The Last Summer Day

Here we are, almost to the end of September, and summer lingers. Shimmering days of warmth that cool to "pull up a blanket" nights create some of the most perfect weather imaginable.

I've picked raspberries twice this week, probably a pint each time, and today I gathered another handful. This is luxury. 

Tomatoes that just won't quit. I hate to say I'm getting tired of them, for in a month or so they will be mere memory. So I pick and roast and freeze against the dark chilly wet that will soon be upon us. 

The roses don't seem to have any inkling about the cold front that is moving in tonight. Growth abounds and I fear that their promise will be nipped in the bud, so to speak.

Today was so lovely I could hardly bear to be indoors. Since we are learning about activities we like to do in Spanish class, I asked them if they would like to go for a walk. Of course, they did! And so we spent 15 minutes walking around the block, enjoying this last summer day. 

Echinacea opens, a stalwart perennial that I planted a mere month ago. I bought one white and two purple and hope to have masses of blooms late next summer.

We celebrated two of the family's three birthday celebrations last weekend. I brought a tray of stuffed jalapeno peppers - pepper poppers. They are a treat most of the family enjoys. A bit fussy to prepare, but gobbled down in a hurry. It's always a bit of a gamble to eat them, for jalapeno's heat is highly variable, and there's no way to know until it's in your mouth.

There's been some reading, as well. Louise Penny's latest Inspector Gamache mystery Glass Houses, as well as the stack above. The Susan Wittig Albert stories are gentle mysteries set in England's Lake District, featuring Beatrix Potter! The historical timeline is correct, but the events and other people in the books are fiction. Even the animals play a part in solving the mysteries. I enjoyed reading Luard's book mostly for the essays written about each month of the year. 

I mentioned a Grilled Kale salad a few weeks ago and some asked for the recipe. I used this recipe for the grilled kale, but then added nectarines and goat cheese instead of the plums and ricotta, because that's what I had on hand. The dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, a bit of honey, and fresh thyme was delicious.  Now I have a bag of plums in the fridge, so perhaps a plum version is next. 

The garden beckoned when I returned home this afternoon and I followed its siren call with my camera. The bees were busy, busy among the flowers, especially the oregano. 

Tomorrow, they who watch these things say, clouds and rain will prevail. It's best to enjoy the weather that comes along, for we really can't do much to change it. So out will come the cozy sweaters and blankets, and there will be tea and chocolate in the evenings, along with a lighted candle for cheer.