Although August is not a month of transition – with the fall equinox exactly one month from today, we are still solidly in summer – I can feel the change coming. The light changes, giving the days a golden hue and fading earlier in the evening, and crisp mornings begin to sneak in here and there.
And here I sit, with my two-fisted grip on summer, willing my tired bean plants not to give up yet and rejoicing over each perfectly ripe tomato. Admittedly, a small part of me looks forward to pulling out my favorite wool sweater and drinking copious amounts of tea and curling up under a blanket with a good book (or three) . . . but then I go contemplate the many (many) projects I’d like to accomplish, the crops I’d like to try yet (parsnips, beets, winter radishes, maybe another go at carrots), and I tighten my grip on this blessedly warm season.
I go out eagerly in the morning to put in yet another garden bed – for strawberries! – and get distracted by weeding, an endless but satisfying task. And then I see all those gloriously golden cherry tomatoes needing to be harvested, so I grab a bowl and start picking. This is good work, and I am grateful for it. If I end my morning covered in sweat and dirt and perhaps some scratches, I probably also have a smile on my face.
I also love sharing the fruits of my labor, so please do come see me at the Broadway Community Market on Saturday morning, and pick out some veggies to take home with you. Available this week:
- paste tomatoes
- cherry tomatoes
- bell peppers
- jalapenos
- cucumbers
- cucamelons (maybe)
- zucchini (probably)
- garlic
- garlic salt
- crocheted items
In another week or so, once they’ve cured and I’ve gotten them trimmed and cleaned up, I’ll have onions at the market too. I’m also working up some new crocheted bookmarks for the Back-to-School Evening Market next Wednesday, which should be a lot of fun!
See you at the market!