infuriate your critics, put about a dry cup of granular 10 - 10 - 10 fertilizer in the soil and mix it in. Buy well established plants in 3 to 4 inch individual pots. Make sure they look healthy and well tended. Little 6 pack plants are fine, but it's just about June and you want tomatoes sometime soon.

 Now, here is the trick of tricks. Buy a bag of powdered limestone, and a small bag of bone meal. Dig the hole to plant the tomato, and dust the hole with a handful of lime, then a handful of bone meal. Mix it up, plant firmly and water. Give the plant about 2 weeks and fertilize again surrounding the stem. Use the bone meal or the 10 - 10 - 10, maybe a little of both. Trust me.

The Bear Song… sounds like some esteemed piece of classic literature in the vein of John Muir meets EB White. You can look these names up later. While "The Bear Song" isnt classic literature, it is a hoot. Before you partake in this quirky exposition of all things Ursa Major, allow me a quick update. Mr Bear comes by my humble abode about once a week and pokes his nose in my Waste Pro container. There is no rhyme or reason to the frequency of his appearance,  nor is there food residue on any one given day of the week which seems to attract him. Best I can tell Mr Bear must make some semi - regular rounds at an uncertain interval. He must have a route plotted out as he scopes out "the hood" and sniffs for eats. I imagine he says in his beady little bear mind, "Hmm, Lets see if this guy has anything to eat, been a while since I stopped by here, last time no dice, but maybe Ive been missing something good". Im not sure that’s the way it goes in Mr Bears beady little bear mind, but you get the picture. My neighbors Lee and Stan (not their real names- although this is what I call them much to their consternation) have seen Mr Bear on several occaisons. Lee and Stan stay up later than do I. Im betting they have motion sensor activated outdoor lights, and as Lee and Stan sip their late night martinis, Voila !... Mr Bear is thus illuminated as he steps on the scene. Lee and Stan, best I can tell like bears.