Animals - especially dogs, Gardening, News, summer

A Woeful Tale of Tomatoes and A Short Break

38 Comments

In Maine, this has been one weird summer with so much rain that parts of the state have had flooding and road washouts. In Winthrop, the town where I live, we have escaped the worst of the flooding. However, the rain has taken its toll on my cucumbers and tomatoes.

The cucumbers have been a complete bust—stunted and producing only two fat, stumpy cukes that were inedible. The tomatoes have fared a little better, but they are not as lush and productive as they have been in previous years. Instead, they are tall and spindly with not much fruit.

I have had enough for some tomato sandwiches but not enough for making a sauce, the way I usually do in the summer. This has been especially disappointing for Dee, who loves my roasted tomato sauce.

Another casualty: the nasturtiums. I planted a whole row of seeds in the long bed by the patio in the backyard. While I do have a patch or two, most of the seeds rotted in the rains of June.

Still, I am a glass half-full kind of person, and some nasturtiums are better than none, especially when you see them close-up.

And to further cheer myself up, I took a picture of black-eyed Susans against the blue gazing ball.

Despite the rainy summer, Clif, Dee, and I have managed to slide in many lunches and suppers on the patio. Because of the rain, the mosquitoes are still a nuisance—most years they are gone by August—but we have citronella torches to help with the problem.

Right on schedule, the grasshoppers are buzzing, and the crickets are singing their sweet song of late summer. Always such a delight to hear nature’s musicians.

The delights of fall wait just around the corner—a time of apples and fires in the fire pit and warm days followed by crisp nights. But late summer is also a time to be cherished, the winding down of one season before the next season comes.

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Exciting News and a Short Break

Next Monday, our daughter Shannon and her husband Mike will be moving in with us while they look for  an apartment in the Boston area. (They already have one lead.) They have said farewell to their old jobs as managers of a senior citizen complex and are moving on to other jobs. With Shannon and Mike come two dogs and a cat. Our household will be very lively for the next few weeks.

Clif and I have done a lot to get the house ready for them, but there is still much to do. Starting today, I am going to take a break from blogging, and plan to be back sometime the beginning of September.

What a grand way to celebrate the end of summer!

See you in a couple of weeks.

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For the Dog Days of Late Summer

Listening: Who Let the Dogs Out

Party on!

 

 

 

38 thoughts on “A Woeful Tale of Tomatoes and A Short Break”

  1. It has been a strange year for gardening here as well. I am sorry your tomatoes and cukes did not do well. They are among my summer favorites! Nothing like a tomato sandwich, although one person has told me the best way to eat a tomato is out in the garden with the seeds running down one’s face. Many of our tomatoes never make it into the house. 🙂

    It sounds like you have a busy time coming up with family and pets, and I wish you all the best!

  2. I enjoyed the video, too.

    Your cucumber disaster might make a good short summer story, “A Tale of Two Cukes” 🙂 I couldn’t resist that. 🙂

  3. Ooh a lovely time with all the family together – should keep you busy. Enjoy those precious days and we’ll see you again in Septembrer.

  5. I heard about the bad season for tomatoes from a blogger who lives near Toronto. The sandwich looks good. Was the bread store bought or homemade?

  6. I love the colors blue and yellow together! The pictures are lovely as always and my husband would love that tomato sandwich. Enjoy this special time with your family. See you in September!

  7. Have a nice break, Laurie! Yes, the weather everywhere has been pretty nasty. I suppose our poor plants, trees, and yards are the real sufferers — after all, we can hibernate indoors, away from the elements. Love your Susans!!

  8. Strange summer weather indeed, but with what’s happening with the scary wildfires in much of Canada, the rain is looking pretty good. Have a lovely time with your daughter, SIL, and companions.

    1. Yes, fires would be much scarier. On another subject…did you recommend the Canadian writer Mary Lawson? I am reading “A Town Called Solace,” and it is so good. Really, really like her writing style and her skill in portraying different characters. Masterful!

      2. A quick note during my break to let you know I LOVED “A Town Called Solace.” The ending was so well done, and I read it twice just for the sheer pleasure of it. I will be reading more of Mary Lawson’s books. Do you have a favorite?

      3. The only other one I’ve read is Crow Lake, which is a much older novel. But you’re reminding me that I should seek out more of her books myself!

  10. I am very sorry about the vegetable disappointments – I have them so often in the drought that even one or two tomatoes have me jumping for joy. The loss of roasted tomato sauce … now that is a BIG disappointment. I cannot help feeling pleased for you about having your family (plus dogs) all under one roof despite the chaos that may ensue. Make the most of it!

  11. Its not been a very productive veggie garden summer here either. One exception is the “black cherry” tomato, which just keeps on and on! All the other tomats are small and insipid, and I’m hearing/reading this everywhere. Green beans? A total bust! Only one really impressive item and that’s the honeynut squash – there are dozens on the vines! As we gardeners say “there’s always next year” (?? hmmm??)
    My nasturtiums have languished for three months but are finally taking off. I’m glad you’re getting a few blooms. Do you put them in salads?
    Have fun with the kids and pets! Its nice they are able to stay with y’all.

  12. The rain has caused our weeds to grow big and strong while the flowers not so much. If you like mounds of goldenrod and jewelweed, we’ve got it!!

  16. We stopped trying to grow a vegetable garden a few years ago, but I DO have nasturtiums, they were sort of iffy at the beginning of the season but they’re doing OK, if not stellar, now. Take a break, we’ll see you in September!

  17. Yes, a rather disappointing year for sun-loving vegetables and flowers, I’d agree. But wow, is the lawn lush! It needs mowing every time I turn around. 😀
    Sounds like you are going to have a full house. I think it’s great that you have such a close and loving family, a wonderful blessing.

  19. Too bad about your cucumbers and tomatoes. I picked my few ears of corn this weekend, and while I did a much better job this year in pollinating them, I left the ears on the stalks too long, and they’re too dry for eating. It should be fun to have your whole family together for a while, even for a brief time. Enjoy!

  20. I guess we all have our summer woes. Considering how devastating this summer has been for so many people, like you, I also try to remind myself of all the blessings it has brought.
    Spending more time with your family sounds like a definite blessing, and I wish all of you a lovely time.
    Tanja

  22. I wouldn’t grieve over cucumbers, but tomatoes? My goodness; that’s quite a loss. Oddly, I wasn’t able to lay hands on a vine-ripened tomato myself this year, because of the drought. I’m not knowledgeable enough to know exactly what went wrong, but apparently there are some diseases and insects that thrive in the same heat that desiccates the fruit.

    You’ve got an exciting time ahead. I hope all goes well for Shannon and Mike. Enjoy the family time!

  26. It will be lovely to have your whole family staying for a while, I always love it when the kids come home. Have fun… enjoy!

  30. I agree with shoreacres. Cucumbers are no loss. Our tomatoes are always hit and miss, but a definite miss this year. However, compared to a lot of the weather this year ours has been reasonable and, more importantly, safe. Have a good break.

  31. I feel your summer garden woes, Laurie. We’re too cold for tomatoes, but we were particularly dry this year and that impacted our usual crops. Have a great little break to get ready for the family fun. And enjoy the crickets and the last warmth of summer.

  32. Reading about your summer patio luncheons brings back wonderful memories of summers past with my sisters and cousins. I too write about memories based off food and family gatherings. Thank you for sharing, Laurie.

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