It's September and that means gardening season is winding down. A front came through the other night and took our 85-degree temps with it. It's been cool the last couple of days, but the forecast for the next 10 days is for above-average temps. I think we can squeeze a few more weeks out of the plants yet.

We planted a variety of sunflowers that are supposed to provide excellent chicken food. They need to get moving and bloom, however. This is the tallest of them, which I plan to save for seed for next year (if it blooms). It is well over 12 feet tall. The others are a measly 8-10 feet.

Back in June the husband went to the hardware store and succumbed to the display of seedlings in front of the store. I teased him about this purchase: cantaloupes. I never thought I would see fruit on them. we may not see RIPE fruit unless it stays hot for most of the month, but it is an accomplishment to have gotten this far.

Back in June DD#2 and I went to the nursery and succumbed to the display of vegetables. She loves acorn squash and begged me to plant some. We'll get at least half a dozen off this plant, I think. The plant itself is trying to take over the garden. Note to self: It needs about 100 square feet all to itself next year.

I've been sneaking out and eating all the cherry tomatoes (Sweet 100's). I may have to share and put some in the salad tonight, though.

And yay!—it's a ripe regular tomato! These are the Early Girls. Everyone around here swears by them. I've never had good luck with them but they ARE the first slicing tomatoes to ripen so I may change my mind.

I need to dig up the beets. I dearly love me some pickled beets, but I just haven't had time to make some.

We decided we didn't have enough room, so the husband spread out the concrete blankets to kill the grass, and this will get tilled up this fall and planted next spring. I haven't decided yet if we are exercising excellent forethought or just need to have our heads examined.

We've already dug up some potatoes. It's like hunting for Easter eggs. One row is reds, the other is Yukon Golds.

The eggplants finally set fruit (I had my doubts). I think they need to get a smidge bigger, but I plan to cook up some of these.

We've been making notes about what we want to do next year.

1. The husband thinks we should plant more potatoes. I am reserving judgment until I see how many pounds we get from this year's crop.

2. The purple bush beans were lovely to look at, but barely productive. I think we'll skip them next year or find a different variety.

3. The broccoli was awesome and that particular variety (I hope I have the tag somewhere) was nicely resistant to bugs and worms. Ditto on the cauliflower.

3. I adored the ruby red lettuce I planted. Next year I need to have a more formal succession planting schedule so that we have a regular supply. I also need to plant earlier. It does well in the cool.

4. I am not sure we need so many beets. Actually, I am not sure we need so much of everything, but we can always put a produce stand out front.

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When I began my transcribing job, I had to buya PC. I have had a Mac since 1985 and I don't like PCs. (I still don't.) And yes, I can boot my Mac into Windows but it was too clunky to do that every day. I just bit the bullet and bought a PC and another desk. Now I have two desks, at right angles to each other, and when I type medical reports I have a lovely view out the window of my office to the front yard. The other day I counted 50+ bicyclists riding up or down the road during thye 8 hours I was working. Our road is a popular route for cyclists, but I hadn't realized just how popular.

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Tonight is the first home football game. DD#2 does not have to cheer, but she does have to sell programs. And the husband and I like football and it's a good way to see all of our friends, so we're going to the game. Tomorrow I think I might dig up beets. Maybe.