Summer ending

I post often about the beginning of spring and all the arrivals but I realized I have never posted about the end of summer changes. As of now, middle of August, nearly all the swallows have left for the south. The once observed huge black and rust colored colonies of swallows under the bridges have dwindled down to about 5 - 10. Our nights are filled with cricket sounds and the dark sparked by the fire flies. The reoccurring rubber band sounds high in the sky by the nighthawks that are circling while catching insects are seen and heard with more frequency. The heat and humidity is oppressive by day, but cool (somewhat) by night. Summer is coming to an end, maybe not right on top of us, but soon, and the wild things know it too, just watch and listen.

My garden is flourishing, and the raccoon family came to visit it last night. The corn we were awaiting with great anticipation was torn down and gnawed on. I had wondered if I could successfully produce corn with raccoon and deer families near by. I guess the answer is almost no, yet also almost yes. We quickly picked the cobs with brown silk that weren't touched, BUT I know they will be back.

Picking the produce from the garden has become a battle. Mim and I adorn our selves heavily with mosquito spray and empty bowls. We rush to the garden pick and fill our bowls with whatever is ripe or nearly ripe as fast as we possibly can. Tonight, along with the corn, we picked our umpteenth cucumber, yet another bowl full of summer squash, ripe tomatoes, more broccoli and beans and our onions. For some reason the greens on the onions died back so we figured we might as pull the bulbs since they won't be growing without the green end (if we are wrong, please someone tell me for next year).

The last two years have been awful as far as our garden produce went, but this year we are producing more than I could have anticipated. I feel the great need to preserve all I can to save us money thru the fall and winter. Plus we will be eating more organically, thus more healthy as well. Each day we are preserving something. It takes time to do this. Another time factor I am learning to figure into my summer plans. I have given little away this year. I want to, BUT I am afraid since I really don't know how much we need to last our family of 4 thru the winter. I think next year I will be able to more freely give extras away. This year I really don't know if we even have extras. I am always learning something new. It is fun, we all get excited as to what is growing, but it is also alot of work. I know that this winter we will be glad we have it.