Summer, summer … where art thou?

The weather has been awful this summer. Perfectly awful. Just ask Felix and Robee. We've had NO days with 80's (until this week that is, but it's the end of August) and very few days in the high 70's and even FEWER days with sun. Our river swimming has been cut WAY back and I don’t see us getting to Jetty Island this summer as *gasp* school begins in two and a half weeks.

Gardens must have sun, must have warmth to grow. Even though last summer I got my garden in rather late (mid-June), it still had a great production by July. Not so much this year. However, as I said, we finally have had some good sunny days and here is the outcome:

I will have a few ears of corn in about a week.

These are rainbow "green" beans. I see blossoms and they should be getting on in a week or two.

First (and so far, only) pumpkin in the patch.

This is the saddest picture of all. See all the blossoms and leaves? This is not how a good producing tomato plant should look. It should have fruit on it. When the weather has not enough sun or warmth, the tomato plant pushes out lots of leaves first and then tries to get out blossoms. Too many leaves suck out what can be put towards the fruit and then when it finally gets blossoms, not enough warmth or sun can't move that blossom into a fruit. So either way, I, the fruit eater, loses.

BUT the good news is that there ARE a lot of blossoms and if this weather can hold out even a couple of weeks, I could be munching on Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes very soon. Mmmmmmm.

Oh ... and three zucchini which were given to Jen and Ang to make bread. Actually there were four, but Porter the Vegetarian Dog, ate one right off the vine. If he weren’t 91 years old, I’d pull out his teeth .. except that he’s already lost most of his teeth. I’m kidding of course; I do not begrudge the Old Man sneaking a snack once in awhile. Better him than the goats.