Summer rebels

August is such a trial.  In fact, now that I think about it, it may be one of my least favorite months, topped only by the long, dark, cold months of winter.  Vacation ends, school starts, fall is just around the corner and ... it's still unbearably HOT.  August reminds me of field hockey pre-season and just thinking about those days makes my muscles ache.

Can you tell this was pre-haircut?

So here we are, more than ready to visit a pumpkin patch, light some spicy candles and enjoy more dinners on our back patio. But Mother Nature refuses to cooperate.  And it reminds me of the last few weeks of Jon's patrols during his deployment days.  When I'd just do what was necessary to get through the day, anything to tick off another date on the calendar, whatever it took to get one step closer to meeting him on the dock after 3 long months apart.  So that's what we're doing now.  Trudging along, going through the motions, using whatever energy the hot season has left us with to pull off a few more summer flings.  While secretly pulling cute, little jeans and hoodies out of the back of the closet where they too have been waiting for the slightest drop in temperature. 

Have I mentioned what a tease the neighborhood trees have been?  A few of them just gave up in early July when the rain clouds stopped coming around.  And so piles of brown leaves littered the streets, an absurd picture in the middle of the year, and a grim reminder that this coming autumn may not be just what I had anticipated.

And my poor garden that I've only had a chance to tend to once this summer.  The summer storms have finally arrived and our yard is green again.  But somehow the "weed garden" task has fallen way low on my to-do list, somewhere between "burn old home videos to DVD" and "order a wedding photo album."  Yeah, you can guess how long that's been on my list.  The garden manages to thrive despite my lack of attention.  Maybe we'll just saying we're growing wild tomatoes. 

I can hardly keep up with the harvest, but I haven't quite figured it out yet.  If I wait too long they end up splitting and rotting, and then there's these yellow ones that I'm guessing, after a few weeks of watching, are never going to turn red.  And another plant that I've finally figured out doesn't produce round tomatoes.  And unfortunately, I have no idea what to do with yellow or gourd-shaped tomatos.  The peppers aren't quite ready yet.  And the squash plant has taken over the entire right side of the garden.  That nasty squash has completely chased two tomato plants right out into the yard.  I think I know how it gets its name now.

But we're enjoying other non-garden produce.  Nothing says summer like fresh corn on the cob.  And I figured it was high time Jack had his first shucking lesson. 

He's a quick learner.  Of course, anything that involves ripping and tearing comes quite naturally to him.  And eating of course. 

I tried to explain that we don't eat corn until it's been cooked but he didn't seem to care, and then ran off with one of the cobs.  Up until now we'd been cutting the corn off for him. Apparently that was a bit superfulous.  Completely chewed his way around the whole thing, he did.  I was a little grossed out but I think I read somewhere that cooking corn isn't neccessary.  Probably from the same source where I've heard that corn has no nutritional value.  I think I was bummed for the entire day after hearing that.  Anyway, I let him go because obviously the poor kid was hungry and at least he was reaching for something of the vegetable variety.  A few minutes later while I was gathering the ears to bring in the house I noticed another one was missing.  You guessed it.  Tank plowed through two ears of corn, RAW, before I had a chance to finish shucking the rest.  You can only imagine his diaper the following day ...

But that was last week.  Today I lit an "Autumn Spice" candle and made chicken stock.  Today we went outside in the morning and pretended like that's what it feels like all day.  I might even crank up the AC and put on some jeans. 

Today we're rebelling against summer, defying the 9 and 4 glaring at me on the digital thermometer even though I know I'll despise my August bashing self a few months from now when it's cold and dark and we're stuck in side.  So just today. 

Tomorrow we'll think of new ways to celebrate the last days of sunshine and our slew of guests that are coming over the new few weekends.  Tomorrow I'll put the spicy candle back in the cupboard where it's been hiding.  And maybe I'll just go ahead and freeze that chicken stock for a more soup-worthy day.  Until tomorrow then!