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!

We finally had a good soaking (if a bit overenthusiastic) rain last week, coming down in torrents as if the entire summer’s worth of rain decided to fall all at once. Puddles formed in our basement; a limb fell in the neighbor’s yard, nearly taking out our trio of mailboxes; and tomatoes nowhere near ripe split open from stem to blossom end. I was simultaneously thrilled with the rain and concerned that it was too much.

But then, I saw the cucamelons.* Monday morning I walked through the garden, taking note of what needed to be done, and when I glanced over at the cucamelon vines, not expecting much, I saw fat, ripe cucamelons ready to pick! I picked Monday. I picked again Wednesday. And there are more cucamelons waiting for me to pick tomorrow (Friday) morning. After I’d given up hope of a decent cucamelon harvest this year, here they are!

I can’t guarantee this will happen again, so if you love cucamelons or have been wanting to try them, come pick some up at the Broadway Community Market this Saturday morning. I will also have slicing cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, zucchini, and garlic, as well as garlic salt and crocheted items.

See you at the market!

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*If, like my neighbor, you’re asking, Cuca-what?, here’s a brief explanation. A cucamelon, also called a Mexican sour gherkin, is a tiny, bite-sized cucumber that looks like a miniature watermelon and tastes a bit like a pickle. It’s crunchy, flavorful, and snackable, and if you try one, you just might fall in love with this cute little vegetable.

When Paul came home last night and asked if we’d gotten any rain, I responded, “Just a little, like we’ve been getting” – meaning, just enough to wet the leaves but not the soil. But this morning, I woke with a memory of rain thundering on our metal roof and the sight of a damp garden through the window. Then, just before I stepped outside to work in the garden, it began to rain again.

I went onto the front porch instead and trimmed dead, crispy foliage off the plants there that have been limping through summer on the little water I’ve been allocating to them. When the rain let up after a few minutes, I headed out to the garden and weeded, grateful for the moist soil that releases roots more readily. And I’ve never been so happy to get rained on, as it drizzled on and off while I worked. In fact, I celebrated by planting beet seeds – I’d been putting it off for lack of rain. Oh, happy day.

Getting on my computer to write this, I checked the weather forecast: more rain! While at first this prospect thrilled me, I worry that we might get too much, as often happens after a drought. The rain finally comes, but all at once, washing away topsoil and causing flooding.

But Saturday the sun will come out again, inviting us all to celebrate the cleansing, replenishing water that has fallen. Join me at the Broadway Community Market Saturday morning, where I and other vendors will have fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, handmade items, and more. I will be bringing:

• cherry tomatoes
• tomatoes
• bell peppers
• jalapenos
• cucamelons!
• garlic
• garlic salt
• crocheted items

Thanks to the drought, bean beetles, and a very persistent groundhog, the bean harvest has been pretty dismal the past couple weeks, so unfortunately, I won’t have any tomorrow. But I will finally have some cucamelons! They usually sell out, and I have a limited quantity, so come early if you want some!

Finally, mark your calendar for our special Back-to-School Evening Market on Wednesday, August 28, 5-8 p.m.

See you at the market!